Posted 11/10/09 at 05:55:54 PM by Ryan Whitwam

Just yesterday we told you about the Microsoft’s ad campaign that could get you free WiFi. Google had no intention of taking that lying down apparently. The Search giant has announced plans to offer free wireless internet access in 47 airports across the country now through January 15th, 2010. The program is being facilitated by wireless providers like Boingo Wireless and Advanced Wireless Group.

"We're very happy to extend our Holiday Wi-Fi gift to the millions of people who will spend time in airports over the next few months," said Marissa Mayer, VP of User Experience at Google. With all the travel that comes with the holiday season, many people rely on wireless connectivity to keep in touch.

When a user logs on to the free Google provided WiFi, they will be presented with the option to donate to Engineers Without Borders, the One Economy Corporation or the Climate Savers Computing Initiative. Google will match the donations up to $250,000. The Microsoft deal is a straight up promotion, whereas this is just plain charity. Check out the full list of airports here. Happy holidays from Google!

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Posted 11/09/09 at 06:48:48 PM by Ryan Whitwam

Microsoft's Bing and JiWire have a proposition for you. Free WiFi in exchange for using Bing. Interested? The promotion would give users free Internet access at participating hotspots if they do just one search with Bing. In conjunction with JiWire’s advertising network, Microsoft will be extending the offer to various hotels and airports.

The campaign was started in September at several thousand locations. It managed to attract between 30 and 40 percent of visitors to the hotspots. This is extremely high, as most ads only get interaction from 0.1 to 0.2 percent of people. Microsoft reportedly plans to continue with the promotion, which is a part of JiWire’s Ads for Access campaign. The campaign allows companies to give customers something in exchange for their time. This can be taking a survey, watching a video ad, or (in this case) using the Bing search engine.

The next time you’re in an airport, keep an eye out for these ads. It could get you free access courtesy of a certain Redmond software giant.

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Posted 08/18/09 at 04:45:00 PM by Paul Lilly

Originally released in February 2009, Acclaim's MMORPG The Chronicles of Spellborn has gone into a redevelopment stage. This is expected to carry into 2010 and will include a bevy of enhancements and changes as the game morphs from a monthly subscription model into a free-to-play title supported by micro-transactions.

 In the meantime, Acclaim tells us it still has its servers running the original version and has decided to make Spellborn free to play.

"We felt like people missed out. They didn't get to see what Spellborn was really like. And we are going to fix that," David DeWald, Community Manager for Acclaim, wrote in an email.

While the original version remains 'frozen in time' and free to play, note that there will be no upgrades or patches.

Download Link

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Posted 07/30/09 at 10:07:47 PM by Pulkit Chandna

Last week, Microsoft disappointed members of its invitation-only Windows 7 Technical Beta Program by announcing that they were not eligible for a free copy of Windows 7 Ultimate. But it has now made amends by announcing a complimentary copy of Windows 7 Ultimate for each one of them.

Microsoft will allow them to download the final build of Windows 7 Ultimate along with a key, beginning August 6, 2009. Those eligible can also opt for a boxed copy, however, such boxed copies are said to be limited in number. The complimentary boxed copies will become available after October 22, 2009.

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Posted 07/07/09 at 04:47:52 PM by Pulkit Chandna

Microsoft recently made the Microsoft Security Essentials beta available for download. When Microsoft first announced that it had a free antivirus software in the works, Symantec and MacAfee shares immediately plunged. Both the antivirus developers are not ready to acknowledge MSE as a threat to their paid offerings.

David Hall, a regional product manager at Symantec, unleashed a diatribe against MSE while speaking to BLORGE. He believes MSE is not a consummate product and cannot fully protect users. “If you are only relying on free antivirus to offer you protection in this modern age, you are not getting the protection you need to be able to stay clean and have a reasonable chance of avoiding identity theft,” Hall said. He even ridiculed MSE as “a stripped down version of the OneCare product.”

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Posted 07/06/09 at 09:37:16 AM by Pulkit Chandna

The powers that be at Joost have once again pressed the reset button. The online video site is reportedly ready to start things anew with a revised business model and a new service. It will now license its online video technology to media companies and broadcasters, while still providing free movie and TV content through its own website.

Having remained in the shadows of the competing yoke of Youtube and Hulu for the entire span of its existence, and with revenues, or lack of it, rubbing salt into its yawning wounds, this fresh attempt to sneak out of those long shadows is understandable. 

Its current senior VP of engineering, Matt Zelesko, will replace Mike Volpi, though Volpi will continue to be chairman. The impact of the shakeup will pervade through its ranks as it plans to prune its staff.

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Posted 06/25/09 at 05:54:23 PM by Andy Salisbury

After a brief moment of availability this week, Microsoft’s free Security Essentials application has been pulled from the virtual shelves.

Microsoft claims that it now has enough users for the beta, stating on their website, “Thank you for your interest in joining the Microsoft Security Essentials Beta. We are not accepting additional participants at this time. Please check back at later a date for possible additional availability.”

So, if you were hoping to get in but weren’t among the fleets of people that did so yesterday, you’re out of luck! You’ll just have to wait for the full version, like everyone else (that is, unless you got actually in).

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Posted 06/24/09 at 09:12:38 AM by Pulkit Chandna

Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen may not be as popularly synonymous with wealth as is his more illustrious peer Bill Gates, but he has been among the richest people of the world for many years on the trot. Now he has decided to use a modicum of his immense wealth for a fresh business venture.

He has launched Xiant, a software company, which will be developing “tools that make your time at the computer as productive as possible.” Its inaugural product called Xiant Filer is an email organizing software. The tool is compatible with Outlook Express and currently in beta.

Xiant Filer can automatically organize incoming mail messages by choosing the correct subfolder for depositing each message. According to Allen’s new company, the software becomes smarter the more you use it.

It appears to be meant for really popular people with mailboxes inundated with messages. However, anyone can try it for free as the beta version can be downloaded from Xiant’s website. 

No, Steve Ballmer's legendary tongue-dangling pic is not the most repugnant in tech history.

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