Apple, Microsoft and Adobe give reasons for higher prices in Australia, can't guarantee you'll like them

Talk about ants in their pants. After giving regulators the runaround and repeatedly dodging the question of why they charge Australians so much more than Americans for the same products, senior executives from Apple, Microsoft and Adobe have finally been forced to sit down in front from a parliamentary committee. They weren't always especially helpful, mind you, but they did at least offer some justification as to why, on average, their products cost 50 percent more in that country. Read on for a quick rundown of who said what.

[Image credit: Delimiter]

Microsoft's Pip Marlow:

Refused to comment on a particular instance of Australians being charged $4136 for a software package in Australia but only $2324 in the US Implied, according to The Australian, that prices are set according to local competition. Said, "Our customers will vote with their wallets"

Adobe's Paul Robson:

Explained that Australians were forced to buy from Adobe's local website, which charges up to 167 percent more, so that they could get a "personalized" service Highlighted higher running costs, salaries and the need for investment in Australian sales channels as some of the reasons for higher prices

Apple's Tony King:

Argued that some Apple products were similarly priced in the US and Australia Admitted that there were serious price disparities on iTunes, but blamed them on copyright holders who still operate according to "old-fashioned notions of country borders or territories or markets"

The Australian press isn't overwhelmed with any of the responses, and it's certainly true that all three corporate execs put on a steely front, offering no hope of price reductions. As we've already seen though, pressure applied in the right places can produce all sorts of sudden cracks.

Source: Reuters, Herald Sun, The Australian, ZDNet

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By: Unknown On 7:39 PM

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10 reasons you really need to be at Expand this March

In case you haven't noticed, we really, really want you at our inaugural Expand extravaganza this March 16-17! We wanted to take a moment and recap the highlights of the show we have planned so you have it all in one place (and because, let's be real, everyone loves a list):

1) Even more reasonable ticket prices!

We want to make sure Expand is as accessible to as many of you as possible so we're knocking the ticket prices for all of the above back to $50 if you buy them in advance. We're also instituting day pass pricing for those of you unable to attend the show both days. A $35 ticket gets you into Saturday's show plus our after-party from 8 to midnight, and only $25 gets you in for Sunday. Parents, kids under 13 get in absolutely free so please bring the family for a day of hands-on technology fun!

Of course, we know many of you have variable schedules and aren't sure if you'll be able to make the show ahead of time. We'll also be selling tickets at the door for $60 for the full weekend or $40 for just Saturday and $30 for just Sunday. And if you've already purchased Expand tickets, check the email you used to register for info about a refund (we won't leave you hanging!). If you didn't receive the email or have other questions about your tickets, please hit us up at tickets at engadget dot com and we'll help you out.

Read on for nine more reasons... 2) Brilliant speakers on stage

We'll have two full days of inspiring speakers from all walks of technology, robotics and space on the Expand stage. See Chris Anderson (CEO, 3D Robotics and former EIC, Wired), Yancey Strickler (Co-founder and Head of Community, Kickstarter), Marc Raibert (President & Chief Robot Lover, Boston Dynamics), Scott Croyle (VP of Design, HTC), and more, including a whole set of folks we haven't even unveiled yet.

3) Exhibition hall

We're going to fill half of Fort Mason Center's Festival Pavilion to bursting with the latest and greatest gadgets for you to get your hands on. We'll also have a collection of things you won't be able to find on retail shelves, like the complete da Vinci surgical system, on our show floor. Yes, really!

4) Insert Coin competition

We will have 10 of the awesomest pre-crowdfunding projects from talented innovators in our Insert Coin: New Challengers competition showing off their inventions on our show floor. The top 5 finalists will also be demoing their products on stage for a chance to win a $20,000 grand prize.

5) Consumer electronics and beyond

We'll have gadgets galore at Expand, of course (it is in our name, after all) - but we'll also have robots (lots and lots of robots), bionics, pundits, 7 Minutes of Terror, space elevators and more -- what's not to love?

[Image credit: NASA]

6) Free stuff!

We will be doing on stage giveaways of more stuff than you can shake a stick at. Anyone who's been to one of our reader meetups in the past knows we're talking loads o' stuff. Come on out and win yourself something pretty!

7) Meet Engadget

Come on out and meet the Engadget editors! We're bringing the majority of our team out to reprazent at Expand. Come mingle with us, and meet some folks who are as insanely excited (i.e. certifiably obsessed!) about technology as you are.

8) No need to catch a cab

We'll be providing bus transportation to and from Fort Mason Center from convenient pickup spots in downtown San Francisco. Don't even worry about paying for a cab or the hassle of getting yourself there -- we've got you covered!

9) Food included

We'll be providing breakfast, lunch, and beverage service as part of your ticket price. We'll also bring in food trucks outside our pavilion at Fort Mason for your dinner pleasure on Saturday night before the party.

[Image credit: ricardodiaz]

10) Day 1 after-party

Speaking of which: The Party! On Saturday evening from 8pm to midnight we'll have upright arcade cabinets and an assortment of consoles on hand to get some friendly gaming competition going. We'll also have music and adult beverages for your auditory and gustatory enjoyment.

[Image credit: Rob Boudon]

Please come join us!

And don't forget...

If you're a company that would like to work with us on an exhibition or sponsorship level, please drop us a line at sponsors at engadget dot com (DIYers and small startups, please ask us about our new Indie Corner option!) If you're interested in speaking at the event, please contact expand at engadget dot com to inquire If you're a member of the media interested in covering Expand, please contact engadget at shiftcomm.com for more information.

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By: Unknown On 1:40 PM

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Five reasons 2012 was a great year for Linux

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Katherine Noyes has been an ardent geek ever since she first conquered Pyramid of Doom on an ancient TRS-80. Today she covers business and tech in all its forms, with an emphasis on Linux and open source software.
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The end of the year is always a good time to take stock of where things stand in any niche or field, and Linux is no exception.

There's no doubt that there have been challenges for the free and open source operating system over the course of 2012—the Secure Boot challenge  comes immediately to mind—but so, too, have there been numerous successes.

All in all, I believe the good has outweighed the bad for Linux this past year. Here are five specific reasons.

1. One *billion* dollars

Perhaps most obvious among Linux's accomplishments this year was the fact that Red Hat finally and officially attained its long-anticipated status as the first billion-dollar open source company. That's a testament not just to Red Hat's own business acumen, but also the fact that Linux can be profitable—and that's a big deal for increasing future business interest in the platform.

2. The Digital Divide

Those of us in the tech industry can argue over the merits and penetration of desktop Linux until we're blue in the proverbial face, but meanwhile a momentous shift has quietly begun.

I'm talking about the wave of tiny, inexpensive, Linux-powered PCs that flooded the market this year, putting significant computing power within closer reach not just for enthusiasts but also for those who would not otherwise be able to afford it.

It's truly a revolution in computing, as I've said before, and it's expanding Linux's reach even beyond the countless Android-using masses. Not only that, but it's surely going a long way toward bridging the Digital Divide.

3. Gaming acceptance

Gaming platforms may not matter much to many in the business world, but the fact is, gaming is extremely important to a whole lot of PC users. Over the years, in fact, a relative lack of games has been a key reason held up by many to explain why they didn't make the switch to Linux.

Well, this year all that changed when Valve announced that it was porting Steam to Linux, citing the Windows 8 “catastrophe” as a big part of its reason.

More recently, THQ is considering making a similar move, according to reports.

What it means: Linux users are increasingly being viewed as a market worth catering to, and that will only mean more and better applications across the board in the future.

4. Preloaded prevalence

This past year has also seen a dramatic increase in the number of hardware options offering Linux preloaded. Over the course of 2012, in fact, we saw machines from not just specialty makers ZaReason, System76, and ThinkPenguin offer this option, but also Asus, Dell, and more.

With every new entry that arrives, consumers' choices expand, and that can only be a good thing.

5. An open window

Finally, it's become patently obvious that Windows 8 has encountered a cooler reception than Microsoft might have liked, and that means nothing but opportunity for Linux. With Ubuntu 12.10 “Quantal Quetzal,” in fact, Canonical's popular Linux distribution has actually surpassed Windows 8 in many respects, particularly from a business user's perspective.

Tremendous inertia will allow Windows' dominance to continue for years to come, of course.

Still, with Windows 8 the landscape shifted, I believe, and desktop Linux has begun to compete on an even footing. I can't wait to see where that leads in 2013 and beyond.

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By: Dilusha On 11:09 AM

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