in

Adobe Systems' competitors smell blood in the water.

Having seen the torrent of criticism that greeted the company's move last month exclusively to subscription sales for most of its software, many are launching promotions and otherwise scrambling to win over the disaffected.

"We've put in place our outreach program to users, saying, 'Hey, come and try us,'" said Nick Davies, general manager of Corel's digital media and productivity software group. Corel launched a promotion that lets Adobe CS4, CS5, and CS6 users buy Corel software for the upgrade price rather than the full price.

"… Read more

Surprise, surprise -- after a year's dry spell, new hardware from Apple is causing an unusually high amount of interest in people selling off their old Macs.

That's according to gadget trade-in service Gazelle, which says the number of people wanting to sell their old MacBooks is up 8 percent from the same time last year. Perhaps not too coincidentally, this is all happening following Monday's unveiling of new MacBook Airs, which hadn't been given any hardware updates in a year.

The majority of trade-ins are older models, Gazelle's "Chief Gadget Officer" Anthony … Read more

Apple is reportedly partnering with an outside company to offer a new trade-in service for iPhones at its retail stores, a program that remains unannounced.

Citing sources, Bloomberg says Apple is working with Brightstar, a Miami-based company that manages trade-ins and logistical efforts for other companies.

The rumored program would let consumers bring in their used iPhones for a discount on newer models, and potentially for credit on other items in Apple's stores.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Such a program would not be a first for the company. Apple already offers a recycling … Read more

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Apple banned from selling some iPhones and iPads after Samsung patent win.

- Aunt Jill on LinkedIn: What I Learned in Italy (or, Economies in Perspective).

- Venice floods put more than half of city underwater.

- GameStop to recall 8GB Wii U Basic -- but why?

- Forget what you know, next-gen consoles change everything.

- The Last of Us is now the best reason to own a PS3.

- Game over for used games: How Xbox One and PS4 could gut gamers' wallets.… Read more

I remember the very first Bang & Olufsen product I ever saw, a Beogram 4000 turntable. It was lightyears ahead of the competition's look and feel in the early 1970s. The design hasn't dated one bit -- no wonder it's on permanent display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

It's been ages since I checked out a B&O, so I decided to start small with their brand new BeoPlay H3 in-ear headphone ($249). It's a handsome enough design, but nowhere as striking as B&O's ultrasleek speaker … Read more

Users of the InDesign layout software who are disgruntled by Adobe's move to sell its software solely through subscriptions might be interested in a promotion from rival Quark that just arrived.

The Denver-based company announced Wednesday that those who buy or upgrade to its QuarkXPress 9 software will get a free upgrade to QuarkXPress 10.

"Until June 30, 2013 anyone who purchases or upgrades to QuarkXPress 9 from any previous version will receive version 10 for free. After June 30, 2013 only QuarkXPress 8 users will be eligible to upgrade to QuarkXPress 9 for a free upgrade to … Read more

I've always had a (some would say strange) fondness for all-in-one PCs. Though they're sometimes underpowered and frequently difficult to repair or upgrade, they afford the luxuries of a desktop (big screen, roomy keyboard, and so on) without the space-hogging, wire-splaying hassles of a separate case.

Today only, and while supplies last, Geeks.com has the refurbished Gateway One ZX4250G-UW308 all-in-one desktop for $249.99 shipped. That's one of the lowest prices I've ever seen for an all-in-one; Fry's sells it new for literally twice the price.

Update: Rats. It's already sold out.

This … Read more

One of the most anxiety-inducing moments you'll hear a Southwest customer talk about is the process of checking in as close to 24 hours before a flight, hoping to see a boarding priority number prefaced with an A. The lower the number, the sooner you get to board the plane and pick a seat of your choosing.

A new service, originally covered by Lifehacker, will automatically check you in at exactly the right time, ensuring that you are on the elusive A-list. The name of the service: Southwest A-List, of course.

Here's how it works:

Following Twitter's lead, LinkedIn introduced two-step verification as an optional security feature members can use to protect their accounts.

LinkedIn's new security measure emulates the two-step verification process of other sites and requires members to input a code, sent via SMS, when logging in from an unrecognized device for the first time.

"Most Internet accounts that become compromised are illegitimately accessed from a new or unknown computer," LinkedIn director Vicente Silveira wrote on the company blog. "When enabled, two-step verification makes it more difficult for unauthorized users to access your account, requiring them to have … Read more