software

Retooling its browser with the WebKit engine isn't the only big change at Opera Software. The Norwegian company also cut its staff significantly in the last quarter of 2012.

According to the company's fourth-quarter financial results (PDF), the company had 777 employees at the end of 2011 and 931 at the end of 2012. But that figure includes 91 "employees associated with the organizational restructuring."

Moving to WebKit and dropping its in-house Presto browser engine. means Opera is cooperating with Google, Apple, and others using the open-source WebKit software, and that means the company could get … Read more

As a former Lifehacker contributor, my ears perked up a bit when I learned that StackSocial was offering a Lifehacker Mac Bundle.

After all, it seems like there's a new software bundle every other week. But I'd never seen one with the Lifehacker "seal of approval." Would this one be particularly special?

I'd say that's open for debate. On the surface, it's certainly a good deal: You get nine Mac apps (you know: programs) for $49. Their combined value if purchased separately: $310. I'm no Mac user myself, but I know a … Read more

It was a good day for the WebKit browser engine yesterday when Opera Software adopted it in place of its in-house Presto. But yesterday's developments also became an opportunity for a high-profile JavaScript programmer to lodge criticisms about WebKit.

"Each release of Chrome or Safari generates excitement about new bleeding-edge features; nobody seems to worry about the stuff that's already (still!) broken," complained Dave Methvin, president of the jQuery foundation and a member of the core programming team that builds the widely used Web programming tool, in a blog post.

"jQuery Core has more lines … Read more

It might have been a smart strategic move for Opera Software to move to the WebKit browser engine and scrap its own Presto, but some think it's a step backward for the development of the Web overall.

"A switch to Webkit might benefit Opera. It's just not going to benefit the open Web," Mozilla's Robert O'Callahan said today in comments on his blog about Opera's Presto change-o. "This will strengthen the WebKit mobile monoculture and make it even harder for us to promote Web standards over 'coding to Webkit.'"

Browser engines … Read more

Opera Software, an independent voice in the browser market since the 1990s, will dramatically change its strategy this year by adopting the WebKit browser engine used by Safari and Chrome.

The Norwegian company announced the move today and said it will show off the first fruits of the work with a WebKit-based version of its Android browser at the Mobile World Congress show in less than two weeks. But the company will move to WebKit for its desktop browser, too.

A browser engine processes the Web page instructions written in HTML, JavaScript, and CSS then renders the results on screens. … Read more

We spend a lot of time evaluating tech around here, looking at both the hardware and the software sides, and telling you which products we think are worth your hard-earned dough and which are best avoided. Behind the scenes, we're always keeping an eye on what you're looking at, as well. Some gadgets are obviously going to draw a lot of attention, their appearance on the list of most viewed a given, but sometimes a product pops up that surprises us and gives a bit of insight into where consumer trends may be headed.

Without further ado, let'… Read more

Congrats to Craig L. of East Wenatchee, Wash., for winning a $200 gift certificate to geek shop KlearGear.com in last week's giveaway, and to Chuck V. of Eden Prairie, Minn., for scoring a bag of CES swag the week before that. Now, on to this week's business...

Are you a fan of speech recognition software? Put your hands up in the air. We're giving away a copy of the latest version of Nuance's Dragon Dictate for Mac.

Dragon Dictate for Mac 3 promises 15 percent better out-of-the box accuracy than its predecessor, as well as … Read more

Some of us use our camera phones to take photos and edit them on the fly. Some others prefer to use a real camera and edit them professionally, using a photography software on their computers. Whoever you are, there is a solution out there for you, but this special giveaway I'm running today is specifically for PC users -- a free copy of Cyberlink PhotoDirector 3. What does it do? Well, good question - as the software title states, it puts you in the director chair and helps you manage your photos, edit, enhance and so much more.

Rated … Read more

Most of the software bundles I see these days fall into one of two categories: games or Mac apps.

Finally, some Windows love! PCBundler is offering seven Windows tools and utilities for $25. Combined value if purchased separately: $228.

Sounds good, but is there anything here you'd actually want? I'm not going to break down the entire list, which you can review for yourself, but I will hit the highlights:

DVD Ranger This is arguably the star of the bundle, a versatile DVD/Blu-ray-copying, ripping, and authoring tool. You can do everything from converting a Blu-ray movie to … Read more