Who Offers the Best Tech Support for Laptops?

You may not care so much about tech support for your desktop, but for a laptop it matters a bit more.

While many of you Tom's Hardware readers are usually savvy enough to troubleshoot problems on your own, even if it's store-bought computer, many consumers out there heavily factor into their purchases in the quality of tech support.

Apple, Google, and RIM All Tried to Buy Palm

HP may have won the bidding war, but who else was serious about acquiring Palm, and why?

HP announced its $1.2 billion acquisition of Palm at the end of April, but it wasn't until last week that all the i's had been dotted and the t's crossed. However, now that everything is all signed, sealed and finalized, we learn that Palm came close to belonging to several other companies, ones with far more experience in the smartphone business than HP.
When word first got out, HTC was the obvious buyer to most observers. Caught up in a patent suit with Apple, acquiring Palm's patent portfolio would have given HTC some serious courtroom ammo. However, that deal fell through and once it did, it was anyone's guess who would acquire Palm.

Google Maps Snaps Plane in LA Intersection

We've seen a lot of weird Street View photos, but it's not often Google Maps gets a look in satellite view.

We love the weird and whacky folk that appear on Google Street View. Between the guy with the horses head and the Stig, we can't decide who we love the most. However, the latest Google Maps image to catch our attention isn't a Street View photo. It's a regular, old Google Maps satellite photo. Regular except for the part where there appears to be a plane parked on the intersection between Rose Ave. and Lincoln Blvd in Los Angeles.

Acer to Launch 7- and 10-inch Tablets This Year

HP's Android tablet might be shelved for now, but Acer has plans to release two slates powered by the Google OS before the year is out.

Digitimes reports that Acer will launch 7- and 10-inch Android tablets later this year. Both will run Android 2.2 (or Froyo) and be ARM-based. With the advantage of Android 2.2's Flash support, Digitimes reports that these two devices will be multimedia tablets with entertainment capabilities and will debut in Q4. Acer is said to already be in talks with Far EasTone Telecommunications, which suggests the device will have 3G and, dare we hope, may be available subsidized from carriers?

The tablets will be separate to the e-ink ereader Acer introduced in May and the full-color, Qualcomm-powered Android reader it showed off last month at Computex.

Toshiba in Hot Water Over Free Laptops Offer

Toshiba's latest ad campaign has resulted in a lot of unhappy customers.

In an effort to capitalize off of the World Cup, Toshiba ran an advertising campaign offering customers in several European countries full rebates on purchases if their country won.
The deal was advertised in Spain, Germany, England, Portugal and Italy and offered customers purchasing Toshiba Core i5 laptops or Toshiba TVs a full refund if their country of origin was victorious. However, it seems Spanish customers are having trouble getting their money back and consumer association, Facua, is taking issue with how Toshiba organized the special offer.
Toshiba's promotional materials included fine print that directed customers to the Toshiba Website for full details. However, not all customers checked the site before buying and were surprised to learn that they're not eligible for a refund because they didn't register their product before June 17. Engadget cites Facua as saying such a huge condition to availing of the offer should not have been hidden away on the website, but clearly marked on the promotional materials. The group is arguing that because of this oversight, Toshiba should have to honor every single customer's rebate regardless.
While it's definitely an underhanded move on Toshiba's part, it's hard to believe people wouldn't look at the terms and conditions of a deal offering a free laptop or TV before jumping in with both feet.