The elephant-sized ad in the room
We hear that the experimental ad might be causing some issues, though, specifically audio problems, browser crashes, or might be especially taxing on some people's computers. We've been informed that the appropriate ad people have been dispatched and are trying to fix the issue for everyone. But we know that doesn't help you in the here and now, so if you're having problems with the ads you might try turning off Flash. (For your convenience we've posted a few ways to do that after the break.) In the mean time feel free to vent in comments -- we're totally here for you.
Switching off Flash in your browser
IE is kind of complicated. Everyone says use IE7Pro, so that probably is the tool you want to use. (We've also seen a couple of solutions, but nothing else turn-key.)
For Firefox we suggest Flashblock. You can also use AdBlock, but if you do that all the other ads on Engadget won't load, and if enough people turn off all the ads then Engadget ceases to exist. So, you know, do what you think is right.
If you're using Safari try out SafariPlus.
And our personal fave, Opera, makes things pretty simple. You can add an enable / disable plugins check box to your toolbar, or you can go to preferences -> advanced -> content -> (uncheck) enable plugins.
Oh, and there's also a CSS hack or two to do this as well. Let us know if we forgot anything in comments!
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
wysilv @ Nov 20th 2007 5:44PM
Haha, I actually didnt notice it... Adblock, thank you very much.
Frankenstein Black @ Nov 20th 2007 6:10PM
What are these Ads you speak of? My engadge page looks like this:
http://www.eternal-champions.com/images/engadget_adfree.jpg
And I can "control and customize" it on a per site basis using ANY (thats right ANY) browser! So ask me what I am using and where it can be had ;^)...
Hint here:
http://www.eternal-champions.com/images/AzPro.jpg
Nathan @ Nov 20th 2007 6:17PM
You know I don't mind seeing adverts on pages, I know that the big E makes its money from said ads. I do however draw the line at having to listen to, manually close, stop or pause, move or close from OVER TOP my text or otherwise have ads interrupt my reading of said articles, so I finally went and got adblock for my FF.
Ads like these are what made me block ALL ads on Engadget.
I like supporting you guys, but I am not going to have my computer invaded by process hogging flash adverts. Period.
Joke Man @ Nov 20th 2007 6:28PM
Man I ve been using Macs for years and Ads like this make me sick.
I do applaud you for informing people how to take it off though.
Apple should be grateful to you guys for allowing them to advertise not the other way around.
After all this is Engadget.com not Apple.com
Also It's to bad Apple turned so Corporate. I remember when they used to be the "Peoples" comapany based out of California.
They're still in California but now they're more LA than SF.
Dirkus @ Nov 20th 2007 6:34PM
"Haha, I actually didnt notice it... Adblock, thank you very much."
I came here to say exactly this. so... "exactly this".
mikey @ Nov 20th 2007 6:41PM
As much as i love the idea of ad-free websites etc, i appreciate that the guys have to create a revenue stream somehow - and i much prefer this to paying a subscription fee.
It's not like we're talking ads that float around over the text, and we're not talking about popups.It's an ad in the corner without sound. If you're not interested, then just leave it.
It really isn't that much of an issue.
Ryan Block @ Nov 20th 2007 6:42PM
Nathan, we hear you and feel exactly the same way. We've been working a lot behind the scenes to make things better lately, but everyone's input will only the case. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Randomness @ Nov 20th 2007 10:31PM
I agree with Nathan on this one. This huge ad is f***ing up my browser screen in a big way, the flash ramps up my cpu and turns my laptop fan on high, and slows down the browsing of the site. I'll be using adblock now, sorry guys but this crosses the line.
scabby @ Nov 20th 2007 7:23PM
Well put, Nathan. I have Adblock (with updater) installed and am pretty much never bothered by ads. While IE and Safari might have some ability to block ads built into them to more or less of an extent, the beauty and simplicity of always going to a site without ads cannot be understated. Thank you FF and Adblock.
As far as the particular offending content, I'm starting to think that Engadget is actually a front for Apple computers, as 1 out of 10 stories is about a Mac product, Steve Jobs, a clone of a Mac product, etc. If there is one thing to hate about Apple (that is, beyond the smugly moronic Apple Geniuses or their grotesquely overpriced hardware), it's their advertising machine.
Randavance @ Nov 23rd 2007 10:00PM
Yeah, I don't do the whole "flash" thing, I like to keep things simple.
Some days I just open a shell and run Links to browse the web in a command line.
Garrett @ Nov 21st 2007 5:16AM
Same here, Adblock saves the day again!
P.S. That ad is ridiculously obnoxiously annoying, and snarky. Let's set some higher standards than the usual Mac OS pissing matches I have to endure while I find the skip button on my Tivo remote.
Foolio Slim @ Nov 21st 2007 7:02AM
> Randavance @ Nov 20th 2007 11:40PM
>
> Some days I just open a shell and run Links to browse the web in a command line.
That is hands down the stupidest comment I've read on here in a long time. I had to read it again in *Lynx* just to make sure it was as stupid as I thought it was.
MatthewJ @ Nov 21st 2007 7:24AM
The advert is fairly rubbish. Its got a very condescending message, so basically if you're on XP you'll find it immensely annoying, and if you're on Vista you'll laugh because its so inaccurate, and if you're on OSX already you'll think its hilarious.
Also, negative advertising is the lowest common denominator, it suggests to me that Apple are getting rather desparate for new customers (in the computing field)
Ricardo Dawkins @ Nov 20th 2007 5:46PM
Portable Firefox without the stupid FLASH plugin that always hose my lowly K7 CPU...
CUBSWILLWIN @ Nov 20th 2007 8:45PM
What about if you're using safari for pc? Reply plwase.
CUBSWILLWIN @ Nov 20th 2007 8:50PM
What about safari on PC. I'm using ie7 but I wanna just know if there is anything for safari PC
BoxOfSnoo @ Nov 21st 2007 8:06AM
Install privoxy.
Steven @ Nov 20th 2007 5:47PM
Make it so it doesn't play automatically in tabbed browser windows. I was in another window in Firefox and an Apple ad came on from this window, very weird.
Kurt MacD @ Nov 20th 2007 5:47PM
Yeah, kinda noticed how that was taking up half my screen, begone!
giantenemycrab @ Nov 20th 2007 5:47PM
Ha ha, I love adblock so much.
michael @ Nov 20th 2007 6:41PM
Yeah, I love adBlocker a lot too. It's pretty handy.
I have IE7 Pro, and it comes with adBlocker included. It works very well.
IE7 Pro also does inline spell check, extra scripts, Tab History, and many other must-need features.
EVERY IE7 user needs this. It's free and it hasn't effected my computer badly at all.
http://ie7pro.com/
Alan Partridge @ Nov 20th 2007 7:14PM
In Opera you dont have to disable plugins or anything, just right click on an empty part of the page and click on 'Block Content' you can then block out specific ads/bits of the site.
Pi.phage @ Nov 20th 2007 7:50PM
@michael: Adblock and AdBlocker are not the same thing. Adblock is for Firefox (Which is vatly superior) and AdBlocker is for IE (Haha... Lame.)
michael @ Nov 20th 2007 11:58PM
@Pi.phage:
"Adblock is for Firefox (Which is vatly superior) and AdBlocker is for IE (Haha... Lame.)"
Anything to prove that statement?
adBlocker works for me. I don't even notice an ad. So exactly how is AdBlock 'superior'? Can you give me any proof of this?
Ricardo Dawkins @ Nov 20th 2007 5:48PM
Use IE 7 Pro for disabling FLASH. Period. http://www.ie7pro.com/
BTW. it is FREE!
if Engadget doesn't know this......these dudes are a JOKE.
Ryan Block @ Nov 20th 2007 6:00PM
We're a joke because, as editors of an ad-supported site, we don't block the ads of other sites? Right. Sorry, we'll try to be more hypocritical next time.
Chris Macdonald @ Nov 20th 2007 6:12PM
Go Ryan!!!
David Clark @ Nov 20th 2007 6:18PM
The best way to support these ad blocking programs is to put annoying, huge, and noisy ads on the top of your page. Engadget, you asked for it.
FYI, I used to click on several of the banner ads to support you guys, most notoriously the AX ads.
Ricardo Dawkins @ Nov 20th 2007 6:22PM
@ Mr. Block
IE7 Pro add more features to IE 7 than just Flash blocking.
Anyway. Later and happy thanksgiving.
Tom @ Nov 20th 2007 7:19PM
@ Nathan:
And you pretend to be an authority on technology, yet you still use IE? Ryan's got you here...
If you don't agree with what he says, start your own tech blog. Maybe you won't ignore a large portion of the tech world then.
michael @ Nov 21st 2007 12:08AM
@Tom:
Now I don't want to be an obnoxious fanboy-sounding person, but when you said:
"yet you still use IE"
That's kind of like an insult you know. People have their preferences.
I don't want Firefox - it's a slow-down for me, and I'm not pleased that Google code is embedded in my browser. Not happy at all. That's just me.
IE7 works for me and many people. IE7 is NOT the same as the past browsers. OK? Get that straight. IE7 happens to be very secure (said by many news sources, and I never had anything bad come through), has just as many free add-ons, and it does what I need it to do.
In fact, IE7 does the best RSS feeds, and does more with tabs than the current Firefox. Just had to add that too.
So the point is, is that people have preferences.
Stop referring IE7 as the insecure IE6 with a new name. It's not the same.
Jeff Lewis @ Nov 21st 2007 4:34AM
Brilliant! That works great! No more smarmy, ignorant Apple ad! Thank God!
Now, if I could just get this for my TV...
Mr. Ad_Unaware @ Nov 20th 2007 5:48PM
Did not even notice it to be honest..
o rly @ Nov 20th 2007 5:49PM
If anyone needed a reason to install ad blocking software or use a browser that includes one (Opera is my preference), this might be a good one.
I shouldn't have to turn off flash either, but for my "convenience," instead of putting up methods of disabling flash, how about you remove the flash ads completely?
...and yes, the huge ad does imply that you are on Steve Jobs & Apple's payroll.
brendan @ Nov 20th 2007 6:33PM
Did the "We know what some of you are thinking, and we want to remind everyone that the Engadget editorial team does not sell ads nor have any influence on ad deals. In the biz we call it the separation of church and state (advertising and editorial), and it's essential in maintaining editorial integrity." escape your notice?
o rly @ Nov 20th 2007 7:29PM
No it didn't, it seems more like they are trying to deny their guilt, even if their actions show otherwise.
brendan @ Nov 20th 2007 8:08PM
deny their guilt? I know this is crazy, but maybe its because they're not guilty? An astounding concept, I know. Denying guilt does not equal guilty. They clearly said they don't choose the ads that run. Thats how many editorial sites are run, they help insure no conflict of interest situations arise. But live on in paranoia buddy. I'm sure the world is brighter with the light reflecting off your tin hat...
o rly @ Nov 21st 2007 3:36AM
Based on the previous coverage and comments by those visiting Engadget, there may be a very different consensus, buddy.
brendan @ Nov 21st 2007 8:38AM
"...and yes, the huge ad does imply that you are on Steve Jobs & Apple's payroll"
Well, unfortunately we weren't talking about previous coverage or comments, we're talking about the stupid, uninformed thing you said during this coverage, in these comments. Oh, but I'm sure it was a single slip-up in your otherwise pristine track-record of informative, well-reasoned and accurate comments.
o rly @ Nov 21st 2007 12:25PM
Fortunately, I was, it's unfortunate if you weren't. ...and thank you for reading through all my comments.
Bob @ Nov 20th 2007 5:49PM
my frustration......
aaaaarrrrrrggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
vented out
ok ....i feeel much better
hope I don't see the add again
hp540 @ Nov 20th 2007 5:49PM
i turned off adblock just to see what this was all about.
pretty neat ad...but now i've turned adblock back on.
Bob @ Nov 20th 2007 6:10PM
Oh yeah .....keep it off for a bit ......and see how the Apple ad takes control of your browser .......Haaaaaaaaaa
Super S @ Nov 20th 2007 9:21PM
I turned off adblock as well to see what the commotion was about. I found it funny, just like all the rest of the Apple ads. Though I don't think they are very effective as I am, and probably always will be a Windows user (well that is until I play around with Ubuntu some more).
Alex @ Nov 21st 2007 3:02PM
Scooter, the clients of engadget aren't the readers, they're the ad guys who pay them for placing their adverts on a high-traffic website. Secondly, their PR department said it's a test, they might actually be telling the truth (yes the chances are pretty low, but whatever...). Furthermore, I'm not quite sure that Ryan and the rest are the guys who take direct care of the layout, especially not on a day-to-day basis...
M @ Nov 20th 2007 5:49PM
Anybody got a screenshot of what this looks like? I'm not seeing it and I'm curious.
James @ Nov 20th 2007 5:49PM
feel free to vet in comments
anonymouspimp @ Nov 20th 2007 5:49PM
I take it I wasn't the only one who compained about this! It had been annoying me all day, but this article came up about 30 mins after I sent you guys a message lol
But yeah, I only have issued when I open an article in a new tab. The ad starts looping and echoing.
Shane @ Nov 20th 2007 7:03PM
Same exact thing happened to me. Ad started looping and doing wierd things. I finally just turned off my speakers. It only happened once and I'm not sure exactly why. I first saw it this morning but totally missed the banner at the top which was part of the ad. That was pretty funny once I noticed it...
s1pacrat @ Nov 20th 2007 9:24PM
yeah, the looping thing is weird - I fail to see the point of an ad if it doesn't work properly. Way to go, Apple.