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Sprint launches New Ventures arm, adapts ID and Zone apps for foreign markets
Like any money-hungry corporation, Sprint's branching out to pursue greener (as in the color of dolla dolla bills) pastures. The Hesse-led co's just announced the creation of its New Ventures unit, an overseas- and wholesale-focused entity which is set to expand upon Android's rapidly growing user base to generate some lucrative B2B handshakes with manufacturers and foreign operators. First up on the organization's plate is the white labeled extension of the company's branded apps, now nestled under the carrier agnostic Mobile ID and Mobile Zone monikers. Those software packs will function much like they do here in the US, offering subs a pre-selected assortment of skins containing applications, ringtones and wallpapers, in addition to a centralized hub for account management. No word yet on what international partners have signed up for the licensed service, but with Mobile World Congress only a few days away, we're sure those necessary details will be forthcoming.
South Korea puts the 'Cinderella Law' into effect
South Korea's burgeoning online gaming market has brought the country a great deal of business success, but it's also brought the dread specter of video game addiction to the forefront of public awareness. Hoping to curb addiction before it starts, the country has brought into effect a new law requiring all online games to block players under age 16 from playing between midnight and 6 a.m. Dubbed the "Cinderella Law," it also affects online services such as PlayStation Network and XBox Live. As expected, the law has several vocal critics, who assert that the law infringes upon the civil rights of children. The Korea Association of Game Industry, a group including companies such as Nexon and NCsoft, is in the midst of preparing a lawsuit based on its claim that the law is excessively prohibitive. Of course, many gamers have been trying to circumvent the ban already by connecting to Western servers, which have no such restriction... although it could be argued that connecting to another country's servers just to play for a six-hour period sort of reinforces the whole argument about addiction.
