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Duolingo helps history nerds learn Latin
Duolingo is usually focused on teaching languages that are immediately relevant, even if they're only useful at sci-fi conventions. This, however, isn't one of them. The service has introduced a Classical Latin course that, with the help of the Paideia Institute, will help you learn a language that hasn't been commonly used for centuries -- it's not even the Ecclesiastical Latin still used in churches. The learning process works much like it does in other Duolingo courses, although Latin's complexity could pose a serious challenge. It'll be a while before you're translating ancient murals.
'Black Mirror' short promo films will star Latinx influencers
You don't have to wait until June 5th to get your next fix of Black Mirror -- although it might not be what you were expecting. Netflix has announced a trio of Little Black Mirror short promo films with thematic links to the technology-gone-wrong series. They're aimed at a Spanish-speaking audience and will star a host of Latinx social network luminaries offering their take on the franchise, including Rudy Mancuso (who also directed and scored the series), Lele Pons and Juanpa Zurita.
Gmail now recognizes email addresses from non-Latin alphabets
Since the beginning of time -- or at least since email was invented -- most email services have required the use of non-accented characters from the Latin alphabet for each individual's address. It's inconvenient for those who don't natively use that alphabet, which means that more than half of the world's population have been frustrated. Here comes Google to the rescue: Gmail (and soon to be Calendar, we're told) now recognizes email addresses that have accented characters or use non-Latin alphabets, so you'll be able to send and receive correspondence to these types of addresses as much as you want, and soon Gmail will let you create non-Latin accounts to call your own.
Artist helps Arabic speakers to code without learning English
If you want to build software, it's almost mandatory that you'll need to know the English language since all of the tools rely upon that tongue. Unfortunately, that puts non-English speakers at a huge disadvantage when it comes to computer literacy and programming. Artist and coder Ramsey Nasser decided to remedy the problem by constructing a programming language written not in English, but in Arabic. Nasser had more than a few problems getting "Alb" to work, since Latin-based text editors couldn't handle the script, and even GitHub struggled to accommodate the data. In the end, Nasser had to use Lisp, a language from 1958, because it doesn't rely upon non-Arabic punctuation like semicolons and commas. "Alb" actually works, and if you fancy giving it a go, then you can test your Arabic programming skills down at the source.
Vatican approves iPhone app
The Vatican's Pontifical Council for Social Communications has approved an iPhone app called iBreviary, which is apparently a virtual version of the liturgical book. The app itself was created by an iTalian (and yes, pun intended) priest, and during a trial release in Italy, was downloaded 10,000 times. Now, the app has made it to the worldwide app store (in English, Spanish, French, and Latin, with Portugese and German coming in a later version), and is available for 74p (or 99 cents on the US store). A while back, we heard about an iPhone saving a wedding, and who knows -- maybe this app will save a mass. If you've been looking to keep from having to carry a breviary and Apple's handset in your pocket, your day has come.
Say Hola to Latin American WoW July 25th
Blizzard is once again expanding its World of Warcraft player base. July 25th will mark the launch of Latin American Servers for Mexico, Chile, and Argentina. The expansion will be supported and sold in other countries in the future. New players can also purchase the Burning Crusade and 60 day prepaid game cards. A free trial is available at juegawarcraft.com. The launch will be accompanied by celebratory events with Blizzard staff: July 25 Blockbuster Pilares Av. Universidad #697 Del Valle, July 26-27 Plaza Satelite Estado de Mexico,
Blizzard plans Latin American WoW
In their quest for world domination, Blizzard has announced plans to develop a Spanish version of World of Warcraft for Latin America. The new version will have the same stellar twenty-four hour customer service currently available to WoW players. The announcement stated that "The Latin American localization will be based on the existing European Spanish version but will feature entirely re-recorded in-game speech." The new version of the game is slated to be released soon, and will be available to Spanish-Speaking players in the and as well as in Latin America. Blizzard is making arrangements for language packs and transfers for existing Spanish-speaking players once the new version is released. You now have the option to read the official forums in Spanish or in English. I wonder if one of the new dances in Wrath of the Lich King will be the Cha Cha.
Nintendo DS tops 10 million in the Americas [update 1]
Coinciding with its recent 10 million in Europe milestone, the Nintendo DS has also topped 10 million "in the Americas," according to the latest press release. Playing the numbers game yet again, Nintendo claims to have sold nearly nine DS or DS Lite units every minute.The DS launched earliest in the US, on November 21, 2004, close to 795 days ago. That number converts to approximately 1.145 million minutes, which would give Nintendo sales figures of 10.3 million portable systems -- certainly a lot more precise than previous ventures by Nintendo into the magical world of Arithmetic. Still, who are we to judge Nintendo's math skills when scientists are working to define a new number that explains the DS's sales numbers in Japan (sources tell us they'll likely go with "Nintend-illion").[Update 1: Title used to refer to Western Hemisphere, which was used to reference the Americas but not any portion of Europe or Africa that subsequently lie in the West. Headline has been changed.]
Apple Announces iTunes Latino, Telemundo and mun2 in iTunes Store
Apple has launched a new Latino section in the US iTunes Store featuring Latin music, music videos, television shows, audiobooks and podcasts. "Latin music has been a huge hit on iTunes and now we're bringing music fans even more of what they love in a dedicated area on the iTunes Store," said Eddy Cue, Apple's VP of iTunes, in a press release. In a related press release, Apple also announced new shows from Telemundo (iTS link) and bilingual programming from their youth-oriented mun2 network (iTS link). Latin TV shows, telenovelas and reality content are all now available in the iTunes Store as well, rounding up what looks like a strong new offering for Apple's darling content store.
Halo, the Latin epic
To what extent is Halo an extension of the interactive storytelling of old? The latest issue of The Escapist has a thought-provoking piece comparing Bungie Studio's Halo with Virgil's The Aeneid. The theme of a revered, super-human warrior protecting his home world against two enemies (one with whom we can sympathize, in the case of the Covenant / Greece) is prevalent through each tale. The interactivity, according to author Roger Travis, is an illusion for both the gamer and the Roman audience: we are immersed within the story but have no say over its outcome. Master Chief as Aeneas notwithstanding (no word on where multiplayer fits into the comparison), to what extent could one design a game where the progression is wholly determined by the user? Could the lore of World of Warcraft be expanded through the present-day actions of its masses? Even open-ended games like Fable and Oblivion have main quests and endings. To play devil's advocate to our own question, perchance a central plot is required in story-driven games in order to give the wandering avatar an initial feeling of purpose. Could there be a cutoff point where the user is left to his or her own devices, or must we always be in pursuit of some tangible outcome laid before us?
