overseas
Latest
US tech companies have stashed over $420 billion overseas
It's no secret that the US government wants companies to bring more of their offshore profits back home for the sake of taxes, and it's now exceptionally clear as to why. Bloomberg has sifted through financial filings and discovered that the top eight American tech firms, including Apple, Google and Microsoft, are keeping more than $420 billion overseas -- $69 billion of it added in just the past year. That's over a fifth of the $2.1 trillion held abroad by American companies, and would easily cover a lot of government expenses. A tax on Microsoft's recent profits alone ($29.6 billion) would cover NASA and the Commerce Department for a year; Apple ($23.3 billion) could take care of the Transportation Department and Social Security, and Oracle could foot the bill for the Labor Department.
Microsoft resists US government demand to seize offshore emails
Microsoft has filed a court challenge to a US government demand that it hand over emails from its data center in Ireland. That appears to be the first time a US corporation has opposed such an order, and Microsoft has been backed by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and an amicus brief from Verizon. The US prosecutor heading the drug case in question said that if the objection succeeds, tech companies like Microsoft could stymie domestic cases by merely storing data overseas. However, experts say the suspect was likely abroad when he sent the emails in question -- making the legal situation murkier.
Dragon Quest X working on a PC port, overseas release
Did you know that there's a Dragon Quest MMO? The popular and long-running RPG series came out with a console MMO version in Dragon Quest X, although to date it's been confined to the boundaries of Japan. This may be changing, however, as Square-Enix is eyeballing the PC and overseas market. Producer Yosuke Saito confirmed that the studio is working on a PC port of the console MMO: "The drive to release a PC version was there from the start of Dragon Quest X development. The biggest reason was that, when thinking about which platform was most likely to be connected to a network, the PC was the first that popped into our minds." The PC port of the game will be available in Japan in September. Square-Enix has been a little more secretive about an overseas release but did say that it's in the works. The studio isn't sure that it'll be rolled out in the same way that Final Fantasy XI was, as Saito thinks that Dragon Quest X will need to be released on separate servers for various countries and regions. "This is just my personal viewpoint, but different countries consume their games at different speeds and the way the communities are run also differ," he said.
Valve partners with Nexon to bring Dota 2 to Japan and Korea
Online game publisher Nexon has announced that it's teaming up with Valve to bring the free-to-play Dota 2 to the Japanese and Korean markets. Dota 2 is of course based on a Warcraft 3 mod named Defense of the Ancients, and the multiplayer online battle arena style of gameplay, inspired by real-time strategy games, will likely appeal very much to those overseas markets. Valve's Gabe Newell says, according to the press release, that "partnering with Nexon will allow us to deliver Dota 2 to a massive audience of Asian gamers via a premium service."Dota 2's competitor League of Legends has already been enormously popular in Korea, with a South Korean team nabbing the world title at the last championships. So Valve is likely expecting a lot from Nexon, in terms of delivering the game to these new markets. Dota 2 is currently in closed beta and heading toward a free-to-play launch soon.
iPhone 5 supply runs short in India
The iPhone 5 officially launched in India last Friday, and just a day later, stores were selling out of their stock. Don't get too excited. Indian sources note only about 15,000 phones were made available for that market, so a sellout isn't too surprising. There were about 100,000 phones made available to India in the first month. An additional 200,000 are expected to arrive by the end of December. Those numbers aren't huge (I'd guess that several North American stores will sell as many in the same time period), but the point here is that demand is high around the world. The iPhone 5 isn't cheap in India. In addition to service and shipment fees, India's currency also plays a factor. The low-end 16 GB iPhone sells for 45,500 rupees, or about US$833 (as of this writing). When you combine those prices with the fact that these phones did sell out, there's a really big indicator of why Apple is so interested to get sales rolling overseas, and why it expects places like India and China both to be such big markets in the future.
iPhone is fifth most popular in China
Apple would like to see better numbers overseas, but China is proving to be a tough market for Western corporations to crack. All Things D is reporting that Samsung is still king of the hill in China, with Samsung products still earning triple the sales of the iPhone. China is the world's biggest mobile market, and Apple wants more than the 7.5% share it is getting there so far. And the bad news doesn't stop there: According to the latest reports,Apple's share is actually diminishing. Part of the reason Apple can't get the traction it wants is that it refuses to make a deal with China's largest telecom company, China Mobile Ltd. That's going to be difficult, because China Mobile wants a share of App Store revenues, and that's a non-starter for Apple. With the two mobile partners Apple currently has, it will never get access to more than about a third of China's active cellular users. Someone will have to blink to make a deal, but so far it is a staring contest, and Apple remains in fifth place in sales. Samsung, on the other hand, is on all three big networks in China, and is reaping the rewards.
Apple pulls iPad from Amazon China
The iPad has apparently been pulled from sale on the Chinese version of Amazon, but apparently the reason wasn't because of some Amazon competition overseas, or even that recent lawsuit against Apple trying to stop the iPad from selling in that country. Nope -- apparently, it was Apple. Amazon's China management says Apple was the company that requested the iPad be taken down from online sales in China. Proview Technology Shenzen, the group leading the charge against the iPad's Chinese sales, hasn't even contacted them or mentioned online sales in the lawsuit. So what's the deal? TechCrunch suggests that the pull is still somehow related to the Proview case, though Apple's not saying anything except that it's sure the decision will fall in its favor. It could be that this is a preemptive move, designed to shore up Apple's argument as the case goes forward. Maybe Amazon sales in China were low already, and pulling out of this market ensures that Apple's situation will look a lot less threatening as Proview tries to argue that they don't belong in China. Then again, it could be a completely unrelated matter: Maybe Apple is just seeing high demand overseas, and decided not to sell through Amazon's third-party store when things were already going so well directly. Whatever the reason, if you're in China and need to buy an iPad, you won't find one on Amazon.
Apple's opportunity to expand retail into India
The Wall Street Journal's Livemint blog reports that Apple may be considering opening up retail operations in India as soon as it possibly can, following a new governmental ruling in that country that foreign companies can indeed open and own retail stores. Apple's been poking around India for a while -- the company reportedly thought about opening a call support center there a few years ago, but eventually decided not to. And while Apple's retail sales in China and elsewhere have definitely been on the rise, India hasn't opened its doors to foreign retailers yet -- until now. Apple of course says it doesn't comment on future plans, but presumably the company is still interested in selling its devices in India, and before long we'll see some retail presence planned for an opening there. There is still a rule that says 30% of the produced items sold must come from local Indian resources, but even the government says that if that limit remains a major obstacle for Apple, it may be reversed as well. Interesting. Apple's seen a lot of success in emerging markets like China already, and obviously India also represents a lot of potential as well. We'll have to see what route Apple takes to set up shop in the country, and how those decisions work out for them going forward.
Xcom Global revolutionizes global data: one MiFi to serve 195 countries
Chances are you'll see a metric ton of new gizmos surfacing at CES next week, and if we're lucky, two or three of them will be bona fide game changers. Lucky for you, Xcom Global is serving one up ahead of the mayhem, with a single WWAN device that enables you to suck down 3G data in nearly every country on the planet. If you'll recall, the outfit's Euro SIM took a giant step in the right direction by providing universal 3G data coverage to jetsetters who passed through some 40 nations in Europe, but true globetrotters need something even more advanced. And frankly, even those who are only hitting three or four nations in a swing will surely appreciate the ability to carry just a single USB stick or MiFi hotspot versus a handful of 'em. Xcom's deeming it the Global Travel Plan, and thanks to its partnership with iPhoneTrip, the outfit is adding support for some 130 nations, bringing the grand total to 195. Better still, users will be able to enjoy unlimited surfing in any of those places, all for just $12.95 per day. For those unaware, Xcom's service -- which we reviewed back in 2010 -- works a bit like this. If you're in the US, you hit its website and select your travel dates as well as the nations you're planning to travel through. If you select the Global Travel Plan, you'll get a single device shipped to you before you depart. It'll serve up data from local 3G networks in the countries you travel through, and once you're home, you pop the device back into a prepaid envelope and carry on. Yeah, you could argue that scrounging up a local SIM in every place you go is more affordable, but the ease of use here can't be overlooked. We'll be giving the new plan a go in some of the world's most far-out locales in the coming weeks, so be sure to keep an eye out for our results. Till then, hit the source link for a PDF of every supported nation as of January 2012.
Xcom Global's Euro SIM solves your European data conundrum: $13 per day, works in 40 countries
Say it with us: Hallelujah! It's a problem that BMW European Delivery owners (not to mention gap-year backpackers and generic business travelers) have had for eons, and while the EU seems to have the whole "one currency" thing under control, the lack of a "one data plan" has continued to break the backs of connected travelers. No more. Xcom Global -- the company that revolutionized the art of staying connected abroad -- has just done the same thing for those planning their next Eurotrip. The newly-launched Euro SIM enables US-based jetsetters to rent a single device that'll provide unlimited data access in a staggering 40 nations across the pond. Everywhere from Iceland to San Marino is covered, including 20 extra countries that weren't covered even last week. Folks can pick up a MiFi for $14.95 per day (and yeah, that covers all 40 countries!) or a USB WWAN model for $12.95 a day, and if you happen to scoot over to a locale in Europe that isn't covered, you'll still be able to get online at a cost of one cent per KB. Hit the source link to find out more, and ping your best friend's travel agent to set those long-backburnered plans in motion.
TUAW Cares: Sharing with the troops
After we posted about the free rollover minutes offer from AT&T earlier this month, we were deluged by readers who wanted to know if they could donate some or all of their accumulated minutes to US troops serving overseas. We contacted AT&T to see if we could make this happen. Unfortunately, AT&T does not accept donated rollover minutes or allow you to transfer them. AT&T spokesperson Seth Bloom told us to let our readers know about the Cell Phones for Soldiers program, which collects used handsets in order to raise funds to buy prepaid phone cards for members of the military. You can donate directly, without having to fork over your iPhone, by texting "CP4S" to 704 to make a $5 contribution to Cell Phones for Soldiers. AT&T is waiving all messaging charges and taxes for the text donations. There are a number of online petitions aimed at getting AT&T to change its policy on donating rollover minutes, but to date, AT&T has no policy in-place to allow this kind of donation to occur.
OnLive supporting overseas play (if it works)
OnLive's official blog announced that you can now play games on the service from overseas -- mostly. While the company "has data centers throughout the world in various stages of tests," there no guarantee that logging in to the US servers from overseas will provide you with a solid experience. Basically, if you want to play OnLive while abroad, "give it a try," and hope it works. That said, the company is aiming to set up sites all over the world, with Germany and Belgium-specific servers heading into beta later this year. Meanwhile, if you want to play games while too far away from the servers that are currently running, you'll have to play games the old-fashioned way: With disc-based media and powerful computing and graphics processors built into a slim case with a large LCD screen. That's right, just like the old-timers used to do it!
Lenovo says Apple is missing the boat to China
We've heard before that one of Apple's main areas of concern, as of late, is raising its quality in China, but here it is straight from the mouth of a competitor. During a recent dinner, Lenovo's founder allegedly said that his company was lucky that Apple hasn't stepped up in the Far East. "If Apple were to spend the same effort on the Chinese consumer as we do," he reportedly said, "we would be in trouble." A spokesman for the company later said that the remarks were taken out of their dinner table context. Apple replied by pointing out its upcoming Shanghai store opening and a few other initiatives that it's already begun in China. It's not news that Apple has to do better in China; in past earnings calls, Apple has said exactly that and pointed out that making headway in China is a large goal. It's very interesting to hear it from a competitor, though. That's almost confirmation that if Apple does what it's planning to and, in fact, does "spend the same effort on the Chinese consumer," then even well-heeled Chinese companies like Lenovo will end up running scared. [via MacStories]
15 Minutes of Fame: Deployed soldier games from Iraq
15 Minutes of Fame is WoW.com's look at World of Warcraft personalities of all shapes and sizes -- from the renowned to the relatively anonymous, from the remarkable to the player next door. Tip us off to players you'd like to hear more about. Ahh, the life of an Iraqi farmer. According to WoW player FallenWolf, currently deployed in Iraq with the U.S. Army (FSC, 7th Engineer Battalion), farming is about all most U.S. military WoW players there can reliably expect to accomplish. Desert sand and insta-cast DoTs have not proven to be particularly compatible for this former (and soon-to-be returning) raiding warlock. We visited with FallenWolf about how he's managed to adapt to being halfway across the world from his guild and his wife (a frequent WoW partner), plus how he copes with an awkward schedule and ugly latency.
Android goes Korean: Samsung debuts Galaxy A, LG intros LG-SU950
As Google quietly continues to take over the smartphone space, along with just about every other crevice in the technology realm, a trio of handsets have popped up over in Asia with its Android operating system loaded on. LG has seen fit to make official a pair of Snapdragon-based handsets -- the LG-LU2300 that we spotted earlier in the month, as well as a newfangled LG-SU950 -- the latter of which will go by KU9500 on KT. Both of these will sport a 3.5-inch WVGA display, DivX playback, 3.5mm headphone jack, DMB mobile TV, multimedia playback and a May / June release on Korean soil. Over in Samsung's court, it has just announced its first Android-powered smartphone for the Korean market: the Galaxy A. Otherwise known as the SHW-M100S, this bad Larry will ship with Android 2.1, a 3.7-inch WVGA AMOLED display, 720MHz CPU, mobile TV onboard, DivX playback, a 5 megapixel camera, HD video recording, A-GPS, Bluetooth and WiFi, with availability on SK Telecom scheduled by the end of this month. Pricing seems to be absent for each of these, but plenty more details can be found in the links sitting just below.
Epic Games planning gala celebration to open Tokyo office
Fujisoft building in Akihabara [image source] Epic Games has announced the official opening of its Japan office -- on April 15, the company will hold an event in the Fujisoft Building in Tokyo's Akihabara district, and the guest list includes a few gaming luminaries, including No More Heroes' Suda51, Halo Legends producer Joseph Chou and, of course, Epic Games' Tim Sweeney and Jay Wilbur will be there as well. Cliff Bleszinski won't be in attendance -- he'll be delivering an address via video, which we presume will come from the underground bunker where he's working on Gears of War 3. Taka Kawasaki will also be there -- he's the "territory manager" for Epic Games Japan, and he'll give a short address about the purpose of the studio, which will be to handle both licensing and tech support for Unreal Engine 3 in the region with a team hired starting last year at TGS. This will be the sixth such center for Epic, which also operates centers in North Carolina and Utah, and overseas in Poland, Shanghai and Seoul. There was one set up on the far-off planet of Sera, but unfortunately it was destroyed by a giant worm. We're told Sera-based licensees should call Utah if they happen to need engine support.
Foxconn: Apple supplier in China roughs up reporter
"A Reuters employee who was investigating Apple's legendary secrecy visited Foxconn's walled city-like facility in Guanlan, China, and was reportedly roughed up by security." The reporter took a taxi to the facility and left the taxi to take photographs of the front gate and security checkpoint. When a guard shouted, the reporter hopped back in the taxi. The guard then blocked the taxi from leaving. This is where it gets hairy. The reporter stepped out of the cab and insisted that he was within his rights to take photographs because he was standing on a main road. The guard grabbed his arm as a second guard arrived and both attempted to drag the reporter into the facility. The reporter asked to be released and when the guards refused the reporter jerked free and began walking off. That's when one guard pursued and kicked the reporter in the leg. The other guard threatened to hit him again if he moved. Within a few minutes a Foxconn security car showed up but the reporter refused to get in. That's when the reporter called the police. The police arrived, the guards apologized, and the reporter left without filing charges. Then the policeman told the reporter, "You're free to do what you want, but this is Foxconn and they have a special status here. Please understand."
Rumor: New iPhone by April
You TUAW readers came up with a long list of features for a possible iPhone 4.0, and now it turns out you might not even have to wait too long for a new revision. A few overseas providers of the iPhone have hinted that a brand new version of the handset could be coming out as soon as April of this year. Possible features this time include a video chat function, a removable battery, dual-core processors, and a better screen and camera (possibly with a flash feature, as we've heard before). That sounds like a lot of wishful thinking to us (I doubt we'll ever see an iPhone with a removable battery -- if Apple wanted to do so, they'd have already done it), but if not, that would be a pretty darn popular smartphone, and it would definitely answer the recent challenge of Google's Nexus One. But of course as always, rumors are rumors, so we won't believe it until we see Steve Jobs holding it on stage, and you shouldn't either. But sources have long said that 2010 will be a year in which we'll see a new iPhone, and while April (or early May) seems earlier than we thought, you never know.
Chinese WoW wraps up closed beta, to start charging soon
It looks like the long saga of World of Warcraft's transfer of operatorship in China is almost finally over -- NetEase has announced that the closed beta period is done with, and that they're just about ready to open up normal registration and bring the game back to for-pay status. They're still pending government approval there, so they're not quite online and running yet, but they have closed off registration to new players, and will only bring it back online when they're ready to start charging yet again. Of course, their pay scheme there is different from here in the US and EU -- they often charge per hour to play rather than a constant monthly subscription. But however they decide to charge, NetEase seems sure that by the end of the month, things will finally be back to normal in China's version of Azeroth.Meanwhile, the former operator of the game, The9, has announced that they are extending by a month the option for former players to get refunds for their prepaid game cards. That option was originally planned to end on September 7th, but players of the game who have unused cards will have another 30 days to redeem them back for cash. All of this back-and-forth originally started back in April of this year, but it seems like, five months later, the game might finally be getting back to normal.
Authenticators sold out, for now
It looks like I'm not the only one keen on getting a shiny, new account authenticator. The Blizzard Store is currently marked as "Sold Out" on the product. Tyren posted on the General Discussion forum that it will be several weeks before they will be available for purchase once again. I believe that those who have placed their orders are still slated to receive them, though I have received no word on my order. I ordered mine Tuesday morning, and the order status is currently sitting as processed. If they follow the shipping schedule in the email, the devices should be sent out at some point tomorrow. I'll give a full review once my token arrives at my doorstep.
