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LG Optimus G shipping to Europe this month with Jelly Bean (video)
LG is about to kick its currently slow, worldwide Optimus G deployment into high gear. Right in time for Mobile World Congress, the company has confirmed that its late 2012 flagship is about to reach Europe. Sweden gets first crack at the Optimus G before February is over, while at least France, Germany and Italy are next in line. Every European version will ship with the Jelly Bean update LG promised for new launches back in late January. It adds more than just obvious Android 4.1 features like Google Now and rich notifications: there's a wider variety of QSlide-friendly apps, better status bar controls and small perks like Privacy Keeper for calls and Safety Care live support. We're still waiting for Jelly Bean to hit the US, but Europeans (and envious Americans) can see what they'll get by watching the video after the break.
In China, virtual stores may go one step more virtual
I love the concept of virtual stores. You whip out your phone and order merchandise for home delivery, typically using QR codes. We first saw these pop up when Tesco launched one in the South Korea subways. They appeared in the Prague subway system, in Sweden's Jetshop and with Toys R Us' mobile interactive virtual store initiative. Virtual stores have been spotted in Australia, Singapore, Germany, Canada and the UK. The system usually works through large posters of fake store shelves, all labeled with phone-readable codes. When you see items you desire, just point, shoot and order. Customers receive an automated message that confirms the purchase and work with vendors to iron down delivery details. Now, China is joining the virtual storefront revolution. According to Springwise, Unlimited Yihaodian plans to add ecommerce to public spaces, with a virtual virtual store experience. (Yes, you read that right.) The store will actually project over the real world, adding another layer of virtual into the virtual shopping experience. Retailers will be able to cut down on physical plant costs by skipping bricks and mortar and creating a straight path from warehouses to the consumer. It sounds like this may still be proof-of-concept project (if any Chinese readers can figure anything further out, please let us know!) but we look forward to seeing it pan out. Right now, here in Denver, it's 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Heading to a public square to play shopping games with my phone doesn't sound nearly as appealing as competitive shopping in a warm, enclosed subway. In the TUAW newsroom, we're having a debate whether this new option is more weird than cool or more cool than weird. What do you think? Drop a note in the comments and share your opinion.
Swedish school has kids play Minecraft, turns out they like it
One school in Sweden added Minecraft to its curriculum for 13-year-old students in an effort to teach lessons of building in virtual worlds, city planning, environmental awareness, preparing for the future and completing goals. Also, hitting livestock with wooden swords.The Minecraft lesson plan spawned from a Swedish competition called Future City, which asked for ideas on how to improve education. This school, Viktor Rydberg, liked the idea so much it made Minecraft compulsory, and so far "it's been a great success and we'll definitely do it again," Monica Ekman, a teacher at the school, said.So far 180 students have used Minecraft as a learning tool, which Ekman compares to arts or woodcraft. "The boys knew a lot about it before we even started, but the girls were happy to create and build something too," Ekman said.
RIM loses in arbitration with Nokia, may have to pay royalties on BlackBerrys with WiFi
Nokia and RIM already have a troubled history whenever they come into contact, so it's no surprise that what truces they do have are fraying at the edges. Thanks to filings, we now know that RIM has lost a Swedish arbitration proceeding where it tried to extend a 2003 patent cross-licensing deal with Nokia to include WiFi devices; the wireless technology isn't covered, the arbitrator says, and RIM now has to either pay royalties worldwide or risk seeing its devices yanked from the market. Nokia isn't wasting any time pressuring the team in Waterloo into coughing up -- it's taking steps to enforce the decision in Canada, the UK and the US. RIM has so far turned down any comment, although it's more likely that their firm will cut a deal rather than risk a sweeping ban. Consider it another of the many hurdles for RIM to jump on the road to January 30th.
EA Gothenburg is now Ghost, don't be scared
EA's studio in Gothenburg, Sweden, is now Ghost, and along with a new name it now has a pretty snazzy website. Ghost is rumored to be working on a Need for Speed game with EA producer Alan Baker at the helm. Former DICE executive producer Marcus Nilsson leads the Ghostly team."Ghost is a unique proposition in the AAA development space; all the agility and creativity of a 'start-up,' while working with industry giants like Criterion and DICE guarantee we have the tools and support to execute our creative and technical visions," Ghost's website reads. Seriously, design nuts and art nerds, check out the site. It's super pretty.
GreenWave Reality ships WiFi-aware light bulbs that flick on through motion and smartphones
We've seen connected light bulbs before, some more sophisticated than others, but they're rarely as straightforward as GreenWave Reality's just-shipping Connected Lighting Solution. Eco-friendly LED bulbs in the lineup include support for WiFi and are immediately controllable from a smartphone or tablet as soon as they're receiving power. Basics controls like group presets and timed lighting are just the start; if you're not worried about leaving anyone in the dark, the bulbs can respond to motion sensors and only illuminate the rooms that need attention. And while the intelligence isn't new in itself, GreenWave would argue that sheer accessibility gives it an edge, with electric utilities in Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden skipping the retail middleman by selling directly. Don't despair if you live in the US: the linked-up lighting is cleared for eventual use by Americans who'd like to save both energy and a trip to the light switch.
Netflix Watch Instantly is live in Finland, completes Nordic sweep with Norway, Denmark and Sweden
Thanks to a rapid pace of one country per day Netflix has made light work of its Nordic roll out. The internet movie service is launching its final Scandinavian flag today in Finland after starting Monday in Sweden, then notching Denmark and Norway (pictured above) in between. As with the others there's extensive device and app support from the start, and although the content selection may vary Netflix is the exclusive streaming home of Iron Sky, for all your Nazis-on-the-moon viewing needs. Not enough? Hey, there's always HBO Nordic, and you don't even need cable or satellite to get it.
Netflix streaming launches in Sweden, lets you get your Bron on
Sweden is home to some of the world's better known movie makers and some very high speed data connections, but it has only had so much love from movie streaming services that you'd think would be a natural match. Netflix is making that union a reality today through the launch of its Watch Instantly service in the country. Pay 79 kronor ($12) a month and you'll get access to a mix of both international and domestic movies and TV shows on any device that can take Netflix in the country, which includes at least computers as well as Android and iOS devices. Other Nordic territories are still promised as coming soon; although that won't be much help to Danes, Finns or Norwegians, we're sure Swedes won't mind having one more excuse to flaunt their cheap fiber internet access.
PSA: iPhone 5 available in 22 more countries, on Cricket and US regional carriers galore
Disappointed that your country or favorite carrier missed the initial cut for the iPhone 5 launch? Odds are that you're all good now. Worldwide, 22 more countries have joined the mix as of today, including wide swaths of Europe as well as New Zealand; you'll find the full list in the release here. Americans also don't have to turn to the big carriers, as they can now opt for prepaid carrier Cricket in addition to a slew of extra providers that include C Spire as well as regionals like GCI and nTelos. In some cases, you'll even snag a discount by going with one of the smaller networks. If you bagged an iPhone in Barcelona, or caught one on Cellcom, let others know how it's going in the comments. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Telia scraps plans to charge extra for mobile VoIP in Sweden, hikes overall rates in compensation
Telia raised hackles in March when it proposed charging Swedish subscribers extra if they wanted to use voice over IP. On top of the net neutrality issues, the proposed price premium would have been a slap in the face to Skype, the country's homegrown VoIP pioneer. While Telia's Spanish subsidiary Yoigo has no problems with such a split, Telia itself must have had a change of heart: as of now, all regular plans will continue to treat internet telephony as just another set of data packets. Only a new, ultra-basic Telia Flex Bas plan excises the option. Unfortunately, most everyone will have to pay the price for equality -- new subscriptions will have their data plans "adjusted" to compensate for increasing data use, and those paying daily will see their maximum rates jump from 9 SEK ($1.40) to 19 SEK ($2.90). As painful as the price hike might sound, however, we'd still endure it to avoid carving the mobile internet into pieces.
A peek inside Apple's first Swedish retail store
Apple is prepped and ready to open a retail store in Sweden for the first time. The flagship store at Täby Centrum in the city of Täby will open this Saturday, September 15, but InteriorStockholm posted some photos of the interior early. As you'd expect from a high-profile store, it's beautiful. You'll even see some items that are unique to that store, like iPhone cases from Björn Borg and bags from P.A.P. If you attend this opening, let us know. We'd be happy to share your photos and stories. [Via TechCrunch]
Guild Wars 2 dominates European sales
Guild Wars 2 is on a goodwill tour through Europe, and it appears that the crowds love ArenaNet's latest release. The fantasy title has topped the charts in not one, not two, but 10 countries in the region. NCsoft reports that Guild Wars 2 is at the number one sales spot for UK, Germany, France, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Netherlands, and Belgium. And as the saying goes, when you win over Finland, you've won over the world. ArenaNet President Mike O'Brien is bowled over by the accomplishment: "Our games have always been well-received in Europe, but this level of enthusiasm is both awesome and humbling. It also impresses upon us the responsibility we have to our players and explains why we've taken steps recently to constrain sales of Guild Wars 2 to ensure the highest quality of service. Of course, we hope to remedy this in the near future." Even with ArenaNet temporarily halting sales from its website, Guild Wars 2 is selling strong elsewhere. Amazon currently has it at both the #1 and #2 position on its top video game sales chart.
Google Maps for Android adds turn-by-turn biking navigation, helps pedal-pushers in 10 more countries
Google's cycling directions have been slowly expanding their reach to the mobile world and other countries, but the only option for navigation so far has been to memorize the route. As of today, you won't have to stop every five minutes to get your bearings. Google Maps for Android has received a low-key update that adds spoken, turn-by-turn Google Maps Navigation for riders in every country where biking directions exist -- if you can clamp your phone to your handlebars, you can find your way. Many more riders are just seeing mobile support of any kind in the process. Both navigation and regular directions should now be live in the Android app for 10 more countries, including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK. Cyclists just need to swing by Google Play to keep their two-wheeled adventures on track.
Daily Update for August 27, 2012
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
Apple to open first Swedish retail store
A visit to a mall in Sweden by Swedish site IDG.se has confirmed (by the familiar black covering and the Apple logo) that there is indeed a new store opening up near Stockholm. The Täby Spectrum shopping center will host that country's first Apple Store, starting on September 15. Apple's been laying the groundwork in Sweden for a while now, filing a business registration certificate last November, and hiring for the store earlier this year. But the company is now getting closer than ever to actually selling items in the store. And there are more stores on the way: Apple is also planning to open stores in the Harbour Street district of Stockholm, as well as in a brand new mall location near the southwestern city of Malmö. We've heard a lot in the past about how quickly Apple trying to expand in China, but that's not the only foreign land Apple is aiming to open up for business. [via MacRumors]
Sony Mobile moving HQ to Tokyo, cutting 1,000 jobs in Sweden
Sony's slow and painful transformation continues with a restructuring of its newly-minted mobile division. In October, it's moving its headquarters from Lund, Sweden (presumably a holdover from its Ericsson days) to Tokyo -- for deeper integration -- and repurposing the duties of its facilities in Tokyo, Lund and Beijing. As part of the changes, Sony Mobile will slash 15 percent of its workforce, with 1,000 employees being let go by the end of March 2014, in a trend we've seen across the industry. Most of those affected are in Sweden, with 650 on-site staffers and up to 450 consultants being shown the door.
Something Need for Speed is being produced at EA Gothenburg
EA producer Alan Baker is based out of EA's recently opened Gothenburg, Sweden studio. He is also, apparently, working on the Need for Speed franchise as a producer, as Videogamer discovered. Whether that means a Need for Speed game is in the works at EA's Gothenburg studio is another question altogether, and one that doesn't have a clear answer just yet.Baker lists user interface and Autolog as his production responsibilities, and only says he's "working on the best racing franchise ever" – not that he's heading up production of another NFS franchise entry. In fact, Criterion VP Alex Ward said back at E3 that the NFS franchise is, "definitely a Criterion gig now" – a reference to this year's Need for Speed: Most Wanted – and that "it's not going to be spread anymore across different companies."When EA opened its Gothenburg studio back in March, its responsibilities were announced as, "focused on making a new generation of games using the Frostbite 2 engine." The currently-in-production NFS: Most Wanted doesn't run on the Frostbite 2 engine, but EA's previous NFS entry, The Run, did. The mystery continues, but it's certain that something Need for Speed is being worked on at EA's Gothenburg studio. We've asked EA for more and will update this post if the company says anything.
iZettle comes to Android for a few lucky Swedish Samsung owners
Square gets most of the media hype, but without an international presence, would-be competitors have had a chance to carve out their own niches in the mobile commerce market. Sweden's iZettle has managed to make quite a splash in its homeland, and it's expanding its mini empire by finally bringing its wares to Android -- albeit in an extremely limited form. Unless you've got a Galaxy S III, S II or a Note then iZettle still isn't for you and with availability in a single Nordic country, it might seem more accurate to describe Android support as being in beta, but the company has ditched the testing tag regardless. Rest assured, however, it is actively working to add more handsets and export the app beyond its particle board-loving borders.
Bioshock custom rig is Big Daddy of pinball machines, gives players a taste of Rapture
If you're going to revisit a certain underwater dystopia, you might as well have a ball. At least that's the approach being taken by Sweden-based DIYer rasmadrak, who has decided to build a Bioshock-themed custom pinball machine just for kicks. The project is filled with lots of neat little touches from Rapture, including Little Sister vents and a few Big Daddy homages. The builder also does a pretty good job of drilling into the details and providing insight on the creation process -- like the challenge in using two different systems such as Arduino and chipKIT together, for example -- via detailed posts in the Poor Man's Pinball! blog. The project proved to be a pleasant shock to the system for fellow pinball aficionado Ben Heck, who gave the project a sprinkling of Heckendorn love via Twitter. Pinball geeks can also follow the saga, so to speak, by checking out the source link below.
HBO and Fox cut a deal to keep the movies flowing through 2022, HBO Nordic launches soon
Just in case you only thought Amazon, Netflix and Redbox were working the studio deals, HBO announced today it's worked out an extension of its agreement with 20th Century Fox. Already the "premium network home" of Fox flicks for more than 30 years, this deal is long enough to keep it going into the next decade. The LA Times reports from its sources the original deal would have expired in 2015, while the extension pushes it out to 2022 at a price of over $200 million per year. One key adjustment that's been made for the digital age gives Fox the ability to continue to sell its movies over digital stores even while they're airing on HBO unlike the previous deal, although we're told this provision does not extend to rentals during that time. That's on top of a previous tweak negotiated months ago that let Fox and other HBO partners provide digital copies of their movies on services like iTunes from the Cloud and Ultraviolet during the HBO pay window. One other note is that on the same day Netflix revealed its service is coming to several Scandinavian locales, HBO announced it's doing the same, launching HBO Nordic in Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark.
