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Netflix execs talk 'Ridiculous 6' popularity, censorship
In their first Q&A session since launching a (nearly) global internet TV network, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings and content head Ted Sarandos sounded appropriately pleased with themselves. Sarandos said the recent debut of Adam Sandler's Ridiculous 6 made it the "most-watched movie in Netflix's history" over the first 30 days. Previously he'd said Beasts of No Nation was the service's most-watched movie in its first week of release and that it had over 3 million views in North America after two weekends, but he did not provide any numbers for Sandler's movie. Most of the questions focused on what content would be available worldwide, and from them, it's clear that Netflix is not only operating differently from most others in the TV business but also sees its opportunities in a different way. While Sarandos called movie windowing "managed dissatisfaction," Hastings presented a goal of global availability. But Netflix has to operate under preexisting restrictions for now.
Netflix is coming to Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea
Netflix only just launched in Japan last month (that's the Japan office pictured above), and it's already lining up its next destinations in Asia. In early 2016 the streaming video service is coming to Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and South Korea, although no exact dates or pricing are specified. It's planning to bring the usual suite of features and even Ultra HD streaming to these countries when it lands, thanks to their existing broadband infrastructure. Where it might go after that (China?) is still unknown, but its plan for global availability by the end of 2016 is apparently still on track. [Image credit: Bloomberg via Getty Images]
PayPal to buy money-transfer startup Xoom for $890 million
Wiring money home (especially as cash) can be an awkward, expensive and time-consuming ordeal -- but it's about to get a whole lot easier. PayPal announced on Wednesday that it is acquiring San Francisco-based digital money transfer startup Xoom (no, not the tablet maker) to make "international remittances simpler, safer and more affordable," according to the company's blog. Xoom transferred more than $7 billion for its 1.3 million customers over the 12 months preceding last April, primarily on mobile devices between family and friends. PayPal (which has up to now focused on business payments) hopes to leverage this platform in its planned expansion into markets like Mexico, India, the Philippines, China and Brazil. The acquisition is expected to be complete by the end of the year, assuming it passes muster with regulators and Xoom's investors.
Sprint rolls out free (and slow) international data and messaging
We're not entirely sure how it's already April, but Sprint's clearly eager to make a name for itself before everyone starts popping off on holidays. To wit: The carrier just rolled out a new international roaming plan that'll net your Sprint phone free unlimited texting and 2G data abroad... as long as you're traipsing through a handful of supported countries, anyway.
Tree of Savior might be getting published here according to an unofficial interview
Tree of Savior got a pretty strong showing at G-star 2014, where the staff announced that Nexon will be handling the publishing duties for the game in its native country. But what about worldwide releases? There might be hope yet. A fansite for the game has posted an interview with members of the imcGAMES staff who asked to remain anonymous. These anonymous interviewees state that the company is still looking into worldwide partners and has considered simply publishing the game itself in foreign markets. Other revelations include the prospect of developing the game for mobile devices in the future and that the game will most likely work as a free-to-play title with a cash shop. The interview also notes that these statements may not reflect the official view of imcGAMES and are subject to change without notice. Still, the full interview is worth a look, even if you need to take everything with an appropriately sized grain of salt.
ArcheAge launching in China in July 2015
If you want to relive the experience of ArcheAge's launch again or just love seeing the game come out in new regions, you'll want to keep your eyes on the game's Chinese version. Tencent Games recently announced that the game will launch in China in July of 2015, complete with some exclusive content to entice players who may have already heard of the game. Players in the Chinese version can look forward to what appear to be panda-styled gliders, special pets, some new costumes, new ship designs, and traditional Chinese house designs. No word has been released on business models, although it's almost a given that the game will be free-to-play as it is almost everywhere else in the world. Let's hope for a smooth launch for Chinese ArcheAge fans free of bugs and game-breaking exploits.
T-Mobile add-on gives you unlimited international calls for $5 per month
Calling people outside the US isn't as expensive as it used to be, but the charges can still add up; even the better deals at big American wireless carriers have you paying both a monthly rate and by the minute. T-Mobile thinks it can shake things up a bit. It just revamped its Stateside International Talk plan to offer unlimited international calling to as many as 70 countries at flat rates. You'll pay a relatively modest $5 extra per month if you only need to reach landlines, and $10 per month if your foreign friends use cellphones. And importantly, this covers every line on your account -- your kids can speak to family overseas without racking up huge bills. There are some catches (only "30+" countries qualify for unlimited mobile-to-mobile), but this could still be a solid deal if you frequently chat with people around the globe. [Image credit: John MacDougall/AFP/Getty Images]
AT&T's new travel plans let you text as much as you want
AT&T's international cellphone plans have become more affordable over time, but they've still been wildly expensive in some cases -- besides the low data caps, even frequent texting can cost a lot of money. Things just got a little more reasonable with the carrier's new Passport plans, however. The smartphone add-ons still ask you to pay between $30 to $120 per month for a paltry 120MB to 800MB of data, but they now include unlimited SMS messaging and WiFi service (on Android and iOS) in the bargain. In short, you won't run into any nasty overage fees simply because you got into a deep text conversation or uploaded too many vacation photos through one of AT&T's hotspot partners. These new one-time tiers are available now, and regular Global plans have received a matching upgrade if you routinely venture abroad. [Image credit: Shutterstock]
A look at new nautical monsters from the Korean ArcheAge
After a wait so long that more or less everyone could be forgiven for thinking it would never happen, ArcheAge has finally entered its early access period here in America. But that doesn't mean you don't have more to look forward to. Over on YouTube, InporylemQQ has taken a peek at a pair of nautical additions coming to the Korean version of the game, major PvE monsters meant to challenge players. The first foe on display is a massive sea beast that's easily larger than the vessel of the player in the video; it gets a few good hits on the ship before it slips beneath the waves. There's also a ghost ship that fires cannon at the player. Both appear to be high-end monsters meant to challenge players with adequate gear, and both were added in patch 1.7 -- which means that they're a fair way off in the game's updates in the West. Think of them as coming attractions. [Thanks to Karl for the tip!]
Sprint offers free international WiFi calls for your next overseas jaunt
There's just enough time to pop off for a far-flung holiday before summer ends, and Sprint's trying to make calling home from Guangzhou a little easier. The canary-hued carrier announced the other day that it's launching free international WiFi calling for a handful of compatible Android smartphones. For better or worse, some older hardware is getting the nod first: Samsung's Spark-friendly Galaxy S 4 will get the update before the ten other devices capable of making WiFi calls. Curiously enough, the name Sprint chose is actually sort of a misnomer. Yes, you can gab with your folks back home over WiFi, but you can fire off messages free of charge too. Just remember that it's only WiFi calls to the US from abroad that don't cost anything -- WiFi calling Bangkok from the States will hit your wallet, as will international Wi-Fi calls to non-US numbers. Got it? Good.
KnowRoaming review: This SIM 'sticker' makes it easy for travelers to save on data
Thanks in no small part to T-Mobile's free global data initiative, US carriers have begun to lighten the fee load when it comes time to roam. But you'll still pay an arm and a leg in many countries, and discounted plans from AT&T and Verizon, while more reasonable than they once were, require a monthly subscription that can be a hassle to add and remove. If you're expecting to use gobs of data abroad, KeepGo's disposable-SIM program is probably your best bet, but an intriguing alternative from KnowRoaming will keep leisure travelers and other casual users connected in 220 countries without the need to worry about coming home to an enormous bill. That solution, an incredibly thin card with passthrough leads and an adhesive back, simply sits atop your existing SIM, springing into action whenever you arrive in a foreign country. Join me as I travel to Europe and beyond to see how well this sticker works.
Dota 2 International 2014 tickets sold out in less than an hour
Tickets for Valve's Dota 2 International 2014 Championship have sold out. Quickly. The event's roughly 10,000 tickets sold within an hour, according to what Valve's Doug Lombardi told Rod "Slasher" Breslau. Is it safe to say this game might be just a little popular? Those hoping to make a trip to Seattle for the competition aren't totally out of luck; general admission tickets can be found on eBay for as low as $200, though that's still twice as much as their initial, non-secondhand $99 price tag. Those looking for some price comparisons should know that floor seating tickets were originally sold for $199, while VIP tickets were priced at $499. The Dota 2 International 2014 will take place at the Key Arena in Seattle from July 18 to July 21. This is the International's fourth year in existence, with last year's International boasting a prize pool of more than $2.8 million, the largest in eSports history. The prize pool for this year's championship has not been finalized. [Image: Valve]
Chromecast Android app prepped for upcoming international rollout (update: iOS too)
Google's Chromecast has been very well received so far -- and thanks to the SDK, becoming more useful with better support from music, video and photo apps -- but without international availability, it's tricky to get a hold of if you don't live in the US. Previous indications pointed to a UK launch this month, and things are lining up to make that happen. First, Google's Sundar Pichai mentioned the HDMI dongle would come to "many more countries" in coming weeks during his SXSW Interactive appearance. Next, the Chromecast control app on Android received an update making it available in 50 new languages. Android Police dug into the updated file itself, finding references for "TV offers" and possible 5GHz WiFi support. Finally, Liliputing points out a tweet by an employee of UK retailer Curry's, with a pic claiming to show a stack of Chromecasts that have just arrived, albeit without an exact release date or associated retail info. Update (3/15): The Chromecast setup app for iOS has added "over 20" new languages of its own, and similar settings tweaks.
T-Mobile's tweaked Simple Choice plans come with more data, unlimited international texting
T-Mobile's customer-friendly "Uncarrier" schtick seems to be changing people's minds about the country's 4th largest wireless provider, and it's not done fiddling with that formula just yet. The folks in magenta just announced a slew of tweaks to its Simple Choice plans that make them worth yet another look.
AT&T announces free, unlimited international text, picture and video messaging for Mobile Share customers
Starting February 28th, all AT&T Mobile Share and Mobile Share Value users will be able to send text picture and video messages internationally for free. However, there's a not-so ulterior motive behind the announcement (one that's referenced in AT&T's own release), as in comparison "other messaging services or applications will incur cellular data charges," pointing a vague finger at the likes of Hangouts, WhatsApp, Viber, LINE and, well, all the other ones we've forgotten. The full service will be compatible with around 120 countries, while text messages can be sent to over 190 different locales. Alongside it, AT&T's got another offer for anyone with a global circle of friends, announcing a new international calling plan, World Connect ValueSM. It might not roll off the tongue, but will offer a-cent-per-minute calls to over 35 countries, including neighboring Canada and Mexico. The plan will be on offer to any post-paid AT&T customer, but you'll have to stump up $5 for it when it launches this Friday.
KnowRoaming's international sticker SIMs begin shipping to backers today
KnowRoaming, the company behind the roaming SIM "stickers" that popped up on Kickstarter last year, has begun shipping its device to the first 500 backers. The $35 pre-order kit, which includes a SIM sticker and a single-use applicator, enables international roaming at rates far lower than what you'd normally get with your carrier (unless, of course, you're using a Simple Choice plan with free global data from T-Mobile). What makes KnowRoaming unique, however, is a design that integrates with your existing SIM. Once you attach the sticker to your carrier-issued card, your unlocked smartphone will detect when you've traveled abroad, switching your device over to a partner network. Current rates range from 13 cents per MB of data, 9 cents per minute of talk time and 16 cents per text in the UK, to a whopping $34.80 per MB, 27 cents per minute and $1.07 per SMS in Chad (though most countries offer tariffs at the cheaper end of the spectrum). CEO Gregory Gundelfinger plans to ship between 25 and 50 sets each day, so if your sticker isn't in this initial batch, you can expect to have it at your door soon. Update: KnowRoaming is currently in beta, and while data may work all the time, you should expect to experience some hiccups. If you absolutely need to be connected during your travels, we'd recommend using a service like Keepgo, which we've found to be both affordable and reliable, especially if you plan to consume large amounts of data.
Canada's Wind Mobile offers unlimited US roaming for $15 extra per month
Canadians frequently have to pay through the nose to use their phones in the US; at best, they'll get a paltry 50MB of data per day. They won't have that problem for long, though, since Wind Mobile is launching an unlimited US roaming plan on February 3rd. For $15 extra per month, subscribers will get to use as much data, text messaging and voice as they like while visiting their American neighbors. This isn't as sweet a deal as T-Mobile USA's free basic data, but it's still a huge bargain for traveling Canucks who'd rather not deal with an outrageous phone bill when they get home.
Relaxed restrictions draw Chinese electronics giant into console business
Following January's decision by Chinese authorities to lift the nation's 14-year-long ban on the sale of video game consoles, multinational electronics company TCL Corporation is hoping to add home gaming machines to its large portfolio of goods. "After smart TVs and set top boxes, game consoles will be the third power that alters the way Chinese people use their living rooms," analyst Xin Haiguang told China Daily. According to Haiguang, while Chinese companies have long been used to manufacture consoles for the international market - most notably Foxconn - many native Chinese companies have missed out on sizable profits due to the recently lifted console ban. While it's believed that the biggest benefactors of the newly lax Chinese console regulations will be Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo, it's also clear that the Chinese populace is starved for the sort of wide scale video game availability that other countries take for granted. This is where TCL Corporation hopes to step in. In 2013 the Chinese government ended a program subsidizing the manufacture of home appliances which took a sizable chunk out of TCL's earnings. By tapping the newly available Chinese populace, TCL hopes to boost its lagging profits while also giving the company a potential foothold in the international games marketplace. "Entertainment will be the biggest focus for us in 2014," noted Hao Yi, president of TCL Corporation subsidiary TCL Multimedia Technology Holdings Ltd. TCL Corporation has yet to reveal technical specifications or even a name for its console. It's likewise unknown when the company plans to release the device.
Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD includes Creature Create, extra dresspheres
Once it actually comes out, Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy X-2 HD will offer the most complete version of X-2 ever released in the US. Following earlier reports of extra content, Square Enix Producer Yoshinori Kitase told Siliconera that the remastered bundle will include X-2's content from its PS2 re-release, Final Fantasy X-2 International + Last Mission. "In addition to the Last Mission from X-2, additional dresspheres and the Creature Creator will be included in the game," Kitase said. Similar to Final Fantasy XIII-2's Paradigm Pack that lets players enlist monsters as teammates, Creature Create allows players to capture monsters and swap them into their party in place of Yuna, Rikku or Paine. This was also possible for human characters, including FFX cast members Lulu and Kimahri or NPCs like Seymour Guado. The additional costumes Kitase referred to are likely the Psychic and Festival-Goer dresspheres, both of which can be seen here.
T-Mobile teases global data roaming plans via its official site
We still haven't heard exactly what Shakira and CEO John Legere have up their sleeves today, but T-Mobile decided to offer a sneak peek to its online visitors. As you can see in the image above, which was posted on T-Mo's official site not too long ago, the company seems to be preparing to announce a plan to offer global data roaming in over 100 countries later this month. This would coincide with teasers we heard from Shakira's fan site earlier today. As this particular peek tells us, the global roaming feature will be available on select Simple Choice Plans and only on "capable devices." We still don't know any specifics, but we have a feeling that the countries in red are amongst the 100 that will be involved. Also, something tells us that Shakira will be singing Whenever, wherever tonight on stage, since that would certainly fit with the whole global theme, but we'll just have to wait and see like everyone else.
