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GamersFirst offers exclusive deals to cafe owners and resellers
GamersFirst is looking to make headway in two important markets: internet resellers and gaming cafés. To do so, the company set up a merchant center to offer a partnership with business owners to help promote and sell goods for APB and Fallen Earth. Café owners are tempted to feature these titles more prominently in exchange for a premium service. This service may, but not necessarily has to, include exclusive items, 20% more XP earned, 20% more loot earned, and login preference. Internet resellers also have good incentive to pimp GamersFirst products, especially as the company makes the point that they can set their price once game codes are purchased. Some of the things that can be sold include monthly subscriptions, in-game items, exclusive items, player currency, and exclusive packages. [Thanks to Hutch for the tip!]
Bang & Olufsen's 85-inch 3DTV comes to North America for $1,000 per inch
Because the current lineup of 3D capable HDTVs just aren't exclusive enough, Bang & Olufsen has expanded its lineup with the BeoVision 4-85 plasma which will be available to North American buyers next month for a mere $85,000. While we prefer to save our riches for even rarer sets like Panasonic's 152-incher, the BeoVision system does include the triangular BeoLab 10 center channel speaker and a motorized stand that lowers it when you're not watching. Either way, we won't tell you how to spend your (presumably ill-gotten) ducats beyond pointing out the specs in the press release below, but those interested in staying one step ahead of the Joneses should remember a refreshed version of the 103-inch edition with 3D will be available this summer as well.
Samsung's M7600 Beat DJ music phone on sale at O2 UK
Quite a bit has gone down in the cellular realm since Barcelona opened its beautiful doors to host Mobile World Congress 2009, but how could we ever forget this gem? Samsung's M7600 Beat DJ is about as close as we'll ever come to a real live Pilotfish Ondo, and after months of waiting, it's finally on sale across the pond. Available for purchase right now at O2 UK, the Bang & Olufsen-infused handset packs a 2.6-inch OLED panel, perfect for mixing, scratching and texting your mum when you stay out too late. It's all yours for between £0.00 and £146.80 ($233) depending on your choice of contract, and if any of you kind, gentle Britons feel like importing a few for the deprived Yanks over here, drop us a note in comments.[Thanks, Todd]
Audioholics peels back the lids on the current crop of ICEpower-based amplifiers
Typically devoid of fancy lights, knobs, and switches, amplifiers typically don't get a lot of marketing hype; heck, most people who own a receiver aren't even aware of the amplifier section. Bang & Olfusen's Class D ICEpower switching amplifiers wrinkle that a bit -- the compact footprint, light weight, energy efficiency and impressive specs are enough to make the newer technology marketable as, well, new. Sadly, from Audioholics' examination of many samples, it also looks like the newness stopped there and several manufacturers have slapped crazy price tags on an essentially "reference design" implementation. There's plenty of good technical info about the test bench performance of these amps in the link, but with several happy ICEpower users it's hard to say that the subjective performance is unsatisfactory; the wide price range for essentially the same amp is what's troubling. If nothing else, let it serve as a cautionary tale of not falling for the latest thing just because it's the latest thing -- when you're shopping for an amp, take your ears along with your wallet.
VC Friday: Panic! hits PAL regions
Pit Crew Panic!, a bizarre minigame compilation in which you repair busted cars, trucks, medieval castles, wedding cakes, giant toilets, and whatever this is, leads the new arrivals on the PAL Wii Shop this week. It's joined by remade Nintendo puzzler Art Style: Rotohex and, as we expected, Strong Bad: Dangeresque 3: The Criminal Projective. Then there's Bang!, a puzzler that looks a bit like Bejeweled with fruit -- the gameplay video after the break is possibly the most soulless thing we've watched in years.Oh, and we can now say with some certainty that World of Goo will be out in Europe and Australia on December 19, the only "WiiWare Friday" left in 2008. Unless it's been delayed again, which doesn't bear thinking about. Strong Bad: Dangeresque 3: The Criminal Projective -- 1000 Points -- WiiWare Art Style: Rotohex -- 600 Points -- WiiWare Bang! -- 600 Points -- WiiWare Pit Crew Panic! -- 500 Points -- WiiWare Footage of all four after the break! Cookies for those who make it through the whole Bang! video.%Gallery-36617%
Bang & Olufsen pulls the plug on cellphone production, some jobs
For those who reckoned a company like Bang & Olufsen was safe from any economic turmoil, um, reckon again. As people from all walks of life decide to spend less extravagantly during these curious, curious times, it seems that B&O has been affected quite dramatically. As you well know, said company makes its ends by offering up stupendously pricey gizmos, but starting now, you'll find it only offering "core products" such as televisions and sound systems. Unfortunately for those with cash to blow, that means you'll be scouring the secondhand market for B&O cellphones, DVD players and recorders. In addition, the company is planning to axe 300 jobs to save around $27.5 million, but it is looking to open more shops in "growth markets" such as Russia and China.[Via iDNES]Read - Product cutsRead - Job cuts
Bang & Olufsen's BeoSound 5 controller in the wild?
We're still retaining a slight bit of disbelief here, but the long teased BeoSound 5 controller could be awfully close to a formal release. Judging by scads of cryptic (and probably diluted) hints and just two images (one above, one after the break), we're led to believe that this here device will sit atop one's table and enable users to flip through multimedia and play back tunes through their Bang & Olufsen gear. The sell, obviously, is the design. Truth be told, this thing looks like something a few years ahead of its time at first glance, but considering just how ridiculous (that's a compliment, we'll have you know) the BeoCenter 2 looked over four years ago, we'd say this is just par for the course with B&O. Here's hoping some more concrete information flows forth shortly.[Thanks, JK]
Conceptual remote could slip right into Bang & Olufsen's lineup
Although we're seriously concerned that this concept wouldn't play nice with our current stack of components, we're still willing to let it into our hearts based on beauty / design alone. Dreamed up by Joris van Gelder, this wannabe Bang & Olufsen remote simply stays put on one's table and controls volume by being lifted up or down and manages channels by sensing when someone flicks their fingers up / down in the middle. Honestly, we can't see this thing gaining traction in all but the art deco sect, but be sure and check out the demonstration video in the read link below before passing judgment.[Via textually]
First Impressions: Mabinogi
Mabinogi is an engaging MMO by Nexon, the makers of Maple Story, Audition, and Kart Rider. The name is derived from the Mabinogion, a collection of old Welsh stories. In that sense, it's well-named; Mabinogi is billed as 'your fantasy life', and much of what happens in the game follows a gentle, pastoral atmosphere -- even the combat, to a certain degree. We had the chance to check this out, now that it's in open beta, and here's what we found. Keep in mind that this is not a guide -- we have no insider knowledge to report. This is merely a record of our opinions and experience playing this game for the first few hours. Excelsior!%Gallery-18335%
Bang & Olufsen announces EarSet 3 stereo headset
The stylish Danes at Bang & Olufsen have announced their EarSet 3, a "unique mobile accessory" that pairs music headphones and a phone headset in a single device (we didn't think those were all that unique -- in fact, they couldn't possibly be much more common -- but whatevs). The headphones are based on B&O's A8 model, a noise isolating set of buds fashioned from aluminum (scratch-free, so they allege) and hard rubber with a frequency range of 50Hz up to a full 20KHz. Look for them to come bundled with a leather carrying case in late February for $250.
Audi's Cross Cabriolet Quattro concept touts internet radio, B&O system
Granted, Audi's Cross Cabriolet Quattro is still a concept for now, but the proposed infotainment setup is quite swanky, indeed. Reportedly, the vehicle would include a Bang & Olufsen sound system that could stream internet radio thanks to its built-in internet link. Additionally, motorists could "judge" the tracks as they were played, enabling the system to "build up a picture of their preferences and offer individual play lists." The whip also boasts a built-in intercom system with noise cancelling capabilities, and What HiFi even has it that the internet link could be used to fetch map data from Google Earth. In case you couldn't guess, there's no definitive launch time frame or an expected price just yet, but there's no harm in hoping that its infotainment system shows up in a production vehicle sooner rather than later.[Via What HiFi]
Samsung, Bang & Olufsen get official with Serenata
Who would've thought that the bizarre Serene handset (if you can even call it a "handset") would see a successor? Samsung and Bang & Olufsen must think that they have a good thing going, extending their design partnership by officially announcing the Serenata musicphone. Rumored as the Serene II, the predictably strange lookin' device holds a triband GSM radio (no 850 -- sorry, North America) plus UMTS 2100, a 240 x 240 touchscreen display (augmented with a scroll wheel for UI navigation and control), Bluetooth, USB 2.0, and an integrated stand for displaying your pricey toy on a desk while busting out tunes or calls. Look for it to show up in your friendly local Bang & Olufsen boutique, and if you have to ask the price... well, you know what they say.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Bang & Olufsen @ CEDIA - Beo System 3 HD Stage Manager
Remember that Beo System 3 HD stage manager thingy that was announced a few weeks ago? You know that large slab of modern electronics that looks like anything but a media hub? Well, you know us and our love for everything high-def and exotic so we managed to get our grubby little hands on the stage manager. The overall design looks a lot less intimidation in person then the press photos indicated as it's in fact a nice size of about 20-inches wide and 8-inches deep. It allows for two ultra-expensive B&O systems to occupy the same room and give the user to switch between 'em at will. This is all thanks to the extensive amount of inputs/outputs including dual DVI outputs, four HDMI inputs, and enough sound outputs to manage two separate 5.1 sound stages, or a 7.1 setup with dual subwoofers. The remote on the other hand is long and slender but surprisingly beefy thanks to the amount of zinc that supposedly reduces sweaty palms. This hub isn't for everyone but if B&O is your cup of tee, this might be worth checking out at your local dealer; just make sure you bring along the check book with more then $7,700 available in it.Click-on for a remotes shot.
Struggling Bang & Olufsen using same LCD panals as Sony and Sharp
We hate to be the ones to tell you this but you know those uber-pricey Bang & Olufsen LCD TVs? Well, the company is struggling a bit and they seem to have placed orders for their next round of LCDs from the same company that makes panels for normal consumer level sets that Sony and Sharp sells. These 26-, 27-, and 32-inch sets are going to ship sometime at the end of this quarter Even though they might be the same panel, it doesn't mean that these B&O LCDs won't have a superior picture as a lot of the quality comes from not the screen but rather the processor running the TV.
