Beijing
Latest
Meizu M9 christens site launch with full specs list
Meizu CEO Jack Wong has been teasing the M9 handset for some time now, and if we're not mistaken, the official site just went live with a full list of specs to boot. As promised, there's a 3.5-inch 960 x 640 resolution screen (reportedly the Sharp ASV display), and we're also apparently looking at a 1GHz S5PC110 processor (just like the Samsung Galaxy S), Android 2.2, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, A-GPS, 802.11b/g/n, microSDHC, a removable 1370mAH lithium-polymer battery, and support for (drumroll, please) GSM, GPRS, EDGE, WCDMA, HSDPA,and HSUPA. Too good to be true? Word on the street is this very phone will be available December 25th in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, and will expand to the rest of China days later. We'll believe it when we see it.
Chinese passenger train reaches 302mph, claims speed record for unmodified trains
Did you find the 262mph record that China scooped up only two months ago impressive? Well, add another 40mph to that number as today Xinhua News has revealed China's claim to the new speed record for unmodified commercial trains. The new line presently being tested between Beijing and Shanghai has delivered a mind-warping 302mph (486kph) top speed, which is projected to help cut down travel times between the two cities in half, down to a mere five hours. As with the Shanghai-Hangzhou connection that held the record previously, speeds with actual passengers on board will probably be limited to more moderate levels when this connections opens up in 2012, but the Chinese government's goal is still that magical 312mph (500kph) mark -- at this pace, they should be there by Tuesday.
Lenovo teases S800 phone with translucent color display, won't let anyone touch it
Step aside, Sony Ericsson, your Xperia Pureness has been beaten at its own game by an enigmatic new handset that Lenovo has been showing off over in China. The above images come from a Beijing fashion event, where Lenovo chose to debut its S800 featurephone with a color translucent display. It looks to still be at the concept stage, one that not many of these luxury items seem to ever exit, but lest you think it's not for real, the models showing it off at the show were photographed backstage using the lustworthy piece of glass to do whatever it is that models do with their phones. Check out the links below for more.
Chinese man plays MMO on titanic screen, pleads for higher pixel density (video)
Never mind your 103-inch plasmas or Guinness Word Record-holding stadium displays, real gamers do their thing on LCDs that span a cool seven thousand and five hundred square meters (translated into imperial measuring units, that's... a lot!). What you see above is a little glimpse of an MMO enthusiast with a big passion and no less sizable wallet. The gent in question was displeased by the fact a competing guildmaster in the Chinese MMO Magic World Online 2 got to play in an IMAX theater, and therefore decided to one-up him in the only way possible: by hiring Beijing's crazily oversized display (titled "All Beijing, look up!") for a little session of supersized gaming. Jump past the break to see it on video.
Beijing melting snow to solve global warming-related water shortage, likely contributing to global warming
Like water? Sure, we all do, but folks in and around northern China have been suffering from a shortage of late. The blame has been assigned to both global warming-related drought and a population boom, but officials in and around Beijing have a somewhat novel solution: snow melters. Two vehicles with heaters capable of melting 3,500 cubic feet of snow per hour have been deployed ahead of the coming wintery mix. Just how much snow does Beijing get? Well, last January the city had its worst storm in almost 60 years, netting an average of -- wait for it -- 11mm of snow. Yeah, that's less than half an inch, and not nearly enough around these parts for the kids to even bother to check the school delays.
BAIC's C71 EV has hot-swappable battery packs and a questionable sense of style
Electric cars hold the potential to eliminate your monthly gasoline bill, but if you want to go more than 100 miles or so at this point you'd better plan to make a bunch of lengthy pit-stops along the way. There are various solutions, like the Volt's on-board generator or Nissan's offer to replace your Leaf with something a little more traditional for long weekend trips into the country. But, to us, battery swapping seems like the best plan. Better Place is the leader in this space but BAIC, the Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Company, is showing off its own solution, the charmingly named C71 EV that looks like what might happen if a SAAB and a Toyota spent a crazy night together in Shanghai. It's a $45,000 car with a 60Ah floor-mounted battery pack that can be swapped in just five minutes, each delivering 150km (93 miles) of range and can naturally be charged by more traditional means (a plug) should you not be in such a hurry. The car is said to be available sometime next year, but we've heard that one before.
Apple closes Beijing store temporarily to thwart iPhone 4 resellers
Despite the iPhone's official release in China, a grey market continues to thrive. So much so that shoppers are buying units from Apple for private resale in such large quantity, that Apple had to temporarily down the Beijing Apple Store. According to M.I.C Gadget, the trouble started when Apple lifted the 2-per-customer restriction at the Beijing store. People were buying up to 30 iPhones at a time, which they would privately resell for a profit. In fact, many were selling right outside the store. Things got out of hand as the crowd quickly swelled and scuffles broke out between the mass-quantity buyers and individuals looking for a single phone. Security eventually shut the store down. Within hours, the store re-opened with a new policy. Customers must show ID when making a purchase. They may purchase only 1 iPhone at a time, which will be unboxed and activated in the store by an employee before the customer is allowed to leave. This policy has now been extended to all four of China's Apple Stores. Considering the high demand and extreme shortage of iPhones in China, it's understandable how a grey market develops. This was an unfortunate circumstance. Good on Apple Store security and management for addressing it in a timely fashion.
Exclusive photos from iPhone 4 launch in China, new Beijing Apple Store
Our favorite blogger in China, Maik Lutze of SuddenlyBeijing.com, has provided TUAW with exclusive photos from the official Chinese iPhone 4 launch this morning (9/25). Not only were there lines for the iPhone 4, but there was a new Apple Store being opened in Beijing at Xidan's Joy City today, so he provided photos of the crowds on had for the opening: %Gallery-103229% This is the second Apple Store in Beijing, the first being the Sanitun store. Maik provided a batch of photos for TUAW of the iPhone 4 lines at this store as well: %Gallery-103230% The second Apple retail location in Shanghai also opened today. The new Huaihai Lu Apple Store is a two-story structure with the only curved window front of any Apple Store. Apple is really booming in the Chinese market, with a third Beijing store planned for Qianmen Street that will open this fall. [Shanghai store information via Shanghaiist.com, Beijing store info via Asia Blog]
China gets the iPad
As you can see in the video above, China finally got the iPad (officially) this week, and Mac fans there were pretty excited about it. The device went on sale this morning at the Apple Stores in Beijing and Shanghai, and hundreds of people stood in the rain -- one man was there waiting for two days. He's the guy in the "I buy iPad" t-shirt, I think, and good for him; looks like it worked out all right. Only the Wi-Fi models are on sale so far, 5588 yuan (US $826) for 64gb, 4788 yuan ($712) and 3988 yuan ($590) for 16gb. iPads have been available in China so far only through the "gray market," unauthorized resellers from other countries. Early reports from the stores say that the iPad is selling better than the iPhone first did there, which is good news for Apple. It's been hoping to gain a much better foothold in China recently, so a big release for the iPad is a nice step in that direction.
China to build ginormous buses that cars can drive under (video)
Seriously, this is the future that China's envisioning: huge friggin' buses engulfing smaller cars on the road. Despite the silly picture and the eccentric "3D Express Coach" branding, this cunning project by Shenzhen Huashi Future Car-Parking Equipment actually makes sense. The idea is to make use of the space between regular-size cars and bridges, thus saving construction costs as well as minimizing congestion impact by allowing cars to drive underneath these jumbo buses. Fancy hitching a ride? You better start planning your move to Beijing's Mentougou district, which is where Huashi will commence building its first 186km of track at year's end. For now, enjoy the Chinese demo video after the break (translation text at source link).
Chinese make Optimus Prime out of junk; Garbage Pail Megan Fox still nowhere to be found
Some Chinese dudes decided they couldn't wait a year for Michael Bay to drop his next 3D Transformabomb, so they went troweling around the local junkyards until they came up with the 10,108 car parts needed to erect this 33-foot Optimus Prime. We heard that 10 minutes after this picture was taken, OP tried to do a mating dance for the Olympic Stadium, but she didn't bite. Better luck next time!
Unannounced Lenovo Ideapad Z460 shows up in China? Sure seems like it!
It looks like Lenovo's got some new Ideapads heading our way... if we're lucky. This photo was apparently taken at a recent company event in Beijing, and shows off a new model -- the 14-inch Z460 -- which reportedly boasts a 2.13GHz Intel Core i3 processor, ATI HD5145 graphics, 2GB of RAM, a 320GB SATA, and Windows 7 Home Basic operating system. That's about all the detail we have on this one, and there's no word yet on pricing or availability stateside. We'll keep our eyes peeled for you!
Geely IG is covered in solar cells, two years away from marketability
Chinese carmaker Geely is no stranger to building derivative designs, and its latest PHEV effort takes so much inspiration from Volkswagen's Beetle that even the press release begins with a metaphor about caterpillars flourishing into butterflies. That's also a little nod to the car's development, which has seen its initial design overhauled into the four-seater, photovoltaic cell-laden transporter you see above. The powertrain is still a hybrid number and not entirely electric, but seagull-wing doors have been added for some extra flair. Geely's IG is currently on display at the Beijing Auto Show, alongside its all-electric EK-1 and EK-2 brethren, the latter of which is promised to deliver 150kmph top speeds together with 180km cruising ranges and an 18-minute recharge time for 80 percent of the battery capacity. We'll believe it when we see it. This trifecta, along with a pair of other alternative fuel vehicles, is slated to "be marketed" in two years' time. You can wait that long, can't you?
Perfect World Entertainment announces Battle of the Immortals
Perfect World Entertainment is working overtime. Not content with their current stable of games or the positive press that's been getting drummed up for their upcoming comedy game, Kung Foo!, they've just announced a new addition to their lineup. The official developer blog for the company announced that Battle of the Immortals is on its way, complete with a number of screenshots of characters decked out to the nines in epic armor. So, what will the game actually play like? Well... that's an excellent question, one that the announcement largely sidesteps altogether. We know that the game is being developed by Perfect World Entertainment's Shanghai studio instead of their more conventional Beijing studio, and that it's supposed to play very differently than their eponymous flagship title. However, no actual gameplay elements are discussed beyond a statement that implies the game may well have a strong PvP focus, and the frequently restated factor that the game promises to be high-energy. On the flip side, the screenshots look excellent (unless you really don't care for the more exaggerated Eastern aesthetic) and PWE certainly has a solid track record for its free-to-play games.
Hello Kitty Online's world domination plan has begun
While Massively focuses on a lot of the bigger games on the market, the World of Warcrafts and Warhammer Onlines out there that define fantasy MMOs for many gamers, we still like to keep our eyes on the lesser-discussed MMO titles. Which leads me to my point -- we're on to you Hello Kitty. We've said this before and we'll probably say it again, Hello Kitty has her cute little eyes set on nothing less than absolute global domination through Hello Kitty Online.It began with her decking out Beijing with even more stars than the real Beijing, a feat most thought impossible, much less swathing the city in pink and purple hues. We've since learned that she wants Brazil, as well as Singapore and Malaysia, in her little paws. Apparently the next phase of her plan involves new avatar customization options with cute little... outfit... thingies... in the item mall. It's diabolical! Just check out the screengrabs below, if you dare.
Hello Kitty Online paints Beijing in pink and white as game's newest city
The team at SanrioDigital and Typhoon Games has lovingly re-created the city of Beijing as you've never seen it before -- through the pink-lensed glasses of Hello Kitty, heavy on the star motif. Well, more stars than the real Beijing, in any case. They've even put some of Beijing's landmarks into Hello Kitty Online and have posted screenshots of the HKO version of the city, with a brief introduction. They write on the Sanriotown blog: "To start things off, we'd like to showcase the new, never-before-seen city that's been added to the game: Beijing! In it you'll see some narrow streets, red lanterns, unique buildings, and walls surrounding the heart of the city." Some of the places they've included are the Bubble Dome and the Forbidden Museum. Sanriotown also adds that Hello Kitty Online will have '14 new adventure maps, 8 of which make up Beijing's surroundings.' You can check out the screenshots in the Sanriotown blog announcement.
Chinese online game market operating in loss
When many of us think about MMOs, we think about companies who rake more money than we could dream about. Enough money to put together a scale model of Paris made out of 20 dollar bills.Yet the truth is that many of these companies are operating in loss, as a recent article published in the Beijing Times has shown. Over 70% of Chinese online game companies are spending more than they are earning, while only a few notable names, like The9, the operators of World of Warcraft in China, stand to even make a profit.Many games spend more in development and marketing costs than they stand to make in monthly subscriptions, leading to these problems occurring in many companies in the market. Analysts say that for every 10 online games made, only one stands to be a profitable venture.For the full report on this, check out the article over at TradingMarkets.com.
Chinese game addicts seek help in progressive Internet addiction centers
As the Chinese race ahead to catch up with the West, they do so with the intent of creating better lives for themselves. The past several years have been characterized by rapid progression, but all those perks of modernization come with a price, which some of China's citizens are beginning to pay. As incomes rise, so does the prevalence of the various maladies of modernization we've come to know well -- not limited to obesity, substance abuse, and addiction. While an addiction to a substance has a physiological aspect to it and is rarely disputed as a true addiction, non-material addictions to work, sex, and even shopping are on the rise in China. Such issues have been difficult to officially label as actual mental illnesses in the country. Others, like Internet addiction, have only recently been classified as such in China.
World of Warcraft themed restaurant wows Beijing
Unlike the April Fool's joke from Blizzard in 2006, this time there really is a World of Warcraft-themed restaurant open for business in Beijing. The venue boasts a Dark Portal entrance, full wall prints of WoW scenes, an enormous screen that shows action from the game, a tree in the center reminiscent of Raynewood Retreat, and what appears to be the ability to log in from your table.From the sounds of things you may not be able to order Delicious Chocolate Cake (after all, the cake is a lie), but maybe Gadgetzan Gado-gado or Murloc Mince Pie are on the menu. So if you're in the Beijing area and looking for a great place to host your next guild meeting, check it out and let us know how the food is.
Warcraft restaurant opens in Beijing
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/pc_games/World_of_Warcraft_restaurant_opens_in_Beijing'; World of Warcraft continues to find ways to trickle beyond our virtual lives and into our day to day real lives. In Beijing, a new restaurant has opened up with a Warcraft theme, from the decor to the food. The entrance, which you can see above, is designed to look like the Dark Portal (The Burning Crusade's intro screen) and the interior walls are lined with artwork from the game and shots of characters in epic gear. TV screens throughout the restaurant play footage of the game, too.The food itself is even based on the game, and while CCTV.com reports that the menu is named after denizens of WoW, I wonder if they borrowed anything from the in-game recipes. The food shown in CCTV's video definitely looks Chinese in style, so I doubt you'll find anything there you would see in our very American Well Fed Buff, but that's probably a good thing. Personally, I'd love to see a menu. I'm also curious if this restaurant was given the go ahead from Blizzard or the9, or if they even need it.[via CCTV, thanks brucewain!]
