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Dell Mini 3i officially set for imminent launch in Brazil and China
It would appear those leaked and unintentional early peeks at Dell's first foray into smartphones did not happen in Brazil and China by accident. Hans Erickson of Dell Latin America has announced the decision to "give priority" to those two countries, who will be first to experience the Mini 3i's Android glory, with China receiving devices "in the coming days" and Brazil getting 'em later this year. Interestingly, China Mobile will be making do without 3G, while Brazil's Claro will be offering a 3G-enabled handset. Dell remains mum on pricing and the rest of the spec, though all the information so far indicates that Brazilians will be able to buy the same WiFi-packing FCC-certified 3iX handset that's heading to the US. Either way, we've got another heavyweight's presence in the smartphone market, and we'll be even happier once we know what Dell's value-add will be. Update: Official Dell press release is out making it clear that this is just the "initial" smartphone from Dell. [Thanks Marcos R.]
Dell Mini 3iX has WiFi, 3G, and a number of leaked UI photos
You know what's ridiculous? Modern smartphones without WiFi (why hello there, Pixi and Tour). Looks like Dell's getting the message with the supposed Brazil-bound Mini 3iX, which as far as we can tell is the Mini 3i as it should've been -- same specs, plus WiFi and 3G connectivity. The OPhone-esque user interface also seems to have gone through some changes, at least cosmetically, and Cellular Cafe has the vivid imagery -- so might this be the little guy rumored to be coming to AT&T, or will we get the 2G variant instead? How about we just skip this one altogether and get the Streak?
Online Brazilian Apple Store now live
After months of rumors, Apple's official online store for Brazil has officially opened at apple.com/br. It joins the 34 other countries with localized online stores. The Brazilian store is a mirror of many others and joins Apple's effort to establish a presence south of the United States. Presently, there are localized online stores in Brazil, Costa Rica, Chile, Colombia and Ecuador among others. Right now, there are no brick-and-mortar Apple Stores in Brazil, but they do run eight "Stores within a store" complexes in association with Fnac (similar to the arrangement with Best Buy here in the USA). Brazilian customers have anticipated the real thing for a long time. Here's hoping you get physical stores soon. Until then, enjoy your online shopping, Brazil! [Via AppleInsider]
Motorola takes environmentally-conscious MOTOCUBO A45 to Brazil
To call the industrial design of Motorola's new MOTOCUBO A45 "polarizing" might be an understatement, but at least we can all agree that cutting back on a phone's environmental impact is a good thing, right? The A45 -- which we'd previously spied as the Murano -- is a pretty run-of-the-mill messaging phone with a 2 megapixel cam, EDGE data, 3.5mm headphone jack, FM radio, a "fresh and modern" (their words, not ours) design and color scheme, and built-in access to Orkut, Facebook, and MySpace, but the big news here has to be the eco angle. Like the Renew before it, the MOTOCUBO is made in part from recycled plastic bottles and is 70 percent recyclable when you've moved on to bigger, better, stronger phones down the road -- but for now, plan on spending R$549 (about $292) unlocked when it hits Brazil next month. [Via Unwired View]
Motorola A45 Murano: a QA1 minus the 3G?
What would you get if you took Motorola's QA1 Karma, gutted it of 3G, and dialed up the boxy factor a notch or three? We think you'd end up with something a lot like this, a phone alleged to be the A45 "Murano." The A series is still a rarity in Moto's lineup so we don't have a ton of hardware to compare it with, but one member of the series is Verizon's Rival -- and you can definitely see a little familial resemblance there. Looks like it'll have a 2 megapixel camera, but otherwise, this sucker's a mystery; Motorola's been making moves in Brazil lately, though, so we could definitely buy that this'll end up popping in South America before we see it stateside.
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.
Zeebo releases in zee Brazilian market
UOL Tecnologia reports that Tectoy's Zeebo, the 3G console first revealed at GDC earlier this year, is now available in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. For those that lost the Zeebo in the OnLive shuffle, the console's main thrust is its free connection to a 3G network, which allows it constant access to its library of download-only titles. The other major selling point is its price, which rests at R$499 (~US$299), while games can be had for only R$7-30 ($3-13). Three titles are bundled with the system: FIFA 2009, Need For Speed Carbon and Brain Training. The system also comes with free credits to download Prey Evil, Quake, and Quake II.See the Zeebo in action (and in Portuguese) after the break.[Via Engadget]
Zeebo lands in Brazil, inspires revolutionary fervor in the hearts of gamers worldwide
According to UOL Tecnologia, Tectoy's Zeebo game console is on sale now in the city of Rio de Janeiro, with availability to spread across the Brazilian countryside later this year. As expected, the system is going for a MSRP of R$499 (that's about $299) and ships with three games in memory: FIFA 2009, Need For Speed Carbon, and Brain Training, all in Portuguese. Additionally, the device ships with credit for three free downloads: Prey Evil, Quake, and Quake II. And as expected, this bad boy includes a free 3G connection via Claro, enabling additional game downloads in the R$7-30 ($3-13) range. Video after the break.
Brazilian RC helicopter cellphone delivery service busted
What do you do when your cellphone-smuggling carrier pigeons get caught on their way to the big house? Why, you go higher tech, of course. Those texting-crazed Brazlian ultra-max prisoners hatched a new plot to fly a radio controlled helicopter up over the wall of a prison, dropping diaper-swaddled handsets into the awaiting hands of criminal non-masterminds on the inside. Unfortunately for them, police foiled the plan when they pulled over the accomplices on the outside, confiscating the chopper, a suite of phones, and arresting the four who were paid just $5,000 to get the plan airborne. Our suggestion for their next attempt? Jetpacks.[Photo courtesy of AP]
Report: Brazil is a 'haven' for video game piracy
The Escapist's Pedro Franco recently wrote up an interesting article about Brazil's recent transformation into a "pirated goods heaven," particularly for illicitly acquired video games. According to Franco, Brazil was once a thriving market for games, until the mid-1990s brought about outrageously high taxes on gaming software (45 percent of the price of PC titles consisted of taxes), diminished per capita income and the transition from cartridge to disc-based games. Now, it's estimated that 94 percent of Brazil's gaming market is composed of pirated merchandise.Check out Franco's full article to find out the social and industrial implications of a nation that finds gaming piracy permissible. (Spoiler alert: It leads to bad things.)[Via GamePolitics]
Movie Gadget Friday: Brazil
Ariel Waldman contributes Movie Gadget Friday, where she highlights the lovable and lame gadgets from the world of cinema.We last left off Movie Gadget Friday on board the Icarus II in the near-futuristic film of Sunshine. This week we transition from space travel to a totalitarian, 20th century, terrorist-ridden society in Terry Gilliam's Brazil. A hybrid between the sexy saxophone solos and gender role reversals of the 1980's with the "Keep Calm and Carry On" culture of the 1940's and 50's, this film dabbles between reality and a dream-like state. Cyborg TypewriterThis "handhold" device clamps around your hand and five fingers for allowing typing speeds upwards of 150 wpm. Wired between stereo headphones and a flat touch-sensor keyboard, the brace around the hand augments the user's typing accuracy and pace. The exposed wires act as inputs from any user-received audio and mechanically command via electric impulses exact transcripts to be typed out. The system is spoken-language friendly and can determine onomatopoeias, thus eliminating Google-like "did you mean...?" behavior. While it may make a secretary job more efficient, we have to wonder if the inevitable constant hand cramps are worth it. More after the break.
Inner World launches a new magazine for Second Life
The creators of the new Inner World magazine have let us know that they've got their inaugural edition out, and it's 92 pages of pretty, served up by Issuu. The Inner World magazine appears to be the brainchild of Jussara Correa, of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Available in Portuguese or (slightly uncertainly-formed) English, the magazine has a lot going for it with a panoply of advertising-supported Art, places and stories from Second Life. There's a smattering of mature content (that's 'boobies' for those of you who probably shouldn't be taking a look), so take care about when and where you choose to idly flip through the mag. The Issuu viewer that it runs on top of requires flash and javascript and is happiest under Windows (other platforms may have a less than ideal viewing experience with the layout), but nevertheless seems to be an attractive alternative to PDF-formatted online magazines and tabloids. It's colorful, pretty and doesn't represent a lot of heavy reading. Are you a part of the most widely-known collaborative virtual environment or keeping a close eye on it? Massively's Second Life coverage keeps you in the loop.
Palm's Treo Pro now available in Brazil on Claro
While the future of the Treo Pro is somewhat murky when it comes to Sprint, there's no doubt that Palm's still pushing this WinMo powerhouse in every way it can. In order to accommodate demand in Brazil, the company has announced that locals can now acquire the handset trough Claro. Unfortunately, there's no mention of a price, but those in the area can certainly swing by a shop and check things out. Or, you could hold out for that international Pre, whichever works.[Via Palm InfoCenter]
Brazilian cellphone regulatory board leaks more Nokia E75 imagery
We have the FCC to thank for many, many leaks, but it would appear from the pics of the inner workings of the Nokia E75 at CellularCafe, Brazil may well have an equivalent. Some regulatory authority in Brazil is apparently putting the E75 through the paces, and was kind enough to share some pics along the way -- though no word what carrier may be picking this up down there. We hadn't caught any shots of the stickers and info under the hood, so if you're into that type of photography (and we so know you are) follow the read for a nice little sampling.
Ubisoft snatches up Brazilian studio Southlogic
Ubisoft continues to unfurl its ambitious expansion plans in South America with the acquisition of Southlogic Studios, an independent developer based in Brazil. According to Edge Online, the studio and its 20-strong staff will be integrated into Ubisoft's Sao Paulo studio, which was opened in 2008 and became responsible for the third appearance of the word "studio" in this article. Fourth if you count that last one.Of course, all this information serves only to stall the real query in the minds of Southlogic fans: Will Imagine: Wedding Designer get a sequel? Well, we just don't know. Keep hope alive!
Nextar launching M3 navigator into South America
Hey, they don't call this thing the International Consumer Electronics Show for nothing, so it shouldn't come as any big surprise to see Nextar unveiling a trio of new navigators that are destined for routes in South America. PNDs for Argentina (M3-AR), Brazil (M3-BR), and Mexico (updated to the M3-MX1) are all scheduled to go on sale in early 2009, with each model packing its respective country maps as well as a multimedia player, 3.5-inch touchscreen, text-to-speech support, oodles of POIs, an integrated antenna, rechargeable Li-ion and a stylus for no good reason good measure. All three will sell for $249.99, and the full release is after the break.
Brazil's TV Record network selects SES for satellite distribution
Brazil's longest running television network -- TV Record -- has just announced that it is selecting SES NEW SKIES for satellite distribution of its international and domestic content. The multi-year agreement will also enable the network to launch its first HDTV channel for broadcasting in Brazil, while the Record Internacional channel will be beamed to North America via the NSS-806 bird. There's no mention of a go-live date for the aforementioned HD channel, but we're hoping it won't keep eager Brazilians waiting for too long here -- the teasing is the worst part, you know.
More details of Tectoy's Zeebo 3G gaming console emerge
We recently caught wind of the Zeebo, a new 3G network-based gaming console that's supposedly launching soon in Brazil. Details were pretty hard to come by initially, but now we've gotten some more solid information on the upstart system. It turns out that manufacturer Tectoy is partnering up with cellular carrier Claro, whose 3G network will enable the system to have a constant, free-of-charge connection -- and Qualcomm, which holds a 43 percent ownership in the company. As far as specs are concerned, the Zeebo will apparently run on a BREW-based OS and house an ARM CPU running at 528MHz, with a Qualcomm Adreno 130 graphics core (?), 1GB NAND flash memory, 160MB RAM, 128MB DDR SDRAM and 32MB stacked DDR SDRAM. Marketed to the "growing middle class" of developing countries, the Zeebo will launch in Brazil, where its developers say the downloadable-content format should help combat rampant piracy. The cost of the system is expected to be 599BRL (about $264) with games costing between 7-30BRL (around $3-13). Hit the read links for more details.Read - Zeebo Incorporated Read - The Zeebo Console[Thanks, Francisco]
Tectoy's Zeebo gaming console to run on 3G network in Brazil
Tectoy's announced the Zeebo, a 3G network-based gaming console that will supposedly launch in Brazil in July of 2009, then spread to other markets in the following months. The console will apparently be constantly connected to a 3G network for no cost to the gamer, with all games and content paid for and downloaded via said network (which sounds suspiciously like the never-realized Phantom). In theory, this would mean lower costs for the consumer while cutting down on piracy. Titles that are to be preloaded in the Brazil launch of the system include the mobile game Action Hero 3D, Evil Prey, and Quake... not exactly state-of-the-art, but according to its manufacturers, the Zeebo is not meant to directly compete with platforms like the Wii, Xbox 360 or Playstation 3. Instead, the system will be aimed at "emerging" gaming markets, including those which could not normally afford expensive hardware and games. Confusingly, the price mentioned for the console is a steep $599, with games set to cost between $10 and $30 -- not exactly the most affordable item we've ever heard of, but we'll keep our ears to the wall for further updates should the Zeebo ever come closer to existence. And, comparison to the Phantom aside, we hope it does.Update: We're aware of the craziness of the $599 US price tag, but the source does specify US dollars, though we're unsure of whether it's a typo or the actual price. Update II: Thanks to a tip from a reader, we've confirmed that the US dollar price of the Zeebo will be $258, or $599 in Brazil. Not a bad deal![Via Folha Online; thanks Fabio V.]
Brazilian exhibition shows off low-cost laptop prototypes of old
Hard to believe it's been over two years since we wrapped our noodles around the Intel Eduwise and the OLPC XO, and while the average Atom-powered netbook has practically swiped the limelight, the low-cost laptop still holds a special place in our hearts. So it's with great joy that we present this mystical tour through the genealogy of the Classmate PC. On hand are a number of prototypes, a non-working mockup and a version of the Eduwise that actually retains the bulk of its hardware in the rear of the LCD. Heck, there's even a bright blue convertible in there that could probably give Doom a run for its money. Unfortunately, the writeup is in translated English, but chances are the images will do the bulk of the speaking to your soul.
