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Google chose World Cup search trend stories that spared Brazil from further agony (update: Google responds)
If you love Brazilian futebol, this has been an especially tough week; that devastating loss to Germany in the World Cup semi-finals was a shock to fans used to victory. Thankfully for you, Google feels your pain. The internet giant has revealed to NPR that its experimental social newsroom for the Cup avoided covering some of the bigger Brazilian search trends during the lopsided match, such as "shame," because they were simply too negative. As producer Sam Clohesy explains, the decision was motivated both by a desire to go viral as well as pure sympathy. People tend not to respond well to bad news on social networks, and Google would rather not "rub salt into the wounds" -- unlike a regular news outlet, it has more incentive to write about cheerful happenings than calamities. The filtering isn't going to restore Brazil's lost chance at football glory, but it might make the next four years a little more bearable. [Image credit: AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo] Update: Google believes that the original characterization isn't accurate -- it tells us that it's simply focused on highlighting interesting events, not downplaying bad news. It also adds that you can always visit Google Trends to see exactly what's going on. Check out the company's official statement below.
Thieves nab 40,000 Samsung devices through a daring Brazilian heist
When you think of gadget thefts, odds are that you picture muggings or smash-and-grabs at stores. Apparently, one group of thieves in Brazil had far more ambitious plans -- it raided Samsung's factory in Campinas (shown here) and stole more than 40,000 laptops, phones and tablets that police estimate are worth $36 million. Reportedly, the heist played out much like a movie. The bandits both hijacked a company shuttle to get inside and took some of the workers hostage, going so far as to confiscate phone batteries so that no one could alert the police.
Google kills Orkut to focus on YouTube, Blogger and Google+
Google's long suggested that Orkut, its other social network, was living on borrowed time, but today it's finally confirmed that the end is coming. The search giant said today that it'll shut down the service on September 30th in order to shift its focus to bigger projects like YouTube, Blogger and Google+. Although users in the US never really took to it, Orkut remained popular in Brazil and India for the better part of a decade (it's been maintained by Google Brazil since 2008). However, with Facebook and Google+ continuing to enjoy global growth, Google's decided the time is right to pull the plug on the service that was originally built as a "20 percent" project. While the company is now blocking new signups, current users can continue to contribute to the site until October. Once the deadline passes, they'll be able to export their profile data, community posts and photos using Google's Takeout tool for up to a year after it closes its doors.
SMITE packs its bags for Latin America and Brazil
SMITE will be coming to Latin America and Brazil, Hi-Rez Studios announced today. Hi-Rez has teamed up with publisher Level Up to release the MOBA in Central and South America. There are no dates for this release as of yet, but the beta will begin in that region later this year after the localization has been completed. Players from those countries who have accounts on a NA or EU server will be allowed to transfer to Level Up servers at that time. Teams from Latin America and Brazil have been invited to participate in the SMITE World Championship in January 2015. [Thanks to Soren for the tip!]
Take a sunny Street View tour of Brazil's World Cup stadiums
If heading out to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil weighed too heavy on your wallet, Google's latest Maps update might help you experience some of the fútbol magic from the comfort of your own home. With the tournament just days away, the search giant is kicking things off a little early by adding all 12 of Brazil's World Cup stadiums, including the revamped Maracanã, and the vibrantly-colored boulevards that surround them to Street View. For those who managed to grab a ticket, Google's also made sure to update its mobile app with transit data in each of the host cities, as well as indoor maps and turn-by-turn navigation (perfect for those embarking on a dream road trip). If that wasn't enough, Maps now includes Peru, Chile, Colombia and Mexico, letting you explore Latin America whenever the feeling takes you.
Brazilians will see every blade of World Cup grass on outdoor 4K screens
If you're in Rio de Janeiro this summer but can't attend any World Cup matches in person, don't fret; you may still be in for a treat. Brazilian TV giant Globo is teaming up with Sony to broadcast three live Cup games (a second-round match, a quarterfinal and the final) in 4K quality, and it's putting 65-inch sets in Rio's Jardim Botanico neighborhood so that the public can watch. This isn't the first time we've seen live soccer futebol play out in 4K, and there will be a handful of feeds in other countries. However, Globo's offering promises to be one of the more exciting test runs for high-res sports -- particularly for locals determined to cheer on the home team. [Image credit: AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo]
Sony will give your PlayStation controller a free World Cup makeover
Major sporting events serve as the perfect time for brands to thrust their latest wares in fans' faces. With only weeks until the start of the 2014 World Cup, Sony is maximising its marketing opportunities as one of only six official FIFA Partners by offering PS3 and PS4 owners the opportunity to give their DualShock controllers a World Cup makeover. Sony will set up Customisation Stations in three UK cities where teams of graffiti artists will adorn the controllers with names, numbers and countries completely free of charge. To take advantage of the offer, make your way to the PlayStation Customisation Stations situated in the Bullring Shopping Centre in Birmingham on May 24th, Piccadilly Gardens in Manchester on May 31st or Westfield Stratford City in London on either the 7th or 8th June. All you'll need is your PlayStation controller and an idea of what you want done with it.
Beijos to kisses: Retirees teach Brazilians to speak English via video chat
Folks living in retirement communities around the US may have just been given another activity option. As part of the Speaking Exchange project for language schools, creative agency FCB Brazil paired language students with elderly Americans in Chicago for English lessons via video chat. The pilot program joined a school in Liberdade, Brazil with the Windsor Park Retirement Community here in the States. Each session was recorded and uploaded as a private video to YouTube, allowing instructors a way to watch the footage to assess progress. The results are pretty amazing. But don't take our word for it, a video detailing the project awaits after the break.
ESPN makes it easy for you to watch the World Cup anytime, anywhere
With the world's biggest sporting event, the FIFA World Cup, set to kick off in roughly 37 days, ESPN has now revealed how it plans to deliver coverage to you. At a recent media event in New York City, ESPN President John Skipper and Co. announced that all 64 World Cup matches from Brazil would be streamed live via WatchESPN and ESPN3. Naturally, you'll need a cable subscription (or a certain internet service provider) to have access to the feeds, but the good news is that, since ESPN has full rights to the tournament in the US, you won't be subject to any tedious blackout restrictions. And that includes games broadcasted on ABC. But the sports channel isn't stopping there: ESPN is throwing everything but the kitchen sink at this year's World Cup, with things like 24/7 news coverage and expert analysis, as well as second-screen features for smartphones and tablets.
The BBC's World Cup Rewind will let you stream classic matches 'live'
Like us, you might be unreasonably excited for the start of the 2014 World Cup. The BBC knows this more than anyone, so it's banking on the streaming technology it used for the 2012 London Olympics to deliver full "live" coverage of some of the home nations' biggest World Cup matches from years past. The BBC World Cup Rewind will include the 1966 England vs West Germany World Cup Final, Archie Gemmill's super goal for Scotland against The Netherlands in 1978 and Northern Ireland's famous win against tournament hosts Spain in the 1982 group stages. The Beeb says it will pull out all the stops when broadcasts begin on May 30th by including additional text commentary as well as insight and comments from Gary Lineker and other "special guests." As usual, everything will be available across smartphone, tablet, laptop and connected TVs, letting you experience (or painfully remember) Diego Maradona's infamous 'Hand of God' moment as if it happened today.
Mosquitoes bred with suicide genes to combat disease
With the World Cup just six weeks away, Brazilian authorities have approved the widespread, commercial release of a strain of mosquito that has been genetically reprogrammed to wipe out its own species. These Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are a major carrier of dengue fever, and bed nets are useless against them because they bite during the day. While some have experimented with using lasers and other techniques to mass-kill the disease-carrying bugs, Brazil's preferred solution begins in the lab: Male mosquitoes are given a deliberately flawed gene and then released into the wild so that they can reproduce, at which point the implanted gene rears its head and causes any offspring to die before they reach sexual maturity.
Brazil passes an internet bill of rights enshrining net neutrality and privacy
While the world has been deciding who governs the internet, Brazil has been busy establishing internet rules of its own -- and they may just set an example for everyone else. The country has passed a bill of rights that goes some length towards protecting net neutrality and privacy. To start, the law promises equal access to the internet; carriers can't charge more for bandwidth-heavy services like streaming video.
Nations gather to decide who gets the keys to the internet
Many countries are (understandably) unhappy with the influence the US wields over the internet, and in particular its control of ICANN, the web's "back end." The Department of Commerce has agreed to give up its oversight of the body, and is meeting various nations at Net Mundial in Brazil this week to discuss exactly how to do that. The gathering itself is controversial, as US political figures from the right and left, including ex-President Bill Clinton, oppose moves to give up ICANN control. Specifically, Clinton thinks it could lead to many states "protect(ing) their backsides instead of empowering people." Similar concerns over censorship have been expressed by the EU and others, especially given the recent goings-on in Turkey and elsewhere.
EA Sports wants its 2014 World Cup game to appeal to all, not just FIFA fans
"We don't have limitless resources. We wanted to bring the game to as many people as possible and right now that was the 360 and PS3." That's what 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil's lead producer Matt Prior had to say about the title not launching on Xbox One or PlayStation 4. Which is to say, EA's leaning on console-adoption numbers as the primary reason for the lack of a proper game on Microsoft's and Sony's newest consoles. Instead, EA Sports plans to bring some "engaging" World Cup-themed content to FIFA 14's Ultimate Team mode, in the hopes that'll be enough to satisfy disappointed Xbox One and PS4 owners.
Captain your country in 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil
EA's quadrennial FIFA World Cup sub-series comes around as often as the global sporting event does, but this year's version will still include some familiar modes. EA Sports announced six core modes for 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil this week, each celebrating the cherished soccer event in different ways. First up is the game's Road to the FIFA World Cup mode, which allows players to take one of the 203 international teams through the World Cup competition starting in the qualifying rounds. That's separate from the game's "authentic" 2014 FIFA World Cup mode, which begins with the teams that qualified for the group stages and can be played online or locally. The game also includes the Road to Rio de Janeiro mode, which has players competing online at each of the 12 Brazilian World Cup venues, similar to FIFA 14's Online Seasons mode. 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil also includes two historic modes: Story of Finals follows this summer's competition and issues challenges based on the results of each real-life match while Story of Qualifying features over 60 matches from the two-and-a-half year qualifying cycle for the upcoming World Cup event. The latter mode also features challenges specific to the outcomes of those historic games as well, such as scoring two goals as a 10-man France team against Spain in 11 minutes to qualify for the event. Lastly, players will be able to guide an individual athlete, either real or created, through the World Cup process in Captain Your Country mode. While a similar mode from 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa allowed players to use their created footballers from FIFA 10 in the mode, it's unclear if 2014 FIFA World Cup maintains the same compatibility with FIFA 14. The game will also feature standard online and local friendly matches in addition to 50 new skill games. 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil launches April 15 in North America and April 17 in Europe on Xbox 360 and PS3. [Image: EA Sports]
Neverwinter to penalize PvP cowards, launches in Brazil
Neverwinter's upcoming PvP patch is shaping up to be significant, as Cryptic Studios has said that it will add in a matchmaking system and penalize players who leave early. The matchmaking system will lump players together for domination matches based on their skill ratings. What's a skill rating? It's a fancy number that rises and lowers based on your wins and losses in comparison to others' rating. You better stick it out when you do queue up, however, because the game will block you from queuing up for any group content for a set amount of time. In other Neverwinter news, the game has launched in Brazil, fully localized for Portuguese. Perfect World has partnered with UOL BoaCompra to handle the local support, payment, and marketing for the title.
Apple's first store in Brazil opens and other news from Feb. 17, 2014
Brazil joyfully welcomed its first Apple retail store over the weekend, with more than 1,700 queueing up to be among the first to visit the Rio de Janeiro locale. In addition to this store being the first for Apple in Brazil, AppleInsider says it also is the first for Apple in Latin America overall. Other news from Monday afternoon includes: An update to iTunes Connect includes an updated user interface that offers more detail about an app's sales. And kick back with these features: The story of iOS's text selection tool and the importance of those "handles" Four weather apps, four radar experiences The best (and worst) iWatch concepts Meet Siri's great grandfather Rumor Roundup: 'The near future' The original Mac icon was inspired by Matisse, not Pablo Picasso
Olympic athletes ordered to cover Apple logos during the games? and other news for Feb. 6. 2014
Update: The story regarding the "request to cover Apple logos" during the Olympics turns out to be a miscommunication, and not an overall instruction. Macworld has the story. The International Olympic Committee is telling all athletes to cover Apple logos on any mobile devices they use throughout the 2014 Winter Olympics. You see, Samsung is a sponsor, and its agreement guarantees that athletes may not mention competitors or display competitors' logos during Winter Olympics. Samsung's request is nothing new. Virtually every Olympic sponsor has similar clauses in their sponsorship contracts. The official Olympic Charter states that athletes must comply or else risk "removal of accreditation and financial penalties" or even disqualifications. The specific clause is known as "Rule 40" and, needless to say, is quite controversial. The International Olympic Committee, however, says Rule 40 is a necessity because without sponsors, the games could not take place. In other news: Square-Enix has launched Final Fantasy VI for iOS devices. Square-Enix says that all the graphics were "painstakingly recreated" for mobile devices. The game costs US$15.99. Apple has removed the popular Blockchain Bitcoin app from the App Store. Blockchain allowed users to send and receive Bitcoins to each other. The developer says Apple told him it was withdrawn "due to an unresolved issue," but notes that Apple did not specify what the issue was and that the app has been in the App Store for two years already. Apple has posted a new video called "On The Runway" on its iPhone page. The video uses re-edited footage that was shot using the iPhone 5s at the Burberry Fashion Show in London last fall. Apple has confirmed on its website that it will open its first retail store in Brazil on February 15. The store will be in the VillageMall luxury shopping center located in the Barra da Tijuca borough of Rio de Janeiro.
2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil announced for Xbox 360, PS3 in April [Update: Not next-gen]
EA announced a new game to accompany this summer's World Cup soccer event: 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil. The game will arrive on April 15 in North America and April 17 in Europe for Xbox 360 and PS3. Pre-order bonuses for the game include special All-Star and Classic XI teams, though no price was given for the game and its four editions. The next entry in EA's World Cup series will uses licenses that span 203 national teams, 7,469 athletes, 19 officially-licensed managers and 21 new stadiums, which will include all 12 stadiums from Brazil in which the global event will take place. EA said that 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil will improve on the excellent FIFA 14 with one hundred new animations and other buzzword-like locomotion features such as Explosive Movement and World Class Control. It will also include an offline tournament mode, Road to the FIFA World Cup, as well as the new online mode Road to Rio de Janeiro, which has players "win their way across a map of Brazil's 12 host cities in licensed and authentic stadiums." EA CFO Blake Jorgensen was pretty clear in including the next FIFA World Cup game in the publisher's list of games upcoming next-gen games during its Q2 2014 earnings call in late October 2013. We've asked EA if 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil will come to PS4 and Xbox One, and will update as we learn more. Update: An EA representative tells Joystiq that the game is "coming exclusively to Xbox 360 and PS3 as a fully featured console game. There will not be a World Cup full console game for the new generation of consoles." To make up for it, the publisher plans to issue "a range of engaging content within FIFA Ultimate Team so that fans on the new generation of consoles can experience the World Cup in fun and unique ways."
Edward Snowden reminds the world that he's still homeless
While the US justice system slowly begins to digest everything Edward Snowden revealed about the NSA, the whistleblower himself remains stateless and living under temporary asylum in Russia. In an open letter to the people of Brazil, following revelations of widespread NSA "data collection" in that country, Snowden has made it clear that he's not happy with his current situation and won't be content until an appropriate government grants him permanent political asylum. He says he's willing to help the Brazilian authorities to understand the extent of the NSA's surveillance of their citizens, which allegedly covered over two million mobile calls and text messages in a single month, including calls made by Brazil's president, but insists he can't do anything while the US limits his "ability to speak" from Russia -- with the obvious hint being that he'd quite like to move to Latin America. You'll find the full text of Snowden's letter at the source link below.
