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This speaker lights on fire (and it's supposed to)
Your Sonos setup is pretty handy, what with its wireless audio and all that, but you know what it's missing? A mothereffin' open flame that bounces along to your music's beat, that's what. Because seriously, a jammin' stereo is basically useless if it doesn't run the risk of burning down the your house. And before you ask, no The Sound Torch wasn't concocted by The Talking Heads' David Byrne. However! Its Danish designers say that it's perfect for either your next DJ set or family picnic. For the latter you could probably even skip using one of those grody public grills with these feats of pyrotechnics. What's more, the flame pattern and height apparently changes based on the beat and style of music you're playing.
Danish researchers achieve fastest single-laser data transfer speeds ever
Looking for wicked fast internet? You may want to move to Denmark: researchers in DTU Photonics' High-Speed Optical Communications Group (HSOC) have set a new world record for single-transmitter data transfer. Using a new kind of optical fiber, the team was able to achieve transfer speeds of 43 terabits per second. Not familiar with bit-based statistics? Try this: that's more than five 1TB HDDs worth of data moved in less than one second. So, fast. The record was set using only a single laser transmitter, but faster speeds can (and have) been obtained using setups with hundreds of lasers. You can see the group's official announcement at the source link below, assuming you can read North Germanic languages. [Shutterstock / Kubais]
Denmark made in Minecraft is why we can't have nice things
Let's face it: learning about your government and country is often not the most exciting thing in the world. That's why the Danish Geodata Agency recreated the entire country of Denmark in 1:1 scale inside of Minecraft - to make learning a bit more fun. Unfortunately, the Internet had its own agenda, and decided to teach those Danes a lesson about ... we don't even know. Why the world can't have nice things? See, despite the DGA turning off dynamite on the map they created - which used more than 4 trillion blocks and 1 terabyte of data - intrepid Minecraft users discovered that in-game carts which carried dynamite were still active. Using this exploit, players bombed areas of virtual Denmark towns, sometimes placing American flags and tanks in their stead. Classy. DGA spokesman Chris Hammeken told UK news site The Register that only minor areas were affected, and that the DGA does not plan to reboot the map. "We consider that as a nature of playing Minecraft – elements are broken down and new are being created," Hammeken said. "Therefore we will not reboot the demonstration of Denmark in Minecraft. But occasionally we will rebuild minor areas if buildings are removed and nothing new is being created." If you want to check out what's become of virtual Denmark, the DGA still has it available to download. [Image: Mojang]
Engadget Daily: OnePlus One review, new Nintendo consoles, and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Xbox One rolling to 26 new regions in September
Microsoft plans to bring the Xbox One to 26 more markets in September, eight of which were in the original plans for the console's November 2013 launch. Those eight territories, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Sweden and Switzerland, were cut from the first run in August, at which point Microsoft scaled its launch plans back to 13 regions. Head past the break to see the list of the other 18 regions the system will arrive in come September.
HTC shutting down Watch movies in six countries by May 31st
While there are signs HTC's fortunes might turn a corner through the launch of the One, few would doubt that its finances could use some streamlining. The company has just outlined one of the ways it will be pinching pennies: it's closing its Watch movie stores in Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Sweden by May 31st, with some Italians reporting a shutdown on the 15th. As the company explains to us in a statement (after the break), it's concentrating on supporting Watch in those regions with the "highest engagement" while dropping those with "less application traffic" -- in short, markets with poor performance get the boot. HTC stresses that Watch isn't going away, however, and it's delivering a steady stream of content. We're glad to hear that the company is sharpening its focus rather than cutting the cord. Still, that won't be much consolation to movie-loving Europeans and Scandinavians.
Apple adds Rubles and other currencies to App Store, bumps minimum price to €0.89 in Europe
After announcing slightly under par financials, Apple has added more ways it can be paid for apps, though it also bumped the minimum freight to get one across Europe. The new lowest price users in France, Germany, Italy and other nations "over there" can pay for an app is now €0.89, a euro-dime bump from before -- apparently due to the weak euro and local tax hikes. On the other hand, Cupertino also added more currencies accepted at its store: South African Rand, Turkish Lira, Russian Rubles, Indian Rupees, Isreali New Shekel's, Saudi Arabian Riyal, Indonesian Rupish and UAE Dirham can all now be used to pay. Apple has tinkered with its prices before in varying amounts overseas depending on the nation, so you may want to check your own country's App Store for the news -- bad or good.
GreenWave Reality ships WiFi-aware light bulbs that flick on through motion and smartphones
We've seen connected light bulbs before, some more sophisticated than others, but they're rarely as straightforward as GreenWave Reality's just-shipping Connected Lighting Solution. Eco-friendly LED bulbs in the lineup include support for WiFi and are immediately controllable from a smartphone or tablet as soon as they're receiving power. Basics controls like group presets and timed lighting are just the start; if you're not worried about leaving anyone in the dark, the bulbs can respond to motion sensors and only illuminate the rooms that need attention. And while the intelligence isn't new in itself, GreenWave would argue that sheer accessibility gives it an edge, with electric utilities in Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden skipping the retail middleman by selling directly. Don't despair if you live in the US: the linked-up lighting is cleared for eventual use by Americans who'd like to save both energy and a trip to the light switch.
PSA: iPhone 5 available in 22 more countries, on Cricket and US regional carriers galore
Disappointed that your country or favorite carrier missed the initial cut for the iPhone 5 launch? Odds are that you're all good now. Worldwide, 22 more countries have joined the mix as of today, including wide swaths of Europe as well as New Zealand; you'll find the full list in the release here. Americans also don't have to turn to the big carriers, as they can now opt for prepaid carrier Cricket in addition to a slew of extra providers that include C Spire as well as regionals like GCI and nTelos. In some cases, you'll even snag a discount by going with one of the smaller networks. If you bagged an iPhone in Barcelona, or caught one on Cellcom, let others know how it's going in the comments. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Libratone intros Zipp portable AirPlay speaker with PlayDirect, expectedly wrapped in wool (update)
If you've been following the surge of AirPlay speakers that started hitting the market in 2011, you've likely feasted your eyes on the spendy wool-clad systems by Libratone. While its larger Live and Lounge units have primarily been purposed for households, its new Zipp speaker is the being touted as the "first and only" portable AirPlay speaker. Make no mistake, unlike B&O Play's portable AirPlay-equipped Beolit 12 ($800), the Zipp's loaded with Libratone's proprietary PlayDirect protocol, meaning it doesn't require a separate wireless network / router for iDevices to connect to it over the air. The Zipp moniker is a play on the swappable wool grill which cozies around its vertically-standing tubular enclosures. Weighing four pounds and measuring in at 10.2 inches high by 4.8 inches in diameter, this "portable" unit is a good bit larger than the Blutooth-equipped Jawbone Big Jambox placed sideways, but it'll certainly fit in a backpack -- hey, it does have a leather carrying strap. Thankfully, that weight is partially due to its internal rechargeable battery, which should last up to eight hours. As far as the speakers go, you'll find a duo of 1-inch ribbon tweeters facing the sides for the left and right channels, along with a 4-inch up-firing woofer. The rig also features Libratone's signature FullRoom design, which forces a 360-degree dispersion of the sound by way of deflectors in front of the tweeters. Beyond that, it'll naturally work with Libratone's existing iPhone app, allowing you to change the DSP on the fly for optimal output regardless of its placement in a room. The Zipp will hit Apple Stores later this October wrapped with a single red or grey zippered grill for $399, while other retailers will carry the $449 Classic Color and Funky Color editions, which each come with a trio of those wool grills (black, blue and red for the Classic, and black, pink and yellow for the Funky). Past that, a single grill by itself will cost you a relatively expensive $49 directly from Libratone. In the meantime, join us past the break for more details about the unit itself and PlayDirect, our initial impressions and a hands-on video overview.
Dreams, curiosity and a passion for what's next: picking the brain of Innovation Lab's Mads Thimmer
Innovation. According to one Mads Thimmer, it's a word that held a great deal of mystery some 10-plus years ago, but today, "it's thrown around as a cliché." When you really get down to it, though, the art of innovating is a hugely delicate and complex one, fraught with frustration and a curious passion for never settling on the here and now. In covering the world of consumer technology, I've come to form my own understanding of what innovation is, what it isn't and how companies are embracing (or outright shunning) the idea. After an evening with the cofounder of Innovation Lab, however, I was rightfully ready to toss my own preconceived notions aside.
Guild Wars 2 dominates European sales
Guild Wars 2 is on a goodwill tour through Europe, and it appears that the crowds love ArenaNet's latest release. The fantasy title has topped the charts in not one, not two, but 10 countries in the region. NCsoft reports that Guild Wars 2 is at the number one sales spot for UK, Germany, France, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Netherlands, and Belgium. And as the saying goes, when you win over Finland, you've won over the world. ArenaNet President Mike O'Brien is bowled over by the accomplishment: "Our games have always been well-received in Europe, but this level of enthusiasm is both awesome and humbling. It also impresses upon us the responsibility we have to our players and explains why we've taken steps recently to constrain sales of Guild Wars 2 to ensure the highest quality of service. Of course, we hope to remedy this in the near future." Even with ArenaNet temporarily halting sales from its website, Guild Wars 2 is selling strong elsewhere. Amazon currently has it at both the #1 and #2 position on its top video game sales chart.
Google Maps for Android adds turn-by-turn biking navigation, helps pedal-pushers in 10 more countries
Google's cycling directions have been slowly expanding their reach to the mobile world and other countries, but the only option for navigation so far has been to memorize the route. As of today, you won't have to stop every five minutes to get your bearings. Google Maps for Android has received a low-key update that adds spoken, turn-by-turn Google Maps Navigation for riders in every country where biking directions exist -- if you can clamp your phone to your handlebars, you can find your way. Many more riders are just seeing mobile support of any kind in the process. Both navigation and regular directions should now be live in the Android app for 10 more countries, including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK. Cyclists just need to swing by Google Play to keep their two-wheeled adventures on track.
HBO and Fox cut a deal to keep the movies flowing through 2022, HBO Nordic launches soon
Just in case you only thought Amazon, Netflix and Redbox were working the studio deals, HBO announced today it's worked out an extension of its agreement with 20th Century Fox. Already the "premium network home" of Fox flicks for more than 30 years, this deal is long enough to keep it going into the next decade. The LA Times reports from its sources the original deal would have expired in 2015, while the extension pushes it out to 2022 at a price of over $200 million per year. One key adjustment that's been made for the digital age gives Fox the ability to continue to sell its movies over digital stores even while they're airing on HBO unlike the previous deal, although we're told this provision does not extend to rentals during that time. That's on top of a previous tweak negotiated months ago that let Fox and other HBO partners provide digital copies of their movies on services like iTunes from the Cloud and Ultraviolet during the HBO pay window. One other note is that on the same day Netflix revealed its service is coming to several Scandinavian locales, HBO announced it's doing the same, launching HBO Nordic in Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark.
Netflix Watch Instantly streaming coming to Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland this year
Netflix mentioned during its most recent earnings call that it had identified an attractive European market to launch its streaming video service in during Q4 2012 and now we know where that is: Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland. There's no word yet on pricing or which devices the service will be available on, but Nordic viewers can expect the usual assortment of movies and TV shows for a flat rate, with many available in HD and surround sound. Judging by the languages of support personnel Netflix was looking for last year, Asia is next on its world domination map (after Canada, Latin America and UK & Ireland) although how investors will react to the hit expansion makes on its earnings in the short term.
Akamai: peak internet speeds jumped 25 percent year-to-year in Q1, Germany tops the mobile world
If you thought world internet access speeds were facing a large-scale slowdown, you can stop fretting for now. Data from Akamai suggests that average speeds were just 2.6Mbps, but that was a healthy 14 percent improvement over the fall and a noticeable 25 percent better than early 2011. Average peak internet connection speeds surged just as much in the first quarter of this year: at 13.5Mbps, the average maximum was a 10 percent season-to-season boost and that same 25 percent versus a year before. The leaders remain Asian territories with that ideal mix of dense populations and high technology, culminating in Hong Kong's blazing 49.3Mbps typical downlink. Akamai attributes much of the growth in peak speeds to an explosion in "high broadband" connections, where 10Mbps is the minimum -- countries like Denmark, Finland, South Korea, Switzerland and the US roughly doubled their adoption of extra-fast access in the past year. Before cheering too loudly, we'd point out that mobile speeds are still trudging along despite HSPA+ and LTE making their presences felt. The most consistent speed came from an unnamed German carrier, which neared 6Mbps; the best regular American rate was 2.5Mbps, which underscores how far even some of the most developed countries have to go. There's also a clear gap in regular landline broadband quality if we go by the US' own National Broadband Plan standards. Just 60 percent of US broadband is over the 4Mbps mark, putting the US at 14th in the global ranks. We're hoping that projects like Google Fiber can raise expectations for everyone, but you can hit the source shortly to get Akamai's full study.
Google Maps live traffic updates served up to seven new regions, 19 more get 'expanded coverge'
Ready for yet another dose of news related to Google Maps? The service's live traffic update functionality has been expanded yet again, and now seven more cities including the likes of Mexico City and Greater Johannesburg, South Africa can join in on the action. Better yet, 19 other major areas that already get traffic information are receiving "expanded coverage" for their roads. Naturally, all of the new goods are accessible through Google's various Maps apps by simply enabling the traffic layer. If you're eager to start scouting the traffic flow, you can hit up source link below to find out whether your locale is on the list.
Microsoft and Nokia bring enhanced traffic data to Windows Phone, announce international plans
Cross-pollination is a beautiful thing. In the natural world, it brings bountiful harvests and pretty flowers. In the mobile world, we benefit from the sharing of ideas and technologies. Case in point is Windows Phone, as Microsoft has just announced that it's adopted traffic information from Nokia into the Maps app of its mobile OS. In addition to providing Windows Phone users in the US with more detailed overviews of traffic flows and congestion, the functionality will soon become available for many cities across the globe. Perhaps the move shouldn't come as a total surprise, as just last month, Microsoft revealed the inclusion of Nokia's "Where" platform within Bing Maps. As for future availability, citizens of Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom will benefit from the sharing of technologies within the next few weeks. For the moment, however, just hop the break, where you can see the before / after traffic data that's now available to Los Angeles residents.
Voddler's Lumia-exclusive video streaming app debuts for European Windows Phone users
Need an extra reason to give a Nokia Lumia some serious consideration? Today, Voddler has announced the official debut of its Windows Phone app for citizens of Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Spain. Designed in conjunction with Nokia, the app is exclusive to Lumia owners and provides access to thousands of movies on demand. While many selections are available only as rentals, penny-pinchers will also find a wealth of free, ad-supported videos. Unique to this version, users may partake in a social feature known as Movie Night, which allows like-minded friends to schedule and coordinate movie viewing, chat and then review the flicks. Lumia users will also be treated to four months of Voddler Plus, a subscription service that eschews the ads of free titles and allows individuals to download movies for offline playback. Voddler Plus typically costs 79 SEK (€7.90) per month, so it's not a bad way to dip your toes into the water. Properly situated Lumia owners may download the app today in the Marketplace. For everyone else, feel free to dream of a life more Scandinavian in the PR after the break.
PSA: Get your new iPad today in Austria, Ireland, Mexico and many other places
If your homeland wasn't part of the initial iPad roll out we've got good news -- today is the day for iOS tabletry. Maybe. The latest slab of Retina display-equipped machinery out of Cupertino is landing in 25 additional countries today, including Liechtenstein and Luxembourg. So, if you haven't been waiting on line since the 16th in anticipation of this day, then go to your local Apple store to score one. Or don't. For the full list of countries check the PR after the break.