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Sharp cranks out new XL2E and X20E AQUOS HDTVs
Not wanting to be outdone by all those other guys loosing LCDs at IFA, Sharp has stepped up and unveiled two new lineups of AQUOS sets in Berlin. The XL2E series, which includes models 42-, 46-, and 52-inches in size, will all offer up 100Hz technology, be Full HD ready, and will even support 24p. Moreover, the trio will tout a 10,000:1 contrast ratio, a built-in DVB-T tuner (and an analog one, too), VGA input, integrated speakers, and three HDMI connectors to boot. As for the X20E series, you'll find 32-, 37-, 42-, 46-, and 52-inch flavors, all of which support 1080p24, feature three HDCP-compliant HDMI ports, and "a slot for CI cards to receive pay TV." The new AQUOS members are slated to land in Europe sometime before the year's end, but pricing details look to still be up in the air.[Via Pocket-Lint]
Metz unveils 100Hz Linus 32 LCDs, includes hybrid tuners and HDD
Amidst the onslaught of releases surrounding IFA comes one from Metz, which is introducing a pair of feature-laden LCD HDTVs for the European market. The 32 HDTV 100 and Linus 32 HDTV 100 R both tout 100Hz technology, integrated "double-hybrid tuners" for cable and aerial (DVB-C / DVB-T) reception, Dynamic Motion Compensation to nix the jaggies, and two "externally accessible input slots for CA modules with smart cards that open up the possibility of being able to receive various pay-TV channels." Moreover, the "R" model comes equipped with a 160GB hard drive, which enables users to store up to 200-hours of SD content, 30-hours of HD programming, or any combination of the two sans a traditional DVR. You'll also find a trio of HDMI ports, DVI, and even a USB interface for loading up photo slideshows. Mum's the word on pricing at the moment, but both of these sets should be hitting the streets next month.[Via Messe-Berlin]
Orange, O2, and T-Mobile agree to iPhone revenue deals
Merely days after we caught wind of Apple's rumored discussions with Vodafone, three other European carriers became the ones to reportedly agree to Apple's terms. According to FinancialTimes, "Apple has succeeded in committing European mobile phone operators that want exclusively to sell its new iPhone to share parts of their revenues with the technology group." The contract, which was signed by T-Mobile Germany, Orange, and O2, "requires that the operators hand over to Apple ten-percent of the revenues made from calls and data transfers by customers over iPhones" -- the same chunk required of those wanting to slap that Made for iPod logo on their accessories. Unfortunately, there's no word just yet on pricing, a launch timeframe, or any other lingering deals with overseas carriers, but we could very well hear more from all sides during IFA.[Via The Boy Genius Report]
Merian rolls out 3.7-inch Scout Navigator for Europe
As the flood of new gizmos continues to pour out of IFA, a new GPS handheld has emerged for the European market. Merian's Scout Navigator touts a 3.7-inch VGA touchscreen, four to eight hours of battery life, NAVTEQ maps of Europe, and traffic notification support. Most notable, however, are the built in AudioGuides, which "automatically play when you pass by any one of more than 800 places of interest in Germany, be it in a vehicle or on foot." For those intrigued, watch for it to land next month for a staggering €779 ($1,047).[Via Messe-Berlin]
Becker readying Traffic Assist 7927 PND?
Closely following the Traffic Assist Highspeed 7934 GPS, it looks like Becker may be readying yet another PND for release at IFA. The so-called Traffic Assist 7927 will reportedly boast a 3.5-inch touchscreen display, SIRFstarIII GPS chipset, RDS-TMC support, a 400MHz processor, 128MB of RAM, European maps on a 2GB memory card, USB connectivity, and a built-in media player for good measure. Beyond that, we've simply got to wait and see what details await us at IFA, but feel free to peep a few more angles after the break.[Via NaviGadget]
Apple, Vodafone discussing iPhone minutiae?
While the Apple-Vodafone rumors have been swirling for months, an unnamed "source" has apparently found that the two firms are now breaking down the minute details that are holding back a (potentially) forthcoming launch. Most importantly, it seems that Vodafone doesn't want to "give up as much control" as did AT&T here in the States, and below is a brief list of reported "iPhone enhancements [that] carriers are looking for:" Vodafone wants the YouTube application to "work much more like the Internet version." Improvements to Outlook and Exchange support Improved security and firewalls Tweaks to Apple's WEP and WPA security key requirements Web browser improvements, namely, the ability to simply "cut and paste" So, there you have it -- now how's about we just start compromising and get a deal together for all the patient Europeans, yeah?
Apple's iPhone functioning with Vodafone?
Here's an interesting one. While just about every citizen in Europe twiddles their thumbs and awaits an iPhone announcement for their side of the pond, more than a few impatient souls have been looking for ways to utilize the device in their homeland right away. Most recently, however, is an intriguing report that a US-sourced iPhone is functioning fine (save for the lack of visual voicemail) on Vodafone after a user swapped an AT&T SIM card into an O2 XDA, had the carrier add it to his current contract, and then stuffed the now-Vodafone-compliant AT&T SIM back into the iPhone. Interestingly, hordes of IRC participants are balking at the story, suggesting that SIM numbers are network specific and that Vodafone should not have been able to pull off the aforementioned feat of magic. Hmm, we wonder if Vodafone's bubbling excitement to get ahold of Apple's handset could have anything to do with it?Read - US iPhone works with VodafoneRead - Vodafone "looks forward" to 3G iPhone
iPhone briefly appears on T-Mobile Germany's website
Ruh roh. Looks like someone just got caught red handed. According to a number of sources who had their screencap fingers ready to rock, T-Mobile Germany will soon be offering up the iPhone in Deutschland. Apparently, the carrier actually had an iPhone-specific page hosted momentarily yesterday, and while it has since been yanked, evidence is everywhere. C'mon T-Mobile, you honestly thought you could trial the iPhone page without one of the 57,000 interested customers taking notice?[Via Inquirer]
PAL markets to see PS3 price drop on July 12th?
It's practically a foregone conclusion that the price drops we North Americans saw on Sony's PlayStation 3 would hit other markets eventually, but the managing director of Sony Computer Entertainment in Australia may have revealed exactly when that drop is coming. According to a blurb at SmartHouse News, Michael Ephraim has apparently stated that a "PAL market announcement will be made on July 12th regarding price cuts to the PAL market PS3." More specifically, consoles sold in Australia "could be cut by as much as 17-percent," which would purportedly lower that model to AUD$829, and gamers in the UK could see the PS3 lowered to a much more respectable £350 if the percentage discount carries over. Only time will tell, eh?[Via PS3Fanboy]
Vodafone selected as Apple's Euro iPhone partner?
As much fanfare as Apple's partnership with AT&T is getting stateside, there continues to be eerily little official discussion about the specifics of the iPhone's upcoming European launch. The reason for the silence is a subject of some debate, but the popular theory seems to be that Apple's spoiled brat-like demands aren't going over well with Europe's major carriers. Though T-Mobile's been named as a possibility to eventually cave (or cause Apple to cave?), Credit Suisse seems to think Vodafone makes the most sense -- and now at least one retailer seems to be lending credibility to that theory. This is all super sketch, mind you -- after all, it's been widely believed that Apple would go straight to 3G for its European launch -- but phones2U now lists the 8GB iPhone (though pricing is "TBA") as being available with a handful of monthly plans. It's not out of the question for a retailer to break news like this, so we'll see what happens.[Thanks, Cassio]
This Wednesday: Carcassonne taunts from the castle wall
First there was the island of Catan, now comes the countryside of Carcassonne. The game, which allows 1-4 players offline and 1-5 players across Xbox Live, has players placing 72 tiles to arrange roads, control pastures, surround monasteries and build castles. It also includes 12 tiles of the rivers expansion pack. Best of all, is that unlike the 30-40 minutes it takes to play Catan, reports have a Carcassone game lasting between 10 and 20 minutes. The game will cost 800 MS points ($10).So, will Carcassonne have the same community as Catan? We can hope. What we do know is that Sierra is supporting Carcassonne with future expansion packs like Inns & Cathedral and The Tower. It'll also be nice to play the game with people offline. Now we're looking forward to expansion packs to Catan and the arrival of Alhambra, which we haven't heard anything about since it was originally announced last year. Catan and Carcassonne are Euro gaming goodness and we don't even care about the irony of having a $400 system to play board games. When you grow up and your friends are scattered to the four corners of the planet, this is a way to bring everyone back together. Plus, being offline playable against friends (unlike Catan), means easy no fuss clean-up after a game in your living room/bedroom/game lair/castle.Update: GamerTalkHQ got a list of the game's achievements.%Gallery-4247%
Fiber optic tablecloth: the new candlelit dinner
We highly doubt LumiGram's Luminous Fiber Optic Tablecloth was designed with power outages in mind, but why hook up a boring string of lamps or fiddle with half melted candles when you can plug this bad boy into the generator? The cloth, which has fiber optics woven throughout, cotton borders, and a Europlug mains adapter, proves most useful when the lights are dimmed, and should prove quite the centerpiece at your next get-together. The illuminating device is available in a trio of sizes, comes in a variety of color schemes, and will cost you a very unappetizing €949 ($1,270) for the privilege. [Via LuxuryLaunches]
European operators not keen on Apple's demands
Ah, the plot thickens. Just days ago we got wind that Apple could be facing a few hurdles in the European market, and considering that operators are now referring to the company as "unbelievably arrogant," we'd say the two have some serious issues to work through. According to Avi Greengart, a principal analyst at Current Analysis, Apple is making demands that "simply cannot be justified no matter how hot the product is," but failed to note exactly what these were. Interestingly, it was even noted that several carriers felt adamant that "they would never offer the iPhone." C'mon, who are these guys kidding -- somebody will end up bending to Apple's demands if it means offering up the oh-so-coveted handset. At least, we sure hope so for you folks across the pond.[Via MacRumors]
Are Europeans better at gaming?
When a forum troll puts up a thread on the forums I usually ignore them. But this intrigued me enough to read on and pass on the thread to you. Essentially the troll started out by asking where Death and Taxes is lately in the world firsts list. Honestly it's been a while since we've seen them. However, one could make the argument that Nihilum's list of world firsts are essentially all in one run of the Black Temple, and if they happen to get there first then naturally every boss they down will again be a, err, first. However, Nihilum has definitely been making the headlines, as has Curse, leaving the American guild Death and Taxes no where to be seen. Perhaps they are spending their time pushing through the PvP ranks, who knows. Where the thread began as a discussion on the top raiding guilds, it then turned into an interesting argument: are Europeans better at gaming? Of course, the original poster went so far as to say that since Europeans are better at WoW they must therefore be better at everything. In a small way I can see how WoW might be considered a microcosm of the outside world, but I don't really see how we can use the game as a benchmark for world superiority of one group of people over another. But I am intrigued by the original thought. Are somehow European guilds better equipped culturally to excel at gaming? Is there something in the culture of the Europeans that makes them more able to excel at the end game than Americans?
Europe's Ford Mondeo sports 'allergy tested interior'
While Ford struggles to do anything right here in the States, the firm's European-bound Mondeo should appeal to those who just so happen to suffer from allergies across the pond. The whip, which is being gratuitously dubbed the "most technologically advanced car ever launched by Ford in Europe," does indeed tout the German TÜV Rhineland group's "Allergy Tested Interior" seal of approval, and suffered through an "extensive series of scientifically verifiable tests" in order to receive it. Ford engineers reportedly strayed from using materials such as "latex, chrome, and nickel that can provoke allergic reactions in some people," and a high-performance pollen filter was also thrown in for good measure. The new Mondeo, allergy friendly interior and all, should be cruising onto European lots any day now.[Via CNET]
European robots assist children in forming relationships
We've seen robots that help humans diagnose autism, but a team of researchers at the University of Hertfordshire have developed a number of robots and humanoids that can help autistic children cope and form relationships. The €3.22 million ($4.33 million) Interactive Robotic Social Mediators as Companions (IROMEC) project is being funded by the European Sixth Framework, and seeks to "investigate the use of robotic toys to enable children with disabilities to develop social skills." A number of creations have been concocted in order to help youngsters with learning disabilities interact more normally, and KASPAR (Kinesics and Synchronisation in Personal Assistant Robotics) has emerged as the latest android to come to the rescue. The team isn't satisfied just yet, however, as it purportedly plans to further "investigate how robotic toys can become social mediators" within the next three years.[Via Physorg]
European PSN releases for May 25th
Europeans got a fairly hefty PSN update today. Though it features nothing but videos, it has a whiff of potential about it. The update for today is as follows. Spiderman 3 trailer (free) flOw trailer (free) Calling All Cars trailer (free) Pirates of the Caribbean 3 - 'It's all led to this' bonus video (free) Pirates of the Caribbean 3 - 'Jack Sparrow' bonus video (free) As we say, they're all videos. They are, however, also quite interesting. One would hope that the 'coming soon' message at the end of the Calling All Cars trailer would indicate a release next week. Fingers crossed for that. If so, it'd only be three weeks after the original release in America. Only. As for those Pirates of the Caribbean 3 videos, we find them intriguing. While together they only total about 5 minutes of footage, this is the first time a DVD-extra style video has been released on the PSN. Who knows, in the future we might be seeing things like downloadable commentary tracks for Blu-Ray movies that aren't found on the disc. We'll take all of that and more please, Sony. What sort of content would you like the PSN to expand into?
Sony's business savvy VAIO BX40 officially hits Europe
Granted, Sony's BX-series of VAIOs has been around for quite some time, but the long-standing business lappie is getting a makeover in Europe that includes a hop over to Santa Rosa. This 15.4-inch widescreen machine packs a 1,280 x 800 resolution X-black LCD, a 1.3-megapixel webcam, WiFi, a multi-function drive bay that houses your choice of a dual-layer DVD writer or a secondary hard drive, Intel's T7300 Core 2 Duo processor, ATI's Mobility Radeon HD 2300 handling the graphics, and up to 2GB of RAM. Additionally, users will notice a fingerprint scanner, Sony's G-Sensor HDD shock protector, Ethernet, a 56k modem, VGA out, stereo speakers, SD and MS flash card slots, a number of USB 2.0 ports, and a 4-pin FireWire connector to boot. Unfortunately, the VGN-BX41VN currently lacks an official price or release date, but there's plenty of similar alternatives already out if you need something on the double. Click on through for a couple more glimpses.[Via PCLaunches]
Toshiba to release two Regza-series LCDs for Europe
What with Sony announcing two new Bravia series LCDs for the European market to go with the new PlayStation 3s, Toshiba had to jump in with two new lines of their own -- for connecting to HD DVD players, naturally. The X-series will start off at 40- or 46-inch sizes, and have three HDMI and two SCART interfaces. Moving up to the higher-end Z-series will add 100Hz Active Vision M100 refresh rates, and a wider range of sizes, from 37 to 57 inches. Both model lines support 1080p and built-in Freeview tuning. As with Sony's sets, prices and exact release dates are forthcoming.
Join Europe's online Xbox Live party!
Hey European gamers, the Xbox Live team is throwing you a partay! On February 9th starting at 17:00 GMT you'll have the opportunity to win prizes and play celebrities on Xbox Live. Busta Rhymes, Martin Solveig, Alessandro del Piero, Marc Gené, and others will be on Live throwing down on PGR3. Not only can you play with celebs, but you could also win a Xbox Live Vision camera and a chance to be whisked away (Cinderella style) in a limo to play with celebs at a secret location. Registration details for all contests and gaming sessions can be found right here. See Europeans, Microsoft loves you just as much as everyone else ... though we can't speak for other companies. Full details after the jump.[Via DCEMU][Thanks, Darksaviour69]
