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ORF HD launches on SES Astra May 1
SES Astra doesn't seem to have trouble filling Sat.1 and ProSieben HD's transponder, its latest HD channel is German speaking broadcaster ORF HD. Scheduled to kick off May 1, it should offer all of ORF1's HD content including all 31 UEFA EURO 2008 matches.That's a good number, since SES Astra and SES Sirius now offer a total of 31 HD channels via satellite including BSkyB, BBC, Discovery, National Geographic, Canal+, M6 and others, with plans to reach 100 channels by 2010. Astra and ORF will team up on marketing the new channel and could possibly add more HD programming in the future, which should hopefully bring the end to any more HD contraction stories out of Europe.
Nokia settles with German unions for $314M
Nokia's decision to close that factory in Bochum, Germany and move its operations to a cheaper site in Romania might lower costs in the long run, but for now things seem decidedly in red: Nokia and the German unions who represented the 2,000 laid-off workers at the plant have agreed to a €200M ($314M) settlement, which will probably end the demonstrations and calls for boycotts that have been going on. Of course, that's on top of the $92M (plus another $6.2M) the German government wants back in grants and tax breaks for subsidizing the plant, but what's another hundred mil between friends?[Via Textually.org; image courtesy of Reuters]
Copulare's $2,350 iCoral iPod dock is just as absurd as you think
To be honest, JVC's P-Series LCD line may still hold the crown for most expensive iPod dock, but at least it comes with an expansive 1080p panel, right? Pushing aside a number of a worthy opponents on its charge to most absurd / unnecessary iPod dock evar, the iCoral supposedly features a top plate constructed from artificial coral and is proudly decorated with a "very artistic design" (Copulare's words, not ours). 'Round back, you'll find USB, S-Video and stereo analog outputs, but we're simply not seeing the slit in which your currency of choice comes out of at the press of a button. Due to that unfortunate omission, we're suggesting you hold tight to your €1,500 ($2,355) -- unless you're one David Beckham, of course.[Via UberReview]
German WAR box confirms CE and preorder info
We've already seen rumors about what might be coming in the Warhammer Online collector's edition, but now a German site (not the same one as before -- what's with the Germans getting this stuff early?) has apparently posted more information on the CE and what a preorder of the game will get you. The box apparently confirms the previous rumors of the exclusive miniature, the comic book, and the bonus quests (along with the player titles), and the preorder of the CE will net you "guaranteed access" to the open beta (so open beta confirmed, apparently), a head start to the live game, and two bonus in-game items.A German-speaking friend of mine (who actually does professional translation) tells us that the in-game items are a "Knight's (?) Portable Camp," which, "receives your tired soul and heals your wounds between battles." And the other is the "Guards of the Amber Ring," or at least a ring of some kind, that "improves your attributes" and casts a spell called "Touch of Earth," which we're told adds a chance to hit. Sounds pretty cool, though there's no information on when the preorder will be available, or even if it will be in America (the box is obviously labeled for Europe).Any of this entice you to jump in on Warhammer, or were you already convinced? The collector's edition stuff doesn't sound too exciting, but jumping into the beta and the live game is definitely worth a preorder, if you ask us.[Via K&G]
??bersetzen Sie das, bitte (Translate this, please)
For German users and English-speaking users with German-language needs, Philipp Brauner has made available the dict.cc Dictionary Plugin for Leopard, which adds the dict.cc vocabulary compilation to the OS X Dictionary. dict.cc is a community generated and verified English-German dictionary. The large download size (125M) speaks to the expansiveness of this compendium. The plugin not only enhances Dictionary.app, but other services that tie into the OS X Dictionary, including Spotlight and the Dictionary widget. It comes with a handy installer which makes the plugin easy to install for all users. The plugin borrows from a previous project by Wolfgang Reszel which integrated the BeoLingus vocabulary in the same manner. The dict.cc plugin is open source and the dictionary data is licensed separately, but available for use. Whether you're an English speaker with a desire to dabble in Deutsch or German is your native tongue, it's worth the sizable download.
Germany wants $6.2 million in research subsidies back from Nokia
As if being on the hook for $92 million wasn't enough, Nokia is now being chased down for what looks to be another €4 million or so, which comes out to just over $6.2 million. This time, the German government is "demanding" that Nokia repay said amount in research subsidies now that it is closing its factory in Bochum. Reportedly, the German Research Ministry gifted the cellphone maker with €4 million in order to "fund four separate research projects dealing primarily with new antennae and wireless transmission technology," and now it's asking Nokia to "explain by early April which patent filings resulted from the projects and which German production or research sites benefited from the results of the projects." So much for basking in the glory of Q4, eh? [Via IntoMobile, image courtesy of Reuters]
Rappelz reaches 50,000 European users in under a month
Warcry brings us the news that Rappelz, made by the fine folks at Gala Networks (who also made Flyff), has attracted over 50,000 active users in the less-than-one month since the game has debuted French and German versions. Two new servers have opened to accommodate the influx of new accounts: the French Kentauros, and the German Bastet, both named after in-game creatures.To further celebrate the success of the launch, Gala has increased the experience gain to 1.5 until March 18th. Rappelz's gameplay features a system by which you may capture and tame creatures to fight alongside you in combat. Hmm. Do we also gotta catch 'em all? Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, I choose you!
German state after $92 million in subsidies, interest from Nokia
Looks as if Nokia's going to be using a portion of that gigantic profit it raked in during Q4 to appease NRW.Bank -- unless a meeting it hopes to establish within the next few days changes matters, that is. Apparently, a German state has "asked" the handset maker to hand back government-issued subsidies (with interest, no less) that it received to build a cellphone factory in Bochum which it now plans to close. In sum, Nokia's looking at a tab of $92 million, as the folks in the industrial Ruhr region are none too pleased about what will likely result in the loss of some 2,300 jobs. Purportedly, the cash is due by March 31st, and if Nokia refuses to comply, the bank has stated that it will "take legal action to secure payment." Them's fightin' words there.
Vodafone's Otello draws a blank on Chancellor Angela Merkel query
If there's one person at CeBIT you don't want to not recognize, it's German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Nevertheless, we can only assume that Vodafone booth workers were left with their tails stuck between their legs after said figure gave its recently announced picture-based search engine a go. Upon Otella returning nothing after a picture was presumably snapped of Merkel, she quickly asserted: "I am not in the database." Better still, she continued by proclaiming: "That's a major gap." Heck, maybe she should be happy -- after all, Vodafone's set to trial the service with Europe's "best selling tabloid," and not being in there would most certainly be a good thing.
Vodafone's Otello search engine uses images, not text
We've certainly seen some clever methods of searching from one's mobile, but Vodafone's latest idea is quite the stroke of genius. Showcased at CeBIT, the Otello search engine simply uses images as input; in other words, handset owners just snap a picture of anything -- a landmark, DVD case, unidentified flying object, etc. -- and Otello then "returns information relevant to the picture to the mobile phone." Reportedly, Vodafone is expected to conduct a trial with German paper Bild in which readers can "find out more about specially-marked articles by photographing them with their mobile's camera and sending the image to [the aforementioned paper]." Unfortunately, the carrier is being tight-lipped with its plans for Otello beyond the trial, but if this stuff functions as advertised, we can't see it remaining a secret for long.[Via Pocket-lint]
Leipzig's Games Convention challenged by Cologne's GamesCOM
In the wake of last year's severely scaled back E3, Leipzig's Games Convention emerged as a strong European alternative for game demos and announcements. That reputation might not lat long, though, as GamesIndustry.biz reports that a major German trade group is leaving Leipzig behind for a new show, Cologne's GamesCOM, in September 2009.While the move has been rumored for a while, German industry association Bundesverband Interaktive Unterhaltungssoftware announced only this morning that the new show would effectively replace the Leipzig event. Games Convention owner Messe Leipzig, for their part, released a statement expressing regret and saying that it would be a "harsh blow" for the region. No word yet on whether Games Convention would still try to put on a competing show, but consensus seems to be that effort would be difficult without BIU support.
Anno 1701: Discovered early?
Anno 1701: Dawn of Discovery isn't scheduled to land on North American shores until March 4th, two weeks from now, but several Canadians are reporting that they've already spotted copies of the strategy game in the wild. And by in the wild, we actually mean in Best Buy and Wal-Mart. We won't hold it against you if you're unfamiliar with the title -- it's a port of a German RTS in which players settle and maintain an 18th century "New World" colony. In Europe, where the history comes from the DS game has been available in stores since last July, reviewers have given Anno 1701 very positive reviews, applauding its depth, touchscreen interface, and four-player multiplayer mode. Sail the ocean blue, right past the post break, for a four-minute trailer for Anno 1701: Dawn of Discovery.
Sat.1 HD and ProSieben HD go offline 'til 2010 in Germany
Just as quickly as it began, so it ends. Unfortunately for Germans who have thoroughly enjoyed the high-definition programming available over the past few years on Sat.1 HD and ProSieben HD, you'll be forced to check out the SD variants until 2010. You heard right -- apparently, the demand for the HD stations in Germany wasn't as high as originally predicted, and considering the dearth of HD support from other networks in the country, these two have practically been set aside on an island. 'Course, rumors are already swirling that the real reason for the move is that its free ride on ASTRA's HD transponder is up, and rather than paying to continue using it when demand is down, the parent company is hoping to jump back in at a later date when things will hopefully be more profitable. Either way, it's tough to hear of a country losing HD channels.[Thanks, Chris]
Eidos goes on a Brain Voyage
The brain training bandwagon has gotten increasingly crowded over the last year, with everyone and their brother seemingly thinking it's their duty to churn out interactive tools to help the cerebrally infirm. The latest company to climb on board is Eidos with Brain Voyage, a new "stylish and challenging" noodle puzzler coming to the Nintendo DS later this year.For board game enthusiasts, the game features "ingenious" puzzles designed by noted German game designer Dr. Reiner Knizia, known for such board games as Amun-Re, Modern Art, and Lord of the Rings. As for what sorts of puzzles we can expect, Eidos notes that the game will feature a sort of globe trotting mechanic, as players ponder 80 different geographically-relevant puzzles "ranging from easy to elaborately ambitious." Details remain cloudy on how exactly these puzzles will work, though that could simply be a side effect of our mental faculties being on increasingly shaky ground.
Nintendo denies German mag's Mario Kart Wii rumors
After yesterday's boatload of leaked Super Smash Bros. Brawl information, another leak about another major Nintendo series would seem to good to be true. And it probably was, because while GoNintendo is reporting the coming issue of Germany's NMag has some new information about Mario Kart Wii, Eurogamer is reporting that Nintendo has dismissed the widely-publicized report as "just pure rumour and speculation on their part."Which doesn't mean it won't end up being true. NMag's reported predictions range from the incredibly obvious (the controls will be similar to Excite Truck) to the only slightly obvious (powerslides and snaking will return) to the non-obvious but still unsurprising (online battle mode, Baby Peach and Baby Boo as characters).Come on NMag ... if you're going to speculate, you might as well throw some really crazy stuff out there. Here, we'll get you started: Sonic will be a playable character, but he won't have a kart, he'll just run! Wart from Super Mario Bros. 2 will be featured in a boss race! On-track coins can be used to purchase Wii Shop points! Commenters, take it away.Read - NMag rumors on GoNintendoRead - Nintendo dismissal on Eurogamer
German retailer discounting Sony BDP-S300 for HD DVD player trade-in
We're not exactly sure what German retailer Saturn plans to do with any HD DVD players that are surrendered as folks waltz in to take advantage of its latest offer, but we suppose the refurbished section could receive a boost in inventory if nothing else. Judging by a recent flier from the store, it's offering consumers a €150 ($221) discount on Sony's BDP-S300 -- which is overpriced at €499 ($734) -- if they trade their HD DVD player in at the time of purchase. Also of note, we can't seem to find if there's any fine print about what HD DVD players are acceptable, but it is certain that this deal is only available overseas at the moment. Not a bad idea to get customers to jump ship, though.[Via Blu-ray, thanks Bhargav N.]
Nokia boycott urged by German unions
So apparently, that whole "plan to shut down a Bochum Nokia plant" didn't exactly sail over everyone's heads, particularly not in Germany. Reports are now flowing out that unions in the nation are taking it upon themselves to urge consumers not to purchase wares from the firm, with Dietmar Muscheid, regional head of the Confederation of German Unions (DGB), being one of the most vocal. Muscheid went on to state that "whoever buys a cellphone today should think about the choice they are making and what catastrophic consequences the company's actions in Bochum will have for thousands of workers." 'Course, the EU has already proclaimed that Nokia won't be getting a dime in relocation (to Romania, supposedly) aid, but unspecified government officials are reportedly lined up to speak with suits from the handset maker later this week to "discuss the plant's future." Whether or not all this commotion will actually change any minds, however, remains to be seen.
Germany's Senator Entertainment follows Constantin, goes Blu-ray only
If you were wondering just how long you'd have to wait until the next domino fell, wonder no more. Germany's own Senator Home Entertainment is reportedly following in the footsteps of Constantin Film AG and will stop supporting HD DVD. Notably, any films that were already scheduled to arrive on HD DVD will supposedly still ship, but after March 1, 2008, the studio will be supporting Blu-ray exclusively. Another one bites the dust, we suppose.[Thanks, Khattab]
Germany's Constantin Film AG drops HD DVD, goes Blu-ray only
Since Warner announced it is ending support for HD DVD and going Blu-ray only, there has been endless rumor mongering over who would be next out the door. Surprisingly, none of those unnamed industry insiders named Constantin Film AG -- which calls itself Germany's leading independent film production and distribution company with 11 of the 25 most successful German theatrical films of the last ten years -- a company that has been releasing in both formats until now, but announced its movies will be released in Blu-ray only beginning March 1st. Citing Warner's shift and a desire to see the format war end, Constantin's Home Entertainment Director said it is "following the international trend." Obviously someone hasn't heard of International VMD Day. [Via heise online] [Warning: PDF read link]
Kite-assisted ship to set sail in January
If you thought a solar-powered ferry was far out, get a load of this. Reportedly, a 132-meter long vessel will be making its maiden voyage next month, but rather than chugging copious quantities of diesel while traversing the Atlantic, it'll be sipping down fuel and receiving a good bit of help from the computer guided kite attached to its bow. The $725,000 device will be tethered to a 15-meter high mast and will fly some 300 meters above the ship in order to catch enough wind to actually aid in its movement. It's suggested that the SkySails kite propulsion system will slash fuel consumption by "up to 20-percent," saving the operator some $1,600 per day and reducing carbon emissions all the while. 'Course, all the company has to do now is make sure the January trip is a success and it'll have a list of to-be owners a mile long.[Via Slashdot]
