Latin America
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HBO Max expands beyond the US to 39 new territories
As it announced earlier this year, HBO Max is finally moving outside the US, expanding to 39 territories in Latin America and the Caribbean.
HBO Max will be available outside the US in June
HBO Max is close to expanding out the US with plans to bring it to 39 Latin American and Caribbean territories in June.
Netflix releases worldwide subscriber stats by region for the first time
For the first time, Netflix is reporting its international business operating results by region. In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Netflix shared its streaming revenue and membership info for the US and Canada; Europe, Middle East and Africa; Asia-Pacific and Latin America. This change in how Netflix reports its earnings data highlights how important markets outside the US have become -- especially as Netflix faces new competition.
Disney titles will be on Amazon Prime Video in Latin America
Disney has inked a deal with Amazon, according to Variety, giving the tech giant the right to make some of its biggest titles available for streaming via Prime Video in Latin America. The massive popularity of Disney's properties means its upcoming streaming service has tons of potential subscribers around the world. When Disney+ launches on November 12th, though, it will only come out in the US and Canada, followed by Australia and New Zealand a few days later.
Bird's new program lets local operators run their own scooter network
Bird's e-scooters are on their way to Canada, Latin America and New Zealand under a program that allows local business owners to set up their own networks. The company is opening up Bird Platform, which it first announced in November. Operators of the local networks can obtain scooters at cost, allow customers to find the vehicles through the Bird app and take advantage of the company's technology to help manage their business. In exchange, Bird is taking a 20 percent cut of revenue from each ride.
Researchers will attempt to ‘reanimate’ a corpse with stem cells
Brain death may no longer be a life sentence if one Philadelphia-based biomedical startup has its way. The company, Bioquark, plans to initiate a study later this year to see if a combination of stem cell and protein blend injections, electrical nerve stimulation, and laser therapy can reverse the effects of recent brain death. They're literally trying to bring people back from the dead.
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!]
PSP discontinued in Japan just shy of its 10th birthday
And now the end is near, and so the PlayStation Portable faces the final curtain. The Sony handheld says sayonara to Japan later this month, when shipments to the country's stores will officially end. Sony announced the news today, noting it discontinued North American shipments back in January. The company told Associated Press the PSP is to continue in Europe until later this year, while The Verge adds there are no discontinuation plans yet for lines in Latin America and other Asian countries. The PSP's farewell to its homeland comes nine and a half years after it launched there on December 12, 2004. While history will remember it as second-best to the uber-popular DS, the Sony handheld's numbers ain't to be sniffed at. As of March 2012 it had shipped 76.3 million units worldwide, a figure that's probably closer to 80 million now if not beyond. The PSP also brought us the sheer joy of Patapon as well as the resultant joy of Pata-puns, and for that alone it'll always pata-pata-pata-pon in our hearts. [Image: Sony]
Jagged Alliance Online starts Spanish open beta
Jagged Alliance Online's community has expanded to include our Spanish-speaking gaming brethren, as the open beta has started today for Spanish and Latin American markets. The Spanish beta has been tailored to provide localized translation, community management, and customer service. IDC/Games will be publishing the Spanish version of Jagged Alliance Online. The company reported that 300,000 players "showed interest" in the two-week closed beta period. If this is of interest to you, you can sign up for the open beta on IDC/Games' website. [Source: IDC/Games press release]
Sony announces PS4 sales total 2.1 million, 700K in Europe, Australasia
Sony announced this morning that PlayStation 4 sales exceed 2.1 million as of December 1, with 700,000 consoles sold across Europe and Australasia across their launch weekends. The number is again stipulated as sell-through, meaning it represents units sold to customers rather than retailers, as estimated by Sony Computer Entertainment. According to Sony's numbers, PS4 sales have now doubled since its first day of availability in North America, boosted by launches across Europe, Australasia, and Latin America last week. The console looks on target to meet SCE America President and CEO Jack Tretton's prediction of 3 million sales by the end of the year. Sony is aiming for 5 million sales by the end of March 2014, boosted again by the console's launch in Japan on February 22.
Pro Evolution Soccer 2014 corners the Americas in September
North, Central, and South America net the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of Pro Evolution Soccer 2014 on September 24, matching the street date of rival FIFA 14. Konami's latest soccer sim iteration is also coming to PC and PSP - yes, PSP - and going by traditions those entries should arrive a little later in the year. PES 2014 remains undated for Europe, however, and it'll be interesting to see if it tries to steal a march on FIFA 14 in the games' key region - FIFA 14 goes Euro on September 27. The big introduction to this year's Pro Evo is Konami's new FOX engine, the same engine being used for the upcoming Metal Gear Solid 5. In his recent hands-on time with it, Joystiq's sportsball maestro Mike Suszek said, "It's the Fox Engine that might set Pro Evolution Soccer 2014 apart from FIFA, not a lack of playable clubs."
iBookstore lines its shelves with paid content in New Zealand, 17 Latin American countries
iDevice owners in New Zealand and 17 Latin American countries are no longer restricted to a diet composed of free content when it comes to their respective iBookstores. A quick search of the storefronts will reveal virtual shelves stocked with paid-content that haven't yet found their way to the shops' homepages. Reside in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru or Venezuela? Head on over to the appropriate store and books with price tags will be available for purchase. If this is any sign of what Apple has up its sleeve for tomorrow, we suspect that "a little more" will involve a bit of reading.
Colombia to start testing 700MHz LTE, joins a Latin American trend in 4G
Those in the US can brag about having the range, indoor friendliness and other advantages of 700MHz LTE, but few other countries have that edge so far: Latin Americans who have any LTE at all usually have to contend with less tolerant 2.6GHz bands. Colombia isn't happy with that state of affairs, and its National Spectrum Agency is spearheading a rapidly growing 4G movement in the region by testing 700MHz LTE between the fall and winter. Its strategy echoes proposals from Brazil and Mexico that will use the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity band plan, providing more efficient airwaves as well as wider device and network coverage. It will take beyond early 2013 before Colombia and its neighbors are actively using 700MHz bands -- the digital TV transition is one of the bigger obstacles -- but there's desires for a fast-track spectrum handout that could bring blazing speeds to Bogota before too long. [Image credit: Kinori, Wikipedia]
Nintendo sees next opportunity for Wii success in Latin America, Eastern Europe
"We will continue to sell the Wii," Nintendo America president and CEO Reggie Fils-Aime told investors today in a Q&A followup to the company's big Wii U event in New York City. "In the US, the Wii has sold about 40 million units. We believe that there continues to be an opportunity with the Wii." However, where Fils-Aime sees the most opportunity may not be where you expect. "I'm responsible for Canada, and Latin America as well," he said. "We think there's opportunity in both of those markets, especially Latin America." The Wii is currently offered by Nintendo in North America, Asia, Australia, and Europe, but not Latin America. The Wii ranges from $140 to $250, depending on what it comes with. "You can reach price points, you can reach consumers that, candidly, we won't be able to reach with the Wii U. That's gonna continue to be an opportunity," he said. Fils-Aime and Nintendo also have their eyes on Eastern Europe. "On a global base, certainly there are markets in Eastern Europe. There are a number of other markets where if Wii has an attractive price point, it'll do well." He also stood behind the console continuing to sell in its currently available markets alongside the Wii U after the new console launches this November. "We do believe there's still opportunity for the Wii, and we will continue to sell the Wii side-by-side for some period of time." Unsurprisingly, he didn't say exactly how long Nintendo is planning that support, nor would he say if we should expect a price drop for the aging console, but if we had to guess, we'd say "The Wii will drop in price" and "soon."
Google Street View expands to cover swaths of Brazil and Mexican ruins, won't substitute for a vacation
For a country that dominates the Latin American landscape, Brazil hasn't had much of a presence in Google Street View outside of major cities like Rio de Janeiro or Sao Paulo. A fresh update to Street View coverage has just gone live that fleshes out the more far-flung corners of the map. It's now possible to see what it's like on the ground in much of the southern tip of the country as well as the northern coastline. Further north, Mexicans get their own treat: Google is now providing the panoramic views for ancient ruins such as Chichen Itza and Teotihuacan, just in case you'd rather not try to blend in with all the other tourists. The widened reach is undoubtedly no match for booking a flight and visiting in person, but it will save you the trouble of brushing up on your Portugese or ancient Mayan.
Deezer starts streaming tunes in 35 Latin America countries, Mexico and Puerto Rico included
Music streaming service Deezer unveiled its global expansion strategy late last year, and what better way to stay true to your word than by launching in 35 countries all at once. Deezer announced earlier today it's going live in a whole bunch of Latin American nations starting today, including markets such as Mexico, Puerto Rico, Argentina, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Uruguay, Colombia, Bermuda and Jamaica. The service will offer a variety of different plans to choose from; one of which is a "Discovery Mode" that allows users to have access to over 18 million tracks but limits the jams to 30-second clips -- or, there's also a gratis 15-day trial if you're looking for the full-on experience. Additionally, the Premium and Premium+ plans are set to range anywhere from around $4 to $9, all depending on what country you're in. Speaking of, be sure to peruse the PR right past the break to check out the full list of nations involved in the rollout.
Netflix and Twentieth Century Fox ink deal to bring additional Instant content to Latin America, Brazil
Twentieth Century Fox and Netflix have announced a partnership that will bring additional television and movie content to avid streamers living in Latin America and Brazil later this year. Beginning on July 15th, TV mainstays -- including 24, Prison Break, Bones and Glee -- will be available via the movie rental company's Instant service in the aforementioned geographies. What's more, Twentieth Century's classic films division will add several movie titles, including cult-classics like Office Space and Wall Street, to the streaming menu. If you currently reside in Latin America or Brazil and are itching to know more, mosey on past the break and have a look at the full press release.
Netflix for Windows Phone hits v2.0, heads to the UK, Ireland and Latin America
Via its blog site, Netflix announced that version 2.0 of its Windows Phone app is now ready for your downloading pleasure. The refresh hands the application a passport to head over to the United Kingdom, Ireland as well as 47 other countries in Latin America. In addition to its global quest, Netflix added an array of new bits in the update, including subtitles, closed captions and an alternate audio option, while performance improvements and the promise of a more pleasant browsing / viewing experience are also in tow. Naturally, you'll need a Mango-flavored Windows handset to enjoy the app; if that's you, the source link has something you clearly need.
RCA-branded hardware at CES includes mobile TVs with Android, soundbar / media streamer
While it may not have the most high profile entries at CES, RCA always manages to lend its brand to some interesting hardware, and this year that includes the Wi-Fi Home Theater Sound Bar seen above. It brings multichannel audio and wireless surround speakers as well as access to services like Netflix and Hulu, by building in the Roku-like streamer RCA is currently peddling. Its other products include a slew of TVs due for various regions in the Americas, like a 55-incher it's claiming is the first connected LED LCD available in Latin America. We haven't hit a Best Buy in Uruguay to confirm that yet, so we'll just have to take RCA's word on that one for now. Also spied at its CES Unveiled booth were mobile TVs compatible with the Dyle service, and licensee Digital Stream has an Android-powered TV receiver planned for later this year. The device has a 7-inch touchscreen and a few simple apps included, and should be priced around $200 when it ships in the second half of the year. Check the press release after the break for a few more details, check below for hands-on pics.
ViewSonic ViewPhone 3 clears FCC, prepares for Latin American arrival
Well, wouldn't you know it, but another ViewSonic smartphone has just reared its head -- this time the ViewPhone 3 (V350) -- which has just cleared the FCC. Previously geared toward Russian and European audiences, its creator now hopes to make a splash with the device at CES. The ViewPhone 3 features dual-SIM technology and will be primarily marketed in Latin America. Connectivity wise, it offers quadband GSM and EDGE, although for North American purposes, 3G is limited to the 850MHz spectrum. Further, it carries a 3.5-inch HVGA display, 512MB of RAM and delivers two upgrades over the international version -- an 800MHz Qualcomm CPU and Android 2.3. For those in the states who really want in on the action, ViewSonic intends to sell an unlocked version for a mere $250.
