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Experimental AI lie detector will help screen EU travelers
In the future, you might talk to an AI to cross borders in the European Union. The EU and Hungary's National Police will run a six-month pilot project, iBorderCtrl, that will help screen travelers in Hungary, Greece and Latvia. The system will have you upload photos of your passport, visa and proof of funds, and then use a webcam to answer basic questions from a personalized AI border agent. The virtual officer will use AI to detect the facial microexpressions that can reveal when someone is lying. At the border, human agents will use that info to determine what to do next -- if there are signs of lying or a photo mismatch, they'll perform a more stringent check.
Apple adds movies in the cloud for Japan, others
Apple has continued their global expansion of iTunes in the Cloud for Movies with the addition of eight new markets for the service. Movie fans in Austria, Estonia, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, and Switzerland can now re-download content they've previously purchased in iTunes from the cloud. Since launching in 2011 as a music service, iTunes in the Cloud has slowly expanded to cover new markets and services. In 2012, support was added for Movies, but the roll out to different markets around the world has been slow. For a complete list of countries where the service is currently not available head over to Apple Support.
Web Marketplace for Windows Phone gets 22 more stamps in its passport
If you've been holed up in Thailand, waiting to browse the latest and greatest apps for your Windows Phone in your browser instead of on the device directly, then things are looking up. Microsoft has just announced that 22 new countries are being graces with their own web Marketplace. The full list covers Bulgaria, Costa Rica, Croatia, Estonia, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey, Ukraine, Venezuela, UAE, Bahrain, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kazakhstan, Israel, Thailand, and Vietnam. The same blog post advises that work is also underway to improve the search results delivered by the site. So you might not have to play Hungry Birds for much longer.
New iPad arrives in India, eight other countries today
Apple began selling the new iPad today in an additional nine countries, including India. The other countries include Colombia, Estonia, Israel, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, South Africa and Thailand. With today's rollout the new iPad is now available in 56 countries around the world -- the fastest iPad expansion to date. However, as noted by CNET, the biggest country in today's launch, India, seems to have little excitement for the new tablet. Apple has no official retail presence in the country. Instead, its products are sold through third-party retailers, many of which sell cheaper tablets. That's an important factor for many Indian customers as, on average, Indian citizens have less disposable income for tech goods as their Western counterparts. In fact, at one Indian reseller the only one waiting in line for the new iPad was a bull. Both the Wi-Fi and 4G models are now available through Apple's online store and at select Apple Authorized Resellers. Photo credit: Ankit Tuteja/IBNLive.com
Video from South Korean launch of new iPad
Today Apple launched the new iPad in an additional 12 countries around the world. While eleven of the countries -- Brunei, Croatia, Cyprus, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Malaysia, Panama, St Maarten, Uruguay and Venezuela -- are relatively small markets, the new iPad also went on sale in South Korea, one of the most technologically advanced countries on the planet and one of the major tech markets in Asia. Check out the video below, first posted by Apple 2.0, to see South Korean Apple fans lining up for the new tablet at a local Apple reseller. Apple's new iPad international rollout isn't done for the month either. One week from today on Friday, April 27, Apple will begin selling the new iPad in an additional nine countries: Colombia, Estonia, India, Israel, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, South Africa and Thailand. The new iPad will then be available in 56 countries around the world.
New iPad launching in 21 additional countries this month
Apple today issued a press release announcing the new third-generation iPad will go on sale in another twleve countries starting on Friday, April 20. Notably, one of the twelve is the important South Korean market. The other eleven countries include Brunei, Croatia, Cyprus, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Malaysia, Panama, St Maarten, Uruguay and Venezuela. Then one week later on Friday, April 27, Apple will begin selling the new iPad in an additional nine countries: Colombia, Estonia, India, Israel, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, South Africa and Thailand. Both the Wi-Fi and 4G models will be on sale and available through Apple's online store and at select Apple Authorized Resellers. The new iPad will be available in 56 countries around the world as of April 27th.
'New' iPad landing in South Korea, Israel and 19 other countries, officially ceases to be new in US
Are you not in one of the 35 countries that already has the "new" iPad? Well, this week may finally mean you can get your hands on the tablet that's already become old hat here in the US. The "resolutionary" slate is landing in South Korea, Venezuela and ten other nations this Friday, while Israel, India and seven more will be granted membership to the cool club on April 27th. Outside of some region-specific language tweaks the devices will be exactly the same as those that have been on sale here in the US for whole month now. (Isn't it amazing how time flies!) If you want to see if you're home is joining the list of places you can pick up a Retina display-equipped tablet head on after the break.
iTunes Match launches in 19 more countries, shows Latin America some love from the cloud
Once Apple let the iTunes Match genie out of the bottle it has actually been pretty quick to spread the love to our international friends. Australia, Canada, the UK and a host of other European nations came online last month, now a sizable chunk of Latin America (along with a few EU stragglers) are joining the party. In total, 19 new countries were added to the list this week, headlined by Central and South American nations like Argentina, Guatemala, Venezuela and Nicaragua. With a few Eastern Block countries, including Lithuania and Latvia, also being added to the list, Apple has increased the total number states where iTunes Match is available to 37. Now Apple just has to start getting a few of the Asian and African areas where the iPhone is available on board and it can officially call Match a global service. To see if your country is invited hit up the more coverage link.
iPhone in 29 new countries; unlocked in Hong Kong
Our sister site Engadget reports that Apple is now offering unlocked iPhones in Hong Kong via its online store. HK$5,500 (≈ US$700) will buy you an 8GB model, HK$6,200 (≈ US$800) gets you 16GB. The Apple Store's terms and conditions limit sales to individuals in Hong Kong only, but who knows what the gray market will bring. Three Russian carriers will also begin selling unlocked iPhones on October 3, with the 8GB model selling for over US$900. In related news, 29 new countries will begin selling the iPhone, some today: Botswana, Brazil, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Croatia, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Latvia, Lithuania, Madagascar, Mali, Malta, Mauritius, Nicaragua, Niger, Panama, Qatar, Senegal, South Africa, Turkey and Venezuela. [Via IGM.]
TeliaSonera nabs iPhone rights for Nordic and Baltic markets
Ok ok, we hear you tipsters, iPhone now official for Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia "later this year" thanks to a deal between Apple and TeliaSonera. At this point, only The Netherlands seems to be out of the loop in Europe.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
WiFi camera takes "photos" of networks
Those good folks across the pond sometimes amaze us, and other times they just plain confuse us. From what we can gather, this cantenna (made with wasabi cans -- nice touch!) scans for WiFi networks in its vicinity and takes "snapshots" of those networks, and then translates that data into a visual representation -- a color SSID. Once the data stack is large enough, all those SSIDs get project on the wall, but if each SSID gets its own color, then why do we see repeating colors in this photo? Maybe if you're in the Riga, Latvia area sometime in the next couple weeks you can fill us in as to how this exactly this sucker works. Anyway, it sure livens up a room, don't you think?
