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iPad 2 gets a magnetic cherry cover to top off its delicious hardware cake (video)
Killing time until the iPad 2 finally becomes available across Europe later today? Well, now you can stoke the flames of anticipation by taking a gander at this here wood cover made specifically for the magnet-infused new Appletablet. It comes from a single piece of cherry wood and rolls up into a stand, providing a pair of landscape positions and a sturdy base for keeping the slate vertical should you wish to gaze upon it in portrait mode. Frankly, Apple should've been the one to come up with this refinement on its Smart Covers, though at least a small company like Miniot spares us the overblown rhetoric about life-changing gear purchases. Price isn't too bad, either, with orders starting at €50 later on today. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
University of Twente's new lens reveals the sub-100nm level with visible light
Small is beautiful, but only when you can see it. Specifically, we're talking about nanostructures -- including cellular organelles and nanoelectronic circuits -- around the order of 100nm. The problem is with a microscope, visible light only takes us down to a resolution of 200nm at best, and it's not always ideal to use conventional methods to boost the resolution -- you'd either have to dope the subject with fluorescent dye or use highly delicate equipment. Thankfully, the University of Twente has come up with a new type of lens that would solve this problem: in a nutshell, a nanoparticle is placed on one side of the gallium phosphide lens, while the other side -- disorderedly etched with acid -- takes in a precisely modulated laser beam and scatters it into a focal point of your choice. Sure, this sounds bizarre and ironic, but apparently the modulation is controlled in such a way that the scattered beam focuses much tighter than an ordinary beam would using an ordinary lens. Have a look at the comparison shots of some gold nanoparticles after the break -- that's some sweet 97nm resolution right there for ya.
T-Mobile Netherlands starts offering free iPhone unlocks
We know exactly what Canada's Rogers is thinking right now: "c'mon, T-Mobile, you guys are leaving money on the table!" Though Rogers and its Fido subsidiary are charging CAD $50 to unlock an iPhone, T-Mobile's Dutch division is now willing to do it gratis, citing the fact that multiple Dutch carriers now offer the iPhone and they no longer feel the need to keep it SIM-locked. Refreshing attitude, isn't it? As of January 12th, newly-activated iPhones on T-Mobile Netherlands are unlocked automatically; existing customers can call into customer service to get an unlock now, or wait until February for a do-it-yourself method. Of course, the irony is that when a carrier treats you that well, you don't really want to leave -- but this'll be a great option for folks that do a lot of roaming and don't care to go the ultrasn0w route. [Thanks, Gijs]
Nokia ups the ante on Apple, adds 13 more patents to the 24 already asserted
We told you that this would likely go on forever. Nokia just announced that the company has filed claims in the UK, Germany, and The Netherlands alleging that Apple's iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad are infringing upon Nokia's patents. This adds 13 more patents to the 24 already asserted in the ITC and US federal claims. Here's a particularly snippy remark made Paul Melin, vice president, Intellectual Property at Nokia: "The Nokia inventions protected by these patents include several which enable compelling user experiences. For example, using a wiping gesture on a touch screen to navigate content, or enabling access to constantly changing services with an on-device app store, both filed more than ten years before the launch of the iPhone." The new Nokia patent claims are wide ranging covering user interface, on-device app stores, antenna structures, signal noise suppression, messaging functionality, chipsets, caller ID, display illumination, integration of multiple radios, and data card functionality. Click through for the full press release.
Safretti's back with Double Vision hanging HDTV / fireplace combo
Nothing quite says "the holidays" like warming up to an artificial fire in a spacious, well-appointed apartment while watching a DVD of generic snow-filled landscapes. Unless you're in our family, in which case "the holidays" is more about drunken egg nog brawls and recrimination. Either way, it looks like the kids at Safretti have improved their hanging, portable fireplaces the only way, really, that it could be improved upon: by adding an HD LCD TV to the mix. We're not sure what the Netherlands-based company is charging for this, but seeing as how this purveyor of ultra-expensive home furnishings doesn't even have an office in the states (the closest is in Mexico, and the one in Liechtenstein refuses to answer our emails) we're pretty sure you can't afford it anyways. It comes in two sizes, featuring either a 37-inch or 47-inch TV. Get a closer look after the break.
Nonstop gaming world record has been shattered, victors sleep right through their parade
Prior to this past weekend, the world record for nonstop gaming stood at 40 hours. As of today, you'll need to rock 'n roll for 51 hours in a row if you'd like to claim this crown. A half dozen lunatics managed to game for 50 straight hours over the weekend in Rotterdam, playing Red Dead Redemption on Sony's PlayStation 3 until their eyes gave way. Of note, they utilized the TwistDock in order to keep their controllers juiced the entire time, and they walked away with €1,000 for their trouble. Last we heard, though, they're all in hibernation for the foreseeable future. Plenty of Dutch celebration awaits you in the video.
Dutch gamers break world record by playing for 50 hours straight
A group of six Dutch gamers played Red Dead Redemption for 50 hours straight over the weekend, garnering them recognition from the Guinness Book of World Records. The event took place at a Dixons store in the Netherlands, where six players started out as competitors, but eventually decided to keep playing and get the world record together. All six will receive recognition from Guinness, a $1300 prize and a Twistdock connector from the event's sponsor. There are two things that make this stand out from your average weekend-long play session. First, we're talking 50 hours for all six gamers with no breaks. While that's definitely been done before (with less than healthy consequences), Guinness was there to put the official stamp on everything. So, until you get them to watch you play Final Fantasy XIII and all of its optional missions all in one sitting, this record will probably stand.
iPad hitting nine more countries this Friday
Apple has just let word out that it'll be bringing its super-selling slate to nine new markets. The Netherlands, Austria, Belgium, Hong Kong, Ireland, Luxembourg, Mexico, New Zealand and Singapore are all getting their hands on the device this Friday, July 23. We were just remarking on how the iPad's sales pace had slowed down recently, but this expansion in markets should move things along toward rounding the next milestone. Local pricing hasn't yet been revealed, but it's not like there's long to wait now. "Many" more countries are promised before the end of the year, so don't despair if your local Apple Store isn't stocking the iPad just yet.
Europe gets first fast-charging EV station, hungers for more
Epyon, a small Dutch startup, is showing the big boys how it's done with its recently unveiled fast-charging station for electric vehicles. Billed as Europe's first commercially available charger of its kind, this unit will recharge anything up to a nine-seater taxi van within 30 minutes, thanks to its 50 kilowatts of power capacity. It's now installed alongside more conventional petrol and diesel refilling points in a fueling station over in Leeuwarden. That's the capital city of Friesland, a Dutch province that has set itself the ambitious goal of having 100,000 EVs on its roads by 2015. That aim is shared by the wider European Union as well, which yesterday agreed on defining a common electric recharging standard, whose universality might attract skeptical consumers and more cautious investors into the field. They've set themselves a deadline of "mid-2011," though the broad outlines and new incentives for buying greener cars are likely to appear by the end of this year.
Average iPad app price is $1 more than iPhone apps
Here's some more interesting stats about app pricing. We've heard pricing average stats before, including that the average app price seems to be hovering right around three dollars. But a firm in the Netherlands has done some more research into current iPad and iPhone app prices, and discovered that while iPhone apps average out at $3.87 (slightly higher than most estimates, but still in that $3 range), iPad apps are actually hitting an average of $4.67, almost a dollar more than iPhone versions. That's both good and bad news for developers -- while it does mean that iPad apps are releasing and selling at higher prices (something most developers believe should be the case, given the amount of work and design that goes into iPad apps versus their smaller-screen cousins), those prices aren't that much higher. Apple specifically priced their iPad apps at $9.99 after selling their iPhone game at $4.99, and if they wanted that to be the early standard for the iPad, it doesn't quite appear the plan is working out. Still, an extra buck is better than nothing, and as always, developers should sell their apps for what they think they're worth anyway. The firm, Distimo, also says that 80% of iPad apps are paid (compared to the iPhone's 73%), and medical and financial applications are the most expensive, averaging out at $42.11 and $18.48, way higher than the iPhone's $10.74 and $5.74 averages for the same categories. So while the prices may differ, there's no questions that developers are charging more (and getting more) for applications on the iPad.
HTC Desire shows up in slinky silver (video)
Here's another thing the Desire has that the Nexus One doesn't: a second color option. We're told our Dutch buddies will soon be able to skip the default gunmetal paintjob that's shared by HTC's twin brothers and opt into the silvery casing you see above. The pictures are captioned with a note saying the silver Desire will be exclusive to BelCompany in the Netherlands, but we've found a few other retailers claiming their own exclusief. Either way, we still don't know how things will shake out elsewhere, but at least there won't be too long to wait. We've got video of the very slightly altered handset after the break. [Thanks, Miguel]%Gallery-88435%
HTC Legend already trickling into customers' waiting hands?
That certainly was a timely review, wasn't it? Dutch site Tweakers.net is reporting through a number of its forum members that previously ordered HTC Legends are being scheduled for delivery as early as today, beating the phone's announced early second quarter availability by a solid three weeks. That's great news for anyone comfortable sticking with a lower-res display and a middle-of-the-road processor in exchange for one of the slickest, most metallic shells on the market today -- but for those hoping for something a little more... ahem, Desire-able, the wait continues. And yes, we'd like to apologize profusely for that pun.
XPAL's Solar Egg charges to 90% in four hours of mild sunlight
Unlike many solar devices that require an abundance of intense sunlight to be useful, XPAL's new Solar Egg does its thing even in "medium levels of natural light." The magic SunBoost solar conversion technology is supplied by a company called Intivation from The Netherlands, a country that's not exactly know for its tropical weather. XPAL claims that the internal 500mAh battery can be charged at over 90% capacity in just four hours of average sunlight exposure and can detect a "wide range of devices" like MP3 players and digital cameras to provide the appropriate level of power for charging. It'll ship next month to select regions -- where that is we can only guess for now.
HTC Legend breaks cover on KPN's site for March launch
We've little doubt at this point that HTC's Legend is definitely real and likely coming to a shop near you, but now we've got what seems to be the first official confirmation by a company that would have authority on the matter. The Netherlands' KPN has thrown up the Legend on its site for availability likely in March, offering the Android-loving Dutch the opportunity to sign up for updates -- in other words, no money's exchanging hands just yet. As far as we can tell, these appear to be official shots of the phone offered up by HTC, so odds are good that KPN simply jumped the gun -- the phone is almost certainly destined for an official unveil either by HTC or a carrier partner at MWC in a few days' time. There are some specs here, too: 256MB of RAM and 512MB of ROM on board, AGPS, WiFi, an FM radio, 3.2-inch display and 5 megapixel camera, making this an honest-to-goodness Hero successor -- and it even looks like the Legend name will be carried over for launch. Any other carriers care to step up and help bust this thing wide open?
Xbox Live Video Marketplace coming to 10 more countries 'this fall'
As far as we know, the kind of laziness which prevents you from visiting the nearest Blockbuster Video is a worldwide phenomenon. According to a press release (.doc link) dropped just in time for CES, Microsoft is catering to this global lethargy by opening up the Xbox Live Video Marketplace to ten more countries this fall: Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, Australia and New Zealand. Basically, if the Xbox Live Video Marketplace was playing Risk, it'd have a kickass lock on the Eastern Hemisphere.
DSi motion control demoed by Engine Software
Netherlands-based handheld gaming studio Engine Software has developed a cool new piece of tech for the DSi: motion sensitivity. To show off this breakthrough, the company has developed a brief demo video of TILT, a kind of Marble Blast Ultra clone where the player guides a ball around the gameworld by tilting the DSi. It's not the first we've heard of this kinda tech, and it won't be the last. Engine Software isn't stopping with just this tech demo, however. The company is currently working on a full DSiWare game that will incorporate this new technology; though it likely won't be a full version of TILT, but rather an entirely new game. Head past the break to check out a brief video showcasing the tech.
'Christmas in Cupertino': because there isn't enough weird stuff on the web
You guys know I love combining Christmas and my Mac, but this is just plain weird. A Dutch Apple community website by the name of One More Thing has written and produced a Christmas song called 'Christmas in Cupertino'. The song was composed and recorded in two weeks with the 'famous Dutch singers' Sjarrel & Sjaan delivering the vocals. The song focuses on Steve Jobs and Phil Schiller in their activities in Cupertino in the 'dark days' before Christmas and ... pictures them 'dancing 'round the Apple tree'. If that's not weird enough for you, Steve Jobs's liver transplant is also mentioned. What's even crazier is that you can buy it on iTunes. In fairness, due to Steve Jobs' call for more attention to organ donation at his keynote earlier this year, One More Thing will donate all proceeds from the song to de Dutch Liver Foundaction. Netherlands, I've been to your country many times. It's so quaint, so charming, so full of life; and what can I say? This quirkiness/oddness just makes me love you guys even more. And, though I'm loathe to admit it, the song is kinda catchy. So TUAW readers, for 99 cents why not buy the song [iTunes link], have a good laugh, and contribute to a great cause? Now, without further ado, I present to you the 'Christmas in Cupertino' music video (with subtitles). Christmas in Cupertino from One More Thing on Vimeo.
Spin polarization achieved at room temperature, elusive miracles now less elusive
Spintronics -- much like Cook-Out milkshakes and cotton candy for all -- seems like a pipe dream at this point. We've been beaten over the head with theoretical miracles, but we're getting to the point where it's put up or shut up. Thankfully, a team of Dutch boffins are clearly in the same camp, and they've been toiling around the clock in order to achieve spin polarization in non-magnetic semiconductors at ambient temperature. The amazing part here is that "temperature" bit; up until this discovery, spin polarization was only possible at levels of around 150 K, or at temperatures far, far cooler than even your unheated basement. If spintronics could effectively be enacted at room temperature, all those unicorn-approved phenomena we mentioned earlier would have a much greater chance of sliding into the realm of reality. Here's hoping they get this stuff ironed out prior to 2012.
Jailbroken iPhones exposed to second worm, this time malicious
As inevitable as the sun rising in the East and setting in the West, an innocuous iPhone worm has been transformed into a malicious bank details-stealing virus. The second recorded iPhone infection operates on exactly the same principles as the first, as it targets jailbroken handsets with SSH installed, but this time adds the ability for the hacker to remotely control and access the phone. By throwing up a purported ING Direct login page, he (or she, or they) can collect your online banking credentials and, presumably, all the cash they are supposed to protect. Presently isolated within the Netherlands, this outbreak may spread further still, as it is capable of infecting other jailbroken iPhones on the same WiFi network.
777 copies of Windows 7 for Seven Houses, Netherlands, says Microsoft seven times fast
Not content with letting a good numeric opportunity pass it by, Microsoft Netherlands has announced that it'll be handing out up to 777 copies of Windows 7 to residents of the small town of Zevenhuizen, the name of which translates to "seven houses." The installation requirements are a bit peculiar, however, as Microsoft won't actually give you a disc, instead opting to either make you ship it to them or actually bring a technician to your house to do the dirty work. The offer isn't valid to Windows employees, those younger than 18 years, or people who use Macs or Linux machines as their primary computer -- however they prove that. Zevenhuizen residents who read Engadget (hallo!) can point their browsers to the read link for all the relevant details -- signups end tomorrow, and installations will occur from October 17th through October 23rd. [Via Ars Technica]
