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Rex, the robotic exoskeleton, aims to make wheelchairs obsolete
New Zealand isn't exactly known for being a hotbed of tech innovation, but this set of bionic legs might just realign that perception a little bit. The product of seven years of development work, the Rex exoskeleton is capable of supporting the full weight of a person -- making it suitable for paraplegics -- and moving him or her around in a familiar bipedal fashion. It's operated using a joystick and control pad and is simple enough for handicapped users to self-transfer in and out of. The best news, perhaps, is that it's about to go on sale in its home country this year, with an international launch following in 2011. The worst news? Probably the $150,000 (US) initial asking price, but then we'd hardly say we're qualified to judge the value of being able to walk again. Video and full press release after the break. [Thanks, Kurt and Simon]
Telecom New Zealand pulling plug on its CDMA network in 2012
It's a bit early to sound CDMA's death knell, but this is definitely an interesting development: New Zealand's Telecom NZ is getting ready to switch off its legacy CDMA network just a year after turning on its HSPA-based one. It gets even crazier, though, because although CDMA will go dark in 2012, EV-DO service will actually be turned off before that on November 30 of this year. That's an extremely rapid transition that's presumably being egged on by the carrier's desire to free up spectrum for next-gen services, but we can't even imagine the kind of chaos you'd see if Verizon or Sprint did that -- or Canada's Bell or Telus, for that matter, both of which actually have recently added HSPA networks to their footprints. Let's hope Telecom makes it as painless as possible for legacy customers to migrate, eh?
iPhone 4's multiband antenna makes it a true 'world phone'
This morning, I read liveblogs about the WWDC keynote with growing irritation. I'd been hoping for a 64 GB capacity bump for iPhone 4, even though I knew in the back of my mind that engineering practicalities made it unlikely. The news that FaceTime will not only be WiFi only, but will also work only from one iPhone 4 to another, was also extremely disappointing. And the fact that the iPhone won't be getting down here to New Zealand until July, as opposed to June for the States, UK, and a few other countries, was probably the most annoying of all. Then I went to the tech specs page for the iPhone 4, and like rolling fog after the sunrise, all of my irritation evaporated. Back in March, I wrote this: "Apple can put a better camera in it, add more capacity, a better processor, a front-facing camera for videoconferencing, and a dozen other things -- but quite honestly, I'd be perfectly happy if none of that made it into the next-gen iPhone so long as one feature does find its way in: support for 900 MHz UMTS/HSDPA." According to Apple's tech specs for iPhone 4 & the FCC filing, I got my wish. Read on to find out why this unsung feature is actually a really big deal -- not just to me, but to millions of potential iPhone 4 customers.
One million Xbox 360s sold down under
Microsoft's Australian site has announced that one million Xbox 360s have been sold in Australia and New Zealand so far. Japan hit that landmark only last year, and about eight million consoles have been sold in North America so far, according to the most recent estimates. Congrats, Aussies and, erm, Newzies! To celebrate, Microsoft will be auctioning off a few special edition consoles through Konsoles for Kids with awkwardly-painted portraits of Australian celebrities on them, including Russell Crowe, comedy duo Hamish and Andy, and ... Kim Kardashian? We guess they're not all Australian then. What's the deal, Microsoft? Was Andrew Denton too busy? What if we want a console with Yahoo Serious painted on the side? [Via VG247]
NDrive Australia/NZ: A competent GPS nav app with a few flaws
When asked if I wanted to review NDrive Australia & New Zealand (currently US$24.99, AU$29.99, and NZ$30.99), I was initially reluctant. "The problem with these nav apps is they don't really seem to offer me a compelling alternative to the free Maps app plus a co-pilot," I said. Since getting my iPhone 3G a bit over a year ago, my wife has been the human half of my turn-by-turn navigation system. The biggest advantage she offers over any nav app is her ability to intelligently adapt to changing conditions. When it was pointed out to me that I won't always have a co-pilot with me, thus making it all but impossible to use the built-in Maps app without unintentionally going off-roading in my Toyota, I agreed to give NDrive Australia & New Zealand a try. After using the app for a few days navigating around Palmerston North and some of the backcountry roads of New Zealand, I came away more impressed with the app than I thought I would be -- but it still has some flaws that will likely keep me from relying on it as my primary GPS app. Read on for a more comprehensive review.
The #1 thing I want in the next iPhone: support for 900 MHz UMTS/HSDPA
The next iPhone is widely expected to debut sometime in the next few months, most likely at WWDC, which is rumored to kick off on June 28. Even though that's only a hair over three months away, so far there's been very little revealed about the next iteration of the iPhone either in terms of its appearance or likely features. Apple can put a better camera in it, add more capacity, a better processor, a front-facing camera for videoconferencing, and a dozen other things -- but quite honestly, I'd be perfectly happy if none of that made it into the next-gen iPhone so long as one feature does find its way in: support for 900 MHz UMTS/HSDPA. The iPhone 3G and 3GS, as well as the forthcoming iPad, all contain 3G antenna/chipsets that support UMTS/HSDPA at 850, 1900, and 2100 MHz. UMTS/HSDPA is an alphabet-soup way of referring to the GSM flavors of 3G. In other words, high-speed broadband works at those frequencies, and only those frequencies. If high-speed broadband isn't available at those frequencies, the iPhone will fall back to GSM/EDGE at 850, 900, 1800, or 1900 MHz. For those of you living in the US and on AT&T, the iPhone's 3G frequency range is especially tailored for your use. Most of AT&T's 3G network runs on 850 MHz, while T-Mobile runs at 1700 MHz -- this is why the iPhone only works at EDGE speeds with T-Mobile, because the iPhone's 3G chipset isn't tailored for the 1700 MHz band. 3G networks in many other areas of the world, including portions of Europe, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand function at 900 MHz. This creates several problems for users in those regions; read on to find out why.
Martin Jetpack priced at $86,000, mere mortals will soon be able to buy one too
Tired of the limited legroom, bad food, and worse movies you have to put up with during a flight? Well, it's time to bust out your company credit card and get yourself a Martin Jetpack, which has just become the first commercially available jetpack. Driven by a pair of washing machine-sized fans strapped to your back, this personal transporter will give you a pretty cool 30 minutes of flight time and comes with a bunch of redundancy systems to ensure any mistakes don't turn fatal. The rotors are built out of a carbon / Kevlar composite and are powered by a two-liter V4 two-stroke engine capable of delivering 200hp (or 150kW). Good old gasoline is the fuel of choice here and private individuals are expected to be offered the chance to fulfill every geek and geekette's dream later this year. Just make sure you have $86,000 lying around to fund it.
iBookstore expanding internationally ... eventually
The announcement of the iBookstore wasn't particularly surprising -- analysts had expected such a move from Apple for months. What was somewhat surprising was that as of the initial announcement of the iPad and its tie-in with the iBookstore, there were no announced plans for international versions of Apple's e-book marketplace. Up until today, the only officially announced venue for the iBookstore has been the United States. According to MacRumors, a new job listing has been posted on Apple's website for "Manager, iBooks Asia Pacific & Canada." Part of the managerial position's role includes being "the primary person responsible for building the book business in Asia Pacific and Canada" -- for now, "Asia Pacific" is only loosely defined as "Australia, New Zealand, and other countries." It stands to reason that Apple will eventually want to expand its iBookstore to all markets currently served by the iTunes Store, but as MacRumors notes, no job postings have yet appeared for Europe, Asia, or other regions. Considering how prohibitively expensive paper books are here in New Zealand, I'm greatly looking forward to the launch of the iBookstore. In the US, ebooks generally aren't priced competitively compared to their paper cousins (something I've never been able to comprehend), but in the South Pacific, ebooks are very attractive alternatives to paperbacks, which can cost upwards of NZ$20 each. Once the iBookstore makes it down here, Apple has at least one guaranteed customer -- as long as the iBookstore isn't restricted solely to the iPad, that is. [Via MacRumors]
An ode to iPhone tethering
Sometimes I feel sorry for you poor iPhone users in the US. Sure, the telecommunications landscape in New Zealand isn't exactly perfect, but our small nation has the US beat on at least one very significant point: unlike AT&T, our wireless providers let us tether our iPhones as much as we want (within our monthly broadband limits, anyway). Sure, there are workarounds that let you do iPhone tethering in the States, but nothing beats the pure simplicity of officially supported tethering: flip a couple switches in your iPhone's settings, then either pair over Bluetooth or dock your iPhone, and boom, your Mac runs off your iPhone's data connection. I've been using iPhone tethering since it became available in iPhone OS 3.0, and it's saved my geek bacon many times. On a recent monthlong vacation where my wife, my mother-in-law, and I hopped all over both the North and South Islands of New Zealand, using my iPhone's data connection on my MacBook Pro was often the only feasible way of connecting to the world beyond our campsite. Many of the places we stayed had Wi-Fi available, but the prices were pretty astonishing; some places wanted $10 for 20 minutes of internet access. In towns where we had a decent 3G connection, we were able to watch videos in Safari (No Flash? No problem), look up tourist information, get access to Google Maps, download music and apps from the iTunes Store, and keep an eye on the notoriously fickle weather. All these things are possible to an extent using the iPhone by itself, but things went much faster and more smoothly on my MacBook Pro, where multitasking, multiple downloads, and a 17" screen are all big improvements over the browsing experience on the iPhone. Read on to find out what else iPhone tethering can do for you, and why AT&T's excuses for not letting you have it are totally disingenuous.
Air New Zealand 'revolutionizes' coach cabins: power, USB, iPod support and Skycouches
When the so-called "friendly skies" are mentioned, a few airlines in particular come to mind: Virgin America, Singapore Airlines and Qantas, for starters. Starting today, you can safely include Air New Zealand in that discussion. In a bid to turn long-haul international travel on its head, the outfit has today revealed a freshly outfitted Boeing 777 with a coach cabin that easily puts every coach cabin found in the US to shame. Designed by Recaro, the world-class coach area includes 11 rows of Skycouches that can actually fold flat in order to create (admittedly short) beds for two. The best part? The "third seat" in the row will only cost a couple 50 percent of what it normally would, making it somewhat more affordable to buy a bed without springing for first class. You'll also find power sockets, USB ports and iPod connectors in every single coach seat, leaving the plane a Gogo-module away from being absolutely perfect. Pop those source links below for a hands-on at the Auckland unveiling by our good pals at Gadling.
What we know about the Warcraft movie
Last week, we reported that the Warcraft movie may be on its way. Previously there had been speculation that the film's development would be pushed back, since director Sam Raimi was tied up by problems with Spider-Man 4. Raimi then unexpectedly walked away from Spider-Man 4, citing creative reasons, and it suddenly looked hopeful that he might soon be turning his attention to the Warcraft film. So now, in preparation for more news on the film, we will be bringing you up to date on what we currently know about the Warcraft movie.
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.
Tchaikovsky's 1812 overture reconstructed from 1000 cellphones, 2000 text alerts (video)
We're suckers for a well done ad but this, this is simply amazing. Vodafone NZ's Symphonia features 1000 cellphones syncing 53 different ringtone alerts from 2000 sent messages to reconstruct Tchaikovsky's 1812 overture. We dare you to not be impressed. See how they did it after the break. [Thanks, Brent R.]
Apple versus Woolworths: logo smackdown
UPDATE 2: Be sure to read Engadget's analysis of what appears to be a non-event here. Apple is apparently getting hot and bothered over Australian/New Zealand supermarket chain Woolworths' new logo. Woolworths insists the logo is merely a stylized "W," but Apple's copyright lawyers aren't buying it. They're trying to knock down Woolworths' copyright application for the logo by claiming it violates Apple's intellectual property. Apparently, according to trademark lawyer Trevor Choy, Apple does this fairly often, trying to make sure that some other company's branding can't be mistaken for its iconic logo. I'll admit that at first glance the logos look similar (to me, anyway – my ex-graphic designer wife doesn't agree). Even so, it seems kind of a stretch to assume anyone is going to confuse Woolworths, a supermarket chain based only in Australia and New Zealand that mostly sells, you know, food, with Apple, a worldwide company that sells computers. Trust me, I shop at the Woolworths here in Palmerston North every week; it's a decent grocer, but nobody's going to wander in there looking for a MacBook Pro. What do you think? Does Apple have a case here? Or is it sort of ridiculous for Apple to claim that anything roundish with a leaf on top endangers its trademark? Sound off in the comments. UPDATE: A couple of points we should clear up on this post. First, Apple is not, in fact, the aggressor in this case. No one is, really. It is a trademark action, and as far as we know it has NOT become a lawsuit. It appears to be a part of the trademark process as it happens down under. Apple is free to object, and since Woolworths is attempting to register their mark across a huge range of products (like computers), they are practically obligated to do so. We'll keep an eye out for any interesting developments, however. - Ed.
New Zealand iPhone GPS ban considered, then overturned
A few days ago, I learned of a new law coming out in Australia that's set to ban cell phone GPS usage while driving. I criticized the Aussie government's approach and noted that while New Zealand had a similar forthcoming law, at least NZ's government was sensible enough not to pursue the cell phone usage ban to the same extent seen in Australia's case. Sadly, for most of Monday the NZ government had me eating crow, because they temporarily decided to emulate the Aussie rules and amend the new cell phone usage law: according to New Zealand's Transport Ministry, after November 1, New Zealand would ban all use of cellular phones other than using the phone as a hands-free headset to make calls. This would have included using the iPhone as a GPS, and could even potentially have been interpreted to ban using the iPhone as an iPod hooked to the car stereo! This out-of-the-blue recast of the law had many Kiwi iPhone users fuming, including me, and iPhonewzealand set up an online petition protesting this law. I didn't expect an online petition to have much (if any) impact, so I really hoped some more organized, legitimate form of protest formed before this law took effect. I was very pleasantly surprised to learn that common sense walks the halls of the NZ government, as the Ministry of Transport's Press Secretary has clarified the Ministry's position: It is not the intent of the rule to make it illegal for motorists to use the satellite navigation or music functions of their cell phones, provided these are mounted in the vehicle and are manipulated infrequently. The rule has been clarified to keep its focus where it should be: on discouraging motorists from using handheld cellphones to talk or text while driving. I've got to say, I'm pretty shocked by this ruling for two reasons: that it came out so quickly (less than a day after the first article claiming the GPS ban would go into effect), and that it came down on the side of common sense. It's not often that any government does something that puts a smile on my face, but it definitely happened today.
New Zealand making drivers with cellphone navigation criminals, hugs ok for now (updated)
Starting in November, use of your cellphone's GPS navigation capabilities will be illegal for drivers on New Zealand roadways -- dedicated SatNav devices without voice capability are still ok. In fact, use of your modern cellphone as an in-vehicle MP3 player, compass, etc. will all be illegal under Road User Amendment Rule 2009. Here's how it reads currently:"A driver must not, while driving a vehicle, create, send, or read a text message on a mobile phone or make, receive, or terminate a telephone call on a mobile phone or use a mobile phone in any other way."A law this broad would also make your car's integrated cellphone entertainment system illegal. There are exceptions of course, one of which allows drivers to use a mobile phone to make, receive, or terminate a telephone call if the phone is mounted in the vehicle and the driver "manipulates the phone infrequently and briefly," even though studies have already concluded that hands-free solutions are still distracting and thus, dangerous. Yeah, the whole thing sounds arbitrary, over-reaching, and completely unenforceable to us as well. Update: Put down the pitchforks and torches, it looks like the law is already en route for amendment to allow cellphone "satellite navigation or music functions."[Via Stuff, image courtesy of joannapapa5100]
Aussie drivers: Buy a cradle, or no iPhone GPS for you
Live in Australia? Have an iPhone? Do you use the iPhone's built-in Maps app, Navigon, or TomTom [iTunes links] to navigate? If you answered yes to all three of those questions, then I have some bad news for you: under the Australian Road Rule 8th Amendment, all use of the iPhone in your car is soon to be banned unless you buy a cradle for it, including using it as a GPS navigator. An article from the Sydney Morning Herald initially makes it sound as though you won't be able to use such apps at all, especially after reading this quote from a spokesperson for VicRoads, the traffic authority for the Australian state of Victoria: "A phone will only be allowed to be used for its primary purpose. If it's a phone, it's a phone." But once you read farther down the article states, "Drivers will only be able to use mobile phones if they are placed in purpose-made cradles and operation is entirely hands-free." The language of the amendment itself also supports that interpretation. So it's not the end of the road for iPhone nav apps in Australia, but if you want to continue using your iPhone for said purpose, you'd better go buy a cradle for it, because the fine for getting caught using your iPhone in the car without one is heinously expensive: AU$234! Even TomTom's iPhone cradle doesn't cost that much. So far the new rule is only confirmed to be rolling out in Victoria, and not until November 9. But don't be surprised if other states and territories follow suit afterward. New Zealand has a similar cellphone ban coming on November 1, but the NZ proposal is less draconian than the Australian version: the fine is only NZ$80, and the language in the proposal focuses on use of mobile phones for talking and texting, without making any mention of GPS or other uses. The Australian law seems a bit of an overreach, but I fully support New Zealand's upcoming ban on talking and texting while driving (especially texting – I can't fathom why anyone would think it's okay to text and drive at the same time). I can't speak for Australia's roads, but the roads in New Zealand definitely require one's full attention. The iPhone in particular requires a lot of visual focus in order to use it as a phone unless you have a handsfree setup, and that kind of distraction from the task of driving could potentially lead to a fatal crash on our narrow, winding roads. Of course there's a question of just how enforceable these laws will be in either country. Unless you're holding the phone up to the side of your head or using it at night, it's unlikely that a passing police car is going to see that your eyes are focused on what's in your hand rather than what's on the road. That's where common sense has to step in: is that phone call from your boss important enough to risk flying off the road? Probably not. Thanks to reader Brian Rayner for sending this one in.
PSN's Topatoi now available in Australia, New Zealand
Australian and New Zealand gamers are in for a treat, as the adorable Topatoi is now available for purchase on the PlayStation Store. Pardon, Stateside PlayStation 3 owners? "What's Topatoi?" It's an adventure platformer currently available to European gamers, but not planned for a North America release until later this year.If you hail from the place people think Flight of the Conchords are from, versus where they are actually from, the platformer is available for 15.95AUD or 18.9NZD, respectively. Those looking for more Topatoi action will be happy to hear the game's developer has confirmed that the second chapter in the saga will release later this year, via the PlayStation Europe Blog.%Gallery-66362%
Failure to launch: Apple bungles Snow Leopard distribution in New Zealand
So, how's everybody enjoying Snow Leopard? Good stuff, isn't it? Gotta love those new Exposé options in the Dock, and all that saved hard drive space, and the faster if slightly quirkier performance... isn't it, um... great?Argh. I can't keep up the charade anymore. I know nothing about the Snow Leopard experience other than what other people have told me, because it's not available in New Zealand yet (at least not outside of Auckland). And I'm not happy about it. And I'm going to rant... now.In July of 2008, the Apple-loving (and Apple-hating) world's eyes locked onto a small, isolated nation in the South Pacific: New Zealand, home to 40 million sheep and a few hundred otherwise perfectly normal human beings dressed as hobbits. Why so much attention on New Zealand? Because of all the countries getting the iPhone 3G, New Zealand was getting it first thanks to its location just west of the International Date Line. The logistics involved in a rolling launch across most of the world must have been staggeringly complex, but with a few bumps here and there, Apple pulled it off. The launch of the iPhone 3G was a success not just in New Zealand, but worldwide. That led me to believe that something similar would happen for the launch of Snow Leopard. After all, if Apple could pull off launching the iPhone 3G in so many countries on the same day, it ought to be a simple matter to do the same thing with a much smaller and simpler product. I mean, it's got to be harder to coordinate the launch of a big ol' phone compared to what's essentially just a plastic disk in a box, right? Right...?Well, not so much. Apple has fumbled the NZ launch of Snow Leopard like a wide receiver wearing butter-coated gloves. Plus the receiver is blind. Also, he doesn't know how to play football.
360 hits 700K down under, Microsoft aiming for a million
Microsoft announced that the Xbox 360 has sold 700,000 in the land of g'days and kiwis, with the green eye of the console fixing its gaze on a million sales by Christmas. According to Gamespot, the company's manager for Australia and New Zealand labeled the console as the fastest growing in the region -- not dissimilar to statements made by US execs about their own region.The company didn't hint at any price or console changes for the Xbox 360 in the region. Execs are "confident" that they'll reach the million goal with the "console's current price point."
