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AI bar system ignores jerks who cut in line for drinks
There are two kinds of people in this world. Those that queue patiently at the bar for their drinks because they recognize their place in the great order of things, and those that elbow their way to the front and jump the queue because they're massive jerks. If you're the latter, I see you, pal. And now, thanks to AI, so does the bartender.
Pub owner Karen Murphy wins appeal in TV-decoder battle against Sky
It's been a few months since we last heard about the legal kerfuffle between Sky and pub owner Karen Murphy. In case you've been out of the loop, it all started when the UK broadcasting giant went after Murphy for using what was deemed to be an illegal method for screening FA Premier League matches at her, or any, bar. The Greece Nova decoder, which is considered a legal bit in the privacy of your own home, was helping Murphy bypass Sky's £480 ($740) required monthly fees for bar owners and saving her over £350 ($555) in the process. Now, over $260,000 in legal fees later, Mrs. Murphy's conviction has been overturned by the relentless High Court. The ruling allows her to keep using the troubled Greek gadget to screen any EPL game without facing any troubles -- except the occasional drunken fracas. So, now you know where to go the next time you're in Portsmouth and want to catch a good ol' footy match.
London Apple fans can watch the WWDC keynote and drink beer
That's it. I'm moving to London. The London Mac User Group is meeting up at the Wood Marylebone NW1 Pub at 17:45 BST on Monday to watch the WWDC keynote, which sounds like a wonderful idea to me. What could be better than quaffing a pint or two, listening to "one more thing" from Steve Jobs, playing Keynote Rumor Bingo, and sitting down to a plate of curry? To find out more about the festivities, visit the London Mac User Group Facebook page or go directly to the event listing here to RSVP. If anyone else is planning on a keynote watching party, use our handy new "Tip Us" button to let us know about it. And if you need a place to watch the keynote all by your lonesome, don't worry -- we at TUAW will be covering it and all of the news from it as usual, so you can come join us. A tip of the TUAW bowler hat to Steve N.
LG no longer selling 15,000 3DTVs to Sky TV, Britons breathe a sigh of indifference
Why is this man so down? Is it the crooked hat? Or the long hours spent with the same flat expression on his face? No, the fact of the matter is that Sky's plan to outfit pubs the breadth and width of the island nation with 3D televisions has fallen flat. Yesterday LG announced that the satellite provider had purchased some 15,000 sets with the hope of hooking folks on the technology before launching its in-home service later in the year, but now the company's pulling back, instead saying that deal involves the channel selling pubs 3DTVs through a third party. And we're sure that pub owners are going to jump at the chance to buy expensive new displays and scores of 3D glasses so customers can drop them in pitchers and / or break them while playing darts or whatever goes on over there in the land of Pete Doherty and excessive surveillance. LG's statement is after the break.
Sky TV buys 15,000 3DTVs from LG for live sports broadcasts in public venues
LG is today proudly boasting that it has sealed the biggest sale of 3D television sets so far, thanks to its partnership with UK broadcaster BSkyB. Following a surprisingly successful trial run of broadcasting the Arsenal versus Man United match in 3D this January, Sky clearly sees its future through polarizing glasses and has ordered up the big batch of tubes so that it can provide weekly 3D broadcasts of Premier League games. The plan is for a rapid rollout this spring -- which is right about now -- meaning that your local pub should be getting all glitzed up just in time for the end of season excitement. It remains to be seen whether Brits will swarm to the new tech or lose interest once the novelty wears off, but judging from the size of this investment, it would seem the bigwigs in charge of our entertainment are already convinced that 3D will be a win.
Inaugural Sky 3DTV soccer broadcast received warmly, hooligans opt for Michael Jackson & the Grammys instead
While U.S. audiences suffered through yet another anaglyph 3D broadcast as the Grammys presented Earth Song in traditional red/blue format courtesy of Target-distributed glasses, Sky kicked off its first true 3DTV broadcast across the pond during a Man. U/Arsenal match. Distributed to a few select pubs ahead of a wide rollout due in April, patrons slipped on passive 3D glasses and caught the entire match live from Emirates stadium. Luckily this experiment went over far better than the Dallas Cowboys disaster, though several criticized the need to remain more directly in front of the monitor to see the action and that the effect was less pronounced on long shots. However the new tech excelled the most during close ups and slow motion, as Pocket-Lint quoted viewer Kate Cobley "It's brilliant, the corner and back of the goal views are just amazing. It makes the game so much better. If it's in 3D then I would definitely be more likely to come to the pub to watch sport." We figure the real test will come during the World Cup this summer, if ESPN's 3DTV broadcast can get U.S. audiences tuning into the beautiful game then 3D may actually live up to all the CES hype. Until then check the read and more coverage links for a few more impressions, or the video embedded after the break.
3D TV coming to British pubs this weekend, can expect chilly reception
Imagine, if you will, the quintessential British pub. A pair of elderly chaps sitting in the quiet corner discussing their best Spitfire manoeuvers, the teenage whippersnapper putting on a mature voice and trying to buy alcohol at the bar, and the inevitable legion of sports fans setting up for their weekly life or death football match. Now put 3D glasses on 'em -- doesn't work, does it? Sky TV is hoping its launch of 3D content around UK drinking establishments will be a runaway success, whereas we're just hoping those glasses aren't too hard to clean up after being inevitably discarded with disdain. Nine pubs will be broadcasting the Arsenal versus Manchester United match in 3D this Sunday, with a full rollout in April.
New 'Pub Finder' app helps you find a Guinness
Some of us here at TUAW have been known to hoist a pint or two of a frosty beverage now and again. When doing so there's quite a few selections from which to choose to satisfy that urge for something cold and refreshing. One choice often made by me personally is Guinness. But what if I want a Guinness after a long day but can't figure out where to go and get one? Fortunately, there's an app for that: the Guinness Pub Finder.To commemorate the 250th anniversary of Guinness on September 24th they have created a new iPhone and iPod Touch app that will, according to the company, allow "consumers of legal drinking age across the US (to) join the celebration and more easily raise a toast with friends in the future." Which, of course, sounds great unless you happen to live in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas or West Virginia where the app is forbidden by law from working. Yeah, I don't get it either. Even if you can use this app for its intended purpose, it actually isn't just about helping you find a drink, although it does do that pretty well. Here's a breakdown of its main features:• Locate a Pint - uses GPS to locate the consumer and the pubs serving Guinness nearest to their current location. It then provides name, address and telephone number of the pub chosen, access to directions, and an email setup to invite friends to join.• Know Your Pint - provides a tutorial on the 6 Steps to Creating the Perfect Pint, and also includes a ruler that can be used to measure your pint's head.• Fun Extras – includes animated screensavers, a countdown clock to the "Arthur's Day" celebrations and a live feed of the latest news regarding the Guinness 250th Anniversary celebration• Responsible Drinking – Provides consumers with the DRINKiQ resource which shares important facts about alcohol to aid responsible choices. The app is US$1.99 in the iTunes store and its available now.
Have a pint and a go at Wii Sports
Now, if we were combining beverage time with Wii time, the product would probably be what you see to your right there. We have horrible coordination and the combination of alcohol into the mix would mean that we'd either spill our drink into our Wii or fall on it. That's just how we're built.You folks in England, however, have a bit more in the alcoholic coordination department, as playing the Wii has become the new "it" activity in the pub. It has inspired Team Europe, a company who manages Poker tournaments in pubs, to start up a similar tournament across pubs for the Wii. And, you can even find some tournaments going on right now, on a regular basis in London, should you be the type of person who enjoys immediate action. In fact, one such pub hosts a Wii tournament every Wednesday and enjoys a lot of support from the 30 or so players that show up for the event.This is just another example of the wonderful social aspect of the console, if you ask us.[Via MAXCONSOLE]
