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Netflix Watch Instantly streaming coming to Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland this year
Netflix mentioned during its most recent earnings call that it had identified an attractive European market to launch its streaming video service in during Q4 2012 and now we know where that is: Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland. There's no word yet on pricing or which devices the service will be available on, but Nordic viewers can expect the usual assortment of movies and TV shows for a flat rate, with many available in HD and surround sound. Judging by the languages of support personnel Netflix was looking for last year, Asia is next on its world domination map (after Canada, Latin America and UK & Ireland) although how investors will react to the hit expansion makes on its earnings in the short term.
Google Maps live traffic updates served up to seven new regions, 19 more get 'expanded coverge'
Ready for yet another dose of news related to Google Maps? The service's live traffic update functionality has been expanded yet again, and now seven more cities including the likes of Mexico City and Greater Johannesburg, South Africa can join in on the action. Better yet, 19 other major areas that already get traffic information are receiving "expanded coverage" for their roads. Naturally, all of the new goods are accessible through Google's various Maps apps by simply enabling the traffic layer. If you're eager to start scouting the traffic flow, you can hit up source link below to find out whether your locale is on the list.
Microsoft and Nokia bring enhanced traffic data to Windows Phone, announce international plans
Cross-pollination is a beautiful thing. In the natural world, it brings bountiful harvests and pretty flowers. In the mobile world, we benefit from the sharing of ideas and technologies. Case in point is Windows Phone, as Microsoft has just announced that it's adopted traffic information from Nokia into the Maps app of its mobile OS. In addition to providing Windows Phone users in the US with more detailed overviews of traffic flows and congestion, the functionality will soon become available for many cities across the globe. Perhaps the move shouldn't come as a total surprise, as just last month, Microsoft revealed the inclusion of Nokia's "Where" platform within Bing Maps. As for future availability, citizens of Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom will benefit from the sharing of technologies within the next few weeks. For the moment, however, just hop the break, where you can see the before / after traffic data that's now available to Los Angeles residents.
Voddler's Lumia-exclusive video streaming app debuts for European Windows Phone users
Need an extra reason to give a Nokia Lumia some serious consideration? Today, Voddler has announced the official debut of its Windows Phone app for citizens of Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Spain. Designed in conjunction with Nokia, the app is exclusive to Lumia owners and provides access to thousands of movies on demand. While many selections are available only as rentals, penny-pinchers will also find a wealth of free, ad-supported videos. Unique to this version, users may partake in a social feature known as Movie Night, which allows like-minded friends to schedule and coordinate movie viewing, chat and then review the flicks. Lumia users will also be treated to four months of Voddler Plus, a subscription service that eschews the ads of free titles and allows individuals to download movies for offline playback. Voddler Plus typically costs 79 SEK (€7.90) per month, so it's not a bad way to dip your toes into the water. Properly situated Lumia owners may download the app today in the Marketplace. For everyone else, feel free to dream of a life more Scandinavian in the PR after the break.
CloudOn launching its iOS, Android tablet apps in 16 more countries, Office hounds rejoice
Surprise, surprise, CloudOn has just opened a fresh can of tablet-friendly Office and is getting ready to deliver it outside of the US, UK and Canada for the first time in its relatively short history. The cloud-based service announced it's now launching its iOS and Android applications in 16 more countries, making it a total of 19 with the addition of the aforementioned trio. Some of the lucky nations include: Spain, Germany, France, Ireland, Italy, Israel as well as the Netherlands -- and, in case you had any concerns, the app is keeping its free-of-charge status, so no need to worry. In addition to the beefy global expansion, CloudOn also released a few productivity-focused tidbits, giving users the ability to open links straight from the browser, copy and paste between the different built-in apps, plus a drag-and-drop feature to move around files and folders within the application -- unfortunately, this last one's only available to those with a Cupertino device (at least for the time being). All that's left to do now is grab yourself a copy from one of the links below, and be sure to check the presser after the break to see if your country made the cut.
IKEA Uppleva HDTV to retail for $960 in Europe beginning next month, US launch in 2013
Details continue to emerge as we approach the IKEA Uppleva's June launch. GigaOM has discovered that the set will be available in sizes ranging from 24 to 46 inches and will be priced "around $960" -- with a scale relative to the display size, we presume. The TV will feature a built-in Blu-ray player and a wireless subwoofer, and is being assembled by TCL Multimedia a manufacturer in China. Uppleva is expected to roll out to France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Sweden beginning next month, then to other European countries later in the year, followed by the US in 2013. There will also be a handful of applications that will vary based on region, including Dailymotion, Vimeo and YouTube, along with games, music playback and video-on-demand apps, and the Opera for TV web browser. There's a familiar sneak-peek vid awaiting you just past the break. Update: Due to an error at the source article, we originally identified the manufacturer as TLC, rather than TCL Multimedia. The text above has been updated to reflect the correction.
LG lines up Optimus 4X HD for launch in Germany, Sweden, Great Britain, Italy and Poland
While there's already plenty of excitement around other quad-core Android phones, LG will join the party soon when its Optimus 4X HD launches in a few European countries next month. Germany, Sweden, Great Britain, Italy and Poland are all on deck in June, where this latest Optimus variant will bring a 4.7-inch 720p HD IPS LCD, Tegra 3 CPU (benchmarked and seen in white here) and 2,150mAh battery coupled with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. On the software front, LG is touting its ability to take and share notes with "Quick Memo" (as seen in the Optimus Vu, now updated with the ability to include hyperlinks) as well as new "Media Plex" video playback controls. We got our hands all over this one during MWC 2012 a few months ago so until it drops in your neck of the woods, check out our gallery and video for a closer look or the press release after the break.
Apple changes name of 'iPad WiFi + 4G' to 'iPad WiFi + Cellular' in several countries
As reported by 9to5 Mac, Apple has changed the name of the iPad WiFi + 4G to the less descriptive iPad WiFi + Cellular. The change is the result of criticisms from customers and consumer advocacy groups about the iPad's 4G branding. Groups in the UK, Sweden and Australia complained that the 4G label confused customers in areas that did not have compatible cellular networks. Customers expected to get a product that delivered fast 4G mobile broadband speeds and were disappointed when the iPad connected to a slower 3G network. To quell customer's discontent, Apple added a disclaimer to the iPad that clarified the tablet was compatible only with 4G networks in the US and Canada. In Australia, Apple also argued that its labeling adhered to the marketing standard set by the ITU. These changes apparently were not enough, and Apple decided a small name change was the best course of action.
LG Optimus True HD LTE's European assault begins in Portugal, Germany and Sweden
While the latest LTE and HD equipped addition to LG's Optimus line has already landed across Asia (Korea, Japan) and North America (US - AT&T, US - Verizon, Canada) under a few different names, the newly rebranded Optimus True HD LTE is finally prepared for a European debut. As seen by the flags flying above, this week LG will begin rolling out to Portugal, Germany and Sweden, with Britain and France on deck for the second half of the year when LTE service is available. The other flags present represent further Asian rollouts in Hong Kong and Singapore. The plan, described in the Korean press release linked below (Update: English PR after the break), is apparently to make LG synonymous with LTE, although we can't see how renaming its current dual-core standard bearer every other week is helping.
Starbreeze attempting acquisition of Payday: The Heist studio
Starbreeze, the Swedish studio that brought the world the surprise hit Chronicles of Riddick and the recent reboot of Syndicate, is attempting an acquisition of Payday: The Heist studio Overkill Software. Pending approval by Starbreeze's shareholders, the move will see Overkill's IP (including Payday) and staff become part of Starbreeze's stable.Beyond the acquisition of IP and staff, Overkill is set to establish a new Starbreeze office based out of Stockholm, Sweden. "Starbreeze has graphical emphasis, and Overkill has total focus on innovative gameplay. Together we form a unique constellation of creative forces," Overkill creative director Ulf Andersson said of the acquisition in a press release.Overkill Software was formed in the ashes of former third-party mega studio Grin Software back in 2009, after it collapsed following several commercially unsuccessful projects. Brothers Bo and Ulf Andersson started Overkill, and it's unclear how their roles will change (if at all) in the new setup. The acquisition – if approved by Starbreeze's shareholders – is set to go into effect in mid-June.
More images and details emerge about Ikea's Uppleva
Did you not get enough Swedish furniture pr0n yesterday with the announcement of Ikea's Uppleva? Well, we've got a slew of new images and some new details for you. As far as specs, it seems that the sets will be available in 24, 36, 40 and 46 inches and all are LED backlit. They'll also all sport WiFi and "smart TV" features including the Opera browser -- except for the 24-incher, which must accept its role as the runt of the litter. The TVs will also come attached to three different TV bench designs in six different finishes. While we weren't able to score our own units yet, M3 did and you can check out their hands-on out at the source link.
IKEA puts away your TV cables, tech credentials
If your abode has ever been touched by the space-saving hand of IKEA, you'll be familiar with its clever, wallet-friendly wares. Now, the Swedish furniture giant is bringing its quirky ideas into the technology market. Frustrated with cable spaghetti ruining the otherwise sharp lines of its TV storage units, the Scandinavian firm has taken it one step further, and built the TV right in to the furniture. Yup, "Uppleva" is an all-in-one TV and stand with storage built in co-operation with China's TCL Multimedia. Not only that, it also incorporates a Blu-ray / DVD player and surround sound (with wireless sub woofer.) Details on the TV itself are sparse, but there's a brace of USB inputs and four HDMI ports (so you can re-add in some wires), plus FM radio and internet connectivity, but beyond that we're left guessing. More importantly -- for the casual IKEA customer we assume -- will be the array of colors and designs it will ship in. The delivery man will be kicking up Autumn leaves by the time you can get your hands on one, with prices starting at 6,500 Swedish crowns (around $960). In the meantime you can unpack a video after the break, which just like those shelves you bought, doesn't seem to contain everything.
Swedish Consumer Agency considers investigation into iPad 4G LTE marketing
The Swedish Consumer Agency is thinking about investigating whether or not Apple's marketing of the new iPad's 4G LTE connectivity is misleading. The agency has apparently received "several complaints" from consumers who have discovered that the new device doesn't work with the 4G LTE networks in Sweden. The new iPad supports LTE on the 700 and 2100 MHz frequencies, while in Sweden, 700 MHz is used for television broadcasts and 2100 MHz is used for 3G data. The only countries at this time that support LTE on 700 and 2100 MHz are the U.S. and Canada. Marek Andersson, an attorney for the Swedish Consumer Agency, said that "One may rightfully ask if the marketing of the new iPad is misleading ... the question is whether this information is clear enough in Apple's marketing." Apple is under fire for the same marketing concern in Australia, where the company has agreed with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to clarify the claim that the new device supports 4G LTE and to refund early adopters of the new iPad who feel that they were misled.
PSA: Get your new iPad today in Austria, Ireland, Mexico and many other places
If your homeland wasn't part of the initial iPad roll out we've got good news -- today is the day for iOS tabletry. Maybe. The latest slab of Retina display-equipped machinery out of Cupertino is landing in 25 additional countries today, including Liechtenstein and Luxembourg. So, if you haven't been waiting on line since the 16th in anticipation of this day, then go to your local Apple store to score one. Or don't. For the full list of countries check the PR after the break.
Music from Grin's canned Final Fantasy game 'Fortress' found unguarded
Before Swedish megastudio Grin collapsed back in aught nine, it was juggling a trillion different projects for a trillion different publishers. One such project that never saw the light of day was a Final Fantasy franchise entry titled "Fortress," which we got a peek at not long after we learned of Grin's closure. And now we're able to hear some music sampled from the game as well, as former music director Erik Thunberg dropped one such track on his portfolio website.So, uh, you may wanna line up these shots of the game with the music playing in another tab, to try and recreate the feeling of the Western-born Final Fantasy game that never was. Hold that Chocobo plushie extra tight.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: 'Plantscraper' vertical farm, new wave energy and a battery-powered iPhone case
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. Groundbreaking green architecture burst into life in Sweden this week as Inhabitat reported that Plantagon began construction on the world's first 'Plantscraper' vertical farm. We also marveled at artist Yayoi Kusama's dazzling Infinity Mirror Room, which shines with the reflections of thousands of LEDs, and we shared the bubbly modular AMPS living wall system. Meanwhile, the MoMA PS1 Young Architects Program announced that HWKN's bright blue spiky sea-urchin shaped pavilion will be popping up this summer, PinkCloud.DK unveiled plans to transform oil refineries into giant energy positive communities and the UK granted planning commission for its first amphibious house.We also showcased several amazing applications for LEGO bricks this week: a NYC apartment renovated with 20,000 plastic bricks, a gigantic LEGO-inspired church in the Netherlands and a remarkable fully articulated prosthetic LEGO arm. Speaking of next-gen prosthetics, this week Israeli scientists demoed a real-life "Star Trek" VISOR that enables the blind to see, and Nike took the wraps off a prosthetic running sole for amputee triathlete Sarah Reinertsen.This also marked a heated week for energy news as solar power heavyweight Sunpower sued Solarcity over stolen data, and Aquamarine Power geared up to connect its new wave energy generator to the UK's national grid. We also got ready for rough days ahead with the waterproof, armageddon-ready, solar-charged, battery-powered iPhone case, and we got things cooking with Biolite's brilliant new camping stove, which converts waste heat into electricity for USB gadgets. Last but not least, we were wowed by several amazing new applications for discarded tech: Sean Avery's astounding animal sculptures made from shattered CDs and Paola Mirai's elegant jewelry fashioned out of discarded computer circuits.
Pirate Bay founders lose final appeal in Sweden, prison looms on the horizon
It looks like Pirate Bay's legal drama has finally come to a close in Sweden, where the Supreme Court today turned down the site's final appeal. At the center of the case are the file sharing site's founders -- Fredrik Neij, Peter Sunde and Carl Lundström -- who have been battling Swedish prosecutors for quite a few years now. After being convicted of facilitating copyright infringement, the trio was initially sentenced to prison. They appealed the ruling in 2010 and, though they failed to overturn it, managed to see their 12-month sentences reduced by between two and eight months. Today, though, their final attempts were shot down, with the Court's dismissal. The fines and prison terms remain the same: ten months for Neij, eight months for Sunde and four for Lundström. There's also a fourth co-founder involved, Gottfrid Svartholm, who has been absent from several hearings. Under today's ruling, his original 12-month sentence will stand, and the four men will have to pay a total of $6.8 million in damages. Because the case has dragged on for at least five years, however, there's a chance that the sentences could be reduced by 12 months (bringing them down to zero), as is common in the Swedish legal system. The decision on this matter, however, remains with the court. TorrentFreak reports that at least one defendant intends to appeal to the European Court of Justice, though the results wouldn't have any effect on Sweden's decision.
LG Optimus L3 appears in Sweden, packs entry-level style
It's not every day that we come across an entry-level Android smartphone from LG, especially one that packs this much style. The LG Optimus L3 (aka E400) recently popped up on Swedish retailer CDON's website and appears to be slotted right below the Optimus Hub (successor to the highly popular Optimus One). Specs include Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) with LG's Optimus UI, a 3.2-inch QVGA (that's 320x240 pixels, ouch) capacitive touchscreen, a three megapixel camera, dual-band (2100 / 900MHz) HSDPA 3.6Mbps and quadband EDGE connectivity, WiFi / Bluetooth / GPS / FM radios and a microSD card slot. While there's no word yet on what kind of processor powers the handset, we're guessing it's likely the same 800MHz CPU found in the Optimus Hub. Availability remains a mystery, but the Optimus L3 lists for 1290SEK (about $192) contract-free. See, style doesn't always have to cost a fortune.
More DICE employees jump ship to Ngmoco's Swedish studio
After former DICE / EA Easy dev Benjamin Cousins left his former role, we were pretty sure he was on his way to a world bicycling championship. As it turns out, he's keeping his bicycling hobby on the side and running the Swedish branch of Ngmoco instead -- and he's bringing along some friends from his former employer. Senior artist Wille Wintertidh and senior programmers Torbjørn Lædre and Malte Hildigsson, all from DICE, have joined the team, and we don't expect they'll be the last. Cousins announced the hires via Twitter, where he characterized the trio as "fabulous new employees." We're hoping he also threw confetti in the air as he remarked as much.
Visualized: Sweden's Dreamhack in pictures
What does a legion of Swedish LAN party-goers and a 120Gbps internet connection look like? Something like this. Dreamhack, officially (according to the Guinness Book of Records) the world's largest LAN party, offered up all sorts of gaming thrills along the lines of StarCraft II and Counter-Strike to the 12,000 attendees. It looks like the air was thick with excitement, perspiration -- and hopefully a little air freshener.
