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Indie game 'Bob Came in Pieces' bundled with FantomenK album
A new socially enmeshed "flash sale platform," Groupees, has wrapped its first bundle in a Swedish theme, offering a downloadable indie game, Bob Came in Pieces, alongside music from indie electronica artist FantomenK (that's a MySpace link, by the way). It launched at $5 on Wednesday, but has since switched to a pay-what-you-want deal with a $2 minimum. Developed by Ludosity Interactive, Bob Came in Pieces has you collecting parts for a customizable spaceship, solving physics-based puzzles and generally bumping into a lot of colorful things. In the words of Rock, Paper, Shotgun, it's a rather adorable "floaty-spaceship platform game." There's a demo of it on Steam, where it usually sells for $10. The DRM-free bundle also contains original concept art for the game, and 6 unreleased FantomenK tracks in addition to the LP, "The Massacre." According to Groupees CEO Thomas Brooke, the two Swedish entities will collaborate and develop a free Bob level featuring FantomenK tunes if sales exceed 15,000 by the time deal expires at 12PM ET on Saturday. Brooke claims more promotions are being lined up with indie developers "from around the world," though we're not in a hurry to leave Sweden just yet -- not until they bundle The Dream Machine with Roxette's greatest hits.
Swedes to start text message-based postage system, girl with dragon tattoo reportedly pleased
The Swedish Postal Service has announced that it will soon replace traditional postage stamps with a text message-based system. The system will work pretty simply -- customers will send a text message to a particular number, and a special code will be texted back to them which they can then write on the letter. A spokesperson for Posten AB, the Swedish Postal Service, says the system will work for packages weighing up to two kilograms, and that it will be just as secure as traditional postage. That's all well and good, but how will they adorn their letters with famous Swedish crime writers?
RIM buys TAT, BlackBerry UI in danger of becoming awesome
This is not a joke, in fact it's quite official. Research In Motion has just confirmed the acquisition of Swedish UI design company TAT, which will soon be "bringing their talent to the BlackBerry PlayBook and smartphone platforms." You'll be familiar with TAT as the team that helped polish the original Android interface on the T-Mobile G1 as well as from more recent UI design projects -- the important thing is that these guys have shown they know what they're doing. We have to admit, pairing the rock solid foundation of the QNX-built PlayBook OS with some top-level spit-shine from a company specializing in exactly that has us legitimately excited. Who knows, maybe we'll even see a BlackBerry with a user interface that someone other than a BBMer could love. [Thanks, Rasmus]
iPad officially debuts in Nordic countries tomorrow
The iPad continues its march towards world domination. A number of TUAW readers and the Swedish Apple site Alltommac.se are reporting that the iPad will finally make it to authorized Apple resellers in Sweden tomorrow. It also appears that iPads will be warming hearts throughout the Nordic countries of Norway, Finland and Denmark tomorrow as well. Confirmation of the launch has been forthcoming from official Apple sources as well as from resellers, many of whom are reported to be planning special early store openings tomorrow to feed the frenzy. The largest Apple retailer in Finland, Humac, ran teaser ads this morning saying that "morning coffee is one reason to come visit Humaciin on Tuesday," with a tell-tale iPad-shaped coffee stain on the ad. No pricing information has been forthcoming from any of the retailers at this time. [via MacRumors] Update -- Thanks to TUAW reader Henrik, who reported the following prices for Norwegian iPad purchasers 16GB Wi-Fi - NOK3999 - USD644 32GB Wi-Fi - NOK4999 - USD805 64GB Wi-Fi - NOK5999 - USD967 16GB Wi-Fi + 3G - NOK4899 - USD789 32GB Wi-Fi + 3G - NOK5899 - USD951 64GB Wi-Fi + 3G - NOK6899 - USD1112
Pirate Bay founders lose appeal: jail time reduced, fines raised
It's been a while since the four Pirate Bay founders lost their case in a Stockholm district court -- April 2009, to be more precise. The verdict was of course appealed, but alas, it was not to be. A Swedish appeals court has upheld the original ruling but changed the sentencing. Three of the quartet have had their jail time reduced: Fredrik Neij gets ten months, Peter Sunde eight months, and Carl Lundstrom four (Gottfrid Svartholm was too ill at the time of the hearing; his "criminal liability" will be determined later, according to BBC News). The fine, however, has been upped from the original 30 million kronor to 46 million (US $6.4m). That's seriously going to cut into their Black Friday shopping plans, but hey, we know a great way to pick up the Adobe suite. Well, maybe not.
Apple TV ready to launch in Taiwan, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Portugal, and Belgium
9to5 Mac speculates that the second generation Apple TV is set to launch in Taiwan, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Portugal, and Belgium tomorrow morning. Last night, the night before the second gen Apple TV went on sale in Italy and Switzerland today, anyone who clicked on the original Apple TV link on the country's Apple Online Store were taken to an error message. Today, that error message is being replicated in the Apple Online Stores of Taiwan, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Portugal, and Belgium when shoppers click on the same Apple TV link. While this does seem to signify that the new Apple TV is set for imminent release in seven new countries, it's unknown if HD movie and TV rentals will appear in those countries' Apple TV iTunes store. We'll keep an eye out for official news that Apple TV is ready to launch elsewhere, and let you know when we hear more.
MachineGames developing under Bethesda, using id Tech 5
Mega-publisher ZeniMax Media made its acquisition of Swedish developer MachineGames official today, specifying that the studio would be working on multiplatform titles under ZeniMax's Bethesda banner. MachineGames' first unannounced project will be built using sibling studio id Software's id Tech 5 game engine. "Working with our new colleagues at id and the world class publisher, Bethesda Softworks, is a tremendous opportunity," said MachineGames CEO Jerk Gustafsso, who will serve as executive producer of the new game. Barely a year old, MachineGames has nothing to show for itself publicly, though the company was established by a gang of ex-Starbreeze founders, including Gustafsso, which is credited with critical darlings The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher's Bay (2004) / Assault on Dark Athena (2009) and The Darkness (2007). Legal documentation of the acquisition appeared to indicate that MachineGames would be re-branded "ZeniMax Sweden," but it seems the studio will retain its original name. Just two weeks ago, Zenimax made its acquisition of Shinji Mikami's Tango Gameworks official. Just this week, subsidiary Bethesda made its shipment of 5 million blatantly buggy copies of Fallout: New Vegas official -- hey, revenue's gotta come from something while these new studios get settled. [Pictured: id Software's Rage, built with id Tech 5]
Machinegames purchased by ZeniMax Media, becomes ZeniMax Sweden
ZeniMax Media -- parent company to Bethesda Softworks, Arkane Studios, id Software and, most recently, Tango Gameworks -- has been on an acquisition spree as of late. Today is no exception, as Develop uncovered business records revealing the recent purchase of Swedish developer Machinegames (ex-Starbreeze) after seeing tweets from an alleged anonymous industry insider's Twitter account. The company has seen brand renaming to "ZeniMax Sweden AB," which is way less exciting of a name than Machinegames. Little is known about the acquisition, or what (if any) games Machinegames had in development before being purchased, though Machinegames' website describes the studio as "a developer of exciting AAA titles for next-gen platforms."
ASSA ABLOY trials remote hotel check-ins, unlocking your room with NFC cellphones (video)
Just think of it, no more hanging around your hotel's front desk like some unrefined homo erectus. The Clarion Hotel in Stockholm is starting up a new pilot program to allow visitors to check in and collect their room key without the repugnant need for speaking to an actual human being -- it can all be done with an NFC-equipped mobile phone. Provided your smartphone can do the near-field communications dance, all your information can be remotely downloaded, stored, and wiped (if need be), and you can even check out from a room using the accompanying application. Samsung handsets are being provided to selected customers during the period of this trial, though once its four-month incubation period is over, you'll have to bring your own bit of advanced telephony to avoid the queues. We're sure you'll think of something. Video and full press release after the break.
In Sweden, laptop thieves return your data on a USB stick
Thieves, as it turns out, can be very considerate people indeed. A Swedish professor, who has understandably asked to remain anonymous, informed his local newspaper recently of a tale informing his laptop bag, a trip to the laundry room, and one very gentlemanly law breaker. As the story goes, the scholar in question hid his backpack under a stairwell while taking care of some chores, only to find it vanished a few minutes later. After reporting the incident to the police, however, our professor returned to the scene of the crime to find his goods had returned, sans his laptop. Content with at least having his precious calendar and papers back, he carried on with his undoubtedly thrilling academic life, but there was one more twist to his tale -- the thief mailed him a USB memory stick with all his data on it. Ironically enough, the USB key was one the prof had lying around inside his bag already, and the thief did what the owner never bothered to: back up all data on a separate drive. It's a surreal (and potentially fictitious) tale, but it made us smile to read it all the same.
Swedish display concept makes the future look so nonchalant
If there's one thing Sweden knows how to do, it's looking cool doing just about anything -- especially using technology. Look at this lady. Just, you know, browsing her feeds, checking her calendar, and brushing her teeth at the same time. What's worse, she has a whole bunch of friends who use Minority Report-crushing display concepts to similarly whelming effect. Have a little Labor Day weekend fun with this laid-back and mind-expanding tech demo from display innovators TAT -- who actually make some of the amazing products they dream up -- after the break.
Wikileaks to be hosted by Swedish Pirate Party, apparently Angelfire wasn't really working out
You know, we can't get enough of that Swedish Pirate Party. Not only is it fighting tirelessly for freedom, truth, and government transparency, but it just happens to have the most bad-ass name of any political party that we know. And now, deputy party leader Anna Troberg has announced that it's agreed to host WikiLeaks' servers from an undisclosed location, somewhere in the country. This isn't the first time the organization has stepped in to aid a beleaguered website -- you might recall how it announced that it would provide bandwidth for the Pirate Bay way back in May. For the time being, it looks like Julian Assange and co. (or at least their data) has found a safe haven, although it remains to be seen just how tolerant Sweden will be of the whistleblowers. Good luck, kids!
Swedish Pirate Party launches ISP to raise funds for its impending shutdown trial
As a fan of Swedish electoral politics, you're obviously aware that the Pirate Party (or "Piratpartiet") has been bedeviling officials in that Nordic country since 2006, doing crazy things like hosting the Pirate Bay's servers and launching the Relakks commercial darknet -- all the while flying the flag for privacy rights, copyright reform, and state transparency. And now? Northern Lights TV has recently posted an interview with Gustav Snipe, CEO of Pirate ISP, the party's very own service provider. How long can an ISP that refuses to monitor traffic or keep user logs keep the Swedish government at bay? We'll probably find out soon enough: it's already providing beta access in Lund, with plans to go nationwide at the end of the summer. Video after the break.
Voddler video-on-demand service free to the people (of Sweden)
Voddler, the year old video-on-demand service that's wowing them in Western Europe (much like Sandra Kim did when she won Eurovision for Belgium in 1986) has just announced that as of today it is offering open enrollment to users in Sweden. The company is already boasting over 600,000 registered users (up until now, invitations were required), contracts with five of America's major movie studios, and Scandinavia's biggest assortment of free movies and TV shows. Sadly, if you're a displaced Norwegian living in the states, this will all do you no good at all: the service is not available in the US of A. We suppose this is all payback for Hulu's restrictions from international fans of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Either way, the situation is pretty "wackadoo." We've heard on the street that the service, which features a ten foot interface for living room friendly viewing and utilizes a P2PTV overlay network (similar to Vudu) for streaming should eventually hit the states, although there doesn't seem to be a timeline on that. PR after the break. [Thanks, Karl]
People of Lava's Android TV gets tested, only your pocketbook feels the burn
When we heard an upstart named People of Lava were going to beat Google to the punch with an all-in-one TV set, we were confused, amused and skeptical all at the same time. Thankfully, Expert Reviews made a special trip to Sweden to see the company's Android-powered television in action, and now we know what the unit actually does -- it switches between an Android interface and a discrete TV mode without actually mixing the two in any appreciable fashion. Disappointing as that might seem, the publication rather enjoyed the Android side of things, which features not only the above widgets but also a full Chrome web browser, a TV app marketplace, spacious Google Maps page and more. Before you pull out your wallet, though, know that the edge-lit, LG-powered display is intended for the sub-lux crowd; when the Scandinavia ships in September, it's expected to run as much as £2,000 (around $2,898) for the basic, 42-inch model -- or roughly $2,700 more than just sticking with your existing TV and adding a Bonux box for Android functionality.
The Virtual Whirl: Death and taxes
"Nothing is certain but death and taxes"; a rather sardonic and bleak proverb, quoted and paraphrased by a number of famous figures over the years. The earliest on record was Daniel Defoe, in The Political History of the Devil in 1726. Well, this week the death part doesn't concern us so much as the taxes. Many Americans have spent this month scrambling to get their taxes filed, and for many of the rest of us our own turn comes due in just a couple of months. With that in mind, I thought I'd talk about the taxation status of virtual assets.
Might&Delight reassembles GRIN's Bionic Commando Rearmed team
GRIN may be no more, but some of the talent behind the studio is coming back. The team responsible for Bionic Commando Rearmed, arguably GRIN's greatest title, have announced plans to return to game development with a new studio: Might&Delight. Focused on "advancing back to the 80s," the new studio opens today in Stockholm, Sweden. According to a press release, "our ambition is to continue doing what we started with Rearmed. Small, fresh games with strong old school flavor." Starting another team is no small task, so we wish Might&Delight the best of luck on its future endeavors. We can't wait to see what retro revivals it'll be able to come up with.
People of Lava trumpet Android-packin' Scandinavia HDTV, one bodacious company name
Forget Sony, Vizio, Samsung, LG, Toshiba and Sharp -- those guys might have leverage in the production line, but they ain't got the pizazz possessed by Sweden's own People of Lava. After confirming (and reconfirming) that such a company really exists, we were stoked to learn that an Android-based television (the "planet's first," as they say) will be shipping later this year from 'em. As the story goes, the future set -- which will be fittingly dubbed Scandinavia -- will sport a 42-inch panel, a 1080p native resolution and internet connectivity. We're told that 47- and 55-inch variants are on the way, all of which will include Android widgets onboard and provide users with easy access to YouTube, Google Maps, the weather, an internet browser, Facebook, Twitter, etc. A USB socket will also be included (presumably for playing back media on your external hard drive), and it'll demand a €2,000 ($2,695) and €2,500 ($3,370) investment when it rolls out in September. IKEA, you seeing this, or what? %Gallery-89774%
TeliaSonera already upgrading LTE network, 'practical speeds' of up to 80Mbps promised
There's no rest for the wicked -- and perhaps nothing in the world of wireless describes "wicked" better than Nordic carrier TeliaSonera, which holds the distinction of having deployed the world's first commercial LTE network last year. Thing is, the network's been taking a little heat for being effectively no faster than some of the recent HSPA+ deployments around the globe, but no worries -- they're already working on it. It seems that central Stockholm is the first area to benefit from upgrades that will take the LTE airwaves to a theoretical max of 100Mbps with "practical" downlink throughput alleged to be down around 80Mbps, still a fine upgrade from the real-world peaks of 40Mbps that folks have been seeing so far. If you're outside Stockholm, TeliaSonera expect to upgrade the rest of the LTE network in Spring. Where's the carrier suddenly finding all this extra bandwidth? It's said to be more of a backhaul upgrade than anything else, which sounds kind of familiar.
Vodafone's Wayfinder is first victim of free smartphone navigation services
Back in January 2009, as Vodafone was preparing to close a £20 million ($30 million) deal to buy Swedish mapmaker Wayfinder, it was seen as a bold move from a carrier intent on entering the apparently lucrative market for location based services. Fast forward to the present day -- past the bit where free Google Maps Navigation destroyed TomTom and Garmin share prices, and past the introduction of free turn-by-turn navigation to Nokia's Ovi Maps -- and you'll find Wayfinder gently sobbing into a handkerchief as it permanently closes up its doors. Vodafone's Anna Cloke gives us the reason for it with devastating concision: "We could not charge for something that others gave away for free." So there we have it, the paid navigation services deathwatch has its first fatality, and it's the unfortunate nature of the beast that plenty of others will be following suit, unable to resist the destructive effects of the free and ubiquitous services now on offer. [Thanks, Chris]
