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SlingBox going PAL with DVB-T support?
Oh, just in case you weren't following along super closely this last week, the SlingPlayer update we covered that has some expanded PAL support options? Yeah, looks like that corresponds to the new UK PAL SlingBox we were expecting at some point, which according to SlingBox manual version 1.1.0.153 (PDF) will include broadcast DVB-T support, and is apparently due any time now. We'd like to take this opportunity to complain about not having integrated ATSC in our SlingBoxes, but we know it won't do us a ton of good until we get some more channels digitally broadcast anyway -- so to Europe we tip our hats, and say congratulations on your new gadget.[Thanks, Dave]
No expedited shipping for Europeans
The above image says it all really. People purchasing Macs in the U.K. and, I assume, Europe are stuck with a vague 3-7 day shipping method while Americans get the option of a superior free 5 day service or the option of 2-3 day shipping for $18 extra. Why?
Price parity for Wii in Europe, UK
A Nintendo UK spokesperson has confirmed that the Wii will go on sale in Europe at around the same price point as has been announced for the US and Japan. Yesterday we got word that the Wii won't cost more than $250 (around £135) so if we combine that word with this latest statement we can conclude that the UK could see a launch price of around £150 (if you add 17.5% VAT) with Europe seeing a price point of around €200.We've complained endlessly (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) about the price disparity between the U.S., Japan and Europe so it's great to finally see that Europe is getting a fair deal. Hopefully this will set a precedent that Microsoft and Sony will follow.[Via Engadget]
Blu-ray is very important for gamers
This is what UK boss Ray Maguire has to say about it anyway. Many gamers may have been bemoaning the steep cost of the PS3 due to the Blu-ray component, but he comes at it from a different angle.With the huge requirements of the Cell processor come bigger requirements in the media on which games will need to be stored. This is why, according to Maguire, the Blu-ray discs are a must-have for next-gen games. Thanks to the 50GB of storage, people won't be having to change discs in the middle of loading (which is apparently what we'd have to do he says). While this is spot-on for more content, it means that developers are going to need to deliver on that proclamation for quantity and quality.By adopting this high definition medium, they hope to "legitimize" the HD era where it counts most: in your home.
The great divide: UK vs US censorship
When listing the differences between the UK and the USA one usually thinks of spelling, gastronomy and driving on the wrong side of the road, rather than film and game censorship. However, this fascinating post at Terra Nova (along with its thriving comments thread) delves into the differences between the BBFC and MPAA, as well as cultural factors, to try and establish why American consumers are less happy to have age restrictions on games.The whole thread gives an international perspective to current debates over the censorship of violent games. While sexual content in games can be treated as pornography, the lack of existing US legislation covering violence across other media means that singling games out is plain unfair. In the UK, however, ratings of violent and extremely realistic games fall under the Video Recordings Act, which covers any recorded video media.We have to wonder when games will get a category of their own and stand alongside more established media such as film and TV. In the meantime, to find out more about international game classification, Wikipedia's a great place to begin.
PS3 price point initially "irrelevant" in UK
When we brought you news of the PS3's £425 UK price point, we speculated that the British public wouldn't react too well to it. Both the price and US/UK differential are down points, but Eurogamer has been talking to British retailers who have a much more cheerful outlook on things.From calling the price point "irrelevant for the first six months" to "anticipating that demand will outstrip supply", retailers are confident that the PS3 will sell well, with the head of Action Replay even saying that the console could have been "twice the price and still sell-out twice over".
First look at Sky HD
SkyHD is ready to launch on May 22nd but HDTV UK has their first impressions up about the system with a full review set to come soon. What did they think? They liked it. The box looks great and works like the non-HD ones. The DVR has a 160 gig hard drive in it that can record in 576, 720p and 1080i. They also like the programming offerings specifically Cricket in HD. This is apparently like what football is to us; their killer HD programming. We are sure there is going to be a whole lot more info and reviews once the service officially launches in a week.
Australia to allow CD ripping, too
In another Pyrrhic victory for fair use rights, Australia's government is set to legalize CD ripping. The revision to the country's copyright law, like proposed changes being mulled in the UK, will legalize activities that are already fairly widespread, including "format shifting" of music you legally own from CDs to digital audio players. While blessing common practices, the new law cracks down on file sharing and piracy, allowing police to issue on-the-spot fines to anyone caught in the act of piracy. The Australian law may also apply to ebooks, which could require companies like Adobe and Microsoft to allow protected ebooks to be printed or saved in other formats for use on non-supported devices.[Via Techdirt]
Acer's 32-inch AT3205-DTV LCD reviewed
We know there are a ton of Brits anxiously waiting to hear whether Acer's 32-inch AT3205-DTV LCD, at only $1,888 dollars, is really such a bargain, so we won't keep you in suspense: according to Trusted Reviews, it most certainly is. Truth be told, the picture actually sounds like it leaves something to be desired -- black levels and fine detail aren't the best -- but they seem to fall in the acceptable range, and the 1366 x 768 screen apparently delivers vibrant colors and good brightness levels. Other plusses include the built-in Freeview tuner (no CI slot for adding subscription content, though), powerful-for-a-flat-panel sound system, and a plethora of connection options, including HDMI and DVI, component, three SCART ports, and digital audio out. So, if you can deal with some slightly gray blacks and a bit of a, um, bold design, then fear not, British friends, because your quid will be well spent on the Acer.
BPI may grant Brits right to rip
While Americans continue to bemoan the loss of fair-use rights via DRM, the Broadcast Flag and other new legislation, Brits may find themselves with new rights via an unlikely source: the BPI, the country's equivalent of the RIAA, which is recommending some changes to the UK's copyright laws. However, the new rights will really only legalize something that both Brits and Americans have been doing for years: ripping music from CDs to digital audio players, which is currently illegal in the UK. As one industry exec said, "this is about the UK music industry responding effectively to the changing way music is consumed." But just because the BPI is willing to bless the idea of ripping CDs you've already purchased, don't think they've gone all soft. When it comes to file sharing, they're in sync with their US counterparts, and will continue hunting down suspected copyright thieves wherever they lurk.
Who has the oldest TV in England?
Easy contest, the person with the oldest (still working) television in the land will be upgraded to a lovely new HD-ready 50" plasma TV. The point of the contest is to "raise awareness about the DTV transition" (read: sell lots of new HDTVs). Seems like a good plan to, get people looking at that old television set and imagining something shiny and brand new its place.Anyone got a TV they think could win this contest if it were open to the U.S.? My money is on this guy.[Via HDTV UK]
White PSP in Europe next week
While everyone's still reeling from the PS3 price announcement, UK gamers who want some shiny new Sony hardware before the PS3 launches are in luck. Sony has announced that the Ceramic White PSP will finally be released in Europe next Monday (May 15), with an expected retail price of £179.99 in the UK (€249).As of June there will also be a range of Platinum UMDs, with titles like Everybody's Golf available for £19.99 (€24.99). As if that's not enough, a range of Lonely Planet-produced city guides, to be called Planet PSP, will arrive this autumn; also, in the near future we'll see PlayStation Spot appearing in Europe.
Motorola V3im iTunes phone debuts in Europe
We already learned just about everything we needed to know about Motorola's colorful V3im model at CTIA -- except for one thing: whether this phone -- which is now available in the UK from O2 for free with a contract -- would be iTunes-capable. Turns out it is, so podsters can start plotting out which playlists they want to put on their phones. Oh, and before you ask: yes, the 100-song limit is still in place -- though we all know what to do about that, right?[Thanks, Arne]
UK sales charts, April 30-May 6: FIFA scores again
World Cup fever is running high in the UK still, with FIFA World Cup holding on to its top spot for a second week. Metroid Prime: Hunters rushes straight into the top ten in its first week at number 6, and Crazy Frog Racer finally vanishes from the top 40, leaving us with nothing but a terrible memory.1. FIFA World Cup Germany 20062. Tomb Raider Legend3. Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter4. The Godfather5. Animal Crossing: Wild World6. Metroid Prime: Hunters7. Ice Age 2: The Meltdown8. FIFA Street 29. Buzz! The Big Quiz10. Championship Manager 2006
Brits Bash WoW Woes
With all the issues regarding player connectivity & realm stability lately, it was just a matter of time before even the oh-so-polite British had to stand up & say something. This weekend's edition of BBC news online ran an article detailing all the damage caused by the lag monster on their side of the pond, and how it's not only homegrown gamers who are unhappy.Maybe they should stage a good old-fashioned soccer riot; that'll might really get Blizzard shaking in their boots...
Qtek 8500 / HTC Star Trek gets UK price, launch date, new name
Contradicting an earlier report that the Qtek 8500 / HTC Star Trek smartphone would available in the UK sometime this month, The Register is now citing an official announcement from HTC that claims the Windows Mobile-powered clamshell won't hit stores until "late June." Furthermore, Reg Hardware is reporting that the Star Trek will henceforth be known as the STRTrk, probably to avoid trademark issues with Spock and friends, due to the fact that the internal codename has seen widespread adoption. (Not sure that this will do any good, as now we'll have to include a "the phone formerly known as the HTC Star Trek" every time we mention one of the rebadges). Whatever you want to call it, the music-centric device will supposedly come in black, silver, or pink, and go on sale during the third week of June, at least according to distributor 20:20 Logistics, for around $500 before carrier subsidies.
Medion's UK-bound MD 20099 32-inch LCD
While we can't vouch for the quality of a 32-inch LCD making its debut at Toys 'R Us locations around the UK for under $1,100, the specs on Medion's upcoming MD 20099 don't look half bad. The Medion offers a 1,366 x 768 pixel display, 1000:1 contrast ratio, 550cd/m² brightness, and even an HDCP-capable HDMI input, along with dual-tuner PIP, split-screen text, and built-in 20-watt sound system with five-band equalizer. Again, we're not sure what to expect from the performance of this model, but if you happen to be in a British Toys 'R Us at the end of the month when this model is debuted, make sure to leave your impressions in the comments.
Vonage prepping VoIP solutions for DS and PSP?
Although neither device has a true VoIP option yet, UK tech site T3 is reporting that "a source close to...Vonage" (i.e. a friend of a friend of a friend) has confirmed that the VoIP provider is developing WiFi calling solutions for both the Sony PSP and Nintendo DS. We've known for awhile that both systems were capable of implementing the ol' VoIP, but other than a random blog musing we reported on last year, this is the first indication we've seen of a major player making moves in this direction. Even for a rumor, the details here are pretty thin, such as how Vonage plans to actually implement VoIP in the disparate devices -- the possibilities include a firmware update for the PSP, and either DSpeak-like software or an Opera-like cartridge for the DS -- or even a hint of when we can expect to see any products come to market. As you might expect, Vonage itself declined to comment on the matter when contacted by T3.
HTC Tornado available from O2 as the Xda IQ
As of today, Brits have access to one of the hottest Windows Mobile 5.0 smartphones on the market, thanks to o2's much-anticipated release of the Xda IQ. Better known as the HTC Tornado (or the Cingular 2125 / T-Mobile SDA / Qtek 8310 / Orange SPV C600), this quad-band GSM worldphone sports both Bluetooth and WiFi, a 200MHz processor, 2.2-inch QVGA screen, 1.3 megapixel cam, miniSD slot, and EDGE data capabilities. The best part is that AKU2, with its sweet, sweet MSFP, will be available for download at launch, so customers can get their push email-on right away -- and even their A2DP, thanks to the godsend of a .cab assembled by the good folks over at the xda-developers forum. Even though this handset is already available, our best efforts have been for naught when it comes to finding a price -- a little help, UK readers?
British prof warns nanotech products are potentially dangerous
While we're eagerly awaiting the day that we can lounge around while armies of nanobots perform their magical alchemy on our garbage and turn it into hot cellphones and delicious Big Macs, one British scientist is warning that the medical implications of nanotechnology have yet to be properly explored, despite numerous products already finding their way to market. Specifically, Edinburgh University Professor and environmental health expert Anthony Seaton argues that almost nothing is known about the potential effect of inhaling nanoparticles, likening the situation to the dangerous particle-emitting asbestos that was installed in buildings prior to 1970 without a second thought. According to some estimates, there are already 200 products containing nanoparticles available to consumers, with hundreds more expected to hit shelves this year -- but Seaton claims that so far, recommended nano testing "simply hasn't happened." Damn, way to ruin our nanobot fantasies, Professor Letdown.
