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Web Marketplace for Windows Phone gets 22 more stamps in its passport
If you've been holed up in Thailand, waiting to browse the latest and greatest apps for your Windows Phone in your browser instead of on the device directly, then things are looking up. Microsoft has just announced that 22 new countries are being graces with their own web Marketplace. The full list covers Bulgaria, Costa Rica, Croatia, Estonia, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey, Ukraine, Venezuela, UAE, Bahrain, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kazakhstan, Israel, Thailand, and Vietnam. The same blog post advises that work is also underway to improve the search results delivered by the site. So you might not have to play Hungry Birds for much longer.
MESM Soviet computer project marks 60 years
Before you go complaining about your job, take a moment to remember the MESM project, which just marked the 60th anniversary of its formal recognition by the Soviet Academy of Sciences. The project, headed by Institute of Electrical Engineering director Sergey Lebedev, was born in a laboratory built from scratch amongst the post-World War II ruins of Ukrainian capital city, Kyiv, by a team of 20 people, many of whom took up residence above the lab. Work on MESM -- that's from the Russian for Small Electronic Calculating Machine -- began toward the end of 1948. By November 1950, the computer was running its first program. The following year, it was up and running full-time. The machine has since come to be considered the first fully operation electronic computer in continental Europe, according to a Google retrospective. Check out a video interview with a MESM team member, after the break -- and make sure you click on that handy caption button for some English subtitles.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 dev on closure reports: 'nothing is certain'
It appears as though S.T.A.L.K.E.R. franchise dev GSC Game World may not be giving up, at least not yet, with an ambiguous Twitter message from the company's official feed stating, "We will do our best to continue. However, at this point, nothing is certain." Last last week when reports of GSC's closure were still fresh, the feed reportedly had a message which read, "No we have not closed GSC or cancelled," but it was said to be deleted soon after, according to Edge. A followup missive from the company notes that the website "will continue, with the forum and tech support." Additionally, the GSC shop will apparently carry on "until the nearest planned items sell out." While the company may not be entirely closed yet, these messages read like little more than the death rattle of a business on its last legs, sadly. Given the circumstances, it stands to reason that development of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 has stopped, though its unclear what will happen to the IP. We wish the best for the approximately 45 employees said to be affected.
Ukranian Defense Chief seemingly plagiarizes Steve Jobs' graduation speech
Raisa Bogatyrev, the Ukrainian Secretary of National Security and Defense, is causing a stir with her recent graduation speech at Kiev-Mohyla Academy. According to transcripts, her speech was eerily similar to a commencement address delivered by Steve Jobs to the 2005 graduating class at Stanford University. Jobs' candid speech focuses on pursuing your dreams despite setbacks in life, including illnesses that bring you face-to-face with death. According to the Ukrainian sources, some of Jobs' most memorable quotes from his speech were echoed by Bogatyrev in her address. The National Security Council responded to this accusation by pointing the finger at Bogatyrev who is the one responsible for the content of the speech. They claim she did not lift the speech but is inspired by a variety of sources, one of which may be Steve Jobs.
iPad 2 coming to Russia, Ukraine, Chile, and Brazil on May 27
Earlier today we told you about the iPhone 4 launching in India on May 27th. Now Apple's iPad 2 is set to make a splash in new markets as well. As noted by 9to5 Mac, the iPad 2 is set to go on sale in Russia, Ukraine, Chile and Brazil this Friday. Our Russian readers will be able to pick up Apple's latest tablet at a host of stores, including MediaMarkt, Beliy Veter Cifrovoi, M.Video, ION, Technosila, Eldorado, z-Store and Re:Store. As is sadly usually the case, the iPad 2 will be much more expensive in Russia than it is in the US or Europe. The 16 GB Wi-Fi version starts at 18,990 rubles, or US$667, while the 64 GB 3G version comes in at a whopping 30,990 rubles, or $1,088. Not much information is available at this time as to what the cost will be and what resellers will have the iPad 2 in Brazil, but in Chile the iPad 2 will be sold at retailer Ripley.cl and in Ukraine it will be sold at the retailers iStore, Moyo, Comfy and Foxtrot. Ukrainian prices will be as high as Russian ones with the 16 GB Wi-Fi version costing the equivalent of US$670 and the 64 GB 3G version the equivalent of US$1100.
Samsung makes it easier for you to buy stuff from its Apps store
No doubt still buzzing from hitting the 100 millionth download milestone back in March, Samsung is making it even easier for Apps customers to use the mobile/HDTV storefront -- well, consumers in Europe and Asia, at least. The company announced this week that it has streamlined the purchasing process for the store, letting users tack payments onto their phone bill or SIM card balance. The upgrade is being rolled out in the UK, Germany, Thailand, India, among others, with even more countries coming later this year. The rest of the world will have to continue paying for apps the old fashioned way: sticking a check in a bottle and praying it floats all the way to Korea. More info on the press release after the break.
Ukraine war memorial given eternal LED torch, cell antenna
An eternal flame that once blazed via good old fashioned science has now been given a new lease on life thanks to modern technology. This Cherkassy, Ukraine war monument, erected in honor of fallen World War 2 soldiers, had been sitting extinguished given the price of natural gas after the fall of the Soviet Union. Now, though, the bowl has been gifted with a LED marquee simulating a flame, which covers up its alternate use as a cell tower. Sure, beauty's in the eye of the beholder and we're fairly certain this hasn't been accepted with universal approval, but if you ask us, and admittedly we're biased, the more LEDs the better. [Via Hack a Day]
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 'stand-alone expansion' Call of Pripyat detailed
The Ukraine continues to be a popular tourist trap for mutants and Geiger counter salesmen. GSC Game World will again revisit the Eastern European country in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat, an upcoming "stand-alone expansion" to S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl. The Escapist recently culled some rad details on the upcoming title from the pages of Russian mag Gameplay, which reportedly referred to the game as a sequel set just days after the events depicted in the 2007 original.Among the particulars is information that players won't be able to side with factions this time around, with more 'varied' and 'detailed' side quests promised instead. Day and night cycles are also said to figure more prominently in the game, with the article claiming that the developers are aiming to fix "mistakes" made in both the first game and its prequel, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Clear Sky. Check out the full translation, as well as scans from the magazine on the FPSBanana forums while we wait in our lead bunker for S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat to drop sometime this fall.
LG Viewty, now in red
If the first thought on your mind when you saw the pink Viewty was, "man, I wish that came in a darker shade of pink," have a gander at this puppy. LG's 5 megapixel touchscreen masterpiece has reemerged in yet another color -- a straight-up red this time around, where it'll see introduction in Ukraine later this month. That's great, LG, but let's not milk this one too much longer, pretty please? The way we see it, you've got more important phones to recolor these days.[Via phoneArena]
Poverhnost to launch satellite service, HD channels in Ukraine
Currently, Ukrainians looking for satellite TV service can only point their attention in two directions: NTV+ and Viasat. Now, however, another rival is entering the ring, and we've always heard that three was company. Poverhnost is reportedly gearing up to launch Poverhnost Plus, and its claim to fame is its premium sport and HD channels that will likely trump offerings from the other two. According to a recent report, the satcaster will "launch its own premium sport and HD channels among a package of 60 priced at UAH100 (€13.50) a month," and it's also slated to add 15 more channels in short order without increasing the price. For prospective customers, you should also know that the outfit will be relying on the HD Homecast 5001 IR set-top-box (around $250 or so), but additional STB choices could be made available in the near future. Mum's the word on a launch date, but it certainly can't be far off now.
ZTE's Evolution handset sports dual alphabet support
Here's a bizarre one. ZTE's latest mobile not only sports a sleek, black enclosure and 3G connectivity, but also includes a "dual level, multilingual Fastap keypad based on Digit Wireless' Fastap Keypad Global Language Platform." As you'd expect, both English-speaking individuals and those proficient in Romanized Ukrainian and Russian should have no trouble entering text messages, as the keypad clearly sports both Cyrillic and Latin-based letters. Although the minutiae of this here device has yet to be unveiled, we do know that it'll be distributed by PEOPLEnet -- the first national provider of 3G communications in Ukraine -- and while nothing was written in stone, ZTE also suggested that the Evolution could be used by "international operators for authoritative certificates and assurances to overseas markets." Click on through for a more detailed shot of the bilingual mobile.[Via Slashphone]
"Smart plate" chides dieters who lack willpower
Buffet lines can be tricky business, if for no other reason that you have to fight a constant battle between your eyes and your stomach. Well, all of that may soon be over thanks to a Ukrainian inventor, Dr. Hryhory Chausovsky, who has just come up with a dinner plate that will chastise you if you overload it with chow. According to loL, a South African news site, the weight sensor-equipped plate barks such catchphrases as "Stop right there! And what about excess weight?" and "Where's your willpower?" Dr. Chausovsky apparently also has created another version that has a contact sensor on the plate, which will play music faster and more aggressively if the diner eats quickly (as measured by the number of times the fork hits the plate), and more calmly if the meal is consumed slowly. We've got no idea if any of these inventions will hit the global markets, nor for how much, but no matter what the price ends up being, we're still waiting for Dr. Chausovsky's keyboard that'll tell us when we can stop blogging. We'd pay top dollar for that.[Via Shiny Shiny]
