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Huawei Ascend G 300 coming to Vodafone UK on April 13th
We've laid our eyes (and hands) on the Ascend G 300 a pair of times, first while it was sneaking past the FCC, then shortly after that when we took it for a quick spin at MWC in Barcelona. Now, Huawei's Gingerbread handset is prepping to land in the UK on Friday the 13th, being available exclusively at Vodafone. Just as we predicted, the device won't be much of a burden on anyone's wallet, with the carrier pricing it at £100 (around $160) on PAYG (£10 top-up minimum) or gratis on £15.50, two-year plans. Unfortunately, the G 300 won't have Ice Cream Sandwich on board at launch, but Vodafone says the 4.0 update will be coming later this summer. Good enough for you? The source link below lets you register to be one of the first to know when this 4-inch Ascend is up for grabs.
Netflix for Windows Phone hits v2.0, heads to the UK, Ireland and Latin America
Via its blog site, Netflix announced that version 2.0 of its Windows Phone app is now ready for your downloading pleasure. The refresh hands the application a passport to head over to the United Kingdom, Ireland as well as 47 other countries in Latin America. In addition to its global quest, Netflix added an array of new bits in the update, including subtitles, closed captions and an alternate audio option, while performance improvements and the promise of a more pleasant browsing / viewing experience are also in tow. Naturally, you'll need a Mango-flavored Windows handset to enjoy the app; if that's you, the source link has something you clearly need.
Apple prepping London stores for 2012 Olympics
TUAW has learned that Apple has quietly begun making preparations for the "onslaught of journalists" that are set to arrive in London for the 2012 Olympics, which are less than four months away. A high-level Apple retail employee here in London told me today that the company is planning to stock its London area retail stores with international replacement MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and MacBook keyboards. This way, the retail outlets will have the spare parts on hand should international journalists need a quick turnaround on a damaged laptop. As my source told me, "London is going to be overrun by an onslaught of journalists when the games begin. We want to be prepared should they need help with their equipment during the time they are here." Over 10,000 print journalists -- a large number of them Mac users -- are set to descend upon London when the games begin on July 27. That's not even counting all the professional videographers, TV and radio reporters and editors, photographers, bloggers, and new media journalists. However, press won't be the only Mac users coming for the games. With an expected extra 325,000 daily visitors to London for the games, Apple wants to be fully prepared to take care of all of its users. While my source could only confirm at this time that London area stores will be stocking international replacement MacBook keyboards on hand, I was also told that Apple is considering carrying stock of MacBooks with American, Asian, and other international keyboards in the London stores. The stores can take advantage of the expected rush of international shoppers that may pump millions of GBP into the high street shops.
Roku celebrates 100 channels in the UK and Ireland, says more are on the way
Hitting any milestones or goals are usually worthy of a celebration, and on this occasion it's Roku's turn to party on. The LT, HD, XD and XS creator is flaunting the reach of 100 channels in its UK and Irish boxes, adding over 60 since its launch date back in January. The outfit isn't planning on slowing down anytime soon, though, saying more channels are expected in the upcoming months and that it aims to bring the one-channel-per-day model to streamers across the pond. Congrats, Roku, congrats.
ASUS rolls out firmware update to UK Transformer Primes (update: US, too)
Less than 48 hours after teasing us with promises of upcoming "awesome new features," ASUS is now delivering the refresh to Transformer Primes in the UK. Via its Euro Facebook page, the Taiwanese outfit has announced that all TF201 owners in the United Kingdom can expect to see the OTA update anytime now. With the fresh ICS version, you'll be able to tinker with notifications in the lockscreen, connect to Ethernet via USB (adapter not included) as well as get support for wireless ad hoc mode. Unfortunately, TF101 owners will have to exercise some patience, as ASUS says the update for the elder Transformer is still in the works. Update: According to folks in the comments (and our own Transformer Prime's notification pop-ups) the update is now rolling out stateside. [Thanks, Noah]
PSA: HTC One X priced up to £330 in the UK, also available for free (update: $800 in Canada)
Chances are you're still melting over the impressive HTC One X benchmarks, and that's just the dual-core Snapdragon S4 taking care of business. As you may know, those of you in the Old Continent will see a quad-core flavor hit the shelves, and it's looking like that version is getting priced a wee bit earlier. So, just how much will you have to shell out to snag one of HTC's latest? Phones4U and Carphone Warehouse both have the One X listed as high as £329.99 (about $527) on contract, though you can also grab a free one if you take on a longer, more expensive plan on Orange, O2 and Vodafone. Carphone's site shows you can expect the device to land at your doorstep in the week of April 2nd. In the meantime, take a look at our hands-on to remind you how badly you need it. Update: It looks like Canadians can now also pre-order the HSPA+ version of the phone courtesy of NCIX, although they'll have to part with a hefty $800 (off-contract, of course).
Surprise! Study finds internet worth a lot of money, is responsible for 4.7 percent of US economy
Ever wondered how much the interwebs contribute to the Uncle Sam's bottom line? Thanks to the Boston Consulting Group, now you don't have to. It's estimated the net contributes a cool $684 billion to the US gross domestic product. That's roughly 4.7 percent of US GDP, the same tranche as its effect on Japan's economy, but less than the 5.5, 7.3 and 8.3 percent clocked in by China, South Korea and the United Kingdom, respectively. And per the report, the internet is just getting started, with future growth expected to hit eight percent on average by 2016 for developed countries, and well north of 20 percent in booming economies like those of Argentina and India. Hit the source for the full report.
GAME also not stocking Street Fighter X Tekken, Asura's Wrath
Shoppers on the other side of the pond looking to snag two of Capcom's latest from GAME will have to look elsewhere, as the retailer will not be stocking either Asura's Wrath or Street Fighter X Tekken. The retailer also recently announced that it won't carry Mass Effect 3 and future EA titles. Street Fighter X Tekken and Asura's Wrath are both slated to launch in the UK this Friday, March 9.Capcom confirmed the news to MCV, which notes that the availability of Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City, Capcom's next big title, is still up in the air. A spokesperson stated, "Capcom wants to reassure its consumers that both these titles, including the Special Edition of Street Fighter X Tekken, will be available at a wide variety of retailers across the UK and Ireland." The spokesperson added that refunds will be issued to those with pre-orders for either Asura's Wrath or Street Fighter X Tekken, advising customers to contact their local GAME or Gamestation.
Windows 8 to bring better language support, finally including English
In addition to better file management, accessibility and that all important new logo, Redmond's engineers are also promising improved language support in Windows 8. So far, Microsoft admits it's seen this as a "local-market feature," putting the onus on non-English users to track down special copies of the OS or language packs online. But the new OS will bring a friendlier philosophy, in which multilingual support is regarded as a "feature for everyone everywhere" and the Control Panel becomes a "one-stop place" to find and install any of 109 different idioms. These will include 13 new interface packs, allowing commonly used Windows features to be displayed in Scottish Gaelic, Punjabi, Uyghur, Cherokee and other tongues listed at the source link. Lastly, there'll also be one entirely new display language: English for the United Kingdom, with Old World spellings and the eternal blessing of David Mitchell (after the break). [Thanks, Rahul]
Raspberry Pi's Linux computer nears completion, should ship by end of February
Raspberry Pi's commercial future became a little clearer yesterday, with an announcement that the first batch of its Model B Linux computers will be finished by February 20th. The $35 board went into production last month, but has been beset with delays in bringing it to market. In a post on its site, the UK-based manufacturer expressed some regret over the setback, attributing it to a hiccup it encountered while trying to procure specific quartz crystals. Fortunately, though, everything is finally in order, and the computers should begin shipping by the end of the month. In the meantime, particularly hardware savvy users can find out more about the BCM2835 SoC behind the Model B, courtesy of a datasheet that Broadcom released alongside Raspberry Pi's announcement. You can dig through it yourself, at the coverage link below.
Samsung confirms Galaxy Nexus White arriving in UK mid-February, misses the snow
Well, we thought it would already be here, but it looks like Samsung had other ideas. It's confirmed that the HSPA+ version of its premier Android 4.0 phone will be available across UK retailers from February 13th -- that's next week. The suitably snowy smartphone packs all the specifications of the original and, well, it just suits that Ice Cream Sandwich OS a little bit better, doesn't it?
Xbox 360 adds Crackle and CinemaNow to list of up and running apps
You can't deny one of Microsoft's main goals with its revamped 360 dashboard update was to enhance the box's entertainment attributes, and now the Redmond crowd has flipped the live switch on two more vid-focused apps. Crackle and CinemaNow are joining the likes of Vudu and UFC as part of the latest additions to the Xbox app locker. Both apps are available now for those of us in the States, and while CinemaNow won't be heading elsewhere, Sony's Crackle is hitting three other markets: Australia, Canada and United Kingdom. There's no more info on when -- or if -- both apps will make way into more countries, but Microsoft did say that it'll "continue to enhance and expand" its Xbox Live offerings. We know you're eager to check out some Godzilla collections, so power on that console, head to the apps section and let the crackles set you free.
Sky TV to offer cable access via broadband in the UK
Unlike its unflinching US equivalents, News Corp-owned Sky TV is readying its service for availability via broadband, rather than solely through traditional cable box delivery. The company announced plans today to bring a mixed on-demand/pay-per-month streaming service to the UK in the coming months -- a move we've yet to see made on this side of the Atlantic from any major cable provider.Sky's first step is competing with the likes of Netflix and LoveFilm with an on-demand video service, as well as a pay-per-month unlimited option. And that service is set to expand not long after the initial "first half of 2012" launch time frame, with sports and entertainment offerings said to be coming "soon afterward."What does any of this have to do with gaming, you wonder? Well, silly, Sky TV is offered via both Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, and the plan going forward is to continue that support on "a wide range of connected devices, including PCs, Macs, laptops, tablets, mobile phones, games consoles and connected TVs." It's unclear how currently available apps will be affected, but we'll assuredly see more from the UK TV provider as we move through the first half of 2012.
Terraria goes retail in EU with 'Collector's Edition' on March 16
Despite selling over 1 million copies of Terraria across Terra Firma, Merge Games believes the title has yet to reach a key demographic: PC game buyers without internet connections. Okay, okay, it's also possible that the Merge Games-published "Collector's Edition" of the Re-Logic-developed 2D indie hit is popular enough to warrant a version made especially for superfans, but we much prefer the concept of a board meeting to discuss a gradually disappearing group of people.Anyway, the collector's edition of Terraria will run EU residents £19.95 (€23.80/$31.30) when it arrives at retailers on March 16, and will come packed with "an exclusive in-game item, a poster, a key ring, and trading cards." That's about $20 more than the digital copy costs you on Steam right this minute -- but does that contain the adorable little pickaxe keychain (seen after the break)? Yeah, we didn't think so.It's unclear if the collector's version of Terraria will arrive in North America or Asia, but we've asked Merge Games for clarification.
Modern Warfare 3 holiday numbers indicate franchise sales decline in UK
While the Call of Duty franchise has enjoyed year-over-year growth in terms of worldwide sales, numbers released this week for the UK tell a different story for that particular region. According to the UK's Entertainment Retailers Association, Modern Warfare 3 moved 2,814,298 units between launch on November 8 and December 31, 2011, while Call of Duty's 2010 entry, Black Ops, sold 3,266,298 across the same holiday sales period in the previous year. That's a decline of 452,000 units from Treyarch-developed Black Ops in 2010 to Infinity Ward/Sledgehammer Games-developed Modern Warfare 3 in 2011, though the latter was the fastest entertainment property in history to reach $1 billion in sales. As MCV points out, FIFA sales were also in decline in the UK, with nearly 200K fewer copies sold during 2011 than in 2010. All that said, let's not lose any sleep over the declines -- both CoD and FIFA's 2011 entries sold in the many millions in just the UK, let alone worldwide.
Report: GAME outs new Need for Speed, reaffirms Medal of Honor sequel
Someone at British brick-and-mortar franchise Game seems to have confirmed our expectant attitude towards EA's Need for Speed franchise. The British retail outlet's Twitter account documented a trip to EA for a presentation, and casually noted plans for a new Need for Speed ("Need for Speed 13!"), not to mention a word on the as-yet-unseen Medal of Honor sequel. As Eurogamer reports, the tweet is no longer available, though other volleys from the account confirm the retailer's presence at an EA presentation. EA has spoken about a Medal of Honor sequel in the past, though this is the first we've heard of it in quite some time. It's said to be developed by EA's Danger Close studio, and we're not sure if Battlefield studio EA DICE will be once more tasked with handling the multiplayer component. Meanwhile, following the pattern of annual Need for Speed releases, it's likely that Burnout studio Criterion will be tasked with the thirteenth (!!) entry in the series. We've reached out to EA for comment, but aren't expecting much more than some light under its breath cursing. Update: In response to this report, an EA rep told Joystiq, "We do not comment on rumor or speculation." [Image credit: GAME]
PSA: Netflix live on PS3, Wii in the UK and Ireland; 360 app up later today
As of today, the lands of the UK and Ireland will use Netflix not only as a noun, but as a verb. Today they begin saying, "Wait, you haven't seen that? Netflix it!" The movie rental company's streaming service is available now on PC, certain televisions, PS3 and Wii. The Xbox 360 app will hit later today. Netflix is available to try at no cost for one month, and after that it's £5.99 or €6.99, depending on your region. Netflix for the UK was announced late last year, shortly after the PR disaster that saw the birth and death of Qwikster in a little under a month. The company's stock is still recovering from the free fall.
Netflix close to signing deals with Sony, Disney, Paramount and ITV, to debut in the UK soon? (update: pricing pegged at £5.99/month, website live)
Those with a PS3 in the United Kingdom might have gotten a sneak peek at a placeholder, but according to The Guardian, apparently its proper "early 2012" launch isn't far off. Purportedly the video streaming service is close to signing rights to content from Sony, Disney and Paramount, which'll join existing agreements with Lionsgate, Miramax and MGM. But it isn't just studios, as Channel 4 and ITV are supposedly close to joining the UK bash as-well. If everything goes to plan, most of the British Isles will be treated to an ad campaign that'll reveal all next week. Game on, Lovefilm. Update: Well, it looks like we don't have to wait until next week for all of those details after all. Some Google ads have now started appearing in searches for Netflix that peg the price at £5.99 per month (or about $9), and also confirm that the service is headed to the Wii and Xbox 360 in addition to the PS3. Unfortunately, that netflix.com/UK page isn't functional just yet. Update 2: Looks like the UK website is live for many, confirming the Google ad pricing. Check it out after the break. [Thanks, Chris, James]
White Galaxy Nexus to strut its stuff in UK on February 6th
If you're thinking about picking up an unlocked GSM Samsung Galaxy Nexus, you now have a choice of pigments. UK retailer Clove Technology is accepting pre-orders for Google's latest superphone, complete with 16GB of storage and smothered in a milky-white finish. Interested parties living across the pond can part with £498 ($770, VAT included) on February 6th to acquire this vanilla Ice-Cream-Sandwich-running machine. If you're stateside, the retailer also offers shipping to the US -- you can import yourself a bleached Nexus for around £431, or $666. So, will any of you Galaxy Nexus hold-outs be pushed over the purchasing precipice by this new hue?[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
China Telecom eyes network expansion in France, Germany and US
The world's largest CDMA mobile operator, China Telecom, is looking to further expand its network footprint in Europe. With wireless assets already secured in the UK, Bloomberg reports that France and Germany may be next on the communication giant's proverbial hit-list. CT hopes to win the wireless business of jet-setters and Chinese citizens living outside of The People's Republic with competitive international roaming rates and its familiar brand. A separate report states that the company's interest is not confined to the Euro Zone and China Telecom may try and bring its services to the US sometime in 2012. Something tells us AT&T won't make a play to buy 'em, though.
