Only In Europe

Who says Oscar winning actresses can't be gamers? Nintendo has picked Nicole Kidman to lead a print and television ad campaign for "More Brain Training from Dr Kawashima: How Old Is Your Brain?" The game launches across Europe on the Nintendo DS on June 29, which just happens to be the iPhone release date in the US. According to Nintendo, Kidman was chosen by Nintendo because of her universal appeal to mainstream audiences of all ages and backgrounds, as well as her reputation for being intelligent, entertaining and genuine. As you can see from the video, Nicole's "brain" seems to be much older than her real age.

Kidman is quoted as saying: "I love the concept that Nintendo is reaching out to new audiences with their self improvement products like Brain Training. Most importantly, I’ve quickly found that training my brain is a great way to keep my mind feeling young." What does Nintendo have to say about the move? read more

I am constantly in awe of technology, specifically cell phones from Asia and Europe. Perhaps I've just grown up thinking of Asia and Europe as fashion epicenters and far more trendy than the US, or maybe I'm just jealous I can't get an 18-Carat Gold Nokia 8800 Sirocco phone, which is available only in Europe, or a LG Candybar Shine, which is only available in Russia. It seems my desire for unattainable cell phones is pretty common.

MSNBC brought up the fact that it's all too easy to feel a little green about non-American cell phones, because they often seem inferior to more glitzy, technologically advanced phones from overseas. One reader even told MSNBC: "The U.S. cellular phone system is ridiculous. …It is an embarrassment to compare your new phone with [those of] your friends from Europe or Asia." Here's more:

So what gives? Why are things in the States so different? Unfortunately it's not an easy question to answer, and if I had the time and the column space I could write a thesis detailing the many reasons. But I have to go for brevity here, so I've simplified it into three main points: competing network, carrier control, and cultural differences. Each of these factors plays a big role in explaining why U.S. users remain a bit behind our overseas friends.

What do you think? Does the technology and appearance of iPhone, BlackBerry (yeah, it's made in Canada, but close enough!) and Helio make up the difference?

Nokia has unveiled the Nokia 8800 Sirocco Gold phone and let's just say it's the perfect match to the dashing Vertu Ferrari 1947 cellphone.

Encased in an 18-carat gold plating, the Nokia 8800 Sirocco Gold has the look of a luxurious Faberge egg that's been melted onto a sleek slider phone. It's available in select markets - as in not in the US - with an estimated retail price of EUR $1,000 (or $1,351.80 USD).

It boasts a high-resolution camera (2 Megapixel) an "intuitive and ergonomic keypad," color screen (up to 262K colors) and a wide array of messaging functionalities. The elegance of the Nokia 8800 Sirocco Gold is also complemented by a coordinating desk stand and color-matching Bluetooth headset. Now if only I could get a room at Le Petit Trianon and my own royal jeweler.

LG has introduced a 'candybar incarnation' of its Shine slider phone, reports Reg Hardware and like the glamorous ISSE Monaco Phones from Nokia, it will only be available in Russia for a while.

It's unclear when the Shine Bar - as the non-slider is known - will make it to the rest of Europe and beyond, says Reg Hardware.

Expect it to pack in a 262,144-color, 240 x 320 display; a two megapixel camera with auto-focus; Bluetooth; 50MB of user-accessible memory; and a Micro SD slot for up to 2GB of add-in storage space.

For an up close look at the phone, read more