GeekSugar

Nicole Kidman Crowned New DS Spokeswoman

GeekSugar — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 09:45:00 -0700

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

Here's more:

Nintendo feel that working with the award winning actress as the personality of this campaign reflects a long-term pioneering philosophy from Nintendo. The aim of this philosophy is to broaden the gaming audience with software that isn’t just fun but also enriches your life, whether training your brain or practicing language skills. The software is relevant and accessible for everyone from the age of 9 to 99.

More Brain Training from Dr Kawashima: How Old Is Your Brain? is the latest in a series of titles from Nintendo DS called Touch! Generations. Touch! Generations is a unique range of software designed to be enjoyed by everybody, even if they’ve never played a game before. These titles, like that played by Nicole Kidman, are disrupting the video games world and changing the perceptions of millions worldwide who previously thought gaming was just for 16-24 year old males.

I would have guessed Nintendo would pick someone like Haden Panettiere or Mandy Moore for this campaign, but it's a fun move nonetheless.

Source

Why Are Phones From Other Countries So Chic?

GeekSugar — Mon, 28 May 2007 09:00:48 -0700

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?

18-Carat Gold Nokia 8800 Sirocco

GeekSugar — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 09:08:40 -0700

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.

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LG Shows Off 'Candybar' Shine Phone

GeekSugar — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 03:04:51 -0700

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

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Apple Gives Spotify the Thumbs Up For an App

GeekSugar — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 06:30:49 -0700

Spotify isn't even accessible from the US right now, but it sure is receiving a ton of buzz! The free peer-to-peer streaming music service allows you to play and share songs from its huge online library (similar to Pandora). But what's great about it, you get to listen to what you want, when you want, without having to store songs on your hard drive.

Geeks like Mark Zuckerberg are already confessing their love for it, so we were happy to hear that an Apple spokesperson has announced that a Spotify iPhone app will be coming very soon. Although only available in Europe and the UK right now, Spotify has said that it will be making its way stateside before the end of the year, which means there's a chance I might be rocking around the Christmas tree with free tunes via the iPhone app around that time as well.

Daily Tech: Pentax's $160 10.2 Megapixel Waterproof Camera

GeekSugar — Fri, 15 May 2009 12:50:41 -0700

Pentax has just announced the waterproof Optio E75, which only costs $160 and will be hitting store shelves in Europe this July. - Engadget
Rumor has it that the new iPhone will be the same size and shape as the iPhone 3G and a new nano and touch will be coming this September. - MacRumors
Just unveiled this morning is Google's Google Product Search for Android, which offers barcode scanning support. - MobileCrunch
Move over Ashton! In less than one month, Oprah Winfrey has reached the one million Twitter followers mark. - Silicon Alley Insider
Is it just me or does this seem a bit strange? Several high schools in Denmark are allowing A-level students to have Internet access during written exams. - Switched
It's giveaway time on geeksugar! Be sure to log in for your chance to win an Xbox 360 Console and an Xbox Live Subscription. - geeksugar

Belkin Is Already Dishing Out New Nano and Touch Cases

GeekSugar — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 02:00:32 -0700

It has only been three days since Apple's Let's Rock event where Steve Jobs announced all the new Apple goodies, and before we can say "Apple's New Nano" ten times, Belkin has already whipped up a slew of new cases for the iPod Nano 4G, the iPod Touch 2G, and the iPod Classic 2G. From sport armbands, to silicone sleeves and even mother earth friendly cases, they've got a ton to choose from. You can expect to see these cases in stores across the US, Europe, Asia, and Australia come mid-September.

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European Airlines Gets Approval For In Flight Calls

GeekSugar — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 14:00:44 -0700

Earlier this year the FCC decided to keep a rule in place that requires cell phones to be turned off during airline flights. Europe apparently has a more lax set of standards. The European Aviation Safety Agency has approved a system certification for a cell-phone system on board an aircraft. The approval comes following tests carried out on the Airbus, an airline based in Toulouse, France.

The approval will allow airline operation of the OnAir service that will enable passengers to use their BlackBerry-type devices and mobile phones during flights in Europe. They will be able to make and receive calls in addition to being able to send and receive emails and text messages. Apparently, cabin crew will manage the service and have the option of selecting a “voice-off” mode which only allows SMS text messaging and email services.

Initially the service will be available on Airbus’ Single Aisle Family for short-haul flights in Western Europe. While it's a freedom everyone would like, I'd hate to have a long flight filled with people talking on their cell phones. Some rules were made for a reason.

Source

Are You Still Minus a Wii?

GeekSugar — Thu, 01 May 2008 10:00:34 -0700

Don't hate me, but I've had my Wii since they first hit the shelves back in 2006. I know, I know, some people are still scouring through weekly Target ads, obsessively clicking refresh on Amazon, and getting up at the crack of dawn to wait outside a game store just on the off chance they might get one in stock. I understand your pain and I'm not here to brag, just to ask the question on everyone's mind: Why are Wii's still so hard to find?

With the Wii heading towards its second birthday this year, why the heck can't those unlucky folks get their hands on one? Unfortunately, some analysts say it's due to the dropping value of the all mighty dollar. With much more profits being made in Europe, some speculate Nintendo is attempting to squeeze all it can out of the European market with their Wii supply before re-stocking the shelves here in the US. But this isn't the only theory, to learn more, just read more.

Other conspiracy theorists are saying that since Nintendo has already met their end of March goals (with 6 million units shipped), and are building up supply, continuing the demand, and ensuring awesome second quarter sales. Unfortunately, with American retailers now running at 2.5 percent availability, some are expecting the Wii shortage to continue through 2009. Zoinks! Bad news indeed.

The 'Internets' From a Global Perspective

GeekSugar — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 10:00:03 -0700

Thanks to Chris Harrison, we can now get a visual of Internet connectivity around the globe. Chris used data from The Dimes Project which revealed 89,344 connections to create his world map masterpiece. As you can see, North America and Europe have way more connections than Africa or South America. Chris says:

"It is important to note that this only reflects density of connections, and not usage. Hundreds of people may utilize a single connection in an internet cafe, often the only form of connectivity people have access to in developing nations."

I wonder if there's a way to access Internet usage data from around the globe as Internet connectivity is most likely driven by commerce, economics and the need for technological integration. Therefore, it would be interesting to see how many developing countries have Internet access, even if it is limited. via Neatorama