China Unicom officially says "ni hao" to iPhone 3GS

Apple and China Unicom have finally succeeded in reaching an agreement to bring the iPhone to China. Details are scarce at this point, but China Unicom officials revealed during a press conference on its recent financial results that it has made a three-year deal to sell the iPhone, and it should go on sale later this year. "This will provide users with brand new communication and information experience," according to a statement released by China Unicom.

The deal is the result of a long and winding process. Apple originally hoped to work out a deal with China Mobile, the country's largest carrier. However, China Mobile balked at Apple's original revenue sharing model. When Apple launched the iPhone 3G and moved to a more common subsidized model, negotiations began again with China Mobile, but supposedly broke down over operation and control of the App Store.

Meanwhile, Apple began negotiations with China Unicom, the country's second largest carrier, sometime early this year. It's believed that being second made China Unicom more willing to court Apple, and its recently built WCDMA 3G network was a perfect fit for the iPhone. (Most carriers in China use a homegrown, Chinese-specific 3G network). Apple apparently made a few concessions, including disabling the WiFi feature—which is prohibited on mobile phones by Chinese law—and adding what appears to be a China Unicom startup screen. Most recently, Apple executives traveled to China to hammer out the final details with China Unicom—today's announcement suggests those negotiations went well for both companies.

As of 9pm Beijing local time, Apple's Chinese website is now taking customer information to be notified when details of the iPhone's arrival are known (as pointed out by iPhone in China). China Unicom expects that to happen sometime in the fourth quarter of this year.

Entering the Chinese market is a major coup for Apple, as the country's roughly 700 million mobile subscribers represent the largest potential market for the iPhone in the world. If Apple is able to reach just two percent of those customers (that's Apple's current share of global mobile market), that represents 14 million more iPhone sales—a 56 percent increase over the roughly 25 million Apple has sold so far, over two years and in 80 countries.
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First Windows Mobile 6.5 phones arriving on October 6, 2009

Microsoft has announced that the first Windows phones, identified by the fact that they are running Windows Mobile 6.5, will be made available at retail stores worldwide on October 6, 2009. Microsoft is underlining that version 6.5 of its mobile operating system brings an improved user interface and that the Internet Explorer Mobile browser includes a new engine as well as built-in Adobe Flash Lite support. These new phones will also come with two new services: Microsoft My Phone, which allows customers to automatically backup and sync photos, music, contacts, and text messages from their phone to the Web, and Windows Marketplace for Mobile, a store for mobile applications that will be accessible from both the Windows phone and the Web.

Stephanie Ferguson, general manager in the Windows Mobile group, confirmed with Ars that the Marketplace for Windows Mobile will be available on the same day and that the next version of Office Mobile, which is slated for release next year, will work with the upcoming phones. This is just the beginning, though. "We have the broadest ecosystem out there and you'll be seeing a lot of announcements from us and our partners in the coming months," Ferguson told Ars.

Here are the partners around the globe that Microsoft says are committed to phones with Windows Mobile 6.5:

* North America
Mobile operators: AT&T, Bell Mobility, Sprint, TELUS, and Verizon Wireless
Phone manufacturers: HP, HTC, LG, Samsung, and Toshiba
* Europe
Mobile operators: Orange, T-Mobile, and Vodafone
Phone manufacturers: Acer, HTC, LG, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, and Toshiba
* Latin America
Mobile operators: Telecom Italia Mobile Brasil
Phone manufacturers: HTC, LG Electronics, and Samsung
* Asia Pacific
Mobile operators: NTT DoCoMo, SoftBank Mobile, SK Telecom, Telstra, and WILLCOM
Phone manufacturers: Acer, HTC, LG Electronics, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, and Toshiba

In February 2009, Microsoft first officially announced Windows Mobile 6.5, Microsoft My Phone, and Windows Marketplace for Mobile. In March 2009, Microsoft gave developers details on Windows Marketplace for Mobile, in July 2009 the company confirmed that the store would support Windows Mobile versions 6.0 and 6.1 by the end of 2009, and two weeks later the store started accepting application, game, and widget submissions.

Microsoft refused to give any more details on Windows Mobile 7, and so right now, Ballmer's statement from March 2009 about how the Windows Mobile team needs to speed things up remains nothing but an empty statement. With whispers of the RTM slated for April 2010 and talk of the first 7.0 handsets set to arrive in Q4 2010, Redmond needs to work much harder if it wants to keep rumors just rumors and deliver on the big Windows Mobile comeback it keeps talking about.

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Apple TV might be on the agenda for September 9 event

It's just a week before Apple will "rock and roll" us with the latest update to its iPod line. However, a sudden shortage of 40GB Apple TVs—Apple is quoting a 1-2 week wait for a new one—has Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster thinking an Apple TV update could make an appearance at Apple's special event.

The Apple TV, which never officially made it out of the "hobby" stage, got its last serious update almost two years ago at Macworld Expo 2008. It certainly seems plausible that an update might be in the wings. For instance, Munster made a series of Apple prognostications recently that included a revamping of iTunes Store video content, with Apple expanding its library and possibly adding some kind of monthly subscription model. Apple may also be looking to showcase its HTTP Live Streaming technology, which would be a great fit for iTunes video content. Folks would also love to be able to stream online content, such as Netflix and Hulu, directly to the device. However, such features could be easily implemented in software.

Other changes, though, would require new or revamped hardware. If Apple were to leverage HTTP Live Streaming, it would effectively eliminate the need for a large hard drive inside the device, relying instead on a smaller amount of buffer memory. Or perhaps Apple plans to move to solid state storage, eliminating the noise and heat from a mechanical drive. And, despite all objections to Blu-ray's "bag of hurt" licensing, I know there are Apple TV users wishing for an optical drive, which would eliminate the need for yet another device in the A/V stand.

While Apple has been more or less content to let the Apple TV merely function as a TV-connected gateway for iTunes content, Apple always made more money selling iPods than iTunes tracks. If the Apple TV were to transition to a more versatile media playback device with the iTunes Store serving as one potential source for content (as it does with iPods, since music can also be obtained from eMusic, Amazon MP3 Store, CDs, etc), it seems likely Apple would be able to move it beyond the "hobby" stage.

Of course, the invitation to Apple's event was headlined, "It's only rock and roll, but we like it." That doesn't really suggest anything remotely Apple TV-related to us. We also note that there is no similar shortage for the 160GB Apple TV model as there is for the 40GB one. If the whole event is just iPods and music—no Apple TV, no iTablet—don't be the least bit surprised. (Update: The Loop has sources that appear to agree with us.)


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LostWinds sequel coming to WiiWare, release date unknow

When Nintendo originally launched its downloadable WiiWare service, one of the first games to grab everyone's attention was the beautiful platformer LostWinds. And though plans for a sequel were revealed soon after the game's release, it's been a while since we've heard any news. But now developer Frontier has officially announced the next entry in the series, LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias.


The sequel will once again have players controlling the wind as they aid a young boy on his quest to destroy an evil curse, though it will add new gameplay mechanics to help keep things fresh. The biggest is the ability to switch between the summer and winter seasons, which will more than likely play a big part in the puzzle solving throughout the game. There are also new wind abilities, such as the cyclone, which can act as both an attack and a form of transportation.

Story-wise, Winter of the Melodias will take place soon after the first game, as Toku sets off in search of his missing mother, only to come across a town plagued with perpetual winter and hidden monsters.

Unfortunately, Frontier has given no indication on when we can expect to actually play the game, saying only that it's "coming soon." Stay tuned to OT, or follow the game's official website, for more details as they arise.


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Gran Turismo gets its own PSP Bundle on October 20

PlayStation Portable Entertainment Packs are like the weather in Kentucky: if you don't like what's going on right now, wait fifteen minutes and you'll get something different. Sony has announced one more Entertainment Pack that's coming on October 20 for $199.99. What will you get with that package?

• Gran Turismo—Developed exclusively for the PSP system by the internal team of designers and engineers at Polyphony Digital, Gran Turismo features more than 800 vehicle models from the world’s top manufacturers (over 4,500 total paint variations) and 35 tracks (60+ total layouts)—including famous world circuits, city courses and other environments. Seasoned Gran Turismo fans will recognize the depth of content and unparalleled visuals the series is known for, including graphics running at a stunning 60 frames per second. Additionally, a first in the Gran Turismo series is the ability to trade and share unlocked vehicles with others online via ad hoc mode, a feature that is not available in any other racing game on the PSP system. Rated “E” for everyone.
• Exclusive car download—Includes an exclusive PlayStation Network voucher to download a white version of the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 for Gran Turismo, the same car featured on the cover of the game.
• PlayStation Network movie voucher—Consumers can easily download a movie from the PlayStation Network to their PSP system. Title to be announced.
• 2GB Memory Stick PRO Duo—Leverages the PSP system’s multimedia functionality by storing photos, music, videos, and game saves.
• Music voucher—Consumers can download 10 free songs onto their PC or Mac using Sony Music Pass. Available to U.S. residents only.

Not a bad deal for $199.99, especially if you're not interested in the PSP Go. Lord knows we'll get a few more Entertainment Packs in the coming months, so we look forward to making more regional humor in the near future.
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Second Look: Samsung Q1UP Tablet PC for retro gaming

My recent look at using at Samsung tablet PC for retro gaming generated quite a bit of interest from gamers, and also some moaning over the high price of entry. Now that I've traveled for two weeks with it and have done some more gaming on it, I thought it appropriate to post a follow-up for those who are thinking of adding such a system to their holiday wish list.

First, the good news: you don't actually need the $1,300.00 Q1 Ultra Premium edition, with a 1.33GHz CPU, 2GB RAM, Vista Business Edition to do Infinity Engine widescreen gaming. I down-clocked the CPU with Samsung's utility to 800MHz and suffered no loss of performance in gaming or overall system snappiness; I also downgraded my system to XP Tablet Edition (I described this in the original article). So you can pick up an XPTE Q1 with an 800MHz CPU for between $600 and $900 either new or refurbished and get the same gaming experience, but it has only 1GB of RAM. This is probably not a problem, but there are instructions online for upgrading the RAM if you decide you need to.

Ultimately, what all of this means is that you can put together a perfectly adequate Q1 tablet system for retro RPG gaming for about half of what I shelled out for mine, especially if you're willing to get a refurb unit. This might bring the project within the grasp of some readers who were excited about the idea but turned off by the price.

The bad news in this second look is that the battery life is about half what I implied in my original review. I didn't formally test the battery (I wrote the review the day after I had gotten everything set up and was able to play around with it to confirm that it worked as planned), but later formal testing indicates that I can play Planescape: Torment for 5 hours on a single charge (WiFi off, CPU throttled to 800MHz, LCD on two ticks of brightness).

Five hours of retro RPG gaming is still pretty sweet, especially given that the spare battery is quite compact. I had no problems keeping myself entertained with the unit on a roughly 11-hour flight from Paris to San Francisco.

On a non-gaming note, the Q1UP works extremely well as a mobile Skype device. It has two microphones on the bottom, the WiFi reception is very good, and everyone I've called on Skype has remarked on the clarity of the sound. While traveling in Europe, we used it like a WiFi Skype phone to do cheap international calling.
On second thought, maybe mediocrity killed the MID/UMPC

Overall, my travels with the Samsung Q1UP have slightly changed my assessment of what's wrong with the MID/UMPC form factor. Yes, it's still a drag to use a desktop OS on a small touchscreen, but the Q1UP's combination of notebook-caliber performance, long battery life, a bright 7" touchscreen, a PSP-style thumbstick that works quite well for mouse control, and generous accessories (two cameras, dual mics) go a long way toward making it a really useful entertainment and communications device for traveling with a family.

In other words, all software usability issues aside, Atom-based MIDs just don't offer the right combination of screen size, battery life, performance, and functionality to be widely compelling. Fix that, and the MID form factor might just have a future, especially if Microsoft can get its act together and offer some sort of multitouch MID/UMPC edition of Windows 7 with a completely rethought, finger-friendly interface. I'm not holding my breath, though.


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PlayStation Store Update: Can't get no satisfaction edition

Another Thursday has passed, and that means another weekly update to the PlayStation Store. This week features a brand new episode of Qore, which takes a look at Uncharted 2, Gran Turismo PSP, Brutal Legend, and the PSP Go.

On the gaming front, 2K Sports has released NBA 2K10: Draft Combine ($4.99), which allows users to create their own player and guide them through the process of an NBA draft. The downloadable game also connects to the retail version of NBA 2K10, so users can then see how their hopeful fares in the big leagues. Also hitting the store is Battle Tanks ($9.99), a multiplayer action game where you...battle tanks. Cool Boarders 3 is also available as a PSOne Classic for $5.99

Capcom is offering a pair of bundles this week for those who missed out on some of their terrific downloadable games. The Capcom Super Pack ($49.99) includes the following: Super Street Fighter II HD Remix, Flock!, Age of Booty, 1942, Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando, Super Puzzle Fighter II HD Remix, and Rocket Man: Axis of Evil with the It Came From Uranus add-on pack. Meanwhile the Capcom Combo Pack ($29.99) features: 1942, Wolf of the Battlefield, SPF2HDR, R:AoE and add-on pack.

We also have a pair of demos available for both Fight Night Round 4 and the previously mentioned NBA 2K10: Draft Combine. In terms of add-on content, F.E.A.R. 2 is getting a new map pack for $9.99, while Pain gets a host of new characters for $0.99 each, or $1.99 for the bundle.

DLC returns to Guitar Hero with the release of GH5, and it includes the following Rolling Stones songs:

* "I'm Free (Live)"
* "Prodigal Son (Live)
* "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction (Live)"
* "Under My Thumb (Live)"
* "You Gotta Move (Live)"
* The Rolling Stones Live Track Pack ($8.99)

Meanwhile Rock Band gamers get the following singles:

* “And She Was”— Talking Heads
* “Crosseyed and Painless”— Talking Heads
* “Girlfriend Is Better”— Talking Heads
* “Once in a Lifetime”— Talking Heads
* “Take Me to the River”— Talking Heads
* Talking Heads Pack 01 ($8.49)
* “Bat Country”— Avenged Sevenfold
* “Supersonic (Live)”— Oasis
* “Guerrilla Radio”— Rage Against the Machine
* “Going Underground”— The Jam
* “Town Called Malice”— The Jam

Rock Band: Unplugged, meanwhile, gets both "Lucid Dreams" by Franz Ferdinand and "Riad N' the Bedouins" by Guns N' Roses. As per usual all music tracks are $1.99 each.

As for the PSP, it gets a pair of new downloadable games, including the original Patapon ($15.99) and the fighting game Fate/Unlimited Codes ($29.99). Both the PSP and PS3 also get a number of different premium themes this week, as well as the usual assortment of trailers and other video content. And that's this week's PlayStation Store update.


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