WebProNews

Tag: Sweden

  • Ericsson Warns of Increased Risk of 5G Retaliation from Beijing

    Ericsson Warns of Increased Risk of 5G Retaliation from Beijing

    As 5G has increasingly become a geopolitical issue, Ericsson is warning it will likely be caught in the crossfire in China.

    Countries around the world are racing to deploy 5G networks. Once one of the leading equipment providers, Chinese firm Huawei has been under siege for the last couple of years as the US and its allies have leveled sanctions against the company, accusing it of being a national security risk.

    One of the countries that banned Huawei from participating in its 5G networks is Sweden, the home country of Ericsson. Huawei challenged the ruling, but lost on appeal.

    Ericsson is now warning that Beijing may retaliate, excluding the company from participating in 5G network deployments in China. Even if Ericsson is allowed to participate, it does not believe it will maintain the same market share as in times past.

    While Ericsson is invited to various ongoing tender processes in China, the final outcome remains uncertain and it is the company’s current assessment that the risk has increased that Ericsson will in those tenders be allocated a significantly lower market share than its current market share.
    The company sees the issue having “a material and potentially lasting adverse impact on our business, including sales, market share, market access and supply chain and R&D activities, our financial condition and results of operations.”

  • Huawei May Be Pivoting to Electric Vehicles

    Huawei May Be Pivoting to Electric Vehicles

    After suffering devastating losses as a result of US sanctions, Huawei may be preparing to pivot to electric vehicles.

    Huawei quickly found itself a target of the Trump administration, amid claims the company represented a national security threat. While all Chinese firms are required to cooperate with Beijing, Huawei was widely believed to have unusually close ties with the government and intelligence community. As a result, the Trump administration banned the company from participating in US networks, and there is no indication the Biden administration will reverse those measures.

    Other countries have followed suit, including the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Sweden. Multiple governments and intelligence agencies have joined the US in branding Huawei a threat.

    The bans and sanction have taken a toll on the company, once an almost unstoppable force in the tech industry. Sanctions against the company have even resulted in it selling its Honor line of smartphones and cutting production of its flagship line, due to not being able to buy enough semiconductors.

    According to Reuters, the company is now exploring a strategic shift to electric vehicle manufacturing as a result of the challenges it’s facing. Reuters sources say the company is preparing to make electric vehicles under its own brand, and the first models could arrive as soon as this year.

    A company spokesman denied the claims, although the denial left plenty of room for interpretation.

    “Huawei is not a car manufacturer. However through ICT (information and communications technology), we aim to be a digital car-oriented and new-added components provider, enabling car OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) to build better vehicles.”

  • Swedish Court Strikes Dashes Huawei’s Hopes, Upholds Ban

    Swedish Court Strikes Dashes Huawei’s Hopes, Upholds Ban

    A Swedish court has dismissed Huawei’s appeal of a ban preventing it from participating in the country’s 5G network.

    Huawei has been under pressure around the globe, as a result of its perceived ties to the Chinese government and intelligence community. The US, in particular, has been vocal in accusing the company of being a security risk. A number of countries have banned Huawei from participation in their 5G networks, including Sweden.

    Huawei appealed the ban, but a Swedish court has struck down the appeal, according to U.S. News & World Report, despite Huawei reportedly being willing to meet any demand the Swedish government might have.

    “A ruling by the Administrative Court of Appeal in a case relating to the law on electronic communication is final and therefore cannot be appealed,” the Supreme Administrative Court said. “The appeal should thus be dismissed.”

    This is just the latest in a string of defeats for the Chinese company that has seen it cut off from its primary chipmakers and forced to sell its smartphone business.

  • Huawei Willing to Meet Any Demand From Swedish Government

    Huawei Willing to Meet Any Demand From Swedish Government

    Huawei has signaled it is willing to meet any demand the Swedish government may impose to avoid being banned from the country’s 5G networks.

    Huawei is under increased pressure globally as multiple countries implement bans and restrictions on the Chinese telecoms firm. While the US originally spearheaded the campaign to isolate and restrict Huawei, claiming the company poses a national security threat, other countries have arrived at the same conclusion.

    Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Romania have banned Huawei from their networks, while the UK implemented a ban under pressure from the US. Sweden implemented a ban of their own, on both Huawei and ZTE, over the same kind of concerns the US has cited. Huawei challenged the ban in court and won a temporary reprieve, as the courts ordered the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority to delay its spectrum auction to allow more time for the matter to be resolved.

    Huawei is determined to get back in Sweden’s good graces, and is willing to do whatever it takes according to Reuters.

    “We are even willing to meet extraordinary requirements, such as setting up test facilities for our equipment in Sweden, for example, if they want to,” Kenneth Fredriksen, Huawei’s Executive Vice President, Central East Europe and Nordic Region, told Reuters.

    “We are now in the middle of the court process, but we are willing to have pragmatic discussions.”

    It remains to be seen if Huawei’s overtures will be successful, especially since Sweden’s ban was based on analysis by the country’s military and security experts.

  • Sweden Latest Country to Ban Huawei and ZTE

    Sweden Latest Country to Ban Huawei and ZTE

    Sweden has joined the list of countries that are banning Chinese firms Huawei and ZTE from participating in the country’s networks.

    Huawei was one of the world’s largest provider of telecommunications equipment, with carriers all over the globe relying on its technology. In recent years, however, there have been growing concerns that Huawei and ZTE represent a significant risk to other countries’ national security. Huawei has often been accused of being an extension of Beijing’s intelligence apparatus, a claim it has vehemently denied.

    The US, in particular, has waged a successful campaign to isolate Huawei, pressuring its allies to ban the firm from their networks. The UK, Australia and New Zealand have all implemented bans.

    Sweden is now the latest country to ban the two firms, citing the threat China poses. According to reports, wireless carriers bidding on 5G spectrum are prohibited from using the two companies. Even existing infrastructure must have any Huawei or ZTE gear removed if the infrastructure will be used for 5G.

    “China is one of the biggest threats to Sweden,” said Klas Friberg, the head of SAPO, Sweden’s domestic security service. “The Chinese state is conducting cyber espionage to promote its own economic development and develop its military capabilities. This is done through extensive intelligence gathering and theft of technology, research and development. This is what we must consider when building the 5G network of the future.”

    The move is another blow to Huawei, already reeling from existing bans and sanction, but will be a big win for Nokia and Ericsson.

  • Snoop Dogg Arrested in Sweden, Posts NSFW Vids to Instagram [Video]

    Snoop Dogg Arrested in Sweden, Posts NSFW Vids to Instagram [Video]

    Snoop Dogg had some trouble with the police in Sweden. The rapper was pulled over at a traffic stop, and when cops suspected he might be high, they hustled him in for a urine sample test.

    The traffic stopped took place in Uppsala, Sweden. Snoop Dogg had given a concert in the area. The police in Uppsala told the Guardian, “Police carrying out roadside controls noticed that Snoop Dogg seemed to be under the influence of narcotics. He was arrested and taken to the police station to take a urine test. The incident lasted several minutes. Once the test was carried out, he left.”

    But Snoop Dogg was livid. He started shooting video when the traffic stop happened, and continued shooting clips of video as he rode to the police station, while he waited for test results, and again after he was released and back in the United States.

    “They took me down there, made me pee in a cup,” Snoop said in one video clip. “Didn’t find shit, though.”

    “I ain’t did nothing. All I did was came to this country and did a concert and now I gotta go to the police station,” Snoop insisted. “Profile, racial profile. … like Minister Farrakhan say, ‘It’s better to be searched and not found with nothing than not to be searched at all.’ F**k ya’ll!”

    The captions on his Instagram video posts reflected his frustration and anger at being taken in by the police.

    “2 all my Sweden fans U can blame YA police dept for never seeing me again in your beautiful country. It’s always a few d***s that f**k it up for everybody its been real.”

    “On my mamas im sick and tired of the pigs. N America n these countries that jus don’t respect us fuck that new me new u u do we do 2”

    Some of his Instagram posts are on the general topic of racial profiling and police brutality.

    “Racial profille is a everyday thang we have grown accustomed to it. Nfl. Not for long”

    You can follow along here in chronological order as Snoop Dogg made record of his experience with the police in Sweden via social media.

    Warning: NSFW for language.

    A video posted by snoopdogg (@snoopdogg) on

    Ftp 💥💥💥🔫. On mamas !!

    A video posted by snoopdogg (@snoopdogg) on

    Ftp 💥💥💥💥🔫✈️

    A video posted by snoopdogg (@snoopdogg) on

    Message to my fans n fam !!

    A video posted by snoopdogg (@snoopdogg) on

    A video posted by snoopdogg (@snoopdogg) on

  • Google Expands Flight Search To More Countries

    Google announced the expansion of Flight Search into three more countries: Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. This is the first time Google has added countries since launching in Ireland and Poland in March.

    A year before that, Google launched the offering in the UK, France, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands.

    Those in Denmark can access the feature at google,dk/flights. For Norway, it’s googleno/flights, and for Sweden it’s google.se/flights. Or from any of those local Google domains, you can simply search for flights directly from Google itself. Google will cater to local languages and currencies from any device.

    “Let’s say you live in Norway and you want to plan a summer getaway,” says Google’s Stefan Trienen. “If you access Flight Search, you’ll immediately see the price, duration and type of flight for several popular destinations you might like to visit — based on your preferences and previous searches. If you set your dates and tap to expand the map, you’ll see live prices for destinations around the world. A trip to Kristiansand sounds nice.”

    “Once you tap on Kristiansand, you’ll automatically be presented with a list of ‘Best flights’ (flights that represent the best tradeoff of convenience and price) and a tip for how you can save a bit. In this case, you can save NOK928 just by leaving one day later,” he adds. “For nearly a thousand Krones it might be worth it!”

    While Google only has local versions of Flight Search for select countries, anyone can use google.com/flights to make travel plans.

    Image via Google

  • Serena Williams to Play Swedish Open After Wimbledon Early Exit

    Serena Williams has confirmed that she will play the Swedish Open, according to tournament director Nina Wennerstrom.

    On Tuesday Williams exited her doubles match at Wimbledon mid-match due to a viral illness that left her shaky and feeling faint.

    In what was widely referred to as a “strange” scene, Williams appeared to be disoriented during warm-ups, having difficulty picking up, tossing, and hitting balls.

    After sitting on the sideline with her sister Venus, with whom she was to play the doubles match, and Wimbledon personnel, Williams began the match but withdrew following the third game.

    “I am heartbroken I’m not able to continue in the tournament. I thought I could rally this morning because I really wanted to compete, but this bug just got the best of me,” she said in a statement later that day.

    Williams says she’s getting better, albeit slowly:

    The Collector Swedish Open opens July 14 in Bastad, Sweden.

    Williams will be defending her title in the upcoming tournament. Last July she defeated Sweden’s tennis darling Johanna Larsson in the final round, marking her first international-level title.

    Following her 2013 win, Williams said:

    “It’s been such a great experience here … when I wake up I see the ocean – it reminds me a little bit of home … it’s just a really, really good feeling to have such a great city at your fingertips, and everything a player could possibly need is at your fingertips as well.”

    Bastad is located on the southwest coast of Sweden near the straits of Kattegat, midway between the cities of Halmstad and Helsingborg.

    Indeed Williams is no stranger to coastal towns. When she was an infant her family moved from her birthplace of Saginaw, MI to Compton, CA which is located just south of Los Angeles. When she was nine-years-old they relocated to West Palm Beach, FL.

    Image via YouTube, Tennis World

  • Gripen Fighter Jets Deal Nixed by Swiss Voters

    Saab Group was dealt a major blow this week as Swiss voters halted a plan to order the company’s Gripen fighter jets. The deal had been worth an estimated $3.5 billion.

    The deal stems from a February 2013 agreement between the Saab, the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration, and the Swiss Defense Ministry. Under the terms of the deal Saab was to have developed and provided 60 Gripen E fighter jets to Sweden and 22 of the jets to Switzerland. According to Saab, the jets bound for Sweden are still in production and on schedule for delivery in 2018. Saab is also in the process of formalizing a deal to deliver 36 Gripen’s to Brazil.

    A majority of Swiss voters (over 53%) voted against the proposed Gripen deal. According to a Bloomberg report, opposition to the deal hung on estimates that the jets could cost more than $11 billion throughout their period of service. The Swiss Defense Ministry has indicated that it will follow the directive of the vote and cancel the deal.

    “Our focus is helping countries protect their ways of life, which we do by serving the global market with world-leading products, including Gripen,” said Hakan Buskhe, CEO of Saab. “We have seen in Switzerland support for Gripen, including through its evaluation and selection over competitors and in the votations in the Swiss Parliament last year.

    “We respect the process in Switzerland and do not comment on today’s outcome in the referendum. Following selection in 2011, hundreds of business relationships in Switzerland have been created through the Swiss Industrial Participation program, which was created in relation to the Gripen E procurement. These are relationships we look forward to continuing as long as possible,” adds Håkan Buskhe.

    Saab stock fell significantly following the vote, falling as much as 7% according to Bloomberg.

    In addition to the Gripen vote, Swiss voters also rejected a proposed law to set their country’s minimum wage at almost $25. The raise would have given Switzerland the highest minimum wage in the world.

    Image via Saab

  • The Best Volvo Ad of All Time Doesn’t Come from Volvo

    The Best Volvo Ad of All Time Doesn’t Come from Volvo

    As a member of the Volvo-owners club since 2001, I can attest to the inexplicable draw of the Swedish-made automobile. There’s just something about a Volvo, man.

    No, there’s just something about this Volvo. According to the legend of the owner’s grandfather’s father’s grandchild’s grandchild child, at least, it’s haunted.

    If you’re near Malmö, Sweden and have 7,500 Swedish crowns to spare, there’s a guy who really wants you to buy his 1993 Volvo 245GL. He wants you to buy it so badly that he created quite possibly the best Volvo ad in the history of Volvo.

    I’m assuming that you do in fact want to be perceived as rich and cuddly, so that’s a pretty solid marketing pitch right there. I’d be neglectful if I didn’t mention that it has a new battery and radiator, as well as summer and winter tires very round rubber humps.

    Who knows if this viral ploy will lead to a sale–but the viral part of the ploy is 100 percent certified. Between the Buy My Volvo (English) and original Köp Min Volvo videos, our pitchman has racked up nearly three-quarters of a million views.

    Image via PonyHans, YouTube

  • Angry Birds Control Humans in New Viral Video

    As one of the first big hits of the mobile gaming market, the Angry Birds franchise is now bigger than ever. The series spans nearly a dozen games, a popular cartoon series, and a mountain of Angry Birds-branded merchandise.

    What this means is that millions of birds have been flung at buildings, space stations, and storm trooper pigs. Now, Angry Birds developer Rovio is allowing the birds to get their revenge.

    Rovio today released a new video in which humans are controlled by chickens. The stunt was accomplished with the help of engineers who created sleds that can be controlled by motion tracking technology. The motion trackers were then strapped to the heads of three chickens.

    Three humans were recruited to ride the sleds down the side of a Swedish ski slope. Rovio brand ambassador Peter Vesterbacka was strapped into one of the sleds, as was Wired Magazine writer and physicist Rhett Allain. The third human sledder was Jonas Persson, an “Angry Birds fan” who got the chance to participate.

    As the video shows, the chickens act as typical chickens do, flinging their heads back and forth in an unpredictable manner. This leads to some hilarity on the slope as at least one sled ride is cut short and another ends in disaster:

    The video is part of a Rovio marketing campaign for the new Angry Birds GO! update. GO! is the Mario Kart-style downhill racing game that Rovio released late last year.

    The new update includes snow-covered tracks and new sleds for the birds and pigs to race in. Also included are 8 new karts and a new “value starter pack” for players to purchase. Rovio has also begun including daily events in the game for players to earn extra in-game rewards.

    Image via YouTube/Rovio

  • Princess Madeleine of Sweden Gives Birth to a Girl

    Princess Madeleine of Sweden and husband Christopher O’Neill welcomed a baby girl Thursday night in New York. The Swedish Royal Court wrote in an official announcement: “The Office of the Marshal of the Realm is delighted to announce that H.R.H. Princess Madeleine gave birth to a daughter on February 20 2014 at 10.41 pm local time New York. Both mother and child are in good health.”

    Madeleine, 31, is the daughter of Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia. She married American banker O’Neill in June of last year; by September, the couple announced they were expecting.

    Says the King and Queen of the new royal addition: “Today is a day of great happiness and thankfulness. We are filled with great joy. We now hope that Princess Madeleine and Christopher will be able to enjoy this unique time with their young daughter in peace and quiet.” O’Neill’s mother, Eva-Maria, adds: “I am thrilled and very excited to have a new granddaughter and I can’t wait to meet her! I wish her all that is good and wonderful in this life. I send my son Christopher and Princess Madeleine all my love and my heartfelt congratulations to their first child.”

    Others are also sharing their congratulations over Twitter:

    Princess Madeleine also holds the title of Duchess of Hälsingland and Gästrikland. Sweden has a constitutional monarchy, meaning the Royal Family serves only as figureheads. The King is considered the Head of State, but his powers are limited to ceremonial duties, not administrative. The popularity of the Swedish monarchy has dropped considerably in the last few years, due to several scandals surrounding King Carl, but the Swedish majority is still in favor of honoring the institution.

    The new royal baby, whose name is still yet to be revealed, is fourth in line to the throne. First is Madeline’s sister, Princess Victoria; second is Victoria’s daughter Estelle. Madeleine and Victoria’s brother, Prince Carl Phillip, is third.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Netflix Hits Com Hem TiVo Boxes In Sweden

    Netflix Hits Com Hem TiVo Boxes In Sweden

    Last year, Netflix started emerging on a few TiVo boxes from cable providers, beginning with Virgin Media in the UK. Among the deals announced was one with Swedish provider Com Hem.

    Now, according to reports, Netflix is available on Com Hem cable boxes. According to Engadget, users need only navigate down to the apps menu, log in, and find the app.

    Users will reportedly be able to use their existing Netflix logins to access the service, which is how the Virgin deal worked. In other words, these deals aren’t giving cable providers access to Netflix as part of their service. They’re simply providing more devices upon which existing Netflix customers can watch.

    BroadbandTVNews.com shares a quote from Com Hem chief product officer Asanga Gunatillaka:

    “The new Netflix app complements and further strengthens our current content offering. We want the customer to be able to access any content they want to watch in one single place, regardless of source. As a TiVo user you now easily can search and browse across all of Netflix’s acclaimed line up, together with all the other great content available through Com Hem. This adds up to thousands and thousands of titles, meaning you can find practically anything you would like to watch through your TiVo.”

    Netflix launched in Sweden in the fall of 2012. Com Hem is the first cable provider in the country to offer it.

    Netflix is expected to launch in France and Germany next.

    Image via YouTube

  • Two Teenage Girls Take Selfies Before Robbery

    When you’re a teenager influenced by a hubris culture, taking a picture of yourself (a “selfie” as they say) and your friend wearing ski masks and clenching knives is the only way to show how cool you are, even if it’s used against you in a court of law.

    Such is the case with a 17-year-old girl and her accomplice. According to reports in the Swedish edition of news website The Local, before they robbed a Max hamburger restaurant in Halmstad, southern Sweden in March of this year, they took pictures of themselves with their smart phone. In one of the pictures, the two girls wear hoodies and balaclavas; one girl holds her phone with one hand – in the other, she clenches and holds up a 30cm (11.8 inches) kitchen knife.

    According to The Local, the two girls wound up stealing 2,420 krona ($368) from the diner. A court heard witnesses say that the girl held up the restaurant staff, brandishing the knife and yelling: “Give me the money, or I’ll stab you!”

    Around 47 minutes after the crime, police with sniffer dogs tracked down the two girls. The first piece of evidence they police uncovered was a bag filled with money, the second was the phone that contained the incriminating photos. Police were able to trace the dastardly duo back at one of the girls’ grandmother’s home.

    Last Friday, the eldest girl who was found at the grandma’s house was convicted and sent to juvenile detention. During the mitigation, the court uncovered that the girl had a difficult childhood and had been thrown out from her family home. Her sentence would have been harsher had she been 18; the girl will receive treatment from a youth psychiatrist.

    The other girl, despite overwhelming evidence, was not convicted due to a lack thereof. She had told police that the pictures taken in the mirror were nothing more than a mere joke.

    The Local also reported that among the evidence was the phone that contained numerous selfies, a picture of the money, and a quote by US poet Ralph Waldo Emerson, which read: “Commit a crime and the world is made of glass”.

    (Picture via Swedish Police)

  • Winter Tires Cause Health Problems, Swedish Medical Researchers Claim

    At a time when Sweden will soon get hit with its usual seasonal winter weather, medical researchers are asking for a ban against winter tires.

    In the 1960s, these tires were first introduced to consumers in the United States. Metal studs inserted into the tire were made to enhance the friction on slippery roads, particularly those covered in snow or ice.

    Tire companies such as, Nokian, Michelin, and Bridgestone, manufacture some of the most popular brands.

    However, these tires have come to develop a pretty bad reputation. Now, winter tires seem to be very damaging to roads and hazardous for drivers.

    In a report by Tiresrack.com, it states how winter tires during the drier seasons have been costly for taxpayers due to its tear on the road.

    “The studs were designed to use the vehicle’s weight and centrifugal forces to provide more ice traction as they repeatedly chipped into the driving surface. However, when the road wasn’t covered with snow or ice, tire studs noisily chipped into the road itself…Additionally as studded tires chip into the concrete, they eventually cut ruts in the road that will fill with water to create a hydroplaning hazard when it rains.”

    Aside from safety issues, Sweden’s MAIN concern is the health risk the tires produce. According to medical investigation, researchers assert that the chipping away of the road increases “…the amount of harmful particles in the air, leading to an increase in cardiac, vascular and pulmonary diseases.”

    In 2011, a scientific study in the Chemical Research in Toxicology journal concluded that studded winter tires presented similar health risks, as reported today.

    Countries like, Japan and Germany have banned the slip-resistant tires. State regulations prohibit winter tires in places such as, Texas, Alabama, Florida, and Maryland, while other states have minor seasonal restrictions.

    Along with Finland, Sweden has always been listed as one of the countries to substantially use winter tires.

    In the video below, Tire Rack visit Northern Sweden to test different tires that are best for winter time traction.

    Image Credit:  Youtube, Phillip O’Connor

  • Winter Tires Risk Being Banned After Research

    It’s 32 degrees with a low of 28 in Sweden right now, and medical researchers there are calling for a ban on studded winter tires.

    Many people worldwide use the drop in weather to determine when its time to change into their winter tires, but according to the Alaska Dispatch, researchers in Sweden are declaring that studded winter tires actually do more harm than good.

    A Sweden newspaper named Dagens Nyheter recently released an article featuring two medical researcher’s belief that winter tires rarely have much effect on your driving safety, but they do cause extreme harm to the environment. These researchers believe that winter tires release particles in the air that cause respiratory, cardiac, pulmonary and vascular diseases. The Swedish medical researchers believe that winter tires actually cause more harm to the body than any recorded traffic accidents suffered by those who do not use winter tires.

    Many people believe that winter tires, sometimes known as snow or studded tires, are only necessary for environments covered with snow. Since Sweden is covered with snow, these findings are pretty significant to both those in cold countries as well as for those who experience a smaller amount of snow.

    If you do decide to purchase winter tires, be sure to do your research on the best tires. The best winter tires provide the most traction for your vehicle and also contain the least amount of studs and extra rubber that could prove harmful for you and the environment.

    (Image: Youtube)

  • Archaeologists Uncover Skeletal Victims of Ancient Raid

    NBC News reports that Swedish archaeologists have discovered a terrifying scene that is being called the “Swedish Pompeii.” An island off the Swedish coast named Öland held the remains of a 5th century fort, and after discovering the foundations of a house, the scientists discovered a horrific scene.

    Five people, all unearthed from the same ruined house, had been suddenly and brutally killed. As the digging continued, more bodies were discovered throughout the fort, which causes the researchers to believe that there may be hundreds of skeletons yet to be seen

    “It’s more of a frozen moment than you normally see in archaeology. It’s like Pompeii: Something terrible happened, and everything just stopped,” said Helene Wilhelmson, a researcher with a specialty in bones from Lund University. “There are so many bodies, it must have been a very violent and well-organized raid.”

    The skeletons date to a period referred to as the Migration Period, when Scandinavian tribes migrated to other parts of Europe and encroached on the declining Roman Empire, which split into Eastern and Western halves near beginning of the 4th century CE.

    The conditions of the skeletons puzzled the Swedish researchers because Scandinavian barbarian tribes generally cremated their dead; the few uncremated skeletons that have ever been recovered cause the archaeologists to ask questions about the conditions of the fort at Öland. Were there no survivors left to cremate the dead?

    The 2010 discovery of gold, gilded brooches (pictured above) at the site is also strange in the context of a violent raid. Wouldn’t raiders, who plundered for riches and gold, have taken them along with the rest of their loot?

    In any case, the archaeologists are using advanced 3-D modeling to recreate the crime scene. Nicolo Dell’Unto, an archaeologist from Lund University, said “[With] this specific site, I found extremely interesting the relation between the bodies and the reconstruction of the events. I want to [utilize these new techniques] to help us to understand these events in terms of what actually happened, minute-by-minute.”

    [Images via a YouTube video of the Lund University discovery]

  • Will U.S. Cable Companies Embrace Netflix?

    Will U.S. Cable Companies Embrace Netflix?

    Netflix has been achieving all kinds of new milestones. Its original shows were able to garner a total of fourteen nominations (while also managing to win a few), marking the historical entrance of online video into the television awards.

    Earlier this month, a deal with Virgin Media was announced marking the first time a cable company would offer Netflix to its users. Last week, news emerged of a similar deal between Netflix and Swedish cable provider Com Hem. Like with the Virgin Media deal, Com Hem will offer Netflix through its TiVo boxes.

    These deals might just be the beginning of something much larger for Netflix, however, as the company has also expressed interest in working with cable providers in its homeland of the United States.

    According to Variety:

    Netflix chief financial officer David Wells said at Goldman Sachs’ Communacopia investment conference in New York that the company is open to deals with U.S. pay TV providers, but hasn’t reached any agreements in the States thus far.

    “It’s up to the MVPDs (multichannel video programming distributors) to decide how much of a competitor we are or a complement,” Wells said.

    That is the ultimate question. Is Netflix a competitor or a complement? In reality, the case could be made for either. Some people are happy to get by without a cable provider and stick with Netflix, and perhaps other web-based options to complement it. Obviously there are plenty of others who continue to use both cable (or satellite) and Netflix.

    As Netflix pushes forward with its original programming, it’s looking more and more like an HBO than a cable provider, and HBO is certainly considered a complement as opposed to a competitor (though many – including its own CFO – would like to see HBO go for more of a Netflix-like standalone model).

    Netflix intends to double its original content investment, and is now offering its users a higher quality video experience, so far, while keeping prices nice and low.

    Image: Netflix (YouTube)

  • Sweden’s King Celebrates 40 Years On the Throne

    On Sunday, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden celebrated 40 years on the throne with a dance in the Stockholm Royal Palace Courtyard.

    Other weekend festivities included a dinner and concert on Saturday evening and a Sunday morning church service in the palace chapel. Dignitaries from nearby Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Norway attended the church service.

    The king is 67 years-old and questions have arisen in recent years regarding how long he will remain on the throne. In an interview prepared especially for his anniversary, the king addressed the issue: “I can’t answer that. It will be determined by my health gradually. But I think it’s very exciting because there is so much happening in the world around us.”

    Carl Gustaf Folke Hubertus, Duke of Jämtland, became the reigning monarch of Sweden on September 15, 1973 at the age of 27. He succeeded his grandfather, King Gustaf VI Adolf. Carl’s father, then-crown prince Gustaf Adolf died in a plane crash in 1947, paving the way for his son’s ascension to the throne.

    King Carl Gustaf married German-born Silvia Renate Sommerlath in 1976. They have three children: Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Carl Philip, and Princess Madeleine.

    In 1980, the Swedish Parliament made a change to the Act of Succession that put absolute primogeniture into place. Essentially, the change meant that the first-born child of a monarch is heir to the throne, regardless of gender. Prior to 1980, Prince Carl Philip was heir apparent to the Swedish throne, but now that place of honor and responsibility belongs to Crown Princess Victoria. When she ascends to the throne, Victoria will be the third female monarch in the history of Sweden and the first since 1720.

    The monarchy enjoys great popularity in Sweden, although its role is purely ceremonial. An exhibition celebrating King Carl Gustaf’s reign – 40 Years on the Throne, 40 Years Serving Sweden – will be open at the Stockholm Palace until February, 2014.

    photo credit

  • Toys “R” Us, UK, to Stop Gender-Based Marketing

    Toys “R” Us, UK, this week joined a number of other British retailers in supporting the Let Toys Be Toys campaign with plans to stop explicit gender-based marketing. Toys “R” Us Managing Director Roger McLaughlan said, “We will work with the Let Toys Be Toys team to ensure we develop the best plan for our customers.”

    Let Toys Be Toys is a consumer campaign organization that is supported mainly by parents who are concerned with how sexist stereotypes affect children. The campaign specifically asks retailers, “to stop limiting children’s interests by promoting some toys as only suitable for girls, and others only for boys.” They sponsor a petition on their website for concerned consumers to speak to retailers.

    Member of the group, Megan Perryman, stated, “We’re delighted to be working so closely with a major toy retailer and believe that there is much common ground here. Even in 2013, boys and girls are still growing up being told that certain toys are ‘for’ them, while others are not. This is not only confusing but extremely limiting, as it strongly shapes their ideas about who they are and who they can go on to become. We look forward to seeing Toys “R” Us lead the way to a more inclusive future for boys and girls.”

    The retail giant, with corporate headquarters in Wayne, NJ, plans to draft a set of principles applying to in-store signage, adding images of boys and girls playing with the same toys.

    Other international franchises of the Toy “R” Us brand have already adopted gender-inclusive approaches or are considering it. Swedish school children complained and prompted the affiliated Top Toy catalog to use photographs of boys and girls in non-traditional roles (below).

    Top Toy Catalog

    Just today, French-based Toys “R” Us stores reported that their Christmas catalog would abstain from dividing toys by gender, as inspired by their UK neighbors.

    Other UK retailers— Boots, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, The Entertainer and TK Maxx—have agreed to eliminate signs indicating toys for “girls” or “boys” in stores in support of the campaign. Boots was the first to sign on in May. The Let Toys Be Toys followers went into action against UK Boots retailers when a member posted this photo (below) of gender separated toy aisles. Boots replied to the pressure a few days later saying they were, “taking immediate steps,” to integrate the signage, not having intentionally stereotyped their toys.

    Boots Stores UK

    The mammoth department store Harrods and some other toy vendors moved toward inclusive marketing without prompting by the campaign. Last summer, Harrods reorganized their toy department by theme, not gender.

    What about the US? A website aimed at empowering young girls, A Mighty Girl, has initiated a petition to get US Toys “R” Us stores to change their marketing. In this case, it seems toy manufacturers such as Roominate, GoldieBlox and LEGO are the ones leading the charge to show that girls enjoy building just as much as boys do.

    [Images via Top Toy website, Let Toys Be Toys and Toys “R” Us Facebook.]

  • Swedish Scientists Accidentally Create Upsalite

    Like the discovery of penicillin by Alexander Fleming, many of humanity’s coolest and most useful discoveries seem to happen by sheer accident or human error. This particular discovery is one for the history books: scientists have been trying for a long time to create magnesium carbonate for use as a water absorber, and for a while they were convinced that such a compound was not possible to cheaply manufacture.

    Swedish scientists from Uppsala proved that hypothesis entirely incorrect through an accident of human error: by leaving their equipment on over the weekend, they accidentally produced dry, powdered Magnesium carbonate with a surface area larger than any other alkali earth metal carbonate known to man.

    Known as Upsalite, the discovery of a simple process to produce the compound may result in a revolution for moisture control. The scientists believe Upsalite can be used to reduce the energy needed in climate control during both drug and electronics manufacturing, as well as by ice rinks and warehouses for storage. Potential applications include toxic waste disposal, chemical and oil spill containment, and post-fire sanitation practices.

    Maria Stromme, a professor of nanotechnology and one of the authors of the study, said that “Upsalite absorbs more water and low relative humidities than the best materials presently available and can be regenerated with less energy consumption than is used in similar processes today… This, together with other unique properties of the discovered impossible material, is expected to pave the way for new sustainable products in a number of industrial applications.”

    Variations of the compound have been found to exist in nature, but acquiring one with little or no water molecules was considered next to impossible. After a year of fine-tuning the formula and production process, the scientists had succeeded. The most impressive traits of the new material highlight its lack of water integration and its non-crystalline structure.

    Image courtesy Simon Ydhag, Uppsala University