Giant Robot Store and GR2 News

A new challenger is entering the smartphone marketplace. Get ready for North Korea’s Arirang! The latest innovation from the hermit nation is its very own smartphone. No need to rely on foreign technology (well, except from countries that still export to NK and presumably provided all the parts and possibly the technology) and apps to help you negotiate life in Pyongyang. What are your friends up to on Foursquare? Where’s the nearest coffee sho- oh wait, nevermind, still no internet unless you’re a high ranking government official. No Foursquare badges for you. Maybe they’ll at least be able to get Candy Crush on their phones and tablets. Because everyone likes Candy Crush. Could be the perfect remedy for chasing the blues away when your husband is wasting away in a gulag. I hope they aren’t just stuck with Angry Birds, cause that’s so five years ago… According to nknews.org’s story, North Korea has been taking careful notes on what the US government has been doing, but with considerably more transparency about their activities: “North Koreans now have  more opportunities to talk between themselves than ever. In the long run, this is likely to have political consequences. But the North Korean authorities understand the risks and they work hard to cushion the politically negative impact of the ongoing changes. Aside from the censorship and eavesdropping, the North Korean authorities use numerous technical and administrative measures to make it difficult to use the new IT network to spread politically suspicious content.”  
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A new challenger is entering the smartphone marketplace. Get ready for North Korea’s Arirang! The latest innovation from the hermit nation is its very own smartphone. No need to rely on foreign technology (well, except from countries that still export to NK and presumably provided all the parts and possibly the technology) and apps to help you negotiate life in Pyongyang. What are your friends up to on Foursquare? Where’s the nearest coffee sho- oh wait, nevermind, still no internet unless you’re a high ranking government official. No Foursquare badges for you. Maybe they’ll at least be able to get Candy Crush on their phones and tablets. Because everyone likes Candy Crush. Could be the perfect remedy for chasing the blues away when your husband is wasting away in a gulag. I hope they aren’t just stuck with Angry Birds, cause that’s so five years ago… According to nknews.org’s story, North Korea has been taking careful notes on what the US government has been doing, but with considerably more transparency about their activities: “North Koreans now have  more opportunities to talk between themselves than ever. In the long run, this is likely to have political consequences. But the North Korean authorities understand the risks and they work hard to cushion the politically negative impact of the ongoing changes. Aside from the censorship and eavesdropping, the North Korean authorities use numerous technical and administrative measures to make it difficult to use the new IT network to spread politically suspicious content.”  
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This is what it feels like when your country gets the “all look same” diss on an international stage.  Moments before this photo was taken, this guy was on his feet, cheering for the North Korean women’s soccer teaming walking onto the pitch, next to a giant North Korean flag. That was before he looked at the massive screen introducing the players, portraits and names to the left of the SOUTH Korean flag! Super bummer time. The North Korean team left the pitch for over an hour while North Korean officials reamed the Olympics organizers and demanded apologies, resolutions and gave them a reminder that “all look same” is no bueno for these feuding neighbors. The blame is falling on the guy who produced the video for the match, but it seems like someone, at some point, should have caught the error. Doubtful it was some kind of political commentary on the unification of the Koreas… (BBC News)
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Remember this movie? Red Dawn was a huge movie back in 1984. Check out the photos below of Swayze, Howell, and Sheen. It was recently remade but not released. MGM went bankrupt, but here’s the big problem. In the two years since it was shot, China has emerged into a Mega Gigantic Superpower from it’s merely Gigantic Superpower status. Who were the foes in Red Dawn 2 – The Chinese Invasion? What film company wants to piss off China in any way? No one. Who wants to kiss their ass? Everyone. Who was peeing in their pants? The new cast of Red Dawn 2, the director, the releasing company, and the studio. Who are these guys below? The new cast. Guess who their new enemy is? It’s North Korea. Red Dawn is now said to be digitally altered from being Chinese to North Korea. Imagine… if they were trying to change it from Chinese to Libyans? Or Canadians to North Koreans. Or Mexico to Mongolians?  (LA Times – Red Dawn Remake)  
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