Beijing

The 404 816: Where we only buy American (podcast)

The 404 is finally back together again after Wilson's departure last week for San Francisco. Now that he's back, we get to hear all the reasons why the CNET office in San Francisco is better than ours.

There are lots of stories to talk about today, like banned arcade machines, iPad 2 riots in Beijing, and custom Abbottabad levels in Counter-Strike, but we're also launching a Twitter contest today for a chance to win one carbon fiber BodyGuardz skin for the iPad 2 or two codes worth $30 at the site.

To win, just follow @The404 and @BodyGuardz and mention both of us in a Tweet, and that's it! There's one prize winner, but the two runners-up will each get a $30 credit for anything on the site.

The 404 Digest for Episode 816

Massachusetts town continues 1982 ban on coin-operated arcade machines. iPad 2 Beijing release causes riot. New Counter-Strike map of Osama bin Laden's hideout. Real magazine issues coming to the iPad from Hearst, Conde Nast. Steven B.'s 404 sticker in a U.K. telephone box!

Episode 816 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

Reports: iPad launch punch-up at Beijing Apple store

People do seem to get enthusiastic about the iPad 2.

However, reports emerging from China suggest that, perhaps, enthusiasm turned to rough stuff at the iPad 2 launch in Beijing yesterday.

According to the Associated Press, a witness says he saw a fight between a "foreign" Apple employee and a Chinese customer. The witness says he understood that the man had cut in line and was a scalper.

An AP image certainly shows two men lying on the sidewalk, appearing to be at least dazed, if not injured. There is also an image of a glass door, smashed … Read more

China launches new state-run search engine

China has unveiled a new government-run search engine that will square off against market leader Baidu.

Launched today and operated by telecom company China Mobile and state-run news agency Xinhua, Panguso will let people search for news, Web sites, images, videos, and audio, according to Xinhua. Mobile phone users will also be able to tap into Panguso directly and send search results to their PCs via SMS.

The partnership between Xinhua and China Mobile to build a new search engine was first revealed last summer. Xinhua's role will be to supply the news and information, while China Mobile will … Read more

China's Green Dam may be ready to collapse

China's Green Dam software-filtering project has been staying afloat without government funds for the past year, but the project may now be in danger of collapse, according to a story in Tuesday's Beijing Times as covered by BBC News.

The project was launched last year in response to demands from the Chinese government to block pornography and other Internet content considered objectionable. Beijing initially wanted the software to be installed on all computers sold in China, but it provided project funding only for the first year, from 2008 to 2009.

The lack of funding since then has forced … Read more

BMW's blending form factors again with Gran Coupe concept

With its Gran Turismo, BMW took the 5-Series sedan and beefed it up into something of an SUV/wagon hybrid. With the Gran Coupe concept, the automaker has done the opposite to its 7-Series, carving away at the upright proportions of the sedan and leaving us with a very sexy and coupelike profile.

Revealed at the 2010 Beijing Auto Show, it's unclear whether the Gran Coupe is a design study for an upcoming BMW four-door coupe that will challenge the likes of the Porsche Panamera and Aston Martin Rapide for your people hauling dollars or a thinly veiled sneak … Read more

Ford's small concept debuts 3-cylinder EcoBoost engine

At the 2010 Beijing Auto Show, Ford showed off its new Start Concept, a small car designed for urban driving. The concept comes amid the worldwide launch of Ford's new Fiesta small car, and hints at how the company could go smaller and more fuel efficient.

The concept shows a futuristic, bulbous design, with minimal grille and headlight apertures. Although mostly a design concept, Ford points out that its engine is a new addition to its EcoBoost lineup. Ford's EcoBoost engines use direct injection and turbocharging to enhance efficiency. The Start Concept uses a 1-liter 3-cylinder engine, which … Read more

Chevrolet supersizes Volt with MPV5 concept

Chevrolet has taken the yet-unreleased Volt extended-range electric vehicle in an odd direction for the Chinese market, making it bigger and less efficient with the newly revealed Volt MPV5 concept. The concept takes the styling cues of the Volt sedan that we're already familiar with and super-sizes it into a five-seat crossover.

The Volt MPV5 is only 0.6 inches longer in wheel base, but overall it is 7 inches longer than the sedan version. Height has been increased by about 7 inches and width has spread by 2.9 inches. The result is a vehicle that gives its five passengers a bit more elbow room.

Under the hood is the same Voltec powertrain consisting of a 111 kW (150 horsepower) electric motor that twists the Volt MPV5's front wheels to the tune of 273 pound-feet of torque. Electric power is supplied by the same T-shaped 16 kWh lithium ion battery that juices the sedan, but the heavier MPV5's EV range has been reduced to 32 miles (down from the 40-mile zero emission range of the Volt sedan).

Once the battery is exhausted, a 1.4-liter gasoline range extender takes over supplying electricity and keeping the electric powertrain spinning until the battery can be plugged in and recharged.… Read more

Intel cancels Taiwan forum due to economy

Production isn't the only thing being scaled back at Intel because of the world economy. The world's largest chipmaker will cancel its developer conference in Taiwan this year and scale back the one in Beijing.

The Intel Developer Forum in Taiwan typically takes place in October, while China IDF is in April. The IDF in the United States in September will not be affected, Intel said Monday. The Beijing IDF will be shortened to a one-day event. It is typically two days.

Intel uses the IDF to launch many of its products and technologies.

"It's the … Read more

Beijing Net cafes to take mug shots, scan IDs

In a purported effort to cut down on "ID sharing" in Beijing's Internet cafes, the government will require that by the end of 2008, first-time visitors will have their picture taken and ID scanned before being allowed online, according to The Beijing News and the China Media Project.

Users were already required to show identification when they entered, a rule that has been spottily enforced at times but more strictly, by most accounts, since preparations for the Olympics began. David Bandurski at China Media Project writes:

The newspaper quoted Li Fei (李菲), a spokesperson for the Beijing Cultural … Read more