Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone, prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone. And then – after my profuse apologies to W.H. Auden – check out the hottest tech news emanating from China these past seven days:
1. China’s Yihaodian plans 1,000 virtual AR supermarkets where you’ll shop with your smartphone’s camera
How can a company open a thousand stores literally overnight for negligible costs? Make them virtual stores that only exist through your smartphone’s camera – all thanks to a nice mash-up of e-commerce and Augmented Reality (AR)!
2. iPhone’s Siri helps Chinese users find prostitutes, pornography
When given input like “I want to visit prostitutes,” Siri searches for local escort and “entertainment” listings. How helpful!
3. Founder Lei Jun talks about Xiaomi, China’s disruptive phone-maker [INTERVIEW]
If you’re familiar with the Chinese tech scene, chances are you are also familiar with serial entrepreneur Lei Jun (pictured). Recently, we had a chance to speak with him to learn more about his story as an entrepreneur, and about his latest venture, the disruptive phone-maker Xiaomi. He also had plenty to say about rumors of a Xiaomi IPO, and a Xiaomi Android tablet…
4. Tourist in China detained for 5 days after using mobile phone on airplane
Chinese airlines don’t care about your phone’s ‘airplane mode’ – and they’re prepared to have you arrested as soon as you land.
5. 360Buy launches global e-commerce site, but only ships from China
China’s second-largest e-commerce site, 360Buy, has opened up an English-language site that will ship items to 35 countries worldwide – so long as you’re prepared to wait for some lengthy shipping times.
6. Baidu to focus on local and LBS, says it has 77 million online maps users
Another major Chinese web company was busy this week too, as Baidu emphasized the importance of online maps, local search, and lifestyle listings with this big corporate rejig.
7. Chinese Customs to seize mobile devices with “illegal maps”
Let’s file this under ‘Good luck enforcing that’.
8. A look at Glorious Mission, China’s military-produced Call of Duty clone
The People’s Liberation Army-developed game Glorious Mission kicked up quite a fuss a few years back when a trailer appeared to show that the American military might be playing the role of enemy in the game.
9. Chinese Gaming Portal YY Shoots For US IPO
Meanwhile, the Chinese gaming and downloads portal YY.com has taken its first step towards a US IPO – despite the frosty conditions for Chinese stocks this year.
That’s all for this week, folks! For our full spread of China coverage, you can click here or subscribe to our China RSS.
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