A copy of a copy of Digg

There was recently a debate among Swedish bloggers about the lack of local web 2.0 applications. A list of Sweden’s top web apps on Read/Write Web sparked comments that they were all merely bad clones of US sites. So in the light of that debate maybe we shouldn’t be surprised that a power house such as IDG can get ink just from launching a copy of a clone. Apparently IDG have launched a “Digg site” called Hypa.se that is almost identical to Digga.se, interface, layout, colors et cetera.

“The goal is to be bigger than idg.se” says Bo Nordlin at IDG.

It is very hard to believe that will ever happen.

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The brand “Björn Borg” sold for 18 MUSD

Swedish tennis legend Björn Borg has sold the rights to his name for 124 million kronor (18 MUSD) to Worldwide Brand Management. WBM has previously had the license to the brand and paid royalties to the Dutch company Fabulous Licensing, which has connections to the Borg family. WBM now own all the rights to the brand Björn Borg and will also pay an addition fee for ten years of about 1.5 – 2% of the sales price of the products, although a minimum of 7.8 million kronor (1.1 MUSD) per year. The company is planning to change name to Björn Borg AB.

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Dell Island not for Swedes?

Shel Holtz writes about how Dell Computer has Second Life listed as a location among other countries in a drop down menu on their site. Go to Dell.com and choose the menu at the bottom. Select “Second Life” and you are sent to a page that will take you to Dell Island in Second Life. Pretty cool, however, it only works if you enter the US site first. For Swedes and other nationalities that option is not listed.

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