Before we begin, we dare you to find a picture of Shigeru Miyamoto where he does not look like he just won a million dollars.
It is an old joke, and while you will not win any awards for doing that task (doable but not as easy as you might thing), it gives a pretty good idea of what kind of eccentric genius we are talking about here. Look at it, here’s a man who got famous for the concept of having a bad guy based on King Kong fight off a plumber.
Say what you want, but the Nintendo arcade classic Donkey Kong was such a critical success at a time when all other games included the words “smash”, “action”, “nightmare” and “mega doom” (or derivatives thereof). We had a plumber jumping over rolling barrels while running up an unfinished construction site (extra trivia, Mario was supposed to be a carpenter –it just did not look so visible on the pixel graphics).
Now, it has been over two decades since the release of the first Mario game and we are all still games featuring Mario, Luigi or some other random Shigeru creation like Samus Aran or Fox McCloud.
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts have recognized many pioneering geniuses such as Stanley Kubrick and Alfred Hitchcock. While Shigeru Miyamoto may not be an actor or a film/TV director, his work and contribution into video game media is unparalleled.
BAFTA has been recognizing video games for quite some time now, despite the establishment not reflecting the change in their name. Shigeru’s BAFTA fellowship award will be given this coming March 19. So the next time you open a platforming game on your mobile phone, do not forget to give a quick toast to the man who made the genre what it is today.
Read more about the BAFTA Award for Shigeru Miyamoto at the Telegraph UK.
Well, considering that other mobile operating systems are not as widely adapted, its already a big deal that Windows Phone 7 will be used for at least three different types of phone chassis.
According to a podcast from ZDnet, the new Microsoft mobile platform will be using three variant chassis types. To go from the least interesting to the most relevant; the third is supposed to be some sort of candy bar phone type, though we seriously doubt that would work well with the user interface for WP7.
The type 2 chassis is a little more relevant to our interests. This new phone will be a touch screen device with a slide out QWERTY keyboard; and as we all know, physical keyboards are the ultimate way to spruce up a mobile phone. Seriously speaking, adding in a better way to type long messages or write emails is an excellent way to increase the usability of a touch screen phone. One cannot remember the number of times that a quirky onscreen keyboard would discourage a person from replying to an email.
Of course, the type 1 chassis is the notably predictable touch screen variant. With almost all smart phones following this format (the second most common would be the BlackBerry type with a keyboard up front), this look that was made famous by the iPhone is the same image we see in the screenshots of WP7’s revolutionary new user interface.
Well, regardless of the actual outcome, we do know for sure that Asus and Microsoft have teamed up to create the line of WP7 devices and that we are expecting these phones to arrive by October or later. We also confirmed that the device will be using Qualcomm technology so expect to see the Snapdragon CPU or better when it arrives.
Looks like Vodafone UK will be the first to offer Sony Ericsson’s brand new Symbian smart phone.
For those who have yet to hear of the Vivaz, here’s a quick recap of the device. The Sony Ericsson Vivaz was originally announced (well, more like leaked) last year. The phone was originally announced as the SE Kurara. Aside from the change in name, not much has changed since then.
The main star of this smart phone is the 8 mega pixel camera. It is excellent when taking high quality images and the auto focus and LED flash certainly help a lot when it comes to making great shots. Of course, there is much more to this camera than taking good quality images, and the secret is in taking great quality videos. The Vivaz is one of the very first smart phones announced to be capable of recording video in 720p HD quality.
Aside from the impressive camera, this Sony Ericsson Vivaz also uses the Symbian operating system. No word yet if the phone will be receiving an upgrade to version ^3 but we are hoping to see that possibly happen.
SE was quick to show off this device at the Mobile World Congress along with the XPERIA X10, the X10 Mini, X10 Mini Pro and surprisingly, the Vivaz Pro. The Vivaz and the Vivaz Pro share similar hardware with the exception of the 8 mega pixel camera. The Vivaz Pro comes with only a 5 mega pixel camera, though it will retain the 720p video recording capability.
With Vodafone UK already offering pre-orders for the Vivaz, it is only a matter of time before we see the other devices (especially the XPERIA X10) made available on other operators as well.
Read more about the SE Vivaz and the Vodafone UK pre-order details on GSM Arena.
An Australian podcast of Microsoft devs has revealed that the new Windows Phone 7 series will be available in three variants. The first is the standard touch screen smart phone look that they call the type 1 chassis.
This is the common image of WP7 that has been popping up online lately. Much like the Android smart phone, the device shows off the touch screen and a couple or so buttons below that help with navigation. It is rumored that the phone will be having a 1GHz processor, and since WP7 is reliant on Qualcomm technology, it is likely that the Snapdragon CPU will be used. The amount of graphical content on WP7 also means that the device will also need a good graphics card.
There will be two other chassis for WP7; the second is reported to be sporting a slide out QWERTY keyboard. No details for the type 3 chassis have been given so far. With reports that Asus will be working with Microsoft for the first MS branded smart phone, and HTC will also be working on its own WP7 device, we can expect to see the type 1 chassis in action as early as October (though the release can take as long as early 2011).
For those wondering what makes WP7 so important, the new MS made mobile platform is reinventing the way we look at mobile phones with its revolutionary new operating system. So far, the OS is still a work in progress, but the current user interface is so impressive on so many levels that many are wondering when this OS will finally hit the shelves. WP7 first appeared during the Mobile World Congress held at Barcelona, Spain.
Read more about the alleged specifications for the Windows Phone 7 at Pocket Lint.
Looks like Steve Jobs and Hugh Hefner are sharing lots of love, but independent app developers like the creators of iBoob are getting the boot from the Apple app store.
In a not-so-surprising but once again, confusing move, Apple has removed thousands of applications from the Apple app store. According to Apple, the apps were inappropriate and contained degrading or objectionable content.
Okay, we have to admit, iBoobs is pretty silly. After all, you got to jiggle around a pair of breasts (clothed) when you move around your iPhone. It is downright juvenile, but the app makes as much sense as the Playboy and Sports Illustrated apps. Sure, there are other content to be found in Playboy and Sports Illustrated, but it does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that the apps are doing well because of the images of the scantily clad girls.
Still, the bottom line is that Apple has got the full control of the app store and what they say goes. While many people might protest the obvious bias on app retention and removal policies, at the end of the day, people will not be abandoning their iPhones simply because they will not be able to jiggle a pair with it. Market wise, Apple has nothing to worry about.
For application developers however, this is where the lines get blurry. Obviously, there are some pretty obvious sell-out applications that just border on the plain obscene in order to make a profit. Not really the kind of thing you would want to see, but it is there. On the other hand, there are honest to goodness apps that simply want to give users some fun.
If Playboy had an AR application that lets you check out various strip clubs and their rates, would Apple ban it?
Read more about the large scale app ban by Apple on Know Your Mobile.
Looks like major phone heavyweights Nokia and LG will be focusing on AR technology for their few devices. AR (augmented reality) has been quite a hit these past few days as it combines a phone’s onboard digital camera, GPS support and internet connectivity in order to deliver relevant and useful data to users all over the world.
For those who are not yet familiar with the technology, AR applications –for the most part- turn your mobile phones into futuristic guidance devices. Simply point your camera towards a certain direction and the mobile phone does the rest. If you point it at a restaurant, the phone will identify the architectural form and GPS location with its database and call up relevant data such as food reviews, online menus and even booking options. Point it at a painting and the camera will attempt to compare the image with an online catalog and once it identifies the image, it will tell you the medium, artist, and title of the work.
Anyway, right now, AR is still in its early stages. Apps such as Google Goggles and third party software are available for people to toy around with. Functionalities range from information gathering to simple entertainment such as AR-based games (a Japanese company is working on a game that places giant monsters in your local landscape).
There is no doubt that this functionality is truly convenient and it will not be long before it is a standard for mobile devices. What we are expecting is that this new tech will also create another level of etiquette. Of course, pointing your camera at a stranger’s car to learn its model and make is not exactly a polite thing to do, but our society learns to grow and adapt to the use of new technology.
No matter how you look at it, Google’s mobile platform Android is still one of the most sought after operating systems for mobile phones. Their web services offer some of the most used free internet services (though they also have plenty of other services that nobody really uses). And Google is continuing to expand into many fields such as mobile phones, net books and even broadband services.
There is no doubt that the mobile phone industry will be a critical part of global technology in the next few years. Mobile phones are now carrying many of the functions we used to delegate to other devices. Portable entertainment, internet access, photo shooting is just some of the functions that modern day smart phones serve to users.
Google is expanding heavily in the mobile industry.
It has been noticed that right now, two major companies are facing off for market dominance; Apple and Google. Apple has been having tremendous success with the iPhone. The smart phone totally set a new standard for how touch screen user interfaces should be made, and until this very day, it is considered to still be one of the best smart phones on the market –beating devices only recently launched.
With the recent focus of Apple on the tablet market, it is not surprising that Google has also been working on a Chrome tablet. The Apple iPad tablet comes with a 1GHz CPU and a 9.4 inch capacitive touch screen. It’s a great device; though it does lack common features such as multi tasking (it will never have Flash).
Speaking of the mobile industry, the rise of the app market has also become a major focus. The Apple iPhone is very encouraging companies to developers as they work on some of the most famous apps in the system.
Get to know more about Google and Apple at the Guardian UK.
Google’s executives might be wondering, why does social networking tools such as Twitter and Facebook do so well when their own Buzz application was quickly rejected by the public. Putting aside discussions of Google being such an epic fail with the handling of how Buzz was implemented and how they automatically added in followers and follow-ees in the creepiest way possible, we are still left with an oddball of a tool that no one wants to check.
On the other hand, everyone seems to love Facebook so much. Many people will admit that they spend hours and hours of their day on the social networking tool. People in offices cannot help but post status updates every so often and most people like to start or end their days by checking on their profile.
Looking at the current functions and capabilities of Facebook, there is more to the social networking tool than just getting in touch, it is also about life sharing. Even if you are new to Facebook, or if you have never used it, chances are that someone near or close to you does. There are millions of users on the network that it is more difficult to find a tech savvy individual who does not use the social networking tool.
Once online, you will find yourself in a swarm of updates. From relationship status, to upcoming birthdates to announcements of major life events, people love to share, and Facebook is the one place to do it. Many would spend hours uploading and sharing their images they take each day.
It is this level of immersion and involvement with the people around them that makes users of Facebook happy. This is the core reason why Facebook succeeds.
Speaking of Facebook, they also won the “most innovative company” award; go to the Telegraph UK for the details.
The world of mobile phones as we know is about to change. We already know that the Apple iPhone 4G will be coming soon and manufacturers such as HTC and Motorola are cranking out one Android device after the other (when they are not allegedly working on Google branded devices). The Symbian OS recently got turned into an open source platform, making it a serious contender in the mobile industry with Symbian 3 (Symbian cubed?) coming in the not so distant future.
So what about Microsoft?
For many years, their Windows Mobile operating system has been at both the forefront and distant back of the smart phone trends. They were first to vault from the Pocket PC industry into mobile phones, but they also quickly got pushed back by business giant BlackBerry. Right now, WinMo is the second most used business oriented platform; for the casual user, WinMo is hardly a viable choice. High end WinMo phones such as the HTC HD2 only get by thanks to the HTC Sense user interface, and even the HD2 is struggling.
During the Mobile World Congress, all this slowly began to change. Steve Ballmer took the stage and presented the Windows Phone 7 series. It’s the next installment of Microsoft’s mobile platform, but instead of being an upgrade, it is an entirely new system. The new stylized menus, tiles and additional features such as Zune, Bing and Xbox Live Games are not only promising, they are game-changing.
Now, MS stands with two powerful platforms; the old WinMo 6.5 series (which was renamed to Windows Mobile Classic) and the newer Phone 7 Series. With older WinMo phones not being compatible with WP7 the decision to continue the development of version 6.X is certainly a great move.
Read more about Windows Mobile 6.X and Windows Phone 7 at Softpedia.
Considering the fact that the Bada OS is relatively new in the mobile industry, there are plenty of mixed reactions. At least they are relatively positive.
The device’s specs are impressive. It is small, almost as small as the Apple iPhone 3G, but it packs plenty of power. This means that this phone might be good for the next few years. The 3.3 inch capacitive touch screen delivers accurate and responsive touch controls. It can detect light touches with relative ease.
Samsung calls the touch screen as super AMOLED. While we cannot identify what specific hardware makes the AMOLED screen “super”; it does compete with the screens of devices such as the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 in terms of clarity and brightness.
Running in the core of this mobile phone is a high speed 1GHz processor. Despite the fact that Samsung intends the Wave to be a smart phone for everyone, 1GHz phones these days still are considered on the high-end margin. This means that the device will be pretty expensive despite the smaller size.
At the same time, many smart phones now have 1GHz processors: the Nexus One, the X10, the HTC Desire all have Snapdragon processors. It is also plausible to think that pretty soon, 1GHz CPUs will be the norm.
Of course, the big IF factor of this mobile phone is its operating system, the Bada; we do know that this open source platform has gotten the attention of many developers, and that there are already over 900 applications for it at the Bada market. The big question now is whether the OS can actually pull the right customers in.
For those wondering, Bada means ocean in Korean –which makes naming the phone as Wave a very fitting thing to do.
Before we begin, we dare you to find a picture of Shigeru Miyamoto where he does not look like he just won a million dollars.
Well, considering that other mobile operating systems are not as widely adapted, its already a big deal that Windows Phone 7 will be used for at least three different types of phone chassis.
Looks like 
An Australian podcast of Microsoft devs has revealed that the new Windows Phone 7 series will be available in three variants. The first is the standard touch screen smart phone look that they call the type 1 chassis.
Looks like Steve Jobs and Hugh Hefner are sharing lots of love, but independent app developers like the creators of iBoob are getting the boot from the 
Looks like major phone heavyweights 
No matter how you look at it, 
Once online, you will find yourself in a swarm of updates. From relationship status, to upcoming birthdates to announcements of major life events, people love to share, and Facebook is the one place to do it. Many would spend hours uploading and sharing their images they take each day.
The world of mobile phones as we know is about to change. We already know that the Apple 
Considering the fact that the Bada OS is relatively new in the mobile industry, there are plenty of mixed reactions. At least they are relatively positive.