After months of anticipation on when Nokia (NYSE: NOK) would launch its gaming platform called N-Gage, the world's largest handset maker did it quietly this morning when it let the Web site go live worldwide. Nokia spokeswoman Camilla Pagliaroli said from CTIA that, the formal announcement will go out on Monday, but it is already selling six games for five handsets as of today. The Monday release may include the launch of more games, and details on other handsets that will be supported in the future.
Game developers are hopeful that N-Gage will lead to a second stage of higher-quality gaming that will drive sales, and it's a big part of Nokia's push at becoming a content company (The WSJ reported details on the market opportunity—Gartner expects revenues to hit $9.6 billion by 2011). The platform supports 3D graphics, and will eventually span many devices. Originally, Nokia's N-Gage was a specific gaming device, now it's a platform that can run on many devices. Pagliaroli said the platform is designed to push developer's imaginations. She said when developers should incorporate community features, where players can play another person from across the world, or use the phone's camera or other high-end features. In a kick-boxing game called The One, the graphics are console-like quality, another neat feature is that messages can appear overlaid on the screen as they arrive.
N-Gage can either be downloaded online and sideloaded to the phone, or bought on the handset. Users are able to try the games before they buy. They range from $7 and $13, and there are different prices for whether they want them for a week, a month or longer. On the Web site today, Gameloft's (EPA: GFT) Asphalt 3: Street Rules, was available, and there was one player, and two reviews already posted. One simply said: "I love it."
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@ CTIA: Billboard Mobile: Nokia Discusses Upcoming 'Comes With Music' Service
Nokia Roundup: Launches Music Service In Germany; Settles Qualcomm Spat; N-Gage Coming
Nokia Wins UK Patent Spat Against Qualcomm; Commercial Launch of Nokia's N-Gage "In Few Weeks"
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Quiet Period Is Ending; Qualcomm, Verizon And Others Address Spectrum Auction
The high-profile spectrum auction ended two weeks ago, but the really interesting information is only starting to come out now that the quiet period has ended. The FCC, which garnered nearly $20 billion from the auction, prohibited the winning companies from saying anything about what they were going to do with the spectrum until 6 p.m. Eastern today. The timing was lousy given that it coincided with the industry's big annual event—CTIA. Arun Sarin, the CEO of Vodafone (NYSE: VOD), which owns about half of Verizon Wireless (NYSE: VZ) and happened to be the biggest winner of the auction, even joked about it yesterday, saying everyone will have to wait another 24 hours for an update. Verizon Wireless said today it will hold a Webcast tomorrow to discuss its plans.
Qualcomm (NSDQ: QCOM) also stayed quiet. I met with Qualcomm MediaFLO division yesterday, when they refused to say anything, but today, they announced the spectrum will indeed be used for its MediaFLO TV service. It said it paid $558.1 million for licenses including the E block covering Boston, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia and San Francisco. Qualcomm said: "These licenses double Qualcomm's 700 MHz spectrum holdings throughout a footprint of more than 68 million people in 28 individual markets," the company said.
With the additional licenses, MediaFLO will be able to deliver additional content and services in these top markets, which is precisely what I chatted with Omar Javaid, the vp of global business opportunities, about. He said already they are starting to see what users prefer, and they were surprised to learn that people didn't want bite-sized content like a lot of people assumed, but preferred full-length TV shows. AT&T (NYSE: T), which is launching in May, even included a channel by Sony (NYSE: SNE) which will play full-length movies. But moving beyond even those basic services, he said they will develop future services, including chat and voting capabilities.
Qualcomm (NSDQ: QCOM) also stayed quiet. I met with Qualcomm MediaFLO division yesterday, when they refused to say anything, but today, they announced the spectrum will indeed be used for its MediaFLO TV service. It said it paid $558.1 million for licenses including the E block covering Boston, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia and San Francisco. Qualcomm said: "These licenses double Qualcomm's 700 MHz spectrum holdings throughout a footprint of more than 68 million people in 28 individual markets," the company said.
With the additional licenses, MediaFLO will be able to deliver additional content and services in these top markets, which is precisely what I chatted with Omar Javaid, the vp of global business opportunities, about. He said already they are starting to see what users prefer, and they were surprised to learn that people didn't want bite-sized content like a lot of people assumed, but preferred full-length TV shows. AT&T (NYSE: T), which is launching in May, even included a channel by Sony (NYSE: SNE) which will play full-length movies. But moving beyond even those basic services, he said they will develop future services, including chat and voting capabilities.
Here's A Way To Get Operators To Cut Costs: Out Them In Public
Here's a novel way to shame operators into cutting their data and text costs: shame them in public. At least that's what Viviane Reding, European telecom regulator, is proposing to do if the local operators don't cut costs for roaming text messaging and wholesale data transmission by July 1, reports IHT.
"I will look at all the tariffs available and put them on a Web site...That way, people will be able to see which ones have not lowered their prices," said the always plucky Reding. This isn't the first time this clash has happened, and it won't be the last, for sure.
She asked that the price of a SMS sent outside of one's home country be capped at 12 euro cents, down from the average of 29 cents in Europe and 23 cents in France. She also requested a cut in wholesale prices for data roaming..some operators charge as much as Euro 11, or $17 per MB of data transmitted outside of their home country, but most charge Euro 5 to Euro 7, she said, which is still crazy pricing. She would like to see those roaming wholesale prices cut to 35 euro cents per MB.
Related
T-Mobile To Cut European Mobile Data Roaming Charges
EU Telecoms Commissioner Reiterates Need For Mobile Data Roaming Price Cuts
Reding Slaps 'Wishful-Thinking' 3G Bidders, Urges Spectrum Reform Support
Five European Operators Cut Mobile Data Roaming Charges
Ofcom Takes Aim At Pricey Mobile Data Roaming Charges
"I will look at all the tariffs available and put them on a Web site...That way, people will be able to see which ones have not lowered their prices," said the always plucky Reding. This isn't the first time this clash has happened, and it won't be the last, for sure.
She asked that the price of a SMS sent outside of one's home country be capped at 12 euro cents, down from the average of 29 cents in Europe and 23 cents in France. She also requested a cut in wholesale prices for data roaming..some operators charge as much as Euro 11, or $17 per MB of data transmitted outside of their home country, but most charge Euro 5 to Euro 7, she said, which is still crazy pricing. She would like to see those roaming wholesale prices cut to 35 euro cents per MB.
Related
T-Mobile To Cut European Mobile Data Roaming Charges
EU Telecoms Commissioner Reiterates Need For Mobile Data Roaming Price Cuts
Reding Slaps 'Wishful-Thinking' 3G Bidders, Urges Spectrum Reform Support
Five European Operators Cut Mobile Data Roaming Charges
Ofcom Takes Aim At Pricey Mobile Data Roaming Charges
Local Matters Acquires Local Mobile Search Firm mobilePeople
Media technology provider Local Matters is acquiring Danish local mobile search and advertising provider mobilePeople. The Denver, Colorado-based firm, which specializes in local search, will acquire all of the outstanding capital stock of mobilePeople in exchange for a combination of cash and Local Matters stock. No financial details of the deal were disclosed. The buy out means that Local Matters will now be able to offer directory publishers, media publishers and directory assistance providers with their local search technology across the internet, mobile and voice. The two companies are already familiar with one another, having formed a business partnership two years ago. They have several joint initiatives in progress. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2008 (release).
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