Mobile Community Games

Some companies, e.g. Cellufun, have started to come up with unique community games made for mobile phones like Call of the Pharaoh, which won "Best Mobile Game" at the Global Mobile Awards 2008. In these games, players use their cellphones to access a community website where they can play browser-based games with thousands of players. This type of game works well on a limited platform like mobiles, because they do not require a lot graphical content. The essence of the game consists rather of the interaction between a multitude of participants. The fact that most users always have their cell phone with them make possible new kinds of games. In recent years we have seen a move towards ad wrapped mobile games which are then distributed free to the end user and paid for by advertisers. This area has been driven by companies like Greystripe and partners like Thumbthug.com.

A mobile game is a video game played on a mobile phone, smartphone, PDA, handheld computer or portable media player. This does not include games played on handheld video game systems such as PlayStation Portable or Nintendo DS.

The first game that was pre-installed onto a mobile phone was Snake on selected Nokia models in 1997^[1]. Snake and its variants have since become the most-played videogame on the planet, with over a billion people having played the game.

Mobile games are played using the technologies present on the device itself. For networked games, there are various technologies in common use. Examples include text message (SMS), multimedia message (MMS) or GPRS location identification.

However, there are non networked applications that simply use the device platform to run the game software. The games may be installed over the air, they may be side loaded onto the handset with a cable, or they may be embedded on the handheld devices by the OEM or by the mobile operator.

Mobile games are usually downloaded via the mobile operator's radio network, but in some cases are also loaded into the mobile handsets when purchased, or via infrared connection, Bluetooth or memory card.

Mobile Magazine is an online publication^[1] which started in December of 2000. Mobile Magazine covers mobile technology, including notebook computers, mobile phones, personal digital assistants, MP3 players, digital cameras, mobile gaming, and other portable electronics and computing devices as well as automotive technology.

Mobile Magazine is a registered trademark with the USPTO and CIPO, in the USA and Canada respectively, and owned by Pilato Private Consulting. In June of 2005, "Mobile PC" published by Future Network USA changed their name to "Mobile". A cease and desist order on the use of the confusingly similar magazine name and website domain MobileMagazine.com was sent to Future Network USA. The print publication "Mobile" ceased publication as of November 2005 due to undetermined reasons and the domain name MobileMagazine.com was transfered to Pilato Private Consulting. Outstanding subscriptions to Mobile PC were fulfilled by subscriptions to Maximum PC, a sister technical magazine.

Mobile radio or mobiles refer to wireless communications systems and devices which are based on radio frequencies, and where the path of communications is movable on either end. There are a variety of views about what constitutes mobile equipment. For US licensing purposes, mobiles may include hand-carried, (sometimes called portable), equipment. An obsolete term is radiophone. ^[1]

A sales person or radio repair shop would understand the word mobile to mean vehicle-mounted: a transmitter-receiver (transceiver) used for radio communications from a vehicle. Mobile radios are mounted to a motor vehicle usually with the microphone and control panel in reach of the driver. In the US, such a device is typically powered by the host vehicle's 12 volt electrical system.

Some mobile radios are mounted in aircraft, (aeronautical mobile), shipboard, (maritime mobile), on motorcycles, or railroad locomotives. Power may vary with each platform. For example, a mobile radio installed in a locomotive would run off of 72- or 30-volt DC power. A large ship with 117V AC power might have a base station mounted on the ship's bridge.

Multiplayer Mobile Games

A Multiplayer mobile game is often a re-branding of a multiplayer game for the PC or Console. Most mobile games are single player mobile games perhaps with artificially intelligent opponents. Multiplayer functionality is achieved through:

· Infrared

· Bluetooth

· GPRS

· 3G

· WiFi

· AI

· MMS

· Wireless LAN

Infrared connectivity

Older mobile phones supporting mobile gaming have infrared connectivity for data sharing with other phones or PCs. This connectivity is not practical as any disturbances in the infra-reds line of sight could cause loss of connection, hence this technology was seldomly used in mobile games.

Bluetooth multiplayer games

Mobiles are connected through a wireless protocol called Bluetooth using special hardware. The games are designed to communicate with each other through this protocol to share game information. The basic restriction is that both the users have to be within a limited distance to get connected. A bluetooth device can accept up to 7 connections from other devices using a client/server architecture.

WAP / GPRS / UMTS / HSDPA multiplayer game

A GPRS connection which is common among GSM mobile phones can be used to share the data globally. Developers can connect a mass number of mobile games with a single server and share data among the players. Some developers have achieved cross platform games, allowing a mobile player to play against a PC. WAP and GPRS best supports turn based games and small RPG games. (Most of the counties have a weak GPRS speed in their carriers. In these types of games, the game communicates with a global server which acts like a router between the mobile phones. Faster connections like UMTS and HSDPA allow real time multiplayer gaming though speeds will still give some level of lag. Currently, there are a lot of multiplayer mobile games entering the market.

3G and WiFi

3G allows in most cases realtime multiplayer gaming and is based on technologies faster than GPRS. Wi-Fi is often used for connecting at home. Not every mobile device allows games to use the wifi connection.

Location-Based Games

Games played on a mobile device using localization technology like GPS are called location-based games. These are not only played on mobile hardware but also integrate the player's position into the game concept. In other words: while it does not matter for a normal mobile game where exactly you are (play them anywhere at anytime), the player's coordinate and movement are main elements in a Location-based game. The best-known example is the treasure hunt game Geocaching, which can be played on any mobile device with integrated or external GPS receiver. External GPS receivers are usually connected via Bluetooth. More and more mobile phones with integrated GPS are expected to come.

Besides Geocaching, there exist several other location-based games which are rather in the stage of research prototypes than a commercial success.

Common limitations of mobile games

Mobile games tend to be small in scope and often rely on good gameplay over flashy graphics, due to the lack of processing power of the client devices. One major problem for developers and publishers of mobile games is describing a game in such detail that it gives the customer enough information to make a purchasing decision. Currently, Mobile Games are mainly sold through Network Carriers / Operators portals and this means there are only a few lines of text and perhaps a screenshot of the game to excite the customer. Two strategies are followed by developers and publishers to combat this lack of purchasing information, firstly there is a reliance on powerful brands and licences that impart a suggestion of quality to the game such as Tomb Raider or Colin McRae and secondly there is the use of well known and established play patterns (game play mechanics that are instantly recognisable) such as Tetris, Space Invaders or Poker. Both these strategies are used to decrease the perceived level of risk that the customer feels when choosing a game to download from the carrier’s deck.

Recent innovations in mobile games include Singleplayer, Multiplayer and 3D graphics. Virtual love games belong to both of singleplayer and multiplayer games. Multiplayer games are quickly finding an audience, as developers take advantage of the ability to play against other people, a natural extension of the mobile phone’s connectivity. With the recent internet gambling boom various companies are taking advantage of the mobile market to attract customers, Ongame the founders of PokerRoom developed in 2005 a working mobile version of its poker software available in both play money and real money. The player can play the game in a singleplayer or multiplayer mode for real or play money. As well, the MMORPG boom seems to hit the world of mobile games. According to their website CipSoft has developed the first MMORPG for mobile phones, called TibiaME.

Mobile computing: in-vehicle computing and fleet computing

Many commercial and government field forces deploy a ruggedized portable computer such as the Panasonic Toughbook or larger rack-mounted computers with their fleet of vehicles. This requires the units to be anchored to the vehicle for driver safety, device security, and user ergonomics. Ruggedized computers are rated for severe vibration associated with large service vehicles and off-road driving, and the harsh environmental conditions of constant professional use such as in EMS, fire and public safety.

Other elements that enables the unit to function in vehicle:

• Operating Temperature: A vehicle cabin can often experience temperature swings from -20F to +140F. Computers typically must be able to withstand these temperatures while operating. Typical fan based cooling has stated limits of 95F-100F of ambient temperature, and temperature below freezing require localized heaters to bring components up to operating temperature(based on independent studies by the SRI Group and by Panasonic R&D).
• Vibration: Vehicles typically have considerable vibration that can decrease life expectancy of computer components, notably rotational storage such as HDDs.
• Daylight, or sunlight readability: Visibility of standard screens becomes an issue in bright sunlight.
• Touchscreens: These enable users to easily interact with the units in the field without removing gloves.
• High-Temperature Battery Settings:. Lithium Ion batteries are sensitive to high temperature conditions for charging. A computer designed for the mobile environment should be designed with a high-temperature charging function that limits the charge to 85% or less of capacity.
• External wireless Connections, and External GPS Antenna Connections: Necessary to contend with the typical metal cabins of vehicles and their impact on wireless reception, and to take advantage of much more capable external tranception equipment.

Several specialized manufacturers such as National Products Inc (Ram Mounts), Gamber Johnson and LedCo build mounts for vehicle mounting of computer equipment for specific vehicles. The mounts are built to withstand the harsh conditions and maintain ergonomics.

Specialized installation companies, such as TouchStar Pacific, specialize in designing the mount design, assembling the proper parts, and installing them in a safe and consistent manner away from airbags, vehicle HVAC controls, and driver controls. Frequently installations will include a WWAN modem, power conditioning equipment, and WWAN/WLAN/GPS/etc… transceiver antennæ mounted external to the vehicle.