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ST-Ericsson's U8500 platform gives your next smartphone wicked 3D powers

by Darren Murph posted Nov 4th 2009 at 5:31PM

It's one thing for ARM to develop a potent GPU meant to add impressive 3D capabilities to devices that were previously forced to run the likes of "Snake," but it's another thing entirely to see a platform and semiconductor company come forward and take it one step closer to the mainstream. ST-Ericsson has done just that with its U8500 platform, which is the first to integrate ARM's Mali-400 graphics processing unit into a solution that can be easily fitted into future phones. Think your iPhone 3GS GPU is mighty enough? Hop on past the break and mash play -- it'll make those fancy water reflections you're currently drooling over look downright ugly.

[Via B4Tech, thanks Chris]

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'Endless Racing Game' iPhone demo video isn't endless, is endlessly entertaining

by Joshua Topolsky posted Nov 2nd 2009 at 10:28AM

We're not going to bore you with details, but we are going to tell you that it's more than worth your while to watch this demo video for the iPhone title "Endless Racing Game." We can't attest to how fun (or not fun) the game is to play, but the clip is certainly worth your 90 seconds of attention. Check it out after the break.

[Thanks, Lena]

Continue reading 'Endless Racing Game' iPhone demo video isn't endless, is endlessly entertaining

Nokia announces the end of its N-Gage gaming platform

by Laura June posted Oct 30th 2009 at 1:31PM

Nokia has officially announced that it will put an end to its problem-plagued N-Gage gaming service, integrating it into its Ovi Store. The move isn't really a shocker, and while Nokia has confirmed that no further games will be published, it's also said that it will continue to sell currently available games in the Ovi Store (as of today) until the end of September 2010. The N-Gage website, which holds the Arena and community boards, will also continue until that time. Nokia says that any already purchased games will continue to run on the mobile device, but that any connected community features will be non-functional come 2010.

[Via Pocket Lint]

Sony Ericsson Aino now Remote Playing with European PS3s

by Darren Murph posted Oct 14th 2009 at 10:41AM

We know Sony Ericsson's PS3-lovin' Aino would be hitting European shelves at some point during the month, and now Sony itself has stepped forward to confirm that the handset is on sale. We're hearing that it's selling for £399.99 ($639) sans a contract, and just in case you're wondering why you and your PlayStation 3 should care, the Aino is capable of turning your console on and off, browsing the XMB user interface, accessing DRM-free content on the HDD, shopping for items in the PS3 Store and watching live TV via PlayTV. Hit up the read link for all the nitty-gritty, and be sure to hit your British friend up if you're stuck yearning here in the States.

[Via Joystiq]

Video: SNES runs beautifully on N900, makes out hearts flutter

by Darren Murph posted Sep 30th 2009 at 9:53AM

We've already seen Nokia's Maemo 5-powered N900 pull off some pretty fanciful tricks, but without qualification this is the one most dear to our hearts. Somehow or another, Konttori managed to get his palms around an N900 of his own, and rather than testing out the social networking abilities or battery life, he simply installed an SNES emulator, tweaked it to accept Wiimote controls and even connected it to his TV for a staggeringly authentic gameplay experience. Vicarious living is just a click or two away, so hop on past the break for a video of the action. Oh, and don't mind the baby -- he's not in the corner or anything.

[Thanks, Sathish]

Continue reading Video: SNES runs beautifully on N900, makes out hearts flutter

OTOY uses AMD GPUs, black magic to put Crysis on iPhone

by Darren Murph posted Sep 14th 2009 at 9:04PM

No need to dust off your spectacles -- Crysis on the iPhone has been achieved. Just last week we took a peek at the graphical enhancements on the iPhone 3GS, but this demonstration didn't rely on the factory goods from Apple. Instead, a recent OTOY demonstration put to use some of AMD's newest GPU technology in order to play back one of the leading-edge 3D titles on a smartphone. In short, OTOY renders the game on remote servers and then sends information to a recipient; needless to say, an HDTV displayed all sorts of artifacts, but on a screen that's just a few inches large, those flaws become invisible. So, is this really the killer app to supplant Apple's own App Store for gaming on the iPhone? We get the feeling OTOY needs at least few clean-cut commercials with little-known underground music before they can bank on that.

[Via SlashGear]

First iPhone game with 3GS-specific graphics released?

by Chris Ziegler posted Sep 11th 2009 at 3:08PM

Back in June it was revealed that the iPhone 3GS' newfound support of OpenGL ES 2.0 graphics put one of the first meaningful, material boundaries in software capability between iPhone generations (magnetic compass and video would be two other biggies), meaning that 3D-accelerated games targeted specifically for the 3GS platform could look a good deal fancier than their 2G / 3G counterparts -- and furthermore, they could be built to only work on the 3GS if the developer chose not to build in support for both. French software shop Eurocenter is touting that its newly-released Adrenaline Golf is the first game to take advantage of the 3GS' added graphics capabilities -- and while we can't verify that no other application submitted to the App Store in the past three months hasn't utilized OpenGL ES 2.0 in some regard, we can definitely verify that it looks way cooler on the 3GS. The good news is that Eurocenter has set up the game so that it chooses the correct graphics engine at runtime, regardless of the iPhone you're using, but after you see it on the 3GS it might seem a little inadequate on the older gear. Follow the break for our side-by-side demo of the sweet 3GS-exclusive water reflections, which are considerably better than real life since you don't risk getting wet.

Update: Sure enough, Eurocenter got a little overzealous with their claim -- Rocking Pocket's Blue Skies has had 3GS-specific enhancements for a while now. Thanks, everyone!

Continue reading First iPhone game with 3GS-specific graphics released?

Apple approves officially-licensed Commodore 64 emulator for iPhone

by Donald Melanson posted Sep 7th 2009 at 12:11PM

Well, it's almost certainly not a signal that Apple is opening the door to emulators of all sorts on the iPhone, but the newly (and finally) approved Commodore 64 emulator is still a fairly notable first for the platform -- representing not only the first officially-available emulator, but perhaps the first app that actually runs code (even if it is a couple of decades old). In this case, that first bit apparently wasn't too big a point of contention for Apple, considering that the app had all the necessary licensing rights lined up, but the second issue was, and ran right up against a clause in the iPhone 2.0 SDK that prevented apps from containing their own executable runtimes. As it happens, the key to bridging that divide around that was none other than iPhone 3.0, which contains a new feature for in-app purchases that the C64 emulator will take advantage of to let folks purchase additional games, rather than load arbitrary game code downloads. Interestingly, while this newly-approved version of the emulator also no longer exposes a BASIC interpreter, Manomio has added a note to the app that it "should be resolved in a future update," although it's not quite clear if that's just wishful thinking or not. In the meantime, you can grab the app right now with five bundled games for $4.99.

iPhone app scoops best software prize on Microsoft campus

by Vladislav Savov posted Sep 1st 2009 at 10:19AM

Poor Microsoft. You generously welcome a Startup Weekend on your campus, where all manner of geeks and techies code their hearts out for 54 hours straight, you throw in the BizSpark program to encourage them to use your tools, and what do you get in return? Learn That Name, voted best app in show and designed for use on Apple's iPhone and Palm's Pre. Gee thanks! On the bright side, we congratulate Microsoft for allowing people to write for their platform(s) of choice -- and hey, it's not like Redmond has been lacking in innovation lately, right? Video demo of the name memorizing game / app is after the break.

Continue reading iPhone app scoops best software prize on Microsoft campus

Madden 2010 confirmed for iPhone, probably requires more thumbs than you have

by Chris Ziegler posted Aug 24th 2009 at 6:32PM

Yes, we know Madden's nothing new on phones, but we had to highlight Madden 2010 for iPhone -- which EA just confirmed today will be ready in time for the start of the NFL season -- because it looks really damn good. Console quality, even. That's great and all, but Madden's the kind of franchise that really needs quick reflexes and a whole lot of buttons positioned conveniently around the entirety of a console-ready controller to control with any precision, and buttons are something the iPhone distinctly lacks. So yes, we get it, the iPhone's capable of some stellar graphics -- but the real question is whether you'll be able to play through four quarters without punting it into the opposition's territory.

iPhone playing cards use washable PVC touchscreen technology

by Vladislav Savov posted Aug 12th 2009 at 5:53PM

Wanna spice up your next poker night? Meminos would love to help you out there with its deck of iPhone-inspired playing cards. They certainly look the part, as at first blush we thought we were dealing with an app, and are novel enough to appeal even to our cold and cynical souls. Another shot lies after the break, and you can grab your own deck for $25 through the read link.

[Via Chip Chick]

Continue reading iPhone playing cards use washable PVC touchscreen technology

Is Microsoft gearing up for Xbox Live on mobile?

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Aug 12th 2009 at 3:10PM

Are you a currently unemployed Software Engineer? If so, here's a recession antidote of an altogether different stripe: Microsoft is taking applications for a LIVE Community Director, whose job it will be to manage "LIVE community strategy and execution across a range of properties, from Xbox LIVE to Windows Mobile." The posting then goes on to discuss how the team will be tasked with constructing a next gen, LIVE-enabled platform across the web, the console, mobile and more... which, you know, sounds a little bit like the Live Anywhere concept. Either way, it sounds like the company might be doing a little more than merely contemplating its mobile strategy, Shane Kim's recent interview notwithstanding. What are you waiting for? Dust off that resume and hit the read link.

[Via Ars Technica, thanks Adrian]

What CTA's iPhone steering wheel lacks in style, it also lacks in convenience

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Aug 6th 2009 at 5:28PM

For many users, any game that ends up installed on an iPhone is something of an after-thought: It sits there, quietly, waiting for a spare moment in the dentist's waiting room or on the train. But CTA Digital, a company known for its various game controllers, has a vision of the future that includes people lugging around little plastic steering wheels with an iPhone-sized hole in the middle. We don't know how much this "Basic Steering Wheel for iPhone and iPod Touch" will actually bring the "feel of driving a real vehicle" to Ferrari GT, but the guy in the video sure looks like he's having fun. Allegedly works with most horizontally configured racing games, and includes adapters for the iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPod Touch, and iPod Touch 2G. See for yourself after the break.

Continue reading What CTA's iPhone steering wheel lacks in style, it also lacks in convenience

Nokia shutters Vancouver-based N-Gage Design Studio

by Chris Ziegler posted Jul 14th 2009 at 4:33AM

It's probably a bit premature to sound the death knell for Nokia's current generation of the N-Gage platform, but it certainly doesn't bode well that they've wound down operations at the Vancouver, British Columbia-based studio responsible for many games stretching back to N-Gage's origins. At this point, it could simply mean that Nokia no longer wishes to be tied up in the hard-knock world of game development, admitting that other operations like EA are probably better off fighting that fight -- but ultimately, with the Ovi Store calling into question N-Gage's very reason for being, this could be the beginning of yet another fundamental shift in Espoo's gaming strategy. Time will tell, but in the meantime, there are 100 Nokia staffers up in Canada whose reassignments to other posts remain to be settled.

[Via Joystiq]

The Pre gets PlayStation gaming and more thanks to ZodTTD (video)

by Joshua Topolsky posted Jun 30th 2009 at 9:48PM

If you're familiar with the emulation scene (and let's be honest, you are reading Engadget), then you know the name ZodTTD -- the brain behind some of the best jailbroken emus for the iPhone, including variations on the PlayStation, Game Boy Advance, and most importantly... the TurboGrafx-16. Now the master-hacker has brought his goods to the Pre, cooking up a version of psx4all on the Palm device, with the aforementioned GBA and TG16 ports on the way! Interestingly, he reports that the performance on the Pre is actually better than that of the iPhone 3GS, and of course he's hacked access to the keyboard, allowing for (more) proper control of games. There are still kinks that are being worked out (sound emulation, screen scaling, etc.), but it looks like we can expect big things in the near future. We at Engadget know everyone will rest a bit easier tonight knowing that real gaming on the Pre is at hand. We'll hopefully be getting our hands on a version soon, but for now hit the read link for more info, and check out the full video after the break!

Continue reading The Pre gets PlayStation gaming and more thanks to ZodTTD (video)