When I say “digital distribution,” what’s the first word that pops into your head? kluch and “boobs” aside, most of you probably thought “Steam,” yes?

Well it seems the world’s most well-known platform for digital distribution and copying the Xbox 360′s Achievements system might just be heading to your nearest mobile phone. That’s right, yet another thing your mobile will be able to do in future, that it doesn’t really need to do.

According to Valve, however, quite a few people would like to see the platform on their mobiles. Enough so for the company to consider bringing its digital service to a mobile world.

“We do feel we’re late on mobile across many of Valve’s services,” said Doug Lombardi. “It is something we’re starting to look at now. People are starting to ask us for it. The more requests we receive, the more we feel the need to act on them.”

Director of business and legal affairs, Jason Holtman added: “Mobile is really interesting. If you’re making games, you have to be thinking about having a platform in this space. But it’s too early to say anything definitive.”

Once again Valve, we see you trying to copy what Microsoft have already done, what with their full integration of Xbox LIVE and Windows 7 mobile devices, which includes custom games and mobile-only Achievements.

But this time, especially in the hands of such a capable team, you can’t help but take interest in exactly what Valve will do with all of this. Steam on mobile. Steam mobile gaming? Sounds good, doesn’t it? Certainly there already exists the whole digital distribution ideal of Steam, that’s been going on for years on mobiles. So I for one am hopeful.

Just, for the love of all things gaming, don’t make this an iPhone or Blackberry exclusive.

According to Epic Games VP, Mark Rein, there will come a time when mobile games won’t just be cheap casual games to pass the time. He envisages the arrival of the Avatar of mobile gaming which will rival big budget AAA titles in terms of relevance.

Asked whether well-made mobile games devalue expensive console titles, Rein responded saying:

“I’m not sure I agree. Look, about the whole issue of app stores flooded with cheap games that keep the others from being noticed, sure, there is a problem there.

“But eventually we’ll bust out of the idea that the App Store will be the only place iPhone developers can promote their games and tell customers what’s going on.

“You’ll eventually see iOS games being marketed outside of the App Store, the way retail games are advertised, and people will buy them because they’re interested – not because a developer has found a trick to be number one in the charts for a single week.”

Rein continued: “I really do think this whole issue is temporary. As better quality mobile devices come through, developers will make better quality games. A lot of mobile phone games are small experiences right now, but we will see the Avatar of App Store games eventually, and that game will be equally as relevant to the industry as the triple-A games – games like Bulletstorm – that we see today.

“Our goal is to raise the bar on mobiles. Our goal is to be about the higher quality experiences, and when people see those higher quality experiences, they will gravitate towards that and less so much on the more trivial games.”

I’m not sure if you could call an Avatar moment, more a revolution, but the day will come when an unassuming mobile game will take the fight to big name titles and make them seem not only irrelevant but put their collosal budgets to shame.

When the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play launches officially overseas, there will be over 60 games already waiting to be played. Of course by the time it reaches SA in a few month’s time, there should be a lot more.

The phone has been plagued by shipment problems and software bugs limiting availability but it’s believed that those issues should be sorted within a few months.

The phone/handheld console will launch with PS1 classics such as Crash Bandicoot and Syphon Filter as well as a stockpile of regular old mobile games and some specifically designed for Xperia Play.

Here’s the full list. Some games will come pre-installed on the phone.

PlayStation original games:
* Crash Bandicoot from Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
* Cool Boarders 2 from Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
* Destruction Derby from Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
* Jumping Jack Flash from Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
* MediEvil from Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
* Syphon Filter from Sony Computer Entertainment

Games available within the first week of launch:
* Bruce Lee Dragon Warrior from Digital Legends (pre-installed)
* FIFA 2010 from EA Mobile (pre-installed**)
* Sims 3 from EA Mobile (pre-installed**)
* Star Battalion from Gameloft (pre-installed**)
* Tetris from EA mobile (pre-installed**)
* Asphalt 6 from Gameloft (free to download)
* Dungeon Defenders: Second Wave from Trendy Entertainment
* Galaxy on Fire 2 from Fishlabs
* Assassins Creed from Gameloft
* Need for Speed SHIFT from EA Mobile
* Worms from EA Mobile
* Nova 2 from Gameloft
* Modern Combat Black Pegasus from Gameloft
* Guns n Glory from Handygames
* Reckless Racing from Polarbit
* Real Football 2011from Gameloft
* Gun Bros from Glu Mobile
* Racer Luma from Arcade/Unity
* Cordy from SilverTree Media
* Aporkalypse from Handygames
* Brothers in Arms Global Front from Gameloft
* Guerrilla Bob from Angry Mob Games/Unity
* Let’s Golf 2 from Gameloft
* Zenonia 2 from Gamevil
* Cyberlords from Handygames
* Guitar Hero Warriors of Rock Mobile from Glu Mobile
* Age of Zombies from Halfbrick Studios
* Spectral Souls from HyperDevBox Japan
* Splinter Cell Conviction from Gameloft
* Air Attack from Art in Games/Unity
* Armageddon Squadron from Polarbit
* Uno from Gameloft
* InfeCCt from Handygames
* Spiderman total Mayhem from Gameloft
* Millionaire City from Digital Chocolate
* Avatar from Gameloft
* Raging Thunder 2from Polarbit
* Homerun Battle 3D from Com2us Games
* Aftermath XHD from Jakyl
* I Must Run from GameLion
* Baseball Superstars 2011from Gamevil
* Ground Effect Pro from Jakyl
* ZeNonia from Gamevil
* Super KO Boxing 2 from Glu Mobile
* Farm Story from Team Lava
* Wave Blazer from Polarbit
* Soccer Superstars from Gamevil
* Battle Bears from Skyvu
* Tower Blocks New York from Digital Chocolate
* Super Dynamite Fishing from Handygames
* Iron Sight from Polarbit
* Toonwarz from Polarbit
* Restaurant Story from Team Lava
* Escape from AMA
* Raving Babies from AMA
* Bakery Story from Team Lava
* Denki Blocks! Deluxe from Jakyl
* Rollercoaster Rush from Digital Chocolate

Valve’s digital game distribution and management platform, Steam could very well be headed for both Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android. This, after Steam finally launched on Mac last year.

According to a member on the Steampowered forum, Valve boss Gabe Newell dropped sufficient hints of both iOS and Android becoming Steam-powered gaming platforms in a recent company meeting at its Washington HQ.

According to the source: “During this chat he confirmed that Steam will get a video recorder very soon, also he said they were looking into the iOS/Android platform for possible expansions with Steam. He also said that the Source film maker is in the pipeline for a public release.”

Personally, Apple’s devices are as cool as they come and Valve is easily the coolest company in gaming so the resulting coolness from a marriage of the two would be capable of stopping global warming in its tracks. Make it happen.

Sony is the first big name in consoles to have developed its own app for iOS and Android. The Official PlayStation App, which is free, allows users to view their frinds list, see what friends are playing, compare trophies, checka master games list and read the PlayStation.Blog. The app has also been optimised for iPhone users whcih makes it look extra nice.

Some complaints are that certain features take eons to load and although it was only available in the US for a while, you can now get in Australia and it shouldn’t be long before it hits SA. Also you can’t do much besides view things. A big gripe is that you can’t send messages to buddies so that when you get home there’s a Black Ops Team Deathmatch on ice for you.

Look out for the PlayStation App on iPhone, iPad and Android devices.

It’s official, after much speculation and countless rumours, Sony has made a PSP Phone or a gaming phone, whatever you want to call it. It will be known as the Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY and will combine the best that both Sony Ericsson and PlayStation have to offer for such a device.

The Play will land in March in the US preloaded with 50 games, 4” multi-touch display and a very decent 5.0 megapixel camera with LED flash. Of course a big feature on the phone is its dedicated gaming controls which slide out and come complete with right/left shoulder buttons, touch-pad analogue sticks and to put those gaming controls to good use, the Play wil use the 1GHz Snapdragon processor and further optimised with enhanced GPU the Adreno 205.

Besides the dedicated gaming and PlayStation features, the Play will run on the latest Android platform and subsequently be open to all the great customisation, personalisation and apps that it offers. PlayStation features will come via the PlayStation Pocket App although it is believed that PSN functionality and the downloading of games will be dealt with separately.

Here’s a decidedly comprehensive list of just about everything you need to know about the Xperia PLAY. Unfortunately, the two key factors: namely price and release date are crucially unknown. Since it will release in the US in March, we can only assume that it will hit SA around the first quarter of next year (that is usually the trend with phones) and as far as price is concerned, it’s anybody’s guess but my personal estimate wouldn’t put the standalone price anywhere above R7500. If you find the list of features and specs a tad too lnegthy and, err, wordy for your tastes just skip straight past it all to see the Engadget video preview which, despite a difficult to handle accent, will show you exactly what the phone is about, what it’s functionality is like and how all the key features work. Sony has yet to release any of the games that will be available for the phone at launch and so you will notice a stark lack of any gameplay in the preview but fear not because the third-party has come to the rescue.

The Xperia Play will support third-party PSX (PS1) and GBA emulators and there’s a nice little video after the Engadget preview to show you just what it’s like and should give you a fairly good idea of what gaming will be like on the Play. The full graphics capabilities of this machine are still something I’d love to see. Bare in mind that the phones in the videos are preview models and any minor issues that are encountered in the videos will almost certainly be solved by the time the phone releases in March and most definitely by the time it finally crawls onto SA shores.

*Talk time GSM/GPRS: Up to 8 hrs 25 min*
*Standby time GSM/GPRS: Up to 425 hrs*
*Talk time UMTS: Up to 6 hrs 25 min*
*Standby time UMTS: Up to 413 hrs*
*Talk time CDMA2000®: Up to 7 hrs 40 min*
*Standby time CDMA2000®: Up to 405 hrs*
*Game play time: Up to 5 hrs 35 min*
*MP3 playback: Up to 30 hrs 35 min*

Camera
5.1 megapixel camera
Auto focus
Flash / Photo light
Geo tagging
Image stabiliser
Send to web
Touch focus
Video light
Video recording
Video blogging

Music
Album art
Bluetooth™ stereo (A2DP)
Google™ Music Player
Music tones (MP3/AAC)
PlayNow™ service*
Sony Ericsson Music player
Stereo speakers
TrackID™ music recognition application

Internet
Android Market™*
Bookmarks
Google™ search*
Google™ Voice Search*
Pan & zoom
Web browser (Webkit)

Communication
Call list
Conference calls
Facebook™ application (from Android Market™)
Google™ Talk*
Noise Shield
Polyphonic ringtones
Speakerphone
Sony Ericsson Timescape™***
Twitter™ application (from Android Market™)
Vibrating alert

Messaging
Android Cloud to Device messaging (C2DM)
Conversations
Email
Google Mail™*
Instant messaging
Picture messaging (MMS)
Predictive text input
Sound recorder
Text messaging (SMS)

Design
Auto rotate
Keyboard (onscreen, 12 key)
Keyboard (onscreen, QWERTY)
Picture wallpaper
Touchscreen
Wallpaper animation

Entertainment
3D games
Dedicated gaming keys
Flash Lite™
Gesture gaming
Motion gaming
Video streaming
YouTube™

Organiser
Alarm clock
Calculator
Calendar
Document editors
Document readers
E-Manual
Flight mode
Google Calendar™
Google Gallery 3D™
Infinite button
Phone book
Set-up Wizard
Widget manager

Connectivity
3.5 mm audio jack
aGPS
Bluetooth™ technology
DLNA Certified
Google Latitude™
Google Location Service
Google Maps™ with Street View
Media Transfer Protocol support
Micro USB Connector
Modem
Synchronisation via Facebook™**
Synchronisation via Google Sync™
Synchronisation via Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync®
Synchronisation via Sony Ericsson Sync
USB 2.0 high speed support
Wi-Fi™
Wi-Fi™ Hotspot functionality
* The service is not available in all markets.
** Requires Facebook™ application installed on the device.

Google™ services*
* These services may not be available in every market Android Market™ Client

Gmail™
Google Calendar™
Google Gallery 3D™
Google Latitude™
Google Maps™ with Street View
Google Media Uploader
Google Music Player™
Google Phone-top Search
Google Search widget
Google Sync™
Google Talk™
Google Voice Search
Set-up Wizard
YouTube™

Facts
Size: 119 x 62 x 16 mm
Weight: 175 grams
Phone memory: 400 MB
Memory card support: microSD™, up to 32 GB
Memory card included: 8GB microSD™
Operating system: Google™ Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
Processor: 1 GHz Scorpion ARMv7

Sony Ericsson Xperia Play Engadget Preview

Third-Party Emulators On Xperia Play

Is it an iPhone-killer or just maybe the one to really put Android on the map despite its steadily growing support? Only time will tell but it’s a safe bet that the Xperia Play will be something quite special and definitely not a rehash of the woeful Nokia N-Gage.

The much rumoured and very intriguing PlayStation Phone seems to be quite real having received a handful of reviews along with some fersh shots of the device.

Officially the XPERIA Play, the device is said to have a solid 1 GHz of processing power and according to reviwes, employs a very similar UI to the Sony Ericsson XPERIA Arc and contains 315MB of memory with the option, like most Android phones, to ramp it up with a bigger memory card.

The Play comes with Timescae, a new media menu and a PlayStation Pocket app which will allow PSN-exclusive games. Unfortunately, the service wasn’t live at the time of the reviews and so could not be tested but it has been claimed that the Play will feature PSN access.

The XPERIA Play is expected to be announced during tyhe Mobile World Congress in Barcelona fro 14-17 February and rumoured to be set for a June 2011 release which means that it could find its way into SA early on in 2012. Provided all the rumours pan out.

Read the review here

The PSP Phone that popped up on tech site Engadget  about a week ago has now been confirmed to be the real thing.

At least, that’s what Engadget has said after numerous claims that the specs and shots of the phone were fake. The site stated that the details came from multiple trusted sources.

“The PlayStation Phone in the photos we ran last night, and the device reported on back in August is most definitely real,” says the site.

“We’re not saying that because we want to believe or because we’re gingerly trying to nab pageviews: we’re saying it because we know it to be true. This is a device which has been confirmed through multiple, trusted sources,” it adds.

“And we’re not just talking good tipsters — some of our information comes from people much more closely connected to the project.”

The phone has been codenamed ‘Zeus’ (an indication of some serious power?) and is said to be running Google’s Android OS. If you need further confirmation, Sony’s Peter Dille openlya dmitted to CNN that the PSP console is not capable of fulfilling the company’s vision of having devices that allow PSN to be on all the time.

“I don’t think we fully realise that vision with a Wi-Fi device,” he said. “If it’s not connected [to a mobile network] then it does sort of limit people.”

Meanwhile, a spokeswoman present during the PSP-related interview reiterated: “We have relationships with Google.”

The firm’s Sony Ericsson division uses Android in its handsets – but there has been no Google/PlayStation crossover up to now.

Dille said he wasn’t worried by iPhone’s dominance of the handheld market as its games were “time-killers”, which PSP’s audience didn’t care for.

CNN reports: ‘But “the portable market moves so fast,” he said. At six years, the PSP may be looking dry. Indeed, Sony has had to reverse its marketing strategy to target younger gamers for that system, Dille said.’

A PSP Phone running Android… oh the possibilities.

Electronic Arts are planning to go all-out with the Windows Phone 7 as they have named four games which will go live on the platform: Need for Speed: Undercover, The Sims 3, Monopoly and Tetris.

“Need for Speed Undercover.” Power 20 of the world’s hottest high-performance cars through 24 undercover missions and eight challenging modes of thrilling action. Customize your vehicle and earn performance upgrades as you race head-to-head, earn achievements and track leaderboards.

“Tetris.” Play the best-selling blockbuster, all new for Windows Phone 7. Play up to 12 challenging variants and become a “Tetris” master, or enjoy the timeless fun of Marathon mode, loved by hundreds of millions worldwide. Challenge your Xbox LIVE friends to beat your top score in single-player Marathon mode, the variant that made the “Tetris” game a phenomenon.

“The Sims 3.” Savor hours of entertainment with this award-winning experience of the No. 1 best-selling PC franchise of all time. Choose from dozens of personality traits and make your Sims characters neurotic, funny or shy while drawing from a wide array of built-in theme sets to bring your Sims to life with any appearance, clothing, and accessories you choose. Complete goals, wishes and personal goals while unlocking achievements and scoring Gamerscore points.

“MONOPOLY” Fans will enjoy classic “MONOPOLY” play in the 75-year tradition of the world’s favorite family game brand,* under license from Hasbro Inc. Take a ride on the Reading Railroad or buy Boardwalk as you collect achievements and climb the leaderboards. From Marvin Gardens and Water Works to Park Place, own and manage the famous holdings of the “MONOPOLY” game board, which comes to life with animated tokens and interactive features for Windows Phone 7.

Windows Phone 7 Details
Windows Phone 7 Game list

When Xbox Live launches on the Windows Phone 7 later this year it will be launched with quite a large and varied games lineup.

It includes titles such as Assassin’s Creed, Crackdown, Castlevania and Halo.

It would be better if you see the list for yourself:

• 3D Brick Breaker Revolution (Digital Chocolate)
• Age of Zombies (Halfbrick)
• Armor Valley (Protégé Games)
• Asphalt 5 (Gameloft)
• Assassins Creed (Gameloft)
• Bejeweled™ LIVE (PopCap)
• Bloons TD (Digital Goldfish)
• Brain Challenge (Gameloft)
• Bubble Town 2 (i-Play)
• Butterfly ( Press Start Studio)
• CarneyVale Showtime (MGS)
• Castlevania(Konami)
• Crackdown 2: Project Sunburst (MGS)
• De Blob Revolution (THQ)
• Deal or No Deal 2010 (i-Play)
• Earthworm Jim (Gameloft)
• Fast & Furious 7 (i-Play)
• Fight Game Rivals (Rough Cookie)
• Finger Physics (Mobliss Inc.)
• Flight Control (Namco Bandai)
• Flowerz (Carbonated Games)
• Frogger (Konami Digital Entertainment)
• Fruit Ninja (Halfbrick)
• Game Chest-Board (MGS)
• Game Chest-Card (MGS)
• Game Chest-Logic (MGS)
• Game Chest-Solitaire (MGS)
• GeoDefense (Critical Thought)
• Ghostscape (Psionic)
• Glow Artisan (Powerhead Games)
• Glyder 2 (Glu Mobile)
• Guitar Hero 5 (Glu Mobile)
• Halo Waypoint (MGS)
• Hexic Rush (Carbonated Games)
• I Dig It (InMotion)
• iBlast Moki (Godzilab)
• ilomilo (MGS)
• Implode XL (IUGO)
• Iquarium (Infinite Dreams)
• Jet Car Stunts (True Axis)
• Let’s Golf 2 (Gameloft)
• Little Wheel (One click dog)
• Loondon (Flip N Tale)
• Max and the Magic Marker (PressPlay)
• Mini Squadron (Supermono Limited)
• More Brain Exercise (Namco Bandai)
• O.M.G. (Arkedo)
• Puzzle Quest 2 (Namco Bandai)
• Real Soccer 2 (Gameloft)
• The Revenants (Chaotic Moon)
• Rise of Glory (Revo Solutions)
• Rocket Riot (Codeglue)
• Splinter Cell Conviction (Gameloft)
• Star Wars: Battle for Hoth (THQ)
• Star Wars: Cantina (THQ)
• The Harvest (MGS)
• The Oregon Trail (Gameloft)
• Tower Bloxx NY (Digital Chocolate)
• Twin Blades (Press Start Studio)
• UNO (Gameloft)
• Women’s Murder Club: Death in Scarlet (i-Play)
• Zombie Attack! (IUGO)
• Zombies!!!! (Babaroga)

Microsoft says more titles will be revealed between now and the service’s launch this holiday season.

Microsoft has stated that it consider its upcoming Windows Phone 7 to be “a games console”, and aim to debut the device with a large selection of games at launch.

“We’re going to have a launch portfolio of games that’s bigger than the one we had with the Xbox 360,” Kevin Unangst, senior global director for Games for Windows, told TechRadar.

“We’re fully thinking of [this platform] as a games console. Games like Fruit Ninja will be important, harnessing a number of features like access to friends and connecting to other Xbox Live users.”

Unangst also said the company’s hard at work on new features to improve cross-platform gaming functionality between Xbox 360 and Windows Phone 7.

“We’ve talked about the possibility in the future to use DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) to use your Windows Phone as a companion screen [where additional content would be displayed alongside the main game],” he said.

“And it could be that one day you pay a simple price and get the same game in various forms on multiple devices – although that won’t be coming at launch.”

Microsoft has previously said that it hopes to provide a gaming experience that is “much more like Xbox and Xbox Live Arcade” on Windows Phone 7.

Apple has announced that Game Center will launch on iOS 4.1. From “next week” onwards, iOS4.1 will be available to everyone, and this means that we’ll all be able to benefit from Apple’s Steam-like initiative called Game Center.

Game Center focuses on multiplayer gaming and it goes a lot further than your normal two-player. There will be leaderboards and matchmaking across various games.

iPad owners, you’ll need to wait until November.

Microsoft has commented on their up and coming mobile OS at the GamesCom event in Germany. Matt Booty, general manager of mobile games at Microsoft Game Studios said that “Windows Phone 7 is the launch of a major gaming platform for Microsoft,”

Essentially this means that the Windows Phone 7 will boast Xbox Live implementation with features such as Avatars, Achievements, gamerscore, messaging, friends lists and multiplayer.

Games for the phone include Halo: Waypoint and Crackdown 2 amongst others:

• “3D Brick Breaker Revolution” (Digital Chocolate)
• “Age of Zombies” (Halfbrick)
• “Armor Valley” (Protégé Games)
• “Asphalt 5″ (Gameloft)
• “Assassins Creed” (Gameloft)
• “Bejeweled™ LIVE” (PopCap)
• “Bloons TD” (Digital Goldfish)
• “Brain Challenge” (Gameloft)
• “Bubble Town 2″ (i-Play)
• “Butterfly” (Press Start Studio)
• “CarneyVale Showtime” (MGS)
• “Castlevania” (Konami Digital Entertainment)
• “Crackdown 2: Project Sunburst” (MGS)
• “De Blob Revolution” (THQ)
• “Deal or No Deal 2010″ (i-Play)
• “Earthworm Jim” (Gameloft)
• “Fast & Furious 7″ (i-Play)
• “Fight Game Rivals” (Rough Cookie)
• “Finger Physics” (Mobliss Inc.)
• “Flight Control” (Namco Bandai)
• “Flowerz” (Carbonated Games)
• “Frogger” (Konami Digital Entertainment)
• “Fruit Ninja” (Halfbrick)
• “Game Chest-Board” (MGS)
• “Game Chest-Card” (MGS)
• “Game Chest-Logic” (MGS)
• “Game Chest-Solitaire” (MGS)
• “GeoDefense” (Critical Thought)
• “Ghostscape” (Psionic)
• “Glow Artisan” (Powerhead Games)
• “Glyder 2″ (Glu Mobile)
• “Guitar Hero 5″ (Glu Mobile)
• “Halo Waypoint” (MGS)
• “Hexic Rush” (Carbonated Games)
• “I Dig It” (InMotion)
• “iBlast Moki” (Godzilab)
• “ilomilo” (MGS)
• “Implode XL” (IUGO)
• “Iquarium” (Infinite Dreams)
• “Jet Car Stunts” (True Axis)
• “Let’s Golf 2″ (Gameloft)
• “Little Wheel” (One click dog)
• “Loondon” (Flip N Tale)
• “Max and the Magic Marker” (PressPlay)
• “Mini Squadron” (Supermono Limited)
• “More Brain Exercise” (Namco Bandai)
• “O.M.G.” (Arkedo)
• “Puzzle Quest 2″ (Namco Bandai)
• “Real Soccer 2″ (Gameloft)
• “The Revenants” (Chaotic Moon)
• “Rise of Glory” (Revo Solutions)
• “Rocket Riot” (Codeglue)
• “Splinter Cell Conviction” (Gameloft)
• “Star Wars: Battle for Hoth” (THQ)
• “Star Wars: Cantina” (THQ)
• “The Harvest” (MGS)
• “The Oregon Trail” (Gameloft)
• “Tower Bloxx NY” (Digital Chocolate)
• “Twin Blades” (Press Start Studio)
• “UNO” (Gameloft)
• “Women’s Murder Club: Death in Scarlet” (i-Play)
• “Zombie Attack!” (IUGO)
• “Zombies!!!!” (Babaroga)

[via:joystiq]

Engadget says that it’s finally happening in the form of Sony Ericsson-developed, Android-based hardware that’s PSPgo-like in form. On top of that all it could be here in October!

According to the report the PlayStation branded phone will be based on the Android 3.0 platform, have a 3.7 to 4.1 inch WVGA or better resolution screen, as well as (maybe) a 5 megapixel camera and a 1GHz Snapdragon CPU.

Earlier this year Sony trademarked a device named “PlayView“. We should have known.

The report states that instead of a QWERTY keyboard the phone will include a side-slider PlayStation standard d-pad and face buttons, plus a “long touch pad” for analog controls.

The report said:

“The D-pad is here, but instead of the small joystick, the device will have what was described as a ‘long touch pad’ for analog controls, along with standard PSP buttons and shoulder buttons.”

Look-wise, the phone is mostly black (duh) with some silver highlights, and the gamepad area is white / silver in color, claims the source. (It will definatly look better than the mock-up on top)

Hardware-wise the source describes it as “a cross between the Samsung Captivate and the PSP Go.”

The device will run the Gingerbread (Android 3.0) and there will be a new section of the Android Market specifically for games.

If Sony plan to release the mythical phone this year, as the report states, they sill have Gamescom and the Tokyo Game Show left to do it.

My money is on the Tokyo Game show, because Sony is Japanese based and we all know how the Japs are about their hand-held gaming.

Android 3.0, PlayStation Controls and a phone all in one. This could be good.

Why the hell did I upgrade Tuesday!?

[Source: CVG; Kotaku via Engadget]

Artificial Life and Linkin Park have joined forces to create a Linkin Park 8-Bit Rebellion, an iPhone game that just might be entertaining for longer than five minutes.

The game story starts with the evil PixxelKorp who steals Linkin Park’s music. Naturally, you’re up to the quest to retrieve musical balance in the world of rock.

Linkin Park’s game won’t be a rhythm music title, but rather an action-adventure. There will be community features such as friends lists, IM chats, in-app messaging and your own space to unlock your own items whilst playing the game.

Items include new songs, such as Blackbirds — a title never released by the band.

“The collaborative process with Artificial Life was exceptional,” says Linkin Park vocalist Mike Shinoda, who worked with the game company to design the characters and score the game. “They were able to turn my sketches and our creative ideas into a living, breathing world that we think gamers will thoroughly enjoy. This game is not just made for Linkin Park fans-anyone will be able to play and enjoy 8-Bit Rebellion.’ My bandmates and I grew up playing games like ‘Metroid,’ ‘Donkey Kong,’ ‘Zelda,’ ‘Space Invaders,’ ‘Mega Man’ and ‘Rygar.’ We wanted this game to have the feel of a vintage game, and a big part of it was the music.”

Original Linkin Park songs will bust a rhythm throughout the game.

The third of February will see the four-part comic series called Mass Effect: Redemption become available on the iTunes App Store. The Mass Effect launch celebration will see the comic being free for a limited time.

The time-frame to get your hands on free ME merchandise will only be for one day, so you better not be sleeping. After the freebie is over, the comic will cost an outrageous price of $0.99 — the same price as most other applications.

Digital comics are hard to ignore… And I’m definitely going to get my hands on this one.

Reports have hinted at an official Sega Genesis emulator coming to the iPhone as a virtual console, and store. The Sega Genesis Ultimate Collection will essentially be a free application which supports another store filled with classic titles.

The app will hit the iPhone’s App Store next month where it will feature the following games:

• Sonic the Hedgehog: $5.99
• Golden Axe: $4.99
• Ecco the Dolphin: $2.99
• Shining Force: $2.99

This seems to be a good way for other devs to get involved with Apple. Imagine arcade games?

For those who like to customise everything from their consoles to their watch straps, you will be pleased to know that EA games have signed multi-year licence agreements with three electronic accessory manufacturers. The accessories are EA SPORTS-branded and available for consoles, mobile platforms and even PC. This will also include EA SPORTS Active’s line of “interactive fitness products” which more than likely means the Wii but could also include Xbox since Project Natal is out soon.

Sakar International will produce Wii and Nintendo DS accessories such as a “Nintendo DSi(TM) Football Kit” consisting of a game case, earphones, skin and stylus with football-like textures and materials. As well as other football products such as sports-themed MP3 players, digital cameras and computer keyboards and mouse pads with graphics resembling a football field.

Accessories 4 Technology's Wii Fit gear -Expect football themes-

Sunflex Europe has started production on more than 20 products and Accessories 4 Technology will produce for all platforms including iPod. Vice President of Brand Marketing at EA SPORTS, Glenn Chin said the partnerships will “improve our consumers’ experience and deepen their connection to the fabric of sport”. So if replacing your controllers with sports themed branded ones will connect you to your sport game of choice then you can expect the first batch of products to be released around autumn this year.

[s:EA Games]

We recently reported on Doom for the iPhone. The developers said that it was just awaiting approval from Apple, and it seems like this has finally been done. The new Doom game should not be confused with Doom: Resurrection, a previous release for the handheld device.

The new Doom game will come with a selling price of $6.99, roughly R70 for South Africans — if it is ever available in our iStore.

Doom Classic includes four-episodes, “Knee-deep in the Dead,” “Shores of Hell,” “Inferno” and “Thy Flesh Consumed.” There are various control configurations and they will definitely take some time to get used to.

Sadly, bad news follows the release of the game. It was said that the man responsible for Doom’s front cover, Don Ivan Punchatz, has passed away at the age of 73. Punchatz was involved with various companies as he created art for numerous books and magazines.

Best of luck to his family and friends, and we will keep memories fresh with the new iPhone game.

Doom & iPhone fanatical fans will be super pleased to hear that Doom, the iPhone edition, will be ready pretty soon.

John Carmack has been working on the new Doom Classic for the iPhone for quite a while now, and he’s said that the game has been submitted to Apple for approval. The game be operated by the player swiping and tilting the phone to blast bad guys away.

The Doom iPhone Classic should support Wi-Fi multiplayer as well as Bluetooth connectivity.

Checkout Carmack’s page here and read up about the game.

Twist, Tilt Turn, Smash — The latest actions to explain Sony Ericssons brand new Yari mobile phone for gaming. The Sony Ericsson Yari is the perfect solution for those interested in mobile gaming or entertainment.

The Yari will work with something called ‘gaming gestures’ where you will pretty much use your body to control how the game is played. Similar to the Project Natal from Microsoft (Xbox 360) gesture gaming will allow you to keep fit, or simply just have fun.

There will be a load of pre-loaded motion games as a standard, where the company will then allow you to download others from the PlayNow arena which allows for 13 global markets. South Africa will join the PlayNow network in 2010, so expect the Yari to be a huge hit.

“Yari is the industry’s first mobile phone with gesture gaming outside of the Japanese market.” said Sonja Shear, Head of Marketing at Sony Ericsson South Africa. “It’s time to move like you’ve never moved on a mobile phone before! With Gesture gaming you move your body to play instead of pressing buttons on the phone, giving you a fun experience that even helps you keep fit. If you’ve exhausted yourself with the games there are loads of other multimedia features to enjoy. Snap your friends with the five megapixel camera or chill out to your favourite tunes with the state-of-the art music player”.

Yari Features:

* Gesture and motion gaming for action on and off the screen
* A/B buttons – gaming shortcut keys
* Gaming carousel gives direct access to your games from the desktop
* State-of-the art music player and stereo speakers for easy listening
* Music call – one button press to share your favourite tracks while you talk
* 5.0 mega pixel camera – easily upload images to your web album
* Send your location by SMS

Press Release:

TWIST, TILT, TURN, SMASH – GESTURE GAMING IS HERE WITH THE SONY ERICSSON YARI

Challenge your friends to the newest invention in mobile phone gaming. Yari debuts Gesture gaming – forget about pushing buttons, with Gesture gaming you make the moves in front of the screen to get right in the middle of the action!

Johannesburg, South Africa– May 29, 2009 – Today Sony Ericsson launches Yari the ultimate phone for mobile fun, whether it’s gaming you’re after or multimedia action. Nothing to hold, nothing to twist – except your body – gesture gaming technology gives users a unique gaming experience no matter where they are. With a variety of games to choose from, whether you want to keep fit and stay in shape or just want to beat your best score at tennis or boxing, Yari brings you fun wherever you are.

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And with Yari there’s always a new game to play. In addition to gesture games, there is a mix of pre loaded motion and standard games. Yari introduces a games carousel that allows you to access all your games from your desktop and to browse downloadable content on PlayNow™ arena, which is available in 13 markets globally, and will be in the South African market in 2010. You can view content by category and choose to browse free or premium content – so no matter your preferences there’s one to suit you.

“Yari is the industry’s first mobile phone with gesture gaming outside of the Japanese market.” said Sonja Shear, Head of Marketing at Sony Ericsson South Africa. “It’s time to move like you’ve never moved on a mobile phone before! With Gesture gaming you move your body to play instead of pressing buttons on the phone, giving you a fun experience that even helps you keep fit. If you’ve exhausted yourself with the games there are loads of other multimedia features to enjoy. Snap your friends with the five megapixel camera or chill out to your favourite tunes with the state-of-the art music player”.

Yari

Twist, tilt, turn, smash – gesture gaming is here

* Gesture and motion gaming for action on and off the screen
* A/B buttons – gaming shortcut keys
* Gaming carousel gives direct access to your games from the desktop
* State-of-the art music player and stereo speakers for easy listening
* Music call – one button press to share your favourite tracks while you talk
* 5.0 mega pixel camera – easily upload images to your web album
* Send your location by SMS

To enhance your gaming experience Yari comes complete with the EC500 phone stand. The phone stand is small and portable and comes with an integrated key ring which makes it easy to carry thereby ensuring that you never miss an opportunity to play to your hearts content. To pump up the volume while on the move use the Outdoor Wireless Speaker MS500 – small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, and so light it can be taken anywhere and everywhere.

Yari supports GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 and UMTS/HSDPA 900/2100. Yari will be available in South Africa from October 2009 in Achromatic Black.

- ends –

The Sony Ericsson Yari at a glance
Yari
Camera 5.0 megapixel camera

Up to 4x digital zoom

Auto focus

Face detection

Geo tagging

Photo feeds

Photo fix

Photo light

Send to web

Smile detection

Video light

Video recording
Music
Album art

Bluetoothâ„¢ stereo (A2DP)

Music player

Mega Bassâ„¢

Music tones (MP3/AAC)

PlayNowâ„¢

SensMeâ„¢

Shake control

Stereo speakers

TrackIDâ„¢
Web Access NetFrontâ„¢ Web browser

Bookmarks

Googleâ„¢ search (from standby)

Web feeds
Communication Call list

Polyphonic ringtones

Speakerphone

Vibrating alert

Video calling
Messaging Conversations

Email

Exchange ActiveSync®

Instant messaging

Picture messaging (MMS)

Predictive text input

Sound recorder

Text messaging (SMS)
Design Auto rotate

Torch functionality

Media

Picture wallpaper

Wallpaper animation
Entertainment 3D games

Dedicated gaming keys

FM radio with RDS

Java

Gesture gaming

Motion gaming

Music call

Tracker

Video streaming

Video viewing

Walk mate

YouTubeâ„¢
Connectivity A-GPS

Bluetoothâ„¢ technology

DNLA Certifiedâ„¢

Google Mapsâ„¢

Modem

PictBridge

Synchronisation

USB mass storage

USB support
Organizer Alarm clock

Calculator

Calendar

Flight mode

Notes

Phone book

Stopwatch

Tasks

Timer
Accessories In-Box:

* Yari
* Battery
* Battery Charger
* 1GB Micro SD card
* USB cable
* User guide
* EC500 phone stand
* MH300 head set

Facts and Figures 1)2) Size: 100 x 48 x 15.7 mm

Weight: 115 grams

Colours: Achromatic Black

Main screen: 262,144 colour TFT

Resolution: 240 x 320 pixels (QVGA)

Size: 2.4 inches

Phone memory: Up to60MB

Memory card support: SanDisk microSDâ„¢

Talk time GSM/GPRS: Up to 10 hrs

Standby time GSM/GPRS: Up to 450 hrs

Talk time UMTS: Up to 4.5hrs

Standby time UMTS: Up to 450hrs

Video talk time: Up to * hours
Availability and versions Networks:

Yari

GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900

UMTS/HSUPA 900/2100

Yari(a)

GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900

UMTS/HSUPA 850/1900/2100

Available in the South African market in October 2009

Sony Ericsson are branching out into a new market with their gaming cellphones of the future. The well known technology company has released a bit of news on the F305 mobile phone which allows for game play with a swing, or a swipe of the phone.

The F305 features something called Motion Gaming which allows the user to dominate new games by simply using arm motions to direct the game. The motion sensor technology will be able to sense the imitation of your arm for different actions such as bowling or casting a fishing line.

Expect a 2.0″ screen with 8 hours of game play. The slide-open phone comes with a 2.0 megapixel camera, BlueTooth and a Memory Stick Micro.

Pre-loaded motion gaming things include: Bowling, Bass fishing and Jockey.

Other features include:

* Additional motion games developed by Gameloftâ„¢ plus 50 more 2D and 3D games available for download at PlayNow
* Loud stereo speakers– enhance your gaming experience or share the latest music with friends
* Horizontal game play and dedicated gaming keys – play games the way you want
* 2.0 megapixel camera and Bluetoothâ„¢ – a complete media experience
* Expandable memory – Memory Stick Micro™ (M2™) slot

Press Release:

Sony Ericsson makes its move with a brand new way to experience games on your mobile

The new Sony Ericsson F305 with Motion Gaming puts ‘fun and entertainment’ at the heart of the mobile phone. In addition to horizontal gameplay and dedicated gaming controls – to let you control the action the way you are used to – the F305 lets the user control the action with a swing or a swipe of the phone.

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Today’s announcement sees Sony Ericsson putting gaming at the heart of its latest phone release. Targeted firmly at a youth audience, the F305 with Motion Gaming lets users control games with the flick of a wrist or the swing of an arm, and then see the results straightaway on the screen. Using advanced motion sensor technology, the phone can, for example, follow your actions to imitate bowling or casting a fishing line.

With the F305 your favourite game is only one-click away. Enjoy the full gaming experience with stereo speakers, which also come in handy for sharing the latest track on the media player. Add a 2.0” screen into this pocket-sized slider phone and the F305 takes playing games on your mobile to a whole new level.

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“Gaming is no longer something you do on your own. It’s about having fun with your friends and interacting with the game” says Sven Totté, Head of Product Marketing at Sony Ericsson. “We have used motion sensor technology before in our phones and integrating it into gameplay is a natural progression.”

To complement the F305 there is also now a handy new accessory available for the serious gamer. Although the F305 gives you up to 8 hours of gameplay, there is now also a back-up with the Power Pack CPP-100. Attach it to your keyring and when you need it, simply plug it into the phone to receive an instant battery power boost.

The F305 is about more than just gaming. Slide it open and find it packed with the latest Sony Ericsson features. Never miss a fun or unexpected moment with the phones 2.0 megapixel camera. Share your photos or music with friends via Bluetooth™ or Memory Stick Micro™ (M2™). It will also be possible to change the look of your phone with Style-up™ covers – two covers to choose from in box

The new F305 with Motion Gaming

Fun and entertainment on the move

* Motion Gaming with three preloaded motion games, “Bowling”, “Bass fishing” and “Jockey” – encounter gaming in a completely new way
* Additional motion games developed by Gameloftâ„¢ plus 50 more 2D and 3D games available for download at PlayNow
* Loud stereo speakers– enhance your gaming experience or share the latest music with friends
* Horizontal game play and dedicated gaming keys – play games the way you want
* 2.0 megapixel camera and Bluetoothâ„¢ – a complete media experience
* Expandable memory – Memory Stick Micro™ (M2™) slot

The F305 with Motion Gaming will be available in Polar White and Mystic Black at selected cellular outlets from September 2008 onwards. It will be a Quad-Band EDGE phone supporting 850, 900, 1800 and 1900 frequency bands.

Power Pack CPP-100 will be available from selected cellular outlets in form September 2008 onwards.

F305 with Motion Gaming – At a glance
Gaming and Entertainment Motion gaming

Horizontal gaming mode

Cross key + Dedicated gaming buttons

Gaming shortcut key

3D games

Stereo speakers

Java MIDP 2.0

PlayNowâ„¢

Media player

MP3/AAC/AAC+/ eAAC+

TrackIDâ„¢

Stereo FM radio

Bluetoothâ„¢ stereo (A2DP)
Camera 2.0 megapixel camera

2.0” 176 x 220 TFT display
Internet WAP 2.0 xHTML
Communication & Messaging Picture messaging (MMS)

Predictive text input

Sound recorder

Text messaging (SMS)
Design Optional Style-upâ„¢ covers- two provided in box
Connectivity Bluetoothâ„¢ technology

USB mass storage
Organizer Alarm

Calculator

Calendar

Phone book

Stopwatch

Tasks

Timer

Accessories In-Box:

* Colour matched Stereo Headset HPM-60
* Wrist strap
* Charger
* Battery
* User guide
* Spare back cover

Optional:

Power Pack CPP-100

Instant boost to your battery

Design Collection IDC-21

Protect your phone in style

Stereo Bluetoothâ„¢ Headset HBH-DS220

Enjoy wireless music without missing a call.

M2 USB Adapter CCR-70

Transfer, store and share the content of your Memory Stick Microâ„¢ (M2â„¢)
Facts and Figures Size: 96 x 47 x 14.6 mm

Weight: 97.5 grams

Colours:

Polar White

Mystic Black

Screen:

Resolution: 176 x 220 TFT display (262,144 colours)

Size: 2.0 inches

Phone memory: Up to 10MB

Memory Stick Microâ„¢ (M2â„¢) support

Talk time GSM: Up to 8 hrs

Standby time GSM: Up to 400 hrs
Availability and versions Networks:

EDGE 850/900/1800/1900

Available at selected cellular outlets from September 2008 onwards.

iPhone and iPod Touch owners would be excited to hear that they will be receiving the much anticipated sequel to Assassin’s Creed in November. Announced by Gameloft, and titled Assassin’s Creed 2: Discovery, the game will be released on Apple’s App Store at the same time as the console versions of the game. Assassin’s Creed 2: Discovery is a 2D platforming game that looks pretty awesome, visually, at this point in time, which will apparently allow you to take iPhone pictures of yourself (specifically your face) and have them appear on “Wanted” posters scattered throughout the game levels. Personally, that sounds more or less like a feature you’ll quickly lose interest in, but I guess ‘cool’ stuff might as well be in for cool stuff’s sake. Lookout for Assassin’s Creed 2: Discovery in November.

Gameloft also announced a brand-new sci-fi first person shooter for iPhone titled Nova. The game will feature 12 stages, five weapons and apparently will contain “tons of aliens to kill.” As an added bonus, Nova will allow you to listen to your own music playlist while playing the game while you’re ruthlessly pumping aliens full of bullets.