Sony Will have Xperia Play, What about Nintendo?

Mario, Zelda, and the Pokemons have entertained us for years. Decades now. But with the mobile gaming landscape changing so far, what should Nintendo do? Should they remain in the hardware business? I think Nintendo has one more chance to get things right and that's the DSi.

But I think more and more, that's looking less likely to keep Nintendo in the game. Consider that fact that decaded gaming devices, consoles or handheld, live for 3-4 years at a time. In an era where the iPhone is updated annually and new Android devices released throughout a given year, Nintendo, or Sony's PSP for that matter, just cannot stay up with the trend.

It is increasingly looking like Sony will bite the bullet and merge PSP with its Xperia phone and call it Xperia Play. For Sony, there is a lot of risks but the rewards could be huge. How about Nintendo?

I see three options. I don't see Nintendo with the staying power to just push out dedicated mobile gaming devices.

1. Get into the phone business.  Apple did it and I'm sure Nintendo can find a Japanese phone maker who would be happy to help Nintendo with a DSphone.  Is this likely?  No but stranger things have happened.  Perhaps Nokia would a willing partner.
2. Get out of the hardware business completely.  Do what Sega did after Saturn expired.  Would you like to see Nintendo's starters and deep bench of libraries on the iPhone, Android, PC and Mac, Xbox 360, and PS3?  I see a lot of dollar signs there.  I don't see this happen unless Nintendo really cannot keep technically with the rest of the mobile market.  But it is certainly enticing and I would love to see it happen as a gamer.
3. Create a platform and license it to developers and hardware makers.  For instance, HTC can license Nintendo's designs to put it on its own phone.  So could Motorola, LG, Samsung, or anyone else who wants to let its users catch Pokemons to battle.  

I think I like the third option the best.  Like Google, Nintendo can come up with a reference device.  It can run on Android, Windows, WebOS or some Linux variant.  Hardware makers can build off that.  Devices would be subject to Nintendo's approval.  Once all conditions are met, Nintendo-approved devices can be manufactured and sold.

In a way, Nintendo would still be in the hardware business as an overseer, allow others to take the risk, and continue to build excellent games for it.  

Is this viable?  I think so.  If you want to play Nintendo games, you still have to buy Nintendo-approved devices.  

Netbooks: Booting Up In Under 3 Sec

2.97 Sec to be exact.  That's what The Inquirer is reporting Lineo, a Japanese company specializing in embedded Linux software, has done just that.

To do this, Lineo loaded about an 18MB Linux system on an ARM chip.  Even more impressive is that they achieved a compressed image in 3.17 sec.

That's faster than my iPhone or G1.  Heck, I think it's faster than some not-so-smart cell phones.  When will we see this on our netbooks or laptops?  Well, not sure.

However, The Inquirer did get into what others are doing.

• Asus sues "Express Gate", loaded with an embedded Linux and web browser system, on all it's motherboards.
• HP and Lenovo uses a similar system called DeviceVM Splashtop.
• Dell has it's Dell Latitude On that runs on an ARM chip.  
• Toshiba and Intervideo will have their own Linux boot for quick startups.

So, there you have it.  Less than three seconds.  

Impact on mobile warriors:  Keep in mind that these are Linux systems.  And I just don't know how this will figure into purchasing decisions by consumers in general.  For more experienced mobile warriors, a system with quick startup time may be enough to win them over.

Factoring in Microsoft:  What about Microsoft?  Provide folks with the choice, they'll like go with XP.  Still, Microsoft does have a lot of work to close this startup gap and put more distance between itself and its agile Linux competitors.  People are becoming less and less reliant on all things Microsoft as more computing and mobile tasks move into the browsers and onto the cloud.  

Source:  The Inquirer

Economic Relief Tip (sort of): Codeweavers Free Software Tomorrow Only

Okay...this tip is kind of specific for certain mobile warriors.  Specifically, Mac and Linux users.

Tomorrow only, Codeweaver will allow free downloads, one license per user to download one of their products.

• Crossover Mac - Allows Macs to run Windows applications without Windows
• Crossover Games - Allows Mac/Linux to run windows games without Windows
• Crossover Linux - Allows Linux machines to run Windows applications without Windows

You get one download.  Mac or Linux.  I know what I'll be downloading and what I'll be using it for.  Here's a description of Codeweaver products. And here is the press release for tomorrow's deal.  

You'll save about $40!  I will save $80 since I don't have to buy Parallels for my MacWind. Woohoo!

Link:  more info at TUAW

Wireless Providers Needs a Scrooge Moment

In the past, I've said that Android isn't an open system because of the constraints that wireless providers put on handsets.  Of course, that goes for everyone (maybe except Apple.  I'm sure there'll be some form of restrict at play).  Symbian, Linux, Palm, and WM.

I was playing with Android and looking for apps that are  no longer on the Android Marketplace to install and I realized there are a lot of things these little computers can do if we are only allowed to do them.

So with the Holidays already here (I've seen the Christmas decorations at Osh), let's pick up on Christmas Carol.  Let's assuming the Scrooge-like wireless providers had an encounter with ghosts of wireless past, present, and future.

And they see a future in which all networks are open and competition if fostered by variety, great services, and fast wireless broadband.  Wireless providers are not dumb pipes but equal partners in commerce, entertainment, and enterprise.

That is the time to get Android.  That's is the time where Symbian and Windows Mobile shine.  See, right now, we're locked into what we can't do on the networks.  We'd have to scurry around and look for  Wi-Fi networks to do any of that.

I created "Dave the Mobile Warrior" yesterday.  Dave is going to have to limit what he can do for his work because wireless providers won't allow him to show his client a video presentation on the spot.  That's not right.

Anyway, where may be help on the way.  We have white spaces (FCC may delay vote on it) and AWS-3 that can be made into a national wireless broadband network that will allow Daves across the country do truly innovate, compete, and play.

Mobile Tip: Second Monitor Makes It So Much Easier

I don't like to print documents or webpages out because I'm a bit green as far as the plant lives on this planet are concerned.  So, I continually have to flip between windows.

On Leopard, the newest OS for the Mac, I'm able to use a virtual desktop feature called Spaces that lets me quickly flip between desktops as I work on different tasks.  And to make it even better I attached a 17" LCD screen to the Powerbook giving me more than double the viewing real estate.

I've noticed whether I'm writing, creating a storybook for my nephews, or putting together an iMovie project, the flexibility and being able to see pretty much everything has greatly improved efficiency and the quality of the work (quality, okay, it's arguable).  

Virtual desktop software:

On the Mac, you'll have to upgrade to Leopard for native Spaces support.  

What about Windows?  Didn't think we leave our Windows mobile warriors out, did you?  Try Deskman, a PowerToy, from Microsoft.  In fact, I think it's one of the better implementations.  It's simple.  It does not let you assign applications to a specific desktop the way spaces does but it's easy to use.

For Linux users, virtual desktops is a part of your life.  Here is an article on how to use virtual spaces from linux.com.  It's very good read.  Not too technical which is the way I like it.  It's a good read even if you use a Mac or PC.

In our next post, we'll introduce you to synergy and teleport for Windows and Mac respectively.

Mobile Tip: Mobile Browsing, Try Lynx

A lot of mobile warriors are accessing the Internet through metered wireless access.  And with Sprint joining ATT and Verizon in capping their "unlimited" web access, every byte is beginning count.  

So, what are mobile warriors to do?  Try Lynx.  

Windows

OS X

Linux - we are wondering if this will work on Linux-based phones.  

What is it?  It's a text-based browser that does its best to provide only the relevant text from a website.  No graphics.  No annoying ads.  Just the text content.  If viewing pictures, movies, or Flash is an essential part of your Internet experience, Lynx would not be what you're looking for.

However, Lynx is a powerful browser by virtual of what it does.  And Lynx is fast as all it does is render text.  

Give it a show if you reading just news or text.  I've used it on my XO and laptops.  And for those iPhone users fortunate enough to have grabbed a copy of Netshare before Apple took it down the app store, Lynx would be great as it will feel quite fast.