Continue the Fantasy with Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy II for the iPhone
A platform without a Final Fantasy game is very rare indeed, and with that in mind, a port of Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy II on the iPhone comes as no surprise.
These versions of the classic games have its’ own ups and downs. Control-wise, the game is leaning towards a more positive note. It utilizes the virtual directional pad quite nicely since you are limited to a four-direction movement anyway. The system shines the most in battles though, wading through menus by repeatedly pressing down or up is replaced by a simplified icon tapping system.
Choose an action from menu items such as Fight, Magic or Item and touch the respective icon to have your characters execute the command instantly. The item and equipment menus use the same system so it eliminates the need to keep pressing down just to get to the 50th item on the list. Another advantage of this game is that there are no reported slowdowns even for first generation iPhone users.
Problems that are specific to the iPhone version however are plentiful. There is no accelerometer support so aside from the mentioned menu improvements, ease of use is whittled down once you have some wires connected or if for some reason tapping is hindered by something.
An accelerometer that allows for different screen orientations may have been nice. Also, the in-game fonts are tiny. There is a huge room for improvement considering the vast difference in screen size from FF and FFII’s console predecessors. Regarding the layout, some text should have been moved to allow for more visibility.
Considering the number of design and ease of use issues with the iPhone version, the game looks to have been lazily ported to extend game sales. The price is also quite hefty for a game that is also available in other consoles. Costing around 6.50 EUR, it may be better to secure a copy of these two games on other platforms if you can.
View more information about the Final Fantasy iPhone games at Joystiq.
HTC’s WMC Trio Available on Pre Order at Amazon UK
If you have seen the new offerings from HTC last February, then you might be happy to know that the three new smart phones are now available through pre-orders on Amazon UK. As expected, all three devices will be launching this coming April (though we hoped two of those would be out this March).
For those unfamiliar with the HTC Desire, HTC Legend and HTC HD Mini, here is a quick rundown of the phone’s specs and best features.
The HTC Desire is considered to be the better Nexus One. As you may already know, HTC was the manufacturer behind the Google phone. In some ways, it can be said that the Desire is the original basis for the Nexus One. When HTC first announced this device, it was named the Bravo and it already has the specs that we see today.
First off, it runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU clocked at 1GHz which means that it will be able to run without loading times and no slowdowns. The 5 mega pixel camera is able to take high quality images and videos at 720p. Lastly, the 3.7 inch AMOLED capacitive touch screen delivers excellent visuals and accurate touch control.
The HTC Legend on the other hand is like a Desire Lite. It comes with a 600 MHz Qualcomm processor, a 3.2 inch AMOLED capacitive touch screen and a 5 mega pixel camera (WVGA recording capability). The Legend serves as the successor to the HTC Hero Android smart phone and will have an aluminum casing. Both the Desire and the Legend use the HTC Sense user interface.
The HTC HD Mini is a Window Mobile phone using version 6.5.3 Maldives. This new version is made to be compatible with capacitive touch screens allowing for a better user experience when using WinMo.
Read more about HTC’s upcoming new offerings at Stuff TV.
Samsung S7070 Diva now in the UK
There is a new Samsung device at the Carphone Warehouse and this is one that you might just want to bring home to your wife.
The new Samsung S7070 Diva (also known as the La Fleur) has finally landed on UK shores and it comes with all the impressive features we saw last year when Samsung toured its smart phone demo bus. While we have yet to see the other Diva devices come out, this touch screen device is our favorite in the series. Carphone Warehouse is currently offering the device for free under contract from T-Mobile and Orange.
Despite being a 2G handset, the Diva is pretty much complete when it comes to features and capabilities. The 2.8 inch resistive touch screen offers plenty of horizontal lines (240 x 320 pixels) when it comes to reading or typing long messages without having to strain your eyes. Samsung’s TouchWiz user interface will allow users to fully enjoy navigating the phone. It also comes packed with a 3.2 mega pixel snapper for taking images on the fly –it has autofocus, but lacks LED flash making shots in badly lit areas a little difficult.
The quilted design on the back, the diamond button up front and the soft lines of the phone pretty much give the device a very feminine look –which means that this is not the gift to give to a guy –ever.
More than just style, the Diva also lives up to its name in terms of features; Samsung has put in some extras in this phone such as the “wishlist” which allows users to compile their list of things to buy and get as well as a new custom call function which enables a lady to use their phone during functions and events.
Get to know more about the new 2G Samsung S7070 Diva mobile phone at the GSM Arena.
Windows Mobile 6.5: Not Dead
With the announcement of the new Windows Phone 7 series coming later this year, many have already begun to place the memories of the WinMo 6.5 series in the back of their minds. For owners of the older version of the OS however, the announcement of a new version meant a scare for their mobile phones.
It has already been announced –and it is pretty obvious, that the existing Windows Mobile smart phones will not only be compatible with an update to the new OS, but no existing WinMo device can actually run the new Series 7. Even devices such as the HTC HD2 have its limitations, and most WinMo phones do not even have the much needed capacitive touch screen.
Still Microsoft has announced that it will not be abandoning the old platform. Instead, WinMo 6.5 will be renamed to the Windows Phone Classic series once the newer OS comes out. Many are already speculating that the older OS will be updated with better office and connectivity features that augment the needs of Microsoft’s business class clients.
Currently, MS has the second largest market in the business sector –next to BlackBerry. While the presentation of the new WP7 totally impressing many consumers, the business sector has been forgotten –WP7 is certainly not designed with actual office functions in mind (aside from the “office” menu). Instead of using the new platform for business users, Microsoft has another plan in mind.
The WinMo 6.X series however is well equipped for business needs. It would not be surprising to see current generation WinMo devices being updated with more practical applications and capabilities. Microsoft has announced that it will still develop the OS and still create new apps and additional features as the time progresses.
Read more about WinMo 6.5 and upcoming devices using the OS at Pocket Lint.
Post MWC Lootage: Smart Phones for 2010
March is here! And if you have been following mobile phone news carefully, then you would know that this is the month where it all begins; where several of the most impressive devices shown off at Barcelona, Spain last Mobile World Congress would be launched.
Leading up the charge are HTC’s new Android smart phones. Despite the fact that the HTC Desire and the HTC Legend has been announced for quite some time, it was not until the MWC that the devices were actually shown off. Now, they have started appearing on the official rosters of mobile network operators.
Vodafone is already offering the HTC Legend as part of several deals. The smart phone comes with a 3.2 inch AMOLED capacitive touch screen, a 5 mega pixel camera and a 600 MHz Qualcomm processor. The device comes in a stylish aluminum casing and looks quite a lot like its predecessor, the HTC Hero.
The HTC Desire on the other hand was originally announced as the Bravo before it was shown with a new name at the MWC. This Snapdragon powered Android smart phone is pretty similar to the Nexus One in terms of specs. Aside from the CPU, they both share the same 3.7 inch AMOLED touch screen and a 5 mega pixel camera. The only difference is that the Desire can shoot videos in 720p.
Sony Ericsson also has a couple of new devices coming this March. The XPERIA X10 is an Android Snapdragon smart phone with a large 4 inch capacitive touch screen and an 8 mega pixel camera. SE’s second device is the Vivaz. This Symbian smart phone comes with a 3.5 inch capacitive touch screen, an 8 mega pixel camera and 720p HD video recording capability.
Check out the new upcoming phones for this March at GSM Arena.
Ubisoft brings Assassin’s Creed II to the iPhone
Gaming on the Apple iPhone has long be a subject of much debate and questioning as hardcore gamers wonder if any solid titles will actually make it to the device. While the iPhone has similar specs to the Nintendo DS, it is still not quite there in terms of third party developer support –though this situation has been slowly changing over the past few months with more and more impressive titles being released for the smart phone.
Ubisoft has now joined the ranks of other game developers who have released titles for the touch screen phone. Assassin’s Creed II has been out on the device and not, it is getting an online multiplayer battle more that will get your screen tapping assassinating skills a pretty good workout. Players will be put into a virtual arena against three other players online as they utilize stealth and assassination techniques.
The graphics are pretty much par for your typical iPhone game, though a little more detail on the characters could have helped. The animation is smooth, though the number of character animations are still lacking.
This will not be the only title from a major developer to come out this year. Capcom started out the year with the release of Street Fighter IV for the iPhone. The controls are a little clumsy with the touch screen not able to handle really fast inputs, but the game is playable and the graphics are tolerable –they could have done better with a port of the SNES version of Street Fighter instead.
Anyway, performing touch screen combos takes as while since the screen gets unresponsive at times. Hardcore players will certainly not appreciate lack of control, but it is a great way to kill time.
Get to know more about Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed II for the iPhone at Know Your Mobile.
Final Fantasy Tops iPhone’s Games List
The Apple iPhone is not exactly the first device people would consider when thinking of handheld gaming consoles; though with the sheer number of game related applications being released for the system and with many major game developers starting to produce games for the Apple smart phone, people have started to recognize the device as a gaming system. On Gamefaqs, the iPhone already gets its own category, placing it on the same page as the Sony Playstation Portable and the Nintendo DS.
Anyway, the newest top ten list of the iPhone games category lists a title that is all too familiar to hardcore gamers.
It turns out that Square’s Final Fantasy games have reached into the top ten with Final Fantasy II placing at number 8 and Final Fantasy taking the top spot. The games are considered to be the pioneers of the JRPG genre (Japanese Role Playing Games). These titles began the franchise that is now considered to be the biggest JRPG series ever (in terms of market penetration).
Square Enix is not the only company to benefit from the large crowds of gamers with iPhones. Rockstar Games ported over GTA: Chinatown Wars to the device. Capcom has also released their port of the Nintendo DS classic Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney on the smart phone not too long ago. Ace Combat Xi was also released on the device sometime last year.
Konami’s Hideo Kojima is also known to be a fan of Apple; the iPod makes a cameo in the PS3 game Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots as an equip-able item that plays music tracks and other files. There is also an iPhone spinoff of MGS4 entitles Metal Gear Solid Touch.
Read more about Final Fantasy taking the top spot on iPhone’s list and other details at the Gaming Target.
Charity Auction Raises £150,000
When people get together to reach a common goal, success is almost always made certain. Such is the case recently when many leaders in the mobile industry got together to help out the Get Connected charity.
Get Connected was established last 1999; they have been providing plenty of help to young men and women under the age of 25. They deal with emotional and other troubles that plague people especially at times when they have no one to turn to. The organization currently has about 120 volunteers working together to help people and in the 10 years that they have been around, Get Connected has helped out 100,000 individuals.
It is an amazing feat, but all this effort does not come for free. Aside from the time, energy and goodness that the volunteers give, Get Connected still requires money to run. This money is earned through donations and charity events like the auction in order for it to expand and be able to help out more people.
Carphone Warehouse has long been a steady supporter of Get Connected, providing for many needs such as hardware resources, equipment, bills and more. The proceeds of Carphone Warehouse’s previous mobile recycling scheme also went to Get Connected.
CW is not alone; Sony Ericsson, RIM, Celaton, Motorola, O2 and many other companies all pitched in. The bidding lot was pretty impressive; it included tickets to major concerts and sport events (SE put up two tickets to the World Cup). All in all, the combined lot raised over £150,000.
The money will not only be used to fund Get Connected for the year, but also for expanding the charity in order to be able to reach out and help more people.
Read more about the charity auction for Get Connected at Mobile Today UK.
Samsung E2550 Monte Slider
Samsung's new Monte Slider mobile phone is a member of Samsung's newly-unveiled Monte range, which also includes a number of other stylish mobile devices packing a variety of different features and designs including the S5620 Monte, an S-range touchscreen phone, and the C3200 Monte Bar, a well-rounded device with an extremely durable, solid design. The Monte Slider itself features a range of good applications and features for users to enjoy, including an integral camera (though somewhat disappointing of one as it is only 1.3 megapixels) for basic still photo and video recording capability that comes with a number of settings through which the user can choose the best settings for their imaging needs. On-screen photo viewing and full video playback are also supported by the device.
The Monte Slider also features an elegant slide-out keyboard (as hinted at in the name) and its compact design makes it both easy to use in-hand and easy to carry and slip into the pocket. The slide-out keyboard is an elegant feature and the front of the Slider shows a 2-inch TFT screen with its full colour display. Under the display is a big, square-shaped navigation button, and on either side of this you can see a cal key and a selection key. Usefully the device can also be used when it is in its 'closed' position, and in this form the user can access the device's phone book, messaging service and a wide range of functions.
Alternatively the device can be slid lengthways in order to reveal the numeric keypad. This stylish and ergonomic sliding function makes the Slider a very compact phone, especially when coupled with its dimensions and weight, standing at 9.85x4.85x1.44 and weighing in at a mere 85.5 grams, making the Monte Slider an ultra-easy phone to slide into a pocket and carry around. It even looks classy with its black, glossy casing and its chrome edges.
The design also shows off both the square navigation key and the camera lens, which also adds a stylish edge to the device for those looking to acquire a mobile phone with looks in mind as it is designed to appeal to the image conscious. To further accentuate this the back part of the phone's casing has been subtly crafted into a slightly curved shape which makes it fit ultra-snugly into the hand , making it a joy to hold and use.
The Monte Slider comes complete with a music player that fully supports a wide range of file types for playback, including MP3, WAV, WMA and eAAC files. It also supports MP3 ringtones, allowing the user to choose their ring tone and individualise the phone and also change it as often as desired by downloading tunes to the device from the Internet. There is also an FM radio that allows fully FM recording and games can be downloaded from the Web, which will be great for dedicated gamers.
In terms of communications the Slider can record and display all calls dialled from the device as well as missed calls and all recently received calls. The phone's call log can also be readily accessed through the Slider's main menu and calls can be made directly from the log, negating the need to access the phone book separately or to input the number from scratch. There is also predictive text messaging which works well and helps make input a faster and more pleasant experience.
The Slider works over a GSM 900 and 1800 Dual Band network and a fully charged battery gives around 6.5 hours of talk time. Bluetooth connectivity further helps allow the Slider to connect in a number of ways to various devices to share information. Currently the Monte Slider is schedules for release in the second quarter of the year.
WP7 to Get Hardware Requirements
“Minimum hardware requirements” is something you would expect from PC software. But considering the performance requirements of today’s modern mobile platforms, it is not surprising that the upcoming Windows Phone 7 series mobile platform would need a very specific minimum to perform optimally.
The demonstration given by Steve Ballmer and his team at the Mobile World Congress showed an operating system that was far from finished, but already needed some heavy duty hardware. The level of intricacy and volume of dynamic elements and animations present has shown that the device would have to be using a 1GHz Snapdragon processor to keep up with all the details.
It is not surprising; Microsoft has gone all out on this one in order to reinvent the mobile industry. They did say that “the phone is not a PC” which explains the completely new approach into delivering a user interface that we have never seen before. Even the tiles system is very impressive –we do not even miss widgets because of it.
Aside from the processing power, it is commonly known that the UI will need a big display screen. Current estimates place it at a 3.6 inch capacitive WVGA display, though it would be so much more fitting for an AMOLED screen to be used for this OS.
In terms of form, the most generally accepted look would be the touch screen format which we often see in screenshot of the user interface. The type 2 is also interesting thanks to its slide out QWERTY keyboard. The type 3 on the other hand does not seem to fit the plans since the Treo-form is not fitting for the user interface of Window Phone 7 series.
Get to know more about the WP7 hardware requirements, chassis types and other interesting info go to GSM Arena.