Mobile Blog: Video, Media, Augmented Reality, Rich Media, IVVR

Especially in multiplayer scenarios, game developers need to discover ways to provide players with the freedom to interrupt a game without displeasing other players. Further, game concepts should cope with the interaction delays of IVVR (Interactive Voice & Video Response) technology. In single-player games, the game should automatically pause and save the current game state when a user hangs-up the video call, resuming the last game state when the user chooses to play again. Implementing a similar functionality in multiplayer games is more challenging. As real-time shooters require rapid interaction, they are inappropriate for the W-CDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) network. One way to cope with the high 3G network latency is turn-based multiplayer games in which fast reactions to other players’ decisions are not required. Moreover, some actions in a game can be performed asynchronously, such as character development or adding new items for sale in one’s in-game shop.

Event notifications combine well with asynchronous gameplay since it allows the game to contact the player when a certain kind of change in the game state has occurredor when other players are ready to play. In the sense of push-communication, gamers could be alerted by receiving a video call. When these alerts are received on a regular basis and only from a limited number of friends, they can increase pervasiveness without annoying the user. In such a case, users can decide whether they would like to accept the call when they are ready to play. Combining the concepts of asynchronous gameplay, event notifications, and a turn-based strategy helps developers to create entertaining multiplayer games suitable for IVVR.

Getting the MWC mobile guide for your phone is a good idea to prepare for the congress while your flight to Barcelona and in order to avoid carrying the printed catalog on site. I noticed a problem with the installation page http://whatamap.com/mwc/install/.It says that you should access this page with your mobile for downloading the mobile guide. With my WM 6.5 device and Opera or Internet Explorer that does not work, unfortunately. It still says “You have arrived on the MWC 2010 mobile guide installation page with a desktop browser”. By using an user agent switcher for my Firefox I found out the correct link. There is only a Java-Version available, though: http://whatamap.com/mwc/s60/MWC2010.jad

Downloading the native Windows Mobile app

1. Search for MWC 2010 in Windows Marketplace application
2. Install the app via Windows Marketplace
3. It will appear in your phone menu

Update

I cannot find the mobile guide in the mobile marketplace by using “MWC 2010″ on my mobile. On the marketplace website it is not available as well: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/catalog/cataloghome.aspx?bin=1&device=0&os=0.

photo credit: Georg Wittberger

Als Fortsetzung zu meinem Artikel vom April 2009 Videotelefonie in Deutschland hier die aktuelle Situation:

Vergleich Kosten von Videotelefonie (Stand: Februar 2010)

o2 Germany

Die Videotelefonie kostet in allen Tarifen, z.B. o2 o, leider weiterhin, ins O2 Netz € 0,69 und in andere deutsche Mobilfunknetze € 0,99. Nach Auskunft der o2 Kundenbetreuung sind keine Preissenkungen mehr zu erwarten. Ich muss als Videotelefonie-Kenner offen sagen: Zumindest bei o2 hat Videotelefonie keine Zukunft und wird daher weder vergünstigt noch durch interessante Services wie IVVR (Interactive Voice & Video Response) gepushed.

T-Mobile Deutschland

T-Mobile führt in seiner Tarifübersicht Videotelefonie nicht mehr auf. Aber aus den über 30-seitigen(!) Tarifdetails geht hervor, dass die Videotelefonie zu anderen T-Mobile Anschlüssen € 0,29 und in andere Netze 0,69 € pro Minute kostet. Im Vergleich zu € 0,59 bzw. € 1,20 gegenüber dem April 2009 ist dies eine deutliche Vergünstigung. Diese sollte T-Mobile bewerben!

E-Plus BASE

Videotelefonie ist nicht möglich. Siehe Fussnoten.

Vodafone Deutschland

In den SuperFlat Tarifen sind Videogespräche wie normale Sprachanrufe durch die Flatrates abgedeckt. Somit ist Videotelefonie für Vodafone SuperFlat Nutzer kostenlos!

Bitten beachten: Die günstigeren Tarife sind u.U. nur nach Vertragsverlängerung oder -umstellung nutzbar. Keine Gewähr.

photo credit: marcopako 

One step backwards: Windows Mobile 7 should lack Adobe Flash support. We are all awaiting Adobe Flash 10.1 for mobiles which hopefully reduces cross-platform development costs. But (maybe) Microsoft will follow Apple’s strategy by restricting Adobe Flash support on WM7 devices. Read more on mobiletechworld.com

photo credit: Spencer E Holtaway

GSMA launched its social networking portal myMWC for the Mobile World Congress 2010 in Barcelona. It’s missing some features like real connections to your Facebook or Twitter stream. But you can specifiy your profile URLs there. The session and seminar schedule planner with Outlook/iCal export is great! Get connected