The mobile version of popular Facebook game Mafia Wars has been launched. Zynga, the company that developed the game had also developed Facebook game Farmville.
This will be the company’s first game for the mobile web in HTML5 format. Zynga has till now been predominantly developing games for social networks.
Because it is based on HTML5 Mafia Wars runs on any smartphone with a browser, including Apple’s iOS, Android, and BlackBerry.
Zynga claims to have 19 million active users for Mafia Wars alone and is financially strong on the web. With the launch of mobile versions, the company is looking at expanding its user base further.
This will not just improve revenue but will also help it get new investors on board for further expansion.
The new mobile Mafia Wars game is at m.mafiawars.com, or can be downloaded from GetJar’s App store.
Zynga is also expected to launch mobile versions of other games in the coming weeks.
Mafia Wars on mobile
Top mobile sites in India
Mobile internet in India has been picking up fast and a recent report released by Opera reveals that page views have seen a 416.9 per cent increase during November this year, compared to last year.
Although most of us are hooked to social networking on our mobile phones, search giant Google retains its top spot as the most visited mobile website.
Facebook and Orkut took the second and the third spot followed by YouTube, Getjar, Zedge.net, Yahoo, songs.pk, wikipedia.org and Vuclip.
The report also indicated that the ten most common devices that are being used by Opera users for visiting these websites are made by Nokia. Nokia 5130 XpressMusic takes the lead, followed by Nokia 2690, Nokia 2700c, Nokia 2730c, Nokia 3110c, Nokia 7210c, Nokia N70, Nokia 5233, Nokia 6300 and Nokia N72.
Microsoft sells 1.5 million Windows 7 Phone devices
Microsoft has announced that it has sold more than 1.5 million units of its Windows Phone 7 devices within six weeks of their launch.
Achim Berg, vice president – business and marketing, Microsoft, said in a web posting, “While far from the 300,000 daily activations attributed to the iPhone and phones powered by Google’s Android operating system, the Windows Phone sales figures met the company’s realistic expectations. We all know that the competition is extreme in this industry, and we have to compete on multiple fronts.”
Berg added, “We are on a path to begin releasing the first of several updates in the next couple of months, and several more mobile operators around the world will introduce Windows Phone 7 on their network in 2011.”
Devices running on Windows Phone 7 software are currently made by HTC, Dell, Samsung and LG. HTC is expected to launch a Windows Phone 7 device – HD7 – this week in India at about Rs 30,000.
The new OS has lent a new lease of life to the Windows Mobile platform. In the past year, Microsoft’s Windows Mobile had lost market share to competitors such as Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS.
Become Santa and pet Rudolf on your phone
Migg33, gives its users a chance to take on the role of Santa or pet Rudolf- the red nose rein deer, this Christmas.
Users can dress their virtual avatar as Santa or elf using the clothes and accessories available. Clothes and accessories include angel wings and gowns and also Santa Claus’ red jacket and pants, beard, hat and bag.
The mobile community has also introduced the Christmas line of gifts and greetings which the members can exchange in the virtual world.
Mohit Gundecha, director, Business Development and Head of India Operations said, “Festivals are a boom time online. mig33 users exchanged over 2.5 lakh gifts during Diwali. We hope to see this Holiday season set a higher record!”
The virtual gifts and avatar items are priced between Rs 2 to Rs 50. Users can log on to https://m.mig33.com and download the free application.
In India, mig33 is the most-downloaded free application on Airtel’s App Store. With registered users from over 100 cities, India has emerged as one of the fastest growing markets for mig33 and saw a double – digit growth in downloads from India for the quarter ended June 2010. The application has seen a majority of growth and an uptick in downloads from Tier II and Tier III towns in India.
Interact with Akshay Kumar with airtel’s Talk to Me
Bharti airtel, today has announced an interesting offer for there users where in they get a chance to interact with Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar.
The service named ‘Talk To Me’ will enable users to connect and interact with their Akshay Kumar on real time basis. The service will be available today starting 4pm.
To register airtel users can dial 50505 or SMS TTM to 50505. For registration users will have to shell out Rs 15, while the call would be charged at Rs 2 per minute.
The service will allow a select group of callers at a time to connect with the celebrity for a live conversation in a sequential mode. Every caller will be prompted in advance and given equal time to interact with their favorite star through the IVR. The celebrity will have an option of managing the call by extending the time or move to next customer. Going forward Bharti Airtel will connect to the most popular celebrities in the state with their fan base.
Airtel had first launched the service this June in Karnatatka circle where in airtel users could interact with Kannada Film Star Shivaraj Kumar.
Coming soon: Nagraj cartoon films on your handset
Animated films starring comic heroes Nagraj, Dhruv and Dooga are to be available on your 3G handset within the next two to three weeks.
Planet41, a content provider, has tied up with Raj Comics, the creator of Nagraj and Dhruv super hero comics to convert the publisher’s superhero comic books into cartoon movies, which Planet41 will distribute to 3G handsets. Users with 3G connectivity will need to dial a predefined short code to access these movies.
Tata Docomo and Reliance Communications are expected to be the first operators to launch this service.
The chief executive officer of Planet41, Somil Gupta, said, “We hope to launch this service in next two to three weeks. The service will provide the simplicity of IVR based system. The content is already much loved by Indians, and we expect it to be a bigger success thanks to the wide reach that the mobile platform will provide.”
Users will have to pay premium Video call rates, or 15 paise per second, to watch these movies. So one minute of viewing will cost about Rs 7. A subscription option to reduce call rates will also be available.
Planet41 also plans to launch an application within the next six months that will allow users to download these movies onto their handsets, which will give them the freedom to watch the films as many times they wish to without having to pay again and again.
The company is also in talks with several other publishing houses to use their characters in animated movies for the mobile screen.
In future these movies will also be available on platforms other than mobiles – such as the web however planet41 will focus on mobile platform for the time being.
Tell a good story to win a Nokia C3
Nokia has launched a contest on Facebook to promote its affordable feature rich handset, the Nokia C3, amongst the youth..
In the contest users have to tell a story based on the picture of the day posted on the “Get Social” application of the Facebook.
Subsequently, Facebook friends can comment on that story and the person with the maximum number of comments stands to win the Nokia C3.
Nokia has pitted this phone as a social networking device targeted at the Facebook generation.
The phone has a QWERTY keypad, connects using WiFi and 3G and is integrated with applications for social networking and email.
C3 also comes with one click access to Ovi Mail for email account creation and Ovi Chat for keeping in touch with your friends. It also has conversational SMS chat.
TRAI attempts to curb mobile theft
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has proposed to block the IMEI numbers of stolen mobile phones. IMEI stands for International Mobile Equipment Identity and refers to the unique identification number on each mobile device.
The service provider’s network is aware of your phone’s IMEI number when you make a call. This information can be used to block a mobile device from interacting with any network.
Most operators have welcomed the move, but have suggested that they be allowed to charge for blocking IMEI numbers as this will require them to upgrade their network.
If the past is any indication though, TRAI is unlikely to accept this demand of the operators.
There are meanwhile various other issues that need to be sorted before this service is made available. Operators have said they want either the regulator (TRAI) or a third party to maintain a database of IMEI numbers that need to be blocked.
And there is the problem of IMEI numbers being cloned on more than one device as well – some thing like hacks for software and pirated DVDs.
During the discussion about IMEI numbers BSNL made a recommendation to TRAI and suggested that mobile phone theft be made a criminal offence, as if it isn’t already.
Galaxy Tab making inroads in India
Samsung’s Galaxy Tablet has entered the Indian market with the tagline ‘Start Tabbing’. Some call it a multimedia device; others think it is a gaming console; still others see it as a mobile phone with high speed broadband; while another bunch compares it to the Amazon Kindle – an e book reader. No matter what is being said about it though, Samsung Galaxy Tablet is here in India, and from the looks of it, is here to stay.
Galaxy Tablet is powered by Android operating system 2.2. It combines mobile telephony with a whole host of applications, and offers consumers PC-like web browsing capabilities as well as multimedia content on a seven inch display.
Thus, users can e mail, make voice or video calls, send SMS or MMS messages, use social networking sites, and maps for navigation, play games, and access a vast library of books and publications through the tablet’s e reader application.
Users can wirelessly sync their Galaxy Tab to their DLNA compatible TV or computers to stream movies, share photos and music files or view documents on a large monitor.
The Samsung Tab is priced at Rs 38,000, and was launched in India on November 10. It has tied up with various leading telecom operators including Airtel, Aircel, Reliance Mobile, Tata Docomo and Vodafone for data services.
‘Categorically’different?
The tablet category in India (some may call it the multimedia device category instead,) is at a nascent stage. Over the past few years there has been an explosion in the convergence of mobile platforms with applications and internet access – mobile phones are getting into areas that were dominated by laptops, while smartphones have evolved as a different species altogether. And the tablet with its myriad offerings takes convergence ten notches higher.
Samsung’s competitors in the tablet category currently include Apple with its iPad, Dell with Streak and Olive Communications with the OlivePad. Devices such as Amazon’s Kindle and Barnes and Noble’s Nook are also vying for consumer attention, but these are e book readers; not direct competitors to tablets.
According to Samsung, its Galaxy Tab has an advantage over the rest because, unlike the others, it possesses the DNA of a mobile phone.
The country head of Samsung’s mobile and information technology division Ranjit Singh Yadav expects the tablet market in India to boast of sales to the tune of 750,000 units in a year’s time, that is, by November-December 2011.
The word ‘tablet’ is a word-play on how small and sleek the device truly is, and yet offers the world in a nutshell.
Who’s keeping ‘tab’?
Tablets are meant for evolved consumers who want more out of technology. “The Samsung tablet allows you to do more than what a traditional phone does,” says Trivikram Thakore, the general manager of marketing at the HHP division of Samsung India.
Hence, the brand’s communication task isn’t simple — with too many things to say, it is important that the consumer isn’t left feeling confused or indifferent.
To begin with, Samsung is targeting people who are tech-savvy, the “been there, done that” variety with short attention spans, who are constantly looking for something new. This, typically, would mean a person who leads a hectic life; and likes everything on the move. Such a person often multi-tasks effortlessly, and is bombarded with devices that offer him help with this multi-tasking. Thus, he probably uses a mix of gadgets for his needs.
Galaxy Tab hopes to eliminate the need for multiple devices by encouraging its consumers not just to do more, but also to “live more” by carrying his world wherever he goes.
“This aspect of living more is what we have labelled as ‘Tabbing’,” explains Thakore of Samsung, which explains the punchline, ‘Start Tabbing’.
Crafted by agency, Leo Burnett India, ‘tabbing’ is a communication language or lexicon, with anyone who ‘tabs’ being given the term ‘tabber’. The whole point is to generate curiosity amongst consumers on the tabbing phenomenon and to get them to think, “Am I a tabber?”
Samir Gangahar, executive director, Leo Burnett, remarks, “With cutting-edge technology, the Samsung Galaxy Tab targets the young, upwardly mobile guys, with its ‘tabbing’ language and culture.” However, the Samsung tab doesn’t restrict itself to the youth alone. Being a versatile device, it also targets senior-level professionals, and upmarket teenagers.
Is HTML5 the way to go for touchscreen phones?
Flash does not run on devices such as iPhones and iPads that are based on Apple’s iOS operating system. This is because Steve Jobs, the chief executive officer of Apple, is convinced that Flash is buggy and leads to system instability.
However, Flash proved pretty useful when it came to delivering video over the internet. So even though its performance issues were known, people continued to use it.
The major constraint with Flash is that apps made on it need to know where the mouse cursor is located with a reasonably high degree of accuracy. This isn’t how touchscreen interfaces work though.
And now, although it is likely that this problem can be evaded by programming Flash based apps to suit touchscreens, there seems to be lesser reason to make this effort than there was before.
HTML 5, a version of HTML that can be used to embed videos into web pages, is a viable alternative to Flash and is fast becoming ubiquitous as more and more films available on the net are in this format.
With the arrival of web video embedded with HTML5, Flash has lost its only distinguishing feature, which earlier also made it an essential tool. Even content that is only in Flash format does reach iPhone and iPad users if they desire it to because they usually do use computers sooner or later.
We requested usage data from Encoding.com, a web video conversion site, and found that a whopping 78 per cent of Encoding’s users chose to produce video for iOS devices.
As Android devices become more popular, the number of people optimising video for that platform is also likely to increase. Android does support Flash, but as it turns out, Flash player is great for some sites, but can make the system hang whenever it is not supported.