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View Full Version : Can Mobile Phones Takeover from Traditional Consoles?



wraggster
June 21st, 2006, 09:23
I noticed the release of the Nokia N80 over atSuccess HK (http://www.success-hk.com/affiliatewiz/aw.asp?B=112&A=50&Task=Click) today and with the way that mobile phones are moving forward these days how long will it be before the ghost of Nokias N-Gage is put to bed and Mobile Phones take over.

Heres the specs and a screen of the Nokia N80

http://www.superufo.com/item_photo/item/DE-Nokia-N80-L.jpg


Specs

UMTS / GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
Take great quality photos with the 3 Megapixel camera, integrated flash and close up mode
Next generation wireless connectivity with Wireless LAN1
Easily keep your calendar, phonebook, photos, videos and music synchronized with your compatible PC
Active matrix color display (352 x 416, up to 262,144 colors)

Because most Phones can download cheap games it surely is a threat to the console market and with most phones being good at playing Music/Taking Photos and Even great emulators and Homebrew they sure are giving the conventional consoles a challenge.

So Will Mobile Phones Ever Takeover or will consoles have to change and adapt towards new technologies to keep ahead in the next few years.

Tell us your viewpoints :)

stotheamuel
June 21st, 2006, 09:33
interesting

idapimp
June 21st, 2006, 09:35
i strongly doubt it.

T-2000
June 21st, 2006, 10:53
not sure, but i know my nokia symbian mobile 6630 managed to play Sms and Cbm64 etc, emulators very well...

Oni
June 21st, 2006, 10:57
hmmm this is a thing i never thought would be brougth up, mostly 'cos mobiles isn't powerfull enough... But now that u say it, they might be able to do some crazy things over the years... but then again, the consoles will evolve too... I think that fones never will catch up with consoles:p

MikeDX
June 21st, 2006, 11:01
I think the mobile market is totally seperate to the handheld gaming market.

A mobile phone will always be just that - a phone. Imagine a phone the size of a PSP, or even a DS. nobody would buy it. Phone screens will probably always be too small to keep up to date with the latest handhelds, so at best, the mobile phone market may have a nice little emulation scene in a few years..

Oni
June 21st, 2006, 11:07
agreed on that it is 2 seperate markets, but in time those two might flow together to one... I remember just before the psp was released there was a rumor (here in Denmark there was:)) about the psp should be able to make calls like a mobile... so in time the two markets might come together, with still a little deffirence of course:p

SmashinGit
June 21st, 2006, 11:38
I remember when I had my Ngage qd, it ran very good emulators of Mame, the Megadrive, the Nintendo, Gameboy and even has a Super Nintendo emulator. The only thing I felt that let it down was its screen size and commercial software support.

lord_goth
June 21st, 2006, 12:12
My brother has the N80 and its not as good as it says on paper. My samsung D600 still takes better photos and video. Anyway, i dont think mobiles will take over. who woukd want a mobile thats the same size as a PSP? Thats the only way i see a mobile taking over.

MaxSMoke
June 21st, 2006, 12:13
I stated pretty much the same thing on an Engadget forum a few months ago. Packing around several gadgets is a real pain. People often only have room for just one object with them. And if you're going to take only one gadget with you, it's going to be a cellphone.

The real question is, how could they make this work? After all, the Cellphone is designed for dialing numbers and talking to people. It's not something you look at once you start using it, since it's up against your face. It needs to be comfortable to talk on for long periods of time.

The handheld gaming system, on the other hand, needs to be comfortable to play on for long periods of time. You need to stair at the screen, so the screen must be very large. And it needs adequate controls available to manage these complicated 3D games. Even the PSP, with it's 17 control buttons and analog stick, is still seen as having limited controls to really manage a 3D game.

So how do you fit ALOT of buttons and two joysticks on a phone, with a HUGE display, and without making the phone too uncomfortable to talk on for long periods of time?

And bear in mind, you can't make this too big either! It's got to be very small, and yet still have a VERY large display and numerous controls. It's also got to fit a large battery for long periods of gameplay and long periods of talk time. And it needs as much CPU power as possible. No small order.

A bluetooth headset can get around the talking problem, if you're used to using wireless headsets. I dunno about you, but I've tried Bluetooth headsets and found them to be too annoying to use much. I feel stupid leaving it on my ear, and it's too fragile to put in a pocket. Sometimes it doesn't connect at all, and it's yet another device I need to remember to charge. Too bad they don't make the headsets built into the phone itself.

The N-Gage tried to mix a phone and gamepad controller together. They did a pretty good job, but it was lacking in these ways:

1. Screen was FAR too small.
2. The controls were too close together.
3. The CPU was FAR too slow for 3D games.
4. No camera! (I use mine all of the time)
5. Made a lousy phone.

How about a contest to see who can design the best cellphone/handheld gaming device? Maybe we can ask Microsoft to consider using the design for their handheld X-box, should they ever make one.

mr.miyagi
June 21st, 2006, 12:25
agreed on that it is 2 seperate markets, but in time those two might flow together to one... I remember just before the psp was released there was a rumor (here in Denmark there was:)) about the psp should be able to make calls like a mobile... so in time the two markets might come together, with still a little deffirence of course:p

Realy.......crazy! Never heard about the rumor before (Im from denmark too) but well..... mabyee its because im more into DS & GP2X than PSP :)

lumo
June 21st, 2006, 13:47
I think to be honest i play more games on my phone than my DS purely because i always have my phone with me. before when i had an n-gage it had sum great games, and not just n-gage ones, sum small java games were good and the emulators for symbian OS were great. now i have n91 and theres no emulators yets cos of the stupid upgraded not backwards compatible OS but i have plenty of good looking java games to waste time with, plus n91 has the best music capabilities for a phone, so i dont need any other gadgets now
its a long way off, but eventually mobile games will replace the handheld systems, esspecially with the quality of gamelofts current games and people like squareenix taking a serious interest in it, plus n-gages revival on the n-series phones. its just a matter of time before the phones are as good as the handhelds

BazookaJo
June 21st, 2006, 13:48
It's just like everyone has been saying.

People want small phones and big screen handhelds, where currently the two are not possible on the same device.

However, once PLEDs* take over from LCD and foldable screens become possible, things might get a little more convergent....:D

*Plastic LEDs - check out the link below, they've currently got a process where they inkjet the PLEDS as ink straight onto the plastic screen :eek:
http://www.cdtltd.co.uk/

Voltron
June 21st, 2006, 13:54
I'd prefer a device with a focus on gaming. If it can do other things, great. So I think it will be pretty hard to beat the PSP. Sure the PSP is somewhat large compared to a lot of mobile phones, but its size works. And it is not bulky or ugly.

T-2000
June 21st, 2006, 13:56
Anyway, i dont think mobiles will take over. who woukd want a mobile thats the same size as a PSP? Thats the only way i see a mobile taking over.

why would the mobile have to be same size as a Psp ? My old N6630 played Sms emus with better sound than some on the psp, and the cbm64 was just as good, granted the keys are close together but the mobs are still able to emulate..

razorak
June 21st, 2006, 14:05
I dun think that merging a handphone and a gaming console would be a good idea... Think about it like squashing loads of stuff into a small little box and a wrong move and....poof...everything pops out, the phone may explode...if my memory serves me correctly i read an article about a mobile phone exploding.

When ppl play games it's gonna have to be comfortable...no 1's gonna play a game if it's a challenge itself to press the keys.

When i go for a gaming console, i wanna be sure that it makes my gaming experience mroe enjoyable.

Moning2
June 21st, 2006, 14:16
Well I have that phone and its ****in awesome :D
the browser is much much better than the shitty one on the psp, much more cache available :) and overall.... its ****in awesome :cool:

xiringu
June 21st, 2006, 15:58
i think what we are going to see in the next few years is that every gadget will be powerfull enough to do everything (make calls, take pictures, watch movies, play games), and you only will have to choose the size of it (in terms of screen basically)

it doesn't matter if you call it a phone, a pda, a console, the truth is that it will play everything and well

there will be tiny ones, for the people that don't care about visuals, and bigger ones for those wanting to play or watch telly on the go, but everything will be the same, basically a PC on the pocket.

i think what we are going to see disappear is phone-and-only-phone gadgets, what i don't know is how long it's going to take

Apoklepz
June 21st, 2006, 17:44
And the answer to the news title is.....drumroll.....

No....just look at how it went with the N-gage...

Sure, having e-mail and mp3 and a couple of short movie clips on a phone is neat, but god forbid the day you have to get your fix of FPS games on a frikkin small as F screen like that.....All my friends would probably go cross eyed.

Be3f
June 21st, 2006, 18:39
@MaxSMoke
You are absolutely right, It's nothing to add =) The right place for your post is in the head of the threed!
...but I still think, that in future wireless headset (eg bluetooth) for console/communicators can become an ideal compromice for mobile gamers! They may also replace some phones, if it will have integrated GSM (other NET) module!

Video_freak
June 21st, 2006, 20:48
consoles are made for games (control layout, size (for better performance), screen size, etc.), while mobile phones are made to call others in a small package.

Emulation_Chief
June 21st, 2006, 21:29
Hello:

Evolution on technology is alway the word of the day in both the mobile phones and the game console business.

Cell phones start as a wireless option of telephonic communication and ended with wireless internet and multimedia product. And still continues to evolve. altough you can play games on mobiles, this will not represent a threat to consoles in the gaming area.

The reasons are simple. First of all, power. Consoles also evolve from simple gaming machines to a complete multimedia experience with internet connectivity and VoIP features. Consoles offers more memory, a comfortable controller, processing power and screen outputs than the small screen, akward buttons and simple audio offered on mobiles.

Second, type of gamer. Casual and non-casual gamers will probably take the mobile to play games while waiting on a medical clinic, or on the bus or train. Hardcore gamers will like to spend more time and effort on finishing their favorite game in house.

Last, but not least, design. A Mobile phone will always be a phone. It is their reason of its existence. Doesn't matter if you have a complete OS with most of PC and gaming features, it will always be a phone. A game console will always be a game console, despite the efforts of manufacturers on creating a pseudo-pc of their hardware.

acn010
June 21st, 2006, 21:33
yup yup!
first, the first cell phone was a size of a battery car with a wheel with numbers.
then the phones where a size of a brick without the screen
then, with the red LED screen.
later, smaller flat brick XD
then the flip phones, still bulky though.
now with walkytalky thingy
then thinner flat with black and white LCD screen.
then the color lcd screen (like the gameboy color screen)
then came out the first camera phone that is detachable.
then integrated ones (what a waste of money)
then the videos (crappy quality though and even 10 sec thing)
then flatter and flater example the motorola RAZR.
then MP3 player.
then videos!
till now!!
yay. how many years the phone had evolve till now, now they even fit on the tightest jeans from a sexy girl

Starscream
June 21st, 2006, 21:48
Phones won't take take over the handheld-console market anymore than Pcs take over consoles and the other way round, but phones (and other handheld devices) will be more suitable for gaming and multimedia in future. Some phones already have special hardware implemented especially for gaming (eg. some Sony Ericcson models).
I assume that more of the big players in the console market will release more games for them too. EA is developing, Square-Enix wants to bring their games to west someday etc.

As for displays, maybe we will see this sort of screens more on regular phones someday:
http://images.google.de/images?hl=de&q=nokia%20communicator&sa=N&tab=wi
see also the attachment.

Sterist
June 21st, 2006, 23:04
phones will never pose a challenge. guarentee that

r2works
June 21st, 2006, 23:47
i already read about future phones being equiped with GPUs.

http://www.technewsworld.com/story/48837.html

I think its only a matter of time where companies like Sony and Mircosoft release a mobile device that can do everything (the PSP is the start of this). Why do you think Sony is more conserned with added features then it is with games? Why do you think there are soo many homebrew aps that allow your PSP to function like a PC?

because there is a market for it.

the only thing holding back mobile phones now besides GPU and gaming companies (which really go hand and hand) is the lack of controls.

Erban
June 22nd, 2006, 02:30
Well I dont think the screen size will be much of a prob in the future,with sony deving a new roll up screen and the like....

r2works I totally agree the only thing holding mobile devices back is CONTROLS!!!!

MasterChafed
June 22nd, 2006, 03:24
I think that phones will never beat out consoles in the long run. I mena, sure phones have hundreds of cheap games, but thats really what they are too, just cheap games. I have always found the button to be too close, to hard to press, and not very fast when it comes to response times. Now, I am not saying I hate games on phones, they are great, I am just saying that when it all comes down to the end of the day, what are you going to be playing at home, a cheap version of Oblivion and Lumines and Doom (the list goes on), or are you going to be sitting down in a nice comfy chair with your hands wrapped around the nice grips of a controller playing mainstream games with mainstream hardware and have acurates responses, easy controlls, and the comfort of looking at the nice large clairity of a tv?

GBAJAY
June 22nd, 2006, 08:07
whats a mobile phone?

charltonheston
June 22nd, 2006, 18:23
Personally I've found current mobile phone games to be playable but way too short (yep even shorter than PSP games ;) ) but they provide a bit of light relief when on short journeys when I don't have my psp with me.

The raw processing power of phones will never be able to compete with that of specifically designed gaming hand helds but the progress of mobile phone technology is something to embrace and not to fear.

The future for mobile phones will bring 4G and 5G which will give phenomenal streaming potential but with skype type applications possibly appearing for the PSP (enabling PSP owners to talk to each other for free) shouldn't it be mobile phone companies who should be concerned ??

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By all means marry. If you get a good wife you will become happy,
and if you get a bad one you will become a philosopher.
--Socrates (470-399 B.C.)

Starscream
June 22nd, 2006, 23:02
I've just read that the CPU of the N80 and other new Nokia phones has a clock speed of 220 Mhz (Ngage has 104).

Should be helpful for any future emulation projects we will hopefully see.

The SDKs are still freely available from Nokia, right?

And it's also ARM. Are GP2X or DS apps portable to it then?

mrbob3
June 22nd, 2006, 23:11
Even if my k750i was 10 times more powerful than a ps3 how the HELL would i play pro evo 6? mobile phones have tiny keys and joysticks, they can up up down left and righ and maybe 1 more key!!

DaGamer
June 23rd, 2006, 02:10
I stated pretty much the same thing on an Engadget forum a few months ago. Packing around several gadgets is a real pain. People often only have room for just one object with them. And if you're going to take only one gadget with you, it's going to be a cellphone.

The real question is, how could they make this work? After all, the Cellphone is designed for dialing numbers and talking to people. It's not something you look at once you start using it, since it's up against your face. It needs to be comfortable to talk on for long periods of time.

The handheld gaming system, on the other hand, needs to be comfortable to play on for long periods of time. You need to stair at the screen, so the screen must be very large. And it needs adequate controls available to manage these complicated 3D games. Even the PSP, with it's 17 control buttons and analog stick, is still seen as having limited controls to really manage a 3D game.

So how do you fit ALOT of buttons and two joysticks on a phone, with a HUGE display, and without making the phone too uncomfortable to talk on for long periods of time?

And bear in mind, you can't make this too big either! It's got to be very small, and yet still have a VERY large display and numerous controls. It's also got to fit a large battery for long periods of gameplay and long periods of talk time. And it needs as much CPU power as possible. No small order.

A bluetooth headset can get around the talking problem, if you're used to using wireless headsets. I dunno about you, but I've tried Bluetooth headsets and found them to be too annoying to use much. I feel stupid leaving it on my ear, and it's too fragile to put in a pocket. Sometimes it doesn't connect at all, and it's yet another device I need to remember to charge. Too bad they don't make the headsets built into the phone itself.

The N-Gage tried to mix a phone and gamepad controller together. They did a pretty good job, but it was lacking in these ways:

1. Screen was FAR too small.
2. The controls were too close together.
3. The CPU was FAR too slow for 3D games.
4. No camera! (I use mine all of the time)
5. Made a lousy phone.

How about a contest to see who can design the best cellphone/handheld gaming device? Maybe we can ask Microsoft to consider using the design for their handheld X-box, should they ever make one.


Agreed, but I HAVE read about the microsoft handheld! it was on some pc magazine... lol i remember it featured touchscreen and pretty similar to windows style, and im SURE its gonna pack a powerful cpu, heck it mite even b able to use as a phone, I think it was bigger than 1 hand, but this mite just be rumor.

jwilds73
June 23rd, 2006, 05:26
I have a Sprint PPC6700 PDA phone it is a quite powerful phone and I have run some emulators on it but it simply doesnt have the ergo's of a good handheld console. On the bottom it has a usb mini connection and I put this crappy concept controller that would plug into it and allow you to hold the phone sideways while gaming with it. So as to allow you full access to the keyboard also. Mind you this was done with paint as I have no image programs on my pc. It's based off these two other controllers

acn010
June 23rd, 2006, 06:31
I have a Sprint PPC6700 PDA phone it is a quite powerful phone and I have run some emulators on it but it simply doesnt have the ergo's of a good handheld console. On the bottom it has a usb mini connection and I put this crappy concept controller that would plug into it and allow you to hold the phone sideways while gaming with it. So as to allow you full access to the keyboard also. Mind you this was done with paint as I have no image programs on my pc. It's based off these two other controllers

funny pick you got there, is thatt a new psp there?
lmfao
ill give you credit for that pick.
well..... phones been for years evolving, being added with features and even now some phones can play 3d graphics, and im wondering....waht the hell is de PDA doing the work of a computer and a phone!.
so, basically the computers has more advantage