PopCap Games to develop multiplayer mobile games for SNAP Mobile

Game Developers Conference 2008, San Francisco, CA and Espoo, Finland- Nokia and PopCap Games, the leading developer and publisher of casual games, will bring connected mobile Java(TM) games to the SNAP Mobile platform. The award winning Chuzzle(TM) is the first game to be re-developed by PopCap under a multi-game agreement.

"SNAP Mobile is all about bringing fun multiplayer Java games to the masses," said Paul Whitaker, Head of Business Development for SNAP Mobile, Nokia. "With a catalog of broadly appealing games, PopCap titles are a perfect addition to our growing portfolio."

"Downloads of our mobile games continue to grow rapidly and we have learned that consumers are increasingly looking for on-the-go games that allow them to interact with one another," said Andrew Stein, Director of Mobile Business Development, PopCap. "To help meet that growing demand, we're happy to cooperate with a company like Nokia that shares our vision of bringing engaging and fun casual games to the mobile mass-market along with a proven track record of efficiently distributing and hosting connected mobile games."

The multiplayer version of Chuzzle(TM) will feature community offerings, including chat, leader boards, and more. The original single player version of Chuzzle(TM), which was named 'Casual Game of the Year' in 2005 by Billboard's Digital Entertainment & Media Excellence Awards, is expected to be available on a variety of mobile devices powered by SNAP Mobile by the end of 2008.

About PopCap

PopCap Games www.popcap.com is the leading multi-platform provider of "casual games" - fun, easy-to-learn, captivating computer games that appeal to everyone from age 6 to 106. Based in Seattle, Washington, PopCap was founded in 2000 and has a worldwide staff of over 180 people in Seattle, San Francisco, Chicago, Vancouver, B.C. and Dublin. Its games have been downloaded more than 1 billion times by consumers worldwide, and its flagship title, Bejeweled®, has sold more than 10 million units across all platforms. Constantly acclaimed by consumers and critics, PopCap's games are played on the Web, desktop computers, myriad mobile devices (cell phones, smartphones, PDAs, Pocket PCs, iPod and more), popular game consoles (such as Xbox), and in-flight entertainment systems. PopCap is the only casual games developer with leading market share across all major sales channels, including Web portals, retail stores, mobile operators and developers, and game device manufacturers.

About SNAP Mobile

Nokia's SNAP Mobile is an industry leading mobile Java(TM) gaming solution that covers middleware and technology, hosting, maintenance, and online community management. It is available to 3rd parties for connected mobile game development and publishing, and also offers mobile game community development to operators. The SNAP Mobile platform currently supports a wide variety of Java(TM) MIDP2.0 compliant phones and has a rapidly growing selection of connected mobile games with the variety and level of challenge that appeals to players of all ages.

Source : Nokia

Sony Ericsson takes touchscreen mainstream with two phones set to simplify your life

The new G700 and G900 phones are designed to give back time. They place personal organiser features and easy finger-touch control within familiar form factors.

Sony Ericsson today launched a new generation of phone: Touchscreen organisers with a broad appeal. The G700 and G900 phones are essential tools designed to organise the lives of all those with busy schedules to juggle, both at home and at work.

- The G700 is here to help you live your life to the full. This personal organiser in-your-pocket keeps your contacts, calendars, notes, pictures and favourite Web sites all in one place and just a fingertip away. Touch and go.
- The G900 has all the functions of the G700 with the added features of a unique new 5.0 megapixel Touch Auto Focus camera, touch photo album and editor. Perfect for those looking for a one-touch media experience combined with their organiser.

“Sony Ericsson is delivering touchscreen and innovative organiser capabilities to a wide audience without compromising on the size or shape of the phone. Both the G700 and G900 have regular keyboards and are no larger than a regular phone.” says Martin Winkler, Director Global Marketing and Head of Multimedia Web at Sony Ericsson. “These phones are ideal for users that are only interested in making their lives simpler. It’s not about technology for the sake of it.”

Sony Ericsson G700 phone

- One-touch full organiser functions
- Touch controlled Notes application - write and draw your memo's
- Large 2.4" display with unique single touch control menu
- 3,2 megapixel camera
- Compact size

Calendar is King

Access your calendar, reach family and friends and scribble and save your notes on your phone. With the G700, you can jot down a note on the screen with a stylus, just as you would with a pen on paper, and save it on your phone’s desktop to remind you - just as you’d stick a note on the fridge. You can even draw a map to the local shop or doodle personal notes to send them to your loved ones! Holding everything that is important to you wherever you go, the G700 is the most natural way to manage life. There’s no longer a need to have your home calendar separate from work – it works with you, the way you do.

Intuitively simple

With the G700 you can enjoy touchscreen text input, Web surfing, calendar and phone navigation. Want to contact someone at home? Just touch the relevant name in your phonebook and all of the various contact options will appear onscreen. It’s instantly intuitive messaging. You can even browse your photo album using the tip of your finger. The G700 also has dedicated keys for messaging, notes and a key lock on the side of the phone. All it takes is one press to unlock.

Sony Ericsson G900 phone

- One touch media experience
- 5.0 megapixel camera with touch Auto focus and Multi-shot function
- One- touch media and organiser menu
- Large 2.4" display with single touch control menu
- Wi-Fi™ for high speed data transfer and internet browsing

Print-quality photos to keep

The G900’s 5.0 megapixel camera lets you take print-quality photos and share them with friends and family straight away.

Frame your shot and decide where you want to focus the camera by simply touching the screen. Also, with Camera Multi-Shot, hold down the camera key and take as many pictures as you like. Great for taking photos of your kids as they dash around the garden! Scroll through all of the photos on your phone with touch control and even edit them there with the Touch photo album and editor.

Stay mobile

Got a moment to surf? Access your favourite Web pages when you’re in a Wi-Fi™ hotspot and view them on the large 2.4” display. Use the stylus or your finger to zoom-in or pan around the page. When you’ve barely got a moment to spare, get RSS feeds direct to your phone for the latest updates; news, football scores or whatever you are in to.

Organize with a personal touch

Touch, type or write… Everything comes naturally with the G900. Organise your schedule, touch and tap to make calls and jot down notes before you forget it. The G900 works your way to let you get more into your day. It’s the power of personal touch.

The G700 will launch in Silk Bronze and the G900 will launch in Dark Red and Dark Brown. Both are UMTS 2100 and GSM/GPRS 900/1800/1900 phones that will be available in selected markets from Q2 2008.

Legal Information
1) Facts and features may vary depending on local variant.
2) Talk and standby times are affected by network preferences, type of SIM card, connected accessories and various activities e.g. games. Kit contents and color options may differ from market to market. The full range of accessories may not be available in every market.

Source : Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB

BenQ Introduces New High Brightness SP870 Digital Projector

BenQ today announces the launch of BenQ SP870 digital projector – an ultra-high brightness projector that redefines the way presentations are delivered in virtually any environment ranging from classroom and meeting room to auditorium and public display area. The BenQ SP870 distinguishes itself from other conventional projectors by offering an unprecedented high brightness level at 5000 ANSI lumens; users will no longer have to turn off lights when delivering presentations thus maintaining a fully lit environment for taking notes or reading through documents. In addition to featuring an auditorium-class brightness level, the SP870 also packs a full suite of features required by a business projector.

Weighing at 4.9kg, the SP870 is able to project an ultra-crisp 1024 x 768 XGA resolution at a 2000:1 sharp contrast ratio. It also features a wealth of imaging technologies that are essential for a projector to operate under fully-lit environments. With DLP® BrilliantColor™ chipset, the SP870 not only performs multicolor processing for stunning, vibrant colors on the screen, but also ensures higher brightness and superior contrast for deeper blacks and brighter whites. BrilliantColor™ uses up to five separate colors to enable up to a 50% increase in brightness and expands the color palette beyond red/green/blue to yellow and white for more realistic and lifelike color reproduction. It also enhances mid tone colors for true, accurate color reproduction. Users will notice improvement in color accuracy, higher brightness and brightened secondary colors with less interference.

Engineered to operate in fully-lit environments, the SP870 employed OSRAM’s UNISHAPE™ technology which enables the projector to render brighter images with richer color depth at higher contrast. With UNISHAPE™, the SP870 is able to counteract loss of image brightness by varying the intensity of the projector lamp in synchronization with the color wheel, resulting a 40% increase of image brightness and boosts specific colors in different setting modes.

Moreover, to provide precise and customized control of individual colors, the 3D Color Management is incorporated to allow users to fine-tune the hue, saturation, and gain of primary colors to suit to their optimum value while adjusting color intensity for natural-looking visuals to meet the requirements of specific applications.

Source : BenQ Corporate

VAIO Adopts new Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processors - Key Product Specifications Also Upgraded For 2008

Sony’s VAIO is proud to announce the adoption of the new Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor for multiple product ranges in 2008.

“The specific qualities of the new processor family are a perfect match for VAIO,” says Hidetoshi Takigawa, Marketing Director for VAIO of Europe. “With High Definition already shaping the future in so many ways, VAIO is ever-more focussed on HD performance. Better still, the clear advantage offered by the new Intel silicon is leveraged by Blu-ray Disc™. Put together, this means we can offer customers the most complete, most sophisticated High Definition solutions available. Whatever people want, from pure entertainment right through to editing personal HD content, VAIO is the logical choice.”

VAIO AR60-Series

Designed to offer the last word in all-round HD entertainment, the VAIO AR60-Series has gone from strength to strength. The first ever notebook to boast an integrated Blu-ray Disc™ drive now has an Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T8300 processor at its heart (model VGN-AR61ZU). The new CPU means superlative graphics and High Definition performance coupled with Deep Power Down technology that gives you more time on the go between charges. A full 4GB of SDRAM ensures that the system has the headroom it needs to really shine, and the NVIDIA® GeForce® 8600M GT GPU runs at full throttle thanks to a massive 512MB of dedicated VRAM.

It may be a notebook, but the VGN-AR61ZU has all the power necessary to edit personal HD video content - before burning your clips onto a 50GB Dual Layer Blu-ray Disc™ for safekeeping. Whether you are editing in HD or enjoying an HD movie, the massive 17-inch WUXGA widescreen display gives you every last pixel of 1080p Full HD in brilliant colour with X-black LCD screen enhancement and super-bright double lamp illumination. When you want to watch TV, there’s an integrated hybrid DVB-T digital/analogue tuner and a remote control – and even an HDMI™ output for viewing HD movies on an HD-capable TV.

VAIO FZ30-Series

The FZ30-Series now combines 4GB SDRAM and an Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T8300 processor for the performance to make media applications and HD fly. Lightweight but very strong magnesium alloy construction means it looks like a standard footprint A4 notebook, but opens up to reveal an ‘oversize’ 15.4-inch WXGA screen.

The screen combines the latest generation of X-black LCD enhancement with double lamp technology and capable of 90 per cent colour fidelity. This means photos, and video content – especially HD video – are brought vividly to life. Once again, this is a notebook with the power to edit Full HD and archive your clips to its Dual Layer Blu-ray Disc™ Drive or simply to use as an HD movie player. Again, an HDMI™ output completes the HD feature checklist and ensures that the FZ30-Series is as future-proof as you could wish.

VAIO SZ70-Series

This professional ultra-portable is the embodiment of high technology, from its carbon fibre chassis and power-saving LED screen illumination to the Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T9300 processor delivering next-generation turbocharged performance from a machine that weighs just 1.79kg. There’s even a unique Stamina Mode switch which allows users to select between two graphics chipsets, choosing extended battery life of over 5 hours or huge graphics power, depending on what they need.

The SZ70-Series uses VAIO “everywair” integrated HSDPA WWLAN technology to deliver the Internet to users on the road via the mobile phone network. Broadband speeds of up to 3.6Mbps mean exchanging email, sharing documents using the Web and even videoconferencing are now possible on the move. With its widescreen X-black LCD enhanced display and highly distinctive slimline carbon fibre construction, the SZ70-Series makes a powerful statement wherever you take it.

A special edition of the SZ70 (model VGN-SZ71VN/X) is available exclusively from the online Sony Style Store. This is the only model in the Series sold with 4GB SDRAM as standard, and features large 250GB hard disk and a distinctive Premium Carbon finish. Please visit the online Store at www.sonystyle-europe.com for details of this and other Sony Style exclusives.

VAIO CR30-Series

VAIO’s colourful, personality-styled CR30-Series is now available with the new Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processor, with a choice of either the T8100 or the even more powerful T8300 depending on the model.

Although created with a strong emphasis on style and originality, the CR30-Series is a powerful AV-orientated portable complete with a seamlessly integrated 1.3 megapixel Motion Eye™ webcam ideal for video chat. For convenience and ease of use, an AV Mode feature lets you watch films on DVD or play audio CDs without needing to start Windows. A set of dedicated AV buttons provides the necessary play control, and if you are watching a movie you get to enjoy it on a widescreen WXGA display with the characteristic high contrast and vibrant colours delivered by X-black LCD technology.

VAIO TP2

The VAIO TP2 Home Entertainment Centre looks – and is – unique, with its radical round case that fits in with almost any decor and looks great from any angle. Its ability to work equally well with a TV or PC display only adds to its versatility, and once connected it opens up a new world of entertainment.

The latest version features both an Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T8100 processor for even better performance, and a Blu-ray Disc™ Combo Drive for playing HD movies either on a PC display or on an HD Ready TV via the TP2’s HDMI™ connection. A hybrid DVB-T digital/analogue tuner and massive 500GB hard disk enable the TP2 to act as a sophisticated PVR with seemingly endless capacity, but it’s equally good for bringing the Web into the living room for online chat or shopping, email and keeping up with social networks.

The TP2-Series uses BRAVIA Sync technology to work together with compatible BRAVIA TVs using the HDMI connection. With BRAVIA Sync you get easy, one-touch operation using just a single remote. One-touch play and standby are available from the TV remote, as are many Media Center functions, Windows Media Player controls and browser operations. To mark the introduction of this latest version of the TP-Series, a new Black case model has been created, ensuring the perfect visual as well as technological match for your TV and AV equipment.

Source : Sony Europe

Sony Ericsson focuses on the essentials with two new models for distinct audiences

The Sony Ericsson T270 and T280 are set to delight style-oriented everyday users and demanding professionals alike.

Sony Ericsson today announced the launch of the T270 and T280, a stylish duo of affordably priced phones set to appeal to differing audiences.

“We have developed two phones that meet the needs of two distinct audiences,” said Howard Lewis, Vice President and Head of Entry Level products at Sony Ericsson. “The T270 and T280 build on the appeal of iconic Sony Ericsson phones like the T610. They are good looking and tick all of the right boxes; whether it’s for the business user wanting a compact work phone or the everyday user looking for a classic, stylish camera phone.”

At home on the catwalk or in the boardroom

The T270 and T280 offer classic pocket-sized style. At less than 13mm slim and built using brushed light metal with a glass finish, they offer premium design without the premium price tag. Take the T280 to the fashion mall and snap a picture of a possible new purchase or use the T270 at work to send a calendar appointment to a colleague via Bluetooth™ technology.

Sony Ericsson T280 – In Touch and In Fashion

Minimum fuss
Fast texting and a simple navigation key to switch-on the FM radio or access your contact list. Easy access to the 1.3 megapixel camera and just one click to begin writing a new text message.

Maximum exposure
As well as its good looks, the T280 lets you take and send a photo in just a few clicks. Browse through your pictures on the phone’s screen or send them via Bluetooth™ to a friend’s phone.

Multitask effortlessly
Both the T280 andits sister-product, the T270, are compatible with Bluetooth™ Headsets such as the newly announced HBH-PV770. The HBH-PV770 headset sits discretely in your ear and offers remarkably clear audio, even in noisy environments, thanks to its Digital Noise Cancellation and fast Automatic Volume Adjustment features.

Sony Ericsson T270 – With Business in Mind

Your personal assistant
The T270 combines grown-up good looks with a set of features designed to meet the needs of the busy professional. Access key menu functions such as phonebook, calendar or messages with just one touch and use the built-in speakerphone to take a conference call.

Just the job
Both of the phones announced today are designed with a clear audience in mind. For the T270 it is the business user who just wants the essentials done well. It has been purposely developed without a camera to keep things simple and is built with a metal housing and clearly laid out keypad to ensure a robust phone that is easy-to-use.

Source : Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB

The Nokia 7900 Crystal Prism adds a touch of glamour

Nokia today unveiled its latest addition to the Prism Collection, the Nokia 7900 Crystal Prism, aimed at design-conscious consumers. With its seamless diamond-cut design with a crystal centre key, the Nokia 7900 Crystal Prism continues to highlight the geometric shapes and personalized style of the Prism Collection. Nokia 7900 Crystal Prism will be available in the first quarter of 2008 with an estimated retail price of EUR 375, before taxes and subsidies.

Nokia worked in collaboration with the creative designer Frédérique Daubal, which resulted in unique laser-etched graphic designs, distinctive wallpapers as well as exclusive accessories to the Nokia 7900 Crystal Prism. The wallpapers inspired by Daubal communicate the reflection of light and capture the feel of angular prisms and triangles.

"At Nokia we are constantly looking for new and innovative shapes, styles and materials combined with advanced features and personalized experiences," said Jo Harlow, who oversees the Live category in Nokia. "Additionally, we continue to seek opportunities to collaborate with designers and artists at the top of their fields, who can offer different talents and insights to help us create products that meet the individual and unique lifestyle needs of consumers."

The graphic design of the aluminium back cover, together with intriguing light effects, make each handset unique and complement the glamorous appeal of the Nokia 7900 Crystal Prism.

Combining special design and technology, the Nokia 7900 Crystal Prism features an eye-catching large OLED display, with organic, modern digital art wallpapers inspired by Daubal. From a technical standpoint, the Nokia 7900 Crystal Prism comes with a 2 megapixel camera, 3G technology for fast and easy downloads and browsing, 1 GB of internal memory and a music player with matching headset. The user can also personalize the color of the light in the keymat choosing from 49 different colors.

Additional wallpapers designed by Frédérique Daubal are available for downloading at www.nokiaprismcollection.com. The website also includes images and information of the Nokia Prism Collection.

Source : Nokia Communications

Sony launches the perfect digital dictation device

Record, listen and store on one device with built-in MP3 playback and USB connectivity

Sony Europe’s IT Peripherals division today announced a new range of Voice Recorders suitable for a variety of dictation needs - the ICDUX70 and ICDUX80. The UX70 and UX80 provide a unique solution, incorporating a voice recorder with MP3 recording and playback functionality and up to 2GB of storage capacity, complete with a high-speed USB connection for data transfer and direct battery charge.

The UX70 and UX80 are ideal for a number of recording uses, whether the user is recording a meeting, lesson, interview or even music. Available with 1GB or 2GB capacity, the UX70 and UX80 can record up to 290 hours and 581 hours respectively in long play (LP) mode. While the digital pitch control function allows playback of recordings to be heard at an increased or slower speed without distortion for transcribing or editing requirements. The UX70 and UX80 have also received 5 stars, the highest possible rating for recording quality from Dragon Naturally Speaking*.

Designed with more than dictation in mind, the UX70 and UX80 also offer MP3 stereo recording and playback so users can record and listen to music on the move. Stereo recording is captured via the built-in microphone and the MP3 format is easily transferred to your PC by ‘Drag and drop’ functionality, without the need for additional software. With capacity for over 500 songs (UX80), the user can adjust the sound tone to Rock, Pop or Jazz dependent on their music preference. The voice recorders also feature direct audio encoding from CD/MD players. High-speed USB connectivity allows for easy ‘Drag and drop’ file transfer of voice recordings and MP3 files and also enables the UX70 and UX80 to be used as a USB storage device. The USB connection also enables direct battery charge for the device (through rechargeable batteries) from a laptop or PC.

“Sony conducted an online survey across UK, France and Germany and found that voice recorder users considered five top features when purchasing their dictation device – price, music playback capability, compact size, MP3 recording functionality and PC connectivity”, said Mikuni Shikada, product manager, Sony Europe's IT Peripherals division. “The UX70 and UX80 enable the consumer to combine digital dictation, MP3 player and USB storage device with up to 2GB of storage capacity. We really believe these are the perfect dictation devices.”

The ICDUX70 is available in black and pink, the ICDUX80 is available in black and silver. Both models are available from January 2008.

Source : Sony Europe