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You may remember the recent challenges of Brandon Watson to Molly Wood to try Windows Phone 7, as she was frequently complaining about Andriod. She came up with some video reviews on her blog; one can see some of them in CBS news too.

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/PocketPcLive/~3/bwTl4S6izo4/trip-advisor-on-windows-phone-7.html

Some more great news for Windows Phone 7 users. A free version of the high profile app, TripAdvisor  has arrived on Windows Phone 7.

Cell Phone Gaming Taking Off

According to a new consumer study conducted by research firm Information Solutions Group on behalf of casual games publisher PopCap Games, 57% of AT&T wireless subscribers play mobile games.

The advent of the iPhone and its App Store have made the download and usage of mobile games easier than ever, and the mobile gaming industry is expected to grow more than 10% per year to hit $6.3 billion in user spending by 2011, according to a report from Gartner.

52% of gamers cited 'distraction from daily life issues' as the top benefit derived from mobile gaming, followed by 'relaxation and stress relief' (40%) and 'improved mood' (12%)--in addition, 52% of gamers said they play mobile titles during work hours, and 14% selected 'during my work day, when I need a short break' as the time when they most often play games on their phone.

60% of all mobile gamers cited 'while waiting for an appointment' as a time when they play mobile games, with 'during the day on weekdays' selected by 34% of respondents and 'when traveling on vacation' and 'on the weekend' tying for third at 25% each.

The Information Solutions Group study reports that 59% of AT&T gamers play games on their phone at least once a month, and 40% said they play weekly or more often--41% said they played less than once per month. 91% of mobile gaming sessions last fewer than 30 minutes, and 62% extend fewer than 15 minutes. In all, 71% of mobile gamers play games on their phone for less than an hour per week, although 52% of those who play daily said they play for three or more hours per week.

Asked to name 'games you enjoy playing on your cell phone,' 20% of AT&T gamers cited Tetris, followed by Bejeweled at 18% and Solitaire at 17%. Puzzle games topped popular genres at 66%, followed by card/casino titles at 51%--board games earned 15% of the vote, with action/adventure trailing at 11%.

86% of mobile gamers also play video games on one or more other devices, with 76% of gamers playing on computers, 41% on consoles and 24% on handheld game devices.

17% of mobile gamers consider their mobile handset their primary gaming device.

Mobile Phone Blog - iPhone, SmartPhone, CellPhone Information

#1 Mobile Phone Blog. An Insiders Perspective on the Mobile Phone Industry, smartphone hardware, iPhone and Android applications, opinions on cell phone content, reviews of mobile games, critiquing new firms in the market and the health of the global wireless industry.

Nokia 5800 Picked up by Cincinnati Bell

Cincinnati Bell, the small regional telecom company, became the first U.S. carrier to sell the Nokia 5800 touchscreen smartphone. The phone had previously only been sold inside the United States at Nokia's flagship stores.

'The touch screen Nokia 5800 XpressMusic adds a new dimension to Cincinnati Bell's growing smartphone line up,' said Tim Bracken, director of consumer wireless for Cincinnati Bell. 'It truly is a modern entertainment device with advanced Web browsing, built-in GPS, picture messaging, and music capabilities that surpass expectations for a fresh everyday smartphone. Also, the Nokia 5800 is WiFi-enabled, which means customers can achieve some of the fastest data speeds available today.'

The phone will sell for $149 with a two-year service contract and after a $100 mail-in rebate. Nokia trumpeted the success of the phone worldwide, and announced in February that it had sold 1 million units in three weeks. However, the phone has not been picked up by any of the Tier 1 U.S. carriers.

Flick Fishing First to a Million Paid Downloads

Congrats to iPhone game developer Freeverse, who announced today that over the weekend they sold the millionth copy of their Flick Fishing game, making Flick Fishing the first paid application to reach the one million download milestone.

Flick Fishing allows iPhone and iPod touch users to take a virtual fishing trip with the flick of a wrist.  The game uses the iPhone's accelerometer to recreate a casting motion, then a combination of bait choice and fishing skill helps players land the big fish.

The iPhone OS 3.0 update issued last week for Flick Fishing allows peer-to-peer networking for players to compare their catches while competing in a blackjack style fishing contest. In addition, in-app purchases of a new fishing location and new fish have been made by nearly 10 percent of users since the OS 3.0 update was issued.
 
'We couldn't be happier that so many people decided to put on their virtual fishing cap and give Flick Fishing a try,' said Ian Lynch Smith, president and co-founder of Freeverse. 'We're very proud that over one million players have discovered that Flick Fishing is a great way to enjoy summer fun on your iPhone without the pesky flies and mosquitoes.'

The game can be purchased from iTunes for $.99 by clicking here.

Sutures from Bacteria

Sounds icky, but it's true -- the FDA has approved a polymer suture made from modified bacteria using recombinant DNA technology.

The material in Tepha Medical Devices' TephaFLEX Absorbable Suture breaks down in the body as a deep wound or surgical incision heals, improving the healing process and preventing infection. Recombinant DNA allows the manufacture of materials from organisms that would be difficult if not impossible to produce otherwise.

Sutures from Bacteria

Sounds icky, but it's true -- the FDA has approved a polymer suture made from modified bacteria using recombinant DNA technology.

The material in Tepha Medical Devices' TephaFLEX Absorbable Suture breaks down in the body as a deep wound or surgical incision heals, improving the healing process and preventing infection. Recombinant DNA allows the manufacture of materials from organisms that would be difficult if not impossible to produce otherwise.

iPhone Game Review - iZombie Death March

The folks at Sonic Boom recently released their latest iPhone game - iZombie: Death March

I downloaded the game last night and had a great time killing lots and lots of Zombies. The game is very straight forward - you play as a lone gunman surrounded by Zombies who come at you from every angle. Simply touch the screen where you want to shoot and 'pow!' the Zombies go down.

There are 6 missions or chapters to choose from:

1. Point Blank
2. Guardian
3. Bunker
4. Graveyard
5. Runaway
6. Extraction

And in each chapter you can choose from four different difficulty levels: Easy, Normal, Death Wish or Nightmare. As the descriptions indicate, the chapters get increasingly more difficult.

I played all 6 chapters and mixed in varying difficulty levels. My personal favorite (pictured) is Runaway where you are in the back of a pick-up truck gunning down Zombies while trying to drive away from some crazy monster chasing you down the highway.

The game is also made more interesting with the clever storyline that is displayed between chapters. There are some great quotes in here including my favorite:

'Time flies when you have a gun.'

There must be something weird going on in the Zombie space because between this game and Popcap's new PC game 'Plants vs Zombies' I've been spending too much time killing zombies, but boy, is it fun.

SonicBoom is offering iZombie Death March for an introductory price of $1.99 through iTunes. The game is very well done and it's a fun diversion for 5 minutes or longer. I highly recommend downloading this title and don't be surprised if you find yourself groaning BRAAAAAAINS!! every now and again after playing it.

Britain Piloting First Biofueled Train

Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group has embarked on yet another venture -- Virgin Trains, which seeks to replace traditional diesel trains with models run on biofuel.

Virgin Trains' pilot project will test a train running on 20% biological material (typically a type of vegetable oil) in Britain for six months. If the test is successful, Virgin Trains will use the 20% mix full-time, with an eye toward engines run purely on biofuel. Virgin Trains says that switching to biodiesel could cut emissions by 14%.

Source: MSNBC

iPhone Game Review - Parachute Panic

I was poking around the iTunes AppStore this week and took a $.99 chance on a recently launched game from FDG Entertainment called Parachute Panic.

This fun casual game requires you to successfully land a host of parachutists into passing boats while trying to avoid obstacles such as helicopters, U.F.O´s, sharks and thunder clouds.

The game play is reminiscent of the vintage Nintendo Game & Watch handheld parachute game that I used to love to play back in the early 80's.

The game has very cool hand drawn graphics, smooth animations, catchy music and awesome sound effects. The game has been getting good reviews in the App Store and I have to agree - it is very well done and lots of fun.

Check out a video of the game here.

The only slightly negative comment I will make is that this game is not easy. It takes a little while to get used to the controls and even after mastering the techniques, the action picks up fast and furious. My 7 year old lost interest pretty quickly as it was too hard, but personally, I love the game, and for a buck it's well worth it. Click here to get it now.

Cheaper iPhone Coming Soon?

Apple's Worldwide Developer's Conference kicks off Monday and according to Financial Times, Apple plans to introduce a cheaper version of its popular iPhone as soon as Monday, in a move that could dramatically increase the company's share of the smart phone market.

Analysts said that the company is likely to introduce either a $149 phone or a $99 phone, down from the current low end of $199.

Citing a firm survey of consumers, Morgan Stanley analyst Kathryn Huberty said that a $50 price cut could increase demand for the phone by 50% and a $100 cut by 100%.

Apple sells about 11% of the world's smart phones, trailing Nokia at 41% and Research in Motion (Blackberry) at 20%, according to Gartner figures from the first quarter.