Handheld Headquarters http://handheldheadquarters.com Handheld News Fri, 13 Jul 2007 16:35:00 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Samsung passes Motorola, takes number two market share spot Filed under: ,

In the wake of a Motorola profit free fall the past few quarters, Samsung has finally managed to nab Moto's spot to take the number two position in global handset market share behind the perennial numero uno, Nokia. Though the victory comes by the slimmest of margins -- 37.4 million handsets shipped in Q2 compared to Moto's estimate of 35 to 36 million -- the two companies are clearly moving in opposite directions right now, with Samsung seeing a 4 percent boost in revenue over the same period last year. Samsung attributes its success to an ever-expanding Ultra Edition line and increased volume in its entry-level lineup, something Motorola has been looking for (but apparently hasn't found) with its innovative MOTOFONE. Find yourself looking over your shoulder, Nokia?

 

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]]> http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadgetmobile/~3/133468417/ Mazes of Fate getting ported from GBA Filed under: ,

We're pretty inured to this kind of thing on the Wii, although we still enjoy getting outraged about it now and then. But now we're starting to see last-gen ports on the DS! Sure, we have the Phoenix Wright games already, but they totally get a pass since the ports are new to the US and Europe.

RPGLand reports that Mazes of Fate, the first-person dungeon crawler developed by Argentina's Sabarasa Entertainment, is being prepared for a DS release by publisher Signature Devices and their in-house developer Graffiti Entertainment. Unlike Phoenix Wright, the GBA version of Mazes of Fate did come out in the US-- in December of last year. The DS is a good system for dungeon games, with its map-displaying second screen, and Graffiti is adding new dungeons, characters, and some touch-screen stuff. If you don't already have the game, this is the one to get. Or if you have a DS Lite and you get really embarrassed about the GBA protuberance.

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]]> http://www.dsfanboy.com/2007/07/13/mazes-of-fate-getting-ported-from-gba/ Nokia’s Eseries gets covered in Hello Kitty Filed under: ,


Nah, these shots aren't real (so far as we can tell), but wouldn't it be nice if they were? A presumably bored and decently talented Photoshopper got to work on a trio of Nokia Eseries phones, and the end result is three of the cutest mobile renderings you'll ever have the pleasure of witnessing. Of course, this isn't the first time a Hello Kitty fanatic gave a Nokia an unsuspecting paint job (scroll down, it pops up in the final pic!), but we must say we're a tad partial to the pinked-E90. Hey, with the amount of objects that her cuteness has landed on these days, you never know how serious Nokia may consider it.

 

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]]> http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadgetmobile/~3/133455589/ E307: Nintendo making magic for non-Japanese gamers Filed under:

In the midst of everything else -- boy, we didn't think we'd be saying that after the keynote, at least in regard to the DS! -- bursting out of E3, we almost didn't notice this line on a release list of upcoming DS games: Nintendo Magic. Once we did, however, a collective gasp shuddered forth from the DSF staff as we realized that this rather vague name (which, for all we knew, could have been the release of the money-printer at last) was most likely Magic Taizen, the magic trainer that we thought might never make it outside Japan. It looks like we're not the only ones who've reached that conclusion. We can only hope we'll be learning some one-handed cuts and all about pulling rabbits from our clothing this November. DS games are a lot cheaper than buying magic books!

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]]> http://www.dsfanboy.com/2007/07/13/e307-nintendo-making-magic-for-non-japanese-gamers/ Phoenix Wright: Sales for All Filed under:

Amazon has cut the price of Phoenix Wright: Justice for All, the sequel to everyone's favorite court-based adventure game, bringing it down to $19.99. We don't expect this deal to last for long, so race your shopping cart to the checkout lane as fast as your feet will allow.

If for some reason, God forbid, you haven't played Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney yet and are hesitant to start the series midway through, don't forget that you can also pick up a used copy at GameStop or EB Games for as low as $21.99! We admit, that's still pretty expensive for a game as old as this one, but it's better than paying full price. All you'll need to take advantage of this sorta-bargain is the coupon we posted earlier this morning.
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]]> http://www.dsfanboy.com/2007/07/13/phoenix-wright-sales-for-all/ NTT DoCoMo tests speedy Super 3G Filed under: , , , ,


It's a bird, it's a plane, no, its just Japan's NTT DoCoMo blowing the rest of the world away with yet more steroid-loaded 3G action, or Super 3G in this case. Blending advanced HSDPA and HSUPA technologies, Super 3G is touted as having downlink speeds as quick as 300Mbps -- a fair bit quicker than earlier reports -- to your handset. The indoor tests will begin with only one transmitting and receiving antenna, but switch up to the four Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) antenna system that would be used if deployed. Test are expected to wrap up in 2009, so in the interim we'll all just sit back and cry a little knowing we'll never see this type of tech on these shores.

[Via Unwired View]

 

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]]> http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadgetmobile/~3/133437749/ Disney wants you to get social on the DS with their Dgamer service Filed under: ,


Joystiq has all of the deets on a new social network launching for the DS from Disney Interactive called Dgamer. The service is to launch with the upcoming Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian and will be included in all Disney titles from there on out. The service, which will allow users to create custom avatars, chat wirelessly and track their friends' progress in Dgamer titles, will also allow users to log in to their account at Disney.com, for further accessibility. The overall package resembles a fairly popular online networking service on another console, wouldn't you say?

The rub lies in the fact that before you can add friends to the network, you still have to exchange friend codes. As if we could get around that ...
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]]> http://www.dsfanboy.com/2007/07/13/disney-wants-you-to-get-social-on-the-ds-with-their-dgamer-servi/ WRUP: Post-E3 playing plans edition Filed under:

With E3 coming to a close, you've no doubt many things to think about this weekend. Upcoming games and future enjoyment of them is probably on your mind right now, as it is ours. That doesn't mean your, or our, responsibility to enjoy some nice gaming over the weekend can be overlooked, though!

So, we ask: what are you playing? What will you be rocking in your DS this weekend? We've got some Puzzle Quest to play ourselves, having only given the game a few minutes of our time on its initial purchase.
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]]> http://www.dsfanboy.com/2007/07/13/wrup-post-e3-playing-plans-edition/ LG Shine gets Titanium Black makeover for Europe Filed under: , , , ,


As if the original Shine wasn't hot enough, LG is bringing a Titanium Black edition to those across the pond in hopes of wrangling a few more customers who have an eye for anything covered in metallic grey. A member of the coveted Black Label series, this handset won't deviate feature-wise one iota from the original, but the classy all-metal exterior should catch quite a few eyes regardless. You'll still find the two-megapixel camera, scroll wheel control scheme, media player, Bluetooth, and compatibility with GPRS and EDGE networks, and while pricing details on this sexy handset are currently unavailable, those dwelling in the UK can expect it to land late this year, while those in France, Netherlands, and Austria should receive it sometime thereafter.

[Via UnwiredView]

 

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]]> http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadgetmobile/~3/133413706/ Hands-on Silent Hill Origins Filed under:


Silent Hill Origins is supernaturally beautiful. Simply analyze the picture above and note its fantastic lighting and shadows. Note the reflection in the mirror, and then be awed that this happening in real-time ... on the PSP. Silent Hill Origins is shaping up to be the best looking PSP title to date, with its great character designs, atmospheric special effects, and (as noted) the impeccable lighting.

Although the Silent Hill franchise has never really strayed far from the consoles, this handheld version is shaping up to be just as good as any other iteration of the series. Travis must navigate some beautifully creepy worlds, and fight some truly terrifying creatures. He can pick up weapons and items in the environment and use them against the ghastly denizens of Silent Hill. Controls in the game were intuitive and solid. Travis moved easily through the environment, although we found ourselves having a bit of trouble exploring the level as thoroughly as possible, trying to find all the clues.

Battle is a relatively simple affair, as Travis can easily target enemies with R. His attacks, and most importantly, finishing moves, vary greatly, depending on the weapon he's holding. Players must be resilient, though: if enemies get too close, Travis will have to do a series of button presses to escape close quarters combat. Also, Travis will want to keep a close eye on his weapons, as they degrade (quite quickly) over time. All weapons will break eventually, and Travis will want to make sure th

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Travis will want to be observant and take everything in the environment. In order to streamline the experience, there is no inventory system to manage: Travis can hold as many items and weapons as he wants. Good thing, as they'll quickly disappear when fighting the numerous creatures found in the game.

We're impressed that a handheld horror game can still be .... horrifying. The direction of the game is quite commendable. Origins still features the series' trademark grainy look, and has the same sublime soundtrack. We're intrigued by the premise of the story, one that continues to get more mysterious as we play more. Travis can cross worlds by looking into a mirror; something that surprised us the first time it happened, and we can't wait to find out how Konami will take advantage of this dual-world setup.

Silent Hill Origins is shaping up to be yet another reason to own a PSP. If the final game manages to maintain all the atmosphere of the build we played at E3, it will be the definitive handheld horror experience, worthy of the Silent Hill name.
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