MetaSquares Now Available for the iPhone

MetaTools Inc. today announced the availability of its first iPhone game, MetaSquares, a deceptively simple to play, but hard to be expert strategy game, which is now available in Apple Computer’s iTunes App Store.

Noted puzzle and computer game designer Scott Kim, whose puzzles were featured in “Scientific American” magazine, created the initial concept for MetaSquares during the mid 1990s, which generated a huge following on the Mac and Windows America Online platform prior to the emergence of the internet.

MetaSquares players enter an eight by eight board with one goal in mind - create more squares than their opponents. Using game play features such as tapping, double tapping and swiping that are designed specifically for the iPhone, players can go head-to-head with their iPhone toting friends or challenge the progressively more difficult artificial intelligence opponent. MetaSquares offers consumers of all ages and skill levels a quick (games are usually two to three minutes
long), fun and challenging experience.

The MetaSquares team brings together veteran MetaTools team members who have regrouped to develop software that will continue the company's tradition of creating sophisticated applications and plug-ins that are graphically exciting, as well as fun and easy to use. Re-emerging today as a creator of advanced mobile and social gaming applications and plug-ins, MetaTools chose iPhone as the premier platform for MetaSquares.

“We are thrilled to introduce MetaSquares to the millions of iPhone owners who will look to Apple’s mobile platform for entertainment as well as communication,” said Wilczak. “MetaSquares signals our re-entry into this market and will allow our dedicated fans, who found our original products innovative and rewarding, as well as new players the opportunity to play anytime and anywhere, solo or with a friend.”

Returning to MetaTools to lead the MetaSquares team is MetaTools’ Vice President of Business Development John Ray, who previously led the business development and licensing operations for Blue Lava Wireless, owner/licensor of Tetris, to numerous parties/platforms worldwide.

MetaSquares is scheduled to be released in the near future in multiple languages including French, German, Japanese and Spanish. MetaTools is also developing a multiplayer option with access via mobile internet connections.

MetaSquares costs $2.99 on carriers via iPhone or by visiting the MetaTools website, http://www.metatools.com/, and is available on the App Store.

Consumers without iPhones can preview MetaSquares online for free at www.metatools.com/iphonemsq/ on Apple computers or via Firefox Web Browser if accessing from a Windows PC.

Hi5 Launches Mobile Site in 26 Languages

One of the top social networks worldwide, hi5, announced the release of their mobile site today, which while late in the game, is already a notch ahead of the competition.

The new mobile version launched with translations available in all of the 26 different languages already offered on the main site.

"No other social network offers mobile support in as many languages as hi5. This extensive in-language support represents a significant market opportunity for the company," the release boasts.

While you may not have heard of them much here in the U.S., hi5 is one of the fastest growing social networks in the world, according to ComScore, with over 80% of its users outside the US.
Facebook, however, is still number one, but they have had a late start in their translation efforts. And they are hoping to catch up with the resent release of their Translation Application to crowd source the effort in as many languages as possible.

This development by hi5 probably won't attract a new audience here in the U.S., but CEO Ramu Yalamanchi is looking more at the advertising potential.

“As we see the number of users accessing hi5 via their mobile phones increase, it will open up the opportunity to roll out hyper-localized advertising,” he says.

This is all part of the latest effort by all of the networks to expand worldwide as growth in the U.S. wanes.

Source -blog Wired

Spice Mobile launches S-820 music phone

Mobile has launched a music phone, S-820 which has an integrated Yamaha audio amplifier for loud and 3D surround experience. The phone comes preloaded with music content from ‘Singh is King’, movie.

It has a memory of 1 GB. The phone comes with a Bluetooth stereo headset that provides you wireless environment. The phone has FM radio and bluetooth headset and caller block facility, 1.3 mega-pixel camera, WAP and GPRS facilities. It also has a one-touch access for news content of Reuters. The cost of Spice S-820 music phone at Rs 6,599.