N-gage (1 Viewer)

[Bjorn Olav Nyberg]

www.n-gage.com

This seems kind of interesting to me. For those who do not want to click the link, it is basically a cellular phone combined with a handheld game deck.

I.e. not a javaenabled phone (although it can do that too) but a game deck for which separate cartridges will be created and sold. The webpage mentions a need for this because the games intended would be much bigger than the typical java-enabled game.

I have been eyeing a gameboy advance for some time, but hasn't bothered, since I doubt I will carry a GBA around for the times I would want to use it, but I always carry my phone, so this actually sounds like a good idea to me. Add a MP3 player in the mix, and I am practically sold on the idea alread.

 

[BrianB]

Willing to pay $300 for it though?

 

[Mike Brogan]

Well I don't think you'll find too much love foe the N-Gage around here, but I think it has a lot of potential. I know many complain about the price of $299, but how often do you actually pay full price for a cell phone? The prices are usually deeply discounted when you sign up for service. I personally won't be getting one anytime soon, but I hope it succeeds. I just wish the screen was bigger.

 

[Bjorn Olav Nyberg]

I just wish the screen was bigger.

I do agree about this, but it has to function as a cell phone, otherwise it won't really work at all.

Also, let me add that I think it won't really be a competitor with a Gameboy Advance as a game deck. The reason I have not got a GBA already, is I doubt I will carry it around with me. I also have a minidisk player, which tends to just lie around gathering dust, and I suspect a MP3 player would suffer the same fate. On the other hand, I hardly ever leave the house without my cell phone. I will probably jump at the chance to have all these three rolled into one.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Everyone who used it at E3 was highly dissatisfied with it as a game player. The general concensis seemed to be that it was designed by people who make cell phones and not game systems, and that there are many aspects of the design (especially the vertical screen orientation) which just doesn't work.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

The screen, the buttons, the need to remove the batteries to change the games it's playing, and several other factors make this essential a bad idea. Might as well get a GBA SP with the MP3 player peripheral.

 

[Jason Seaver]

Actually, Morgan, that makes it a bad implementation. The all-in-one portable gaming/MP3/phone/PDA device idea is a pretty good idea; Nokia just doesn't seem to have done it right.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

I agree, this is a great idea. If the GBA SP had a cell phone adapter and a better MP3 adapter (looks like there will be a media card system for the GBA, though, in the future that could play MP3s) then it would be the same thing only much, much cheaper.

 

[StanP]

I like the idea of getting it at a discount with a cellphone contract. However, I'm going to preorder one regardless, because I am genuinely excited to play around with this new gadget. There's going to be a lot less clutter in my bag when I just need to take something to pass the time and maybe check a few emails if I've got this thing, and if I can take some audio notes to boot, that's just great.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Gamespot has done a full story on it. Overall they don't seem that excited, and the horrible ergonomic issues dampended their experience quite a bit

http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/misc/platforms/ngage/

 

[Simon_Lepine]

The N-Gage is not that bad actually.

It will be affordable in deals with carriers, and the pad and buttons work quite well.

The most noted problem is that you have to open it to insert a new cartridge. Yes that's annoying, but it's shoulnd't impact on a purchase decision, taking 30 secs more to start a game is not that bothersome once you start playing

I'm doing some development for it right now, and while at first I was quite sceptic like everyone else, I kinda like the thing now. Blue Tooth gaming is pretty neat actually.

Of course, odds are still not very favorable that it will succeed, because of negative preconceptions and people not liking new kids in town.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

Simon-

But what about it's other functions, like how good of a cell phone is it?

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Unless you use a headset. Horrendous. Picture talking into the closed "bottom" of a taco.

 

[Dalila]

SONY PSP ooooo can't wait.

 

[Simon_Lepine]

I don't have first hand experience with it as a phone, but some guy at work is using it. He said it's pretty stupid using it like Jeff described. Yes, the speaker is on the side, but you don't have to hold it like that, you can use it with the N-Gage parallel to you ear and it works fine. Obviously it's still not a champion of ergnomics for a phone.

 

[James T]

Bumpity Bump.

I just heard about this thing a few days ago(I know...where have I been). I actually heard about it months ago, but never really cared. I don't know why in a few days I've gotten some interest.

Any reviews on it. I know EB/Gamespot have a $100 off sale, but it's only in the US, so sucks to be me.

 

[DaveGTP]

The $100 sale is a price cut to $199, initiated by Nokia, due to dismal sales (400,000 so far, WORLDwide).

 

[BrianB]

due to dismal sales (400,000 so far, WORLDwide).

400,000 shipped, not sold, allegedly There is a difference.

 

[DaveGTP]

Acutally, the quote said sold: "We've sold around 400,000 N-Gage in the first two weeks," stated Ikka Raiskinen, senior VP entertainment and media at Nokia Mobile Phones. "Sales have been very good in Europe and Asia Pacific".

However, this compares to a half million GBA SPs in Japan alone in the first 4 days, and 200,000 SPs sold in Europe alone in 2 days.

Source: www.spong.com videogames news and rumors site

 

[Jason_H]

Acutally, the quote said sold: "We've sold around 400,000 N-Gage in the first two weeks," stated Ikka Raiskinen, senior VP entertainment and media at Nokia Mobile Phones. "Sales have been very good in Europe and Asia Pacific".

I would take that quote with a HUGE grain of salt. I'd be willing to bet the execs are just spinning this as hard as they can, trying not to show any weakness. The perception of failure will surely hasten the demise of the N-Gage...and I don't think they are fooling anybody.