Android Handsets Starting to Take Serious Hold

If you haven't checked up on how Android is faring vis-à-vis the mobile OS wars, it's creeping up faster than Seth Wescott at a snowboard cross race. Admob's latest statistics (http://metrics.admob.com/2010/01/december-2009-mobile-metrics-report/) have Android handsets generating 27% of smartphone network requests in North America. Thats up from only 2% the previous December. AND, that's right on the heels of the much-anticipated Android 2.0 OS upgrade. We'd say that this OS is finally coming into its own.

As has been posited by others, Android is the OS of choice among serious geeks. iPhones? Not so much. While you may have trouble swinging an XBOX controller at marketing conventions without hitting one, hardcore geeks eschew the closed platform and limited application span. But then, aren't all these Android phones running on closed systems like T-Mobile and Verizon? I think we'll see significant increases in Android presence now that the Nexus One is out (only problem there is the price, but that's another topic for another post for another day...) Of course, the Nexus One won't run on AT&T's 3G network (not compatible with that frequency) but then, AT&T's 3G network is so anemic, it probably couldn't take another bandwidth-hungry smartphone anyway, so iPhone users can call that one a blessing in disguise.

But what will the power of the OS be once it starts penetrating other devices? BMW has discussed using Android as the basis of their infotainment systems, and we know we can't wait for a washer-dryer set powered by Android. Although we are unabashed fans (and users) of the iPhone, we'd rather have an Android-based home security system than an iPhone OS-based one. If only the Google gang could figure out how to harness their marketing department as well as Apple harnesses theirs...

As console games slide, online games increase 22 percent compared to a year ago | VentureBeat

Check out this awesome chart which won't post here correctly.

OK- These stats may be six months old but we've had a lot of reading to catch up on and they're news to us now! Hopefully they're of interest to you as well. Console games on the whole saw a huge slide while online accelerated. Is this because the quality of the games online became better or because the social aspects were more compelling? Or were people too poor to shell out 60 dollars for a game that statistically gets played an average of two hours. We think this is another argument for the growing prevalence of connected entertainment.

Yahoo Games ranked No. 1 in the category with 19.4 million visitors (up 6 percent from a year ago), or roughly 22 percent of the online game market in May. It was followed by EA online with 18 million visitors, up 34 percent from a year ago, Nickelodeon Casual Games with 14.8 million visitors, and WildTangent Network with 13.8 milli0n visitors, up 16 percent

What's Your IQ?

The new season of Comedy Central's Important Things with Demetri Martin premiered this week, and so did our companion brain teaser Game Too! Play through 4 mind-bending challenges and get your Demetri Martin IQ. Think you know your palindromes? How fast are you mouse-clicking skills? Take the challenge. We dare you.

Season Two Characters in Deadliest Warrior: Defend and Conquer

Our new game for Deadliest Warrior: Defend and Conquer will pit Season One characters against Season Two characters! Yes, you heard me right. Vikings, Ninjas, Spartans and the like from the first season will face off against the as-yet undisclosed warriors from the highly anticipated second season of Deadliest Warrior.

While we're not allowed to reveal what season two characters are featured we can tell you how they play a role in the game.

Defend and Conquer will feature four campaigns at various levels of upgrade and purchase on the various release platforms. As we've said in previous posts, the game is a tower defense style game with unique twists and challenges. The player will place upgradeable warriors to stave off the oncoming assault of troops advancing across the field of battle. For the first three campaigns the warriors will consist of season one warriors. The attackers will be season two characters. In campaign four, which can be purchased on both the web and iphone versions, the player's warriors and the attackers will consist of season two characters. It's turning out to be ridiculously fun to play this game as we test it and get it ready for release.

In subsequent posts we'll tell you about the amazingly cool hero options and the numerous achievements you can unlock and post to Facebook so that all your friends can view the spoils of your victories.

Here are some screenshots of the iPhone beta:

The Cross Platform Content Strategy Revolution

Why would Playfish sell to EA? 300 million is a juicy price tag, sure, but that wasn't really it. They saw their moment and realized that they should take it before the market changed and they were sidelined.

http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2010/02/01/why-playfish-sold-itself-to-ea/

In some of his first public comments since the deal was announced, Kristian Segerstrale, president and general manager of Playfish, says Playfish was making a proactive move in a market that he believes will change quickly into one where well-known brands will have an advantage.

The wild west of facebook is coming to a close and more established brands are going to rule the app and gaming market there. What's interesting is that he seems to feel the companies with cross platform capabilities and strategies are gong to fare much better.

We agree. The content market is splintered. peopel get there informatio and entertainment on a widevariety of devices and platforms. If you can't go to where the consumer is they will not find you. Go to where the fish are.

Deadliest Warrior!

We're hard at work on the finishing touches of what will be a pretty awesome experience - a tower defense game for Spike TV's "Deadliest Warrior" show! If you're a fan of the show, you'll know what it's all about - how would a Viking stack up against their foes? 

Defend and Conquer is different than your traditional tower defense game. The number of towers is vast: four different towers for each of the four campaigns. We also let you chose an endlessly upgradeable hero to move around the screen and reinforced your troops. Another juicy tidbit: see that glowing fist in the bottom center on the screen? When your hero is powered up hit that button and unleash upon your enemy a brutal assault.

We'll post more updates soon, but here are some screenshots to whet your appetite!