TTPCom Demonstrates B’ngo – a Novel New Mobile Gaming Device
Posted by WirelessDevNet Feb. 17, 2003 Exciting New Product Allows True Multiplayer Games Over Wireless
Networks
3GSM World Congress
17 February 2003 -- Leading wireless specialist TTPCom is enabling new entrants to the growing
mobile gaming market with the launch today of an exciting new mobile game
player, code-named B’ngo. The product, the first example of which is being
demonstrated on TTPCom’s stand A3, Hall 1 at 3GSM World Congress, is a
console-style games player as well as a fully-featured mobile phone. The
complete product design is available for immediate license.
B’ngo has been designed with the needs of the mobile gamer foremost in mind.
The product is equipped with both Bluetooth™ and GPRS; the former allowing
interactive multi-player games, up to a maximum of 8 people, in close
proximity, whilst the latter allows larger gaming communities spread across the
entire network. B’ngo has a high quality colour screen and four dedicated game
keys plus a novel rotating key for speed of movement. For console style games
B’ngo utilises TTPCom’s Wireless Graphics Engine (WGE). WGE software
offers a particularly exciting game playing experience because it enables the use
of simultaneous key presses in which the user can move and shoot at the same
time – a facility not generally available today on other mobile gaming phones.
WGE is shipping in commercial handsets today, and through its WGE activities
TTPCom has formed relationships with leading games houses. Over 100 games
compatible with WGE are available from developers including Elite, Digital
Bridges and ITE. B’ngo is supplied with a
selection of embedded games and comes with the facility to download new
games over the air, thereby providing network operators with future revenue
streams and increased ARPU.
B’ngo is equipped with full mobile phone functionality including tri-band
operation for usability throughout the world, an embedded digital camera,
multimedia messaging service (MMS), GPRS class 10, polyphonic ringtones
and predictive text entry.
Design Specification - Key Features:
B’ngo is a fully scalable platform for the development of differentiated products
from entry level to high end. B’ngo sets a benchmark for other mobile games
players to follow and includes:
Colour backlit LCD (TFT 176*220 pixel, 16 bit colour depth, more
than 65k colours)
GPRS Multislot Class 10. Class B operation
Advanced Messaging (SMS, EMS and MMS)
Integral Digital Still Camera (DSC)
Triband (900MHz/1800Mhz/1900MHz)
Downloadable ringing tunes, graphics and games
Wireless Graphics Engine (WGE) software
6 Embedded high-quality multi-player colour games
Compatible with C++ and Java games (Java in high-end product)
Novel entry key that can rotate in both directions to improve navigation
through the user interface and enhance the gaming experience
Digital Rights Management (DRM) software to protect gaming and
musical content
Bluetooth™
WAP 2.0 Browser
Predictive Text Entry T9™
Polyphonic Ringer for Midi ringtones
Selectable screen-savers and screen wallpaper
“We’re looking at imaginative ways of using our intellectual property, and
combining the expertise that we’ve developed in wireless gaming, with our
knowledge of low cost handset designs, has enabled us to create a totally new
mobile games player,” said Tony Milbourn, Managing Director of TTPCom.
“With B’ngo we’re providing a gaming experience that is second to none, plus
a fully integrated mobile phone featuring the latest and most exciting technology
such as digital camera support and MMS.”
He continued “For the entry level product we’ve used all our experience in
software development to get the best out of the existing hardware and thereby
keep the cost low. Those who’ve seen the demonstrator are very surprised
when they find that we can enable multiple key presses and run sophisticated
console style games on an ARM7 processor.”
The B’ngo design is fully scalable, from mass market entry level models
featuring C++ games running on an ARM7 processor, through to high end
products compatible with emerging operating systems, Java™ games and
additional processing power. With such a wide range of technology options, the
B’ngo design offers licensees considerable scope in the development of
differentiated products. B’ngo is smaller in size than existing games consoles
and it is expected that the entry level design will retail in the sub $200 category
before operator subsidies.
B’ngo has been designed with the needs of the mobile gamer foremost in mind.
The product is equipped with both Bluetooth™ and GPRS; the former allowing
interactive multi-player games, up to a maximum of 8 people, in close
proximity, whilst the latter allows larger gaming communities spread across the
entire network. B’ngo has a high quality colour screen and four dedicated game
keys plus a novel rotating key for speed of movement. For console style games
B’ngo utilises TTPCom’s Wireless Graphics Engine (WGE). WGE software
offers a particularly exciting game playing experience because it enables the use
of simultaneous key presses in which the user can move and shoot at the same
time – a facility not generally available today on other mobile gaming phones.