Comments on: Wanna Play Quake on Your Phone? http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2681 Independent Tech News and Product Reviews from former VP and head of CNET.com and Longtime Computer Shopper Columnist, Alice Hill author of the popular "Hard Edge" column. Originally named AliceandBill.com. Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:27:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: Bill King http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2681#comment-12528 Tue, 14 Feb 2006 02:52:32 +0000 http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2681#comment-12528 In the end, I think it will be a long time to market unless they price the chips at rock bottom. A big thing in the mobile industry is to get absolute rock bottom prices available. Even now, 200MHz, 32M is the standard for "smart phones" (think the new cellon c8000). The reason for this, is that even 1 or 2c more per part, equates into large amounts of overhead, when it is "per phone". With multiple parts, this accumulates. Having a part that costs $10 or more per part than the current stock, puts a massive dent into the already super-tight profit margins. So, unless it's a high-cost, high-profit line, or someone like RIM, willing to go out on a limb, it's highly unlikely this will be seen in standard consumer phones for a long time to come. In the end, I think it will be a long time to market unless they price the chips at rock bottom. A big thing in the mobile industry is to get absolute rock bottom prices available. Even now, 200MHz, 32M is the standard for “smart phones” (think the new cellon c8000). The reason for this, is that even 1 or 2c more per part, equates into large amounts of overhead, when it is “per phone”. With multiple parts, this accumulates. Having a part that costs $10 or more per part than the current stock, puts a massive dent into the already super-tight profit margins. So, unless it’s a high-cost, high-profit line, or someone like RIM, willing to go out on a limb, it’s highly unlikely this will be seen in standard consumer phones for a long time to come.

]]> by: DavidChait http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2681#comment-12508 Tue, 14 Feb 2006 01:24:26 +0000 http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2681#comment-12508 Well, I don't know that it'll really help out the displays -- that's another issue entirely (LCD density, or moving to OLED or other tech...). What it does mean is that much more can be done in graphics hardware rather than in the CPU, which allows for much more animated/fluid interfaces, and of course games. Not to mention video decoding, meaning high-quality video playback. Actually, battery life (and tech) is going to become extremely important. If you want to play really cool games on your phone, and watch video, AND use it as a phone (i.e., charge it once a day at MOST), battery tech needs to take a real leap. Well, I don’t know that it’ll really help out the displays — that’s another issue entirely (LCD density, or moving to OLED or other tech…).

What it does mean is that much more can be done in graphics hardware rather than in the CPU, which allows for much more animated/fluid interfaces, and of course games. Not to mention video decoding, meaning high-quality video playback.

Actually, battery life (and tech) is going to become extremely important. If you want to play really cool games on your phone, and watch video, AND use it as a phone (i.e., charge it once a day at MOST), battery tech needs to take a real leap.

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