Moket games out now through Smashing Games

Good news for the Flash Lite community and mobile gamers - the Smashing Games catalogue has been launched on Verizon Wireless! There are many great games available now to over 18 million subscribers in North America, including our very own Dizzy Zub Zub and Cipher.

Moket has many more titles in the pipeline for the Smashing Games catalogue over the coming months, so watch this space for more news on our latest releases. In some cases, you'll also be able to play ported versions of the games on the Chumby - like the Chumby-fied Dizzy Zub Zub.

Well done to the Smashing team on getting this baby born. It's another piece of the puzzle for Flash Lite content making an impact on the mobile content industry and one that I know will do very well. For those Verizon customers out there - go and buy some Flash Lite gaming goodness and help feed starving independent Flash Lite game developers around the world :)

Verizon Opens Up in 2008

Seems that "open" is the new mobile buzzword and everyone is getting in on it ... Verizon is the latest with the announcement today that they will open the deck to third-party apps and non-VZW handsets by the end of 2008.

Verizon Wireless today announced that it will provide customers the option to use, on its nationwide wireless network, wireless devices, software and applications not offered by the company. Verizon Wireless plans to have this new choice available to customers throughout the country by the end of 2008.

In early 2008, the company will publish the technical standards the development community will need to design products to interface with the Verizon Wireless network. Any device that meets the minimum technical standard will be activated on the network. Devices will be tested and approved in a $20 million state-of-the-art testing lab which received an additional investment this year to gear up for the anticipated new demand. Any application the customer chooses will be allowed on these devices.

Read on ...

Amp'd files for bankruptcy

Mobile-content-focused MVNO Amp'd Mobile has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, owing a bucket load of money to Verizon and other content licensors (MTV, etc).

http://ces.engadget.com/2007/06/02/ampd-files-for-chapter-11-bankruptcy/

http://www.moconews.net/entry/419-ampd-mobile-to-file-for-chapter-11-bankruptcy-hopes-to-restructure-with/

Flash Cast is kicking butt and taking names

Via Bill. Seems there's been an explosion of activity in the Flash Cast world. The announcements from CTIA Wireless are coming thick and fast, and they're great news for the expanding Flash Lite ecosystem. DoCoMo have surpassed 10 million subscribers to their i-Channel service (which is Flash Cast rebranded) in just 18 months, which is a staggering number. Verizon have also broadened their Flash Lite involvement with the announcement to bring Flash Cast to North America. And finally, Chunghwa Telecom is going to bring Flash Cast to around 8 million subscribers in Taiwan.