Arstechnica is reporting that an interesting trend was occurring at this year’s E3. Many attendees were discussing their favorite games and then took out their iPhones to demonstrate.

We already knew that the iPhone is going to change the way we interact with social software. What is new is the re-emergence of gaming on a practical mobile platform. The iPhone was not the first to attempt mobile gaming, take a look at the failed N-Gage. The N-Gage was a confused piece of hardware trying to bridge gaming functionality into a practical phone but failed miserably as the form was ridiculed for it’s striking similarity to a taco. The irony is that the iPhone was not built to be a gaming platform. Apple has created a device that minimizes user frustration with mobile web/phone usability and created a seamless software distribution system that encourages and motivates people to extend the functionality of the phone even further. Bryan Alexander, a colleague of mine from work who blogs on Liberal Education Today, is already exploring using gaming interfaces as a method for teaching. He is by far a more knowledgeable resource to turn to with regards to entrenching gaming as a teaching tool.

One has to wonder now that we have a device that minimizes the need to restrict our mobility, how will the social fabric of interactive gaming will change? I truly believe that MoSoc (something I created for Mobile Social) is the future. Web 2.0 will be remembered as the spark to true immersion of social connectivity as practical appliance will move from rigid stationary machines to devices that accentuate human mobility. You may not always be next to a computer but you do have a device in your pocket that is starting to become just as useful.

Last Modified : Wednesday, July 16th, 2008, 9:14 am Filed under : reflection, social networking TAG(s) : social networks, toys Navigate : Previous post / Next post

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