SAN DIEGO—Qualcomm Inc. said it plans to extend Microsoft Corp.’s “Live Anywhere” technology onto its BREW platform in an effort to provide a “unified gaming universe.”
The chipmaker used its BREW 2006 Conference to showcase an integrated gaming offering across Microsoft’s Xbox Live, MSN Games, MSN Messenger and BREW-based wireless phones. Qualcomm and Microsoft hope to provide a consistent gaming interface allowing users to communicate and compete regardless of what type of device they are using at the time.
“Mobile is a proven and compelling gaming platform and a natural extension of our vision for a seamless and unified gaming experience for our game players of all skill levels and across all platforms,” said Chris Early, studio manager of Microsoft Casual Games.
Other BREW-related news out of the conference includes:
Qualcomm unveiled an offering for mobile operators, dubbed the BREW Signature Solution for Gaming, that includes a graphic user interface as well as technology to support in-game micro transactions.
Verizon Wireless launched two BREW applications for users looking to brush up on foreign languages. The operator introduced Merriam-Webster Spanish-English Dictionary, a $3.50-per-month application from SkyZone Entertainment Inc. that features 100,000 searchable translations. Verizon also launched Living Language, a kind of virtual class that tutors wireless users on words and phrases in 20 different languages. The offering, developed by Vocel, is available for $3 a month or $10 for unlimited use.
