Mumbai: A large number of software companies and mobile telephony providers are developing next-generation mobile 3D games and utilities for Qualcomm's Brew solution, optimised for its mobile station modem (MSM) enhanced multimedia platform chipsets, the MSM6550 and MSM6275. These announcements were made at the Brew 2005 Developers Conference, India, held on October 26 and 27 at the Grand Hyatt in Mumbai.

Qualcomm's MSM enhanced multimedia platform chipset solutions provide hardware accelerated support for industry-standard OpenGL ES 3D APIs integrated into a single chip solution, enabling cost-effective, fully featured, high-performance 3D games and utilities for 3G CDMA2000 and WCDMA devices.

The Brew solution is for wireless operators, handset manufacturers, publishers, developers and end users. It includes an open, extensible client platform that supports system and application software, including personalised and branded user interfaces for mass market devices; a J2EE-based, modular delivery system that enables the distribution of content, applications and user interfaces to wireless devices across all air interfaces; a dedicated professional services team that supports the integration of customised implementations; and the wireless industry's first global marketplace for the monetisation of applications and services developed in all programming languages.

Games
Two new Brew 3D games Indiagames Ltd is developing are:

• Bruce Lee Iron Fist 3D: A 3D fighting game based on martial arts icon, Bruce Lee.
  
• Ashoka: A cross-platform, current-generation, third person, action/adventure game.

Cross-platform games can be played on a computer or cell phone. This means a player can play the game on the mobile phone, save the game data and continue from where (s)he left off on a computer.

Indiagames Ltd is a leading global mobile content publisher, whose key investor is TOM Online Inc, (Nasdaq: TOMO; HK GEM stock code: 8282), a leading Chinese wireless Internet company.

Nazara Technologies Pvt Ltd has launched a series of 3D Brew games based on the popular Archie comics. These include: Dilton's Circuit, Dilton's Crazy Atoms, Archie Paperboy, Archie 3D Racer and Kickshot Pool.

Nazara Technologies is a fast-growing mobile content developer that works with leading brands such as Archie comics, Miramax Studios and Sachin Tendulkar, among others, to develop mobile media content. It has India's largest 3D mobile game studio and releases three new 3D games using the Brew solution every month.

Saarthi and Friend Finder
Lambent Technologies, a mobile engineering services provider, announced the launch of Saarthi, a mobile point of interest (POI) locator system, and Friend Finder, a mobile application designed to help mobile phone users search nearby places to meet friends.

Saarthi can be used as a personal navigator. It can determine the location and provide details of the best and closest restaurants, shopping areas or essential services like ATMs, hospitals and police stations. Friend Finder is a mobile-based GPSOne-enabled application that helps users view restaurant menus, access detailed location maps and arrange appointments with friends.

Established in 2000, Lambent is headquartered in India with a 200-person development centre and has offices in San Diego and Chicago. More than 100 employees are developing innovative wireless applications using the Brew solution. Its annual revenue from Brew applications is nearly $1.5 million. It has introduced popular mobile games such as Cricket and Carrom, as well as developed enterprise applications such as M-Team.

Stock prices
Tata Indicom, one of India's leading private telecom companies, is launching the BSE Portfolio Tracker, which allows consumers to monitor their stocks on the Bombay Stock Exchange on the go. The Indore-based Astute Systems Technology developed it for the Brew solution.

An easy-to-use, customisable application that provides real-time BSE stock information even after trading hours, it has two running tickers, one for the Sensex scrips and the other for the customer's personal portfolio. It calculates the portfolio value in real-time and provides a snapshot of how individual scrips are faring.

Astute Systems is a developer and publisher of mobile applications, including games, server-based applications, mythology, utilities, ad gaming, gambling, theme-based wallpapers, animations, video clips, logos, ringtones, singtones and dialogue tones, on the GSM, CDMA and Brew platforms.

Tata Teleservices is one of India's leading private telecom service providers, Tata Indicom, and uses the latest CDMA 3G1X technology for its wireless network. It operates in 20 circles in India, with a customer base of over 5.6 million.

Office applications
Tata Indicom is also launching a suite of productivity applications that will enable customers to carry their office anywhere. The applications include iPhonebook, iDatebook, iBackup and RemoMail, an email application, all developed for the Brew solution by US-based Remoba Inc, a leading application service provider of affordable mobile productivity solutions.

• RemoMail: Allows a user's mobile phone to access both personal and office e-mail accounts from anywhere and at anytime, with 50 customisable reply templates for a quick response. Incoming email addresses can be saved in a native phone address book.
  
• iPhonebook: Links wireless phones to address book content in existing Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express, Lotus Notes or Palm applications. Contacts can be remotely uploaded or downloaded between the phone and the office or home PC.
  
• iDatebook: Gives subscribers easy access to calendar content in existing Microsoft Outlook, Lotus Notes or Palm applications from the mobile phone while away from a PC. It also supports text message alerts for upcoming meetings and appointments, generated by desktop meeting reminders.
  
• iPhonebackup: Mobile subscribers can wirelessly save the contacts already programmed in the mobile phone's address book and restore them at any time.

Mobile Mahatma
ZMQ Software Systems has launched Mobile Mahatma, a mobile film and game developed for the Brew solution, It is based on Mahatma Gandhi, and offers information about the Indian icon in a fun-learning format. It comprises a mobile film and an interactive quiz, both featuring questions about Mahatma Gandhi.

ZMQ Software, founded in 1998, specialises in eLearning, gaming and edutainment solutions. It has developed interactive and innovative educational and gaming solutions using local content.