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Perfect Ten: My mobile MMO experiment, part 2
Last week on Perfect Ten I began an experiment to "taste test" a batch of mobile MMOs to see if there's anything out there that's worth playing in this day and age (apart from the often-recommended Order & Chaos Online and Spacetime Studio's lineup). For the record, I would absolutely love a great mobile online RPG, but it would need to be a game that's tailored to such devices and offers a compelling experience beyond trying to clone a generic MMO. Let me sum up my adventures so far: While I did discover a couple of interesting titles, there was nothing in the first five games that made me want to keep them on my smartphone. Let's hope that this week's group brings out the big guns because I will be despondent if this experiment is in vain!
Imo drops support for third-party chat networks to focus on its own
Imo has long served as a chat network aggregator, putting all your conversations in one place. However, the company believes that this strategy has led to compromises that hold back its own messaging efforts. To sharpen its focus, it's dropping support for all third-party services. The firm will start turning off the lights on March 3rd, and you'll have until March 7th to download your chat history from outside platforms. Imo argues that the narrower scope will help it create the "fastest and most reliable" communication service on the planet. The company may need to act quickly on that goal if it wants to keep and grow its fan base -- we can't imagine that many users are happy with Imo losing one of its most appealing features.
IMO messenger enables video calls right from your browser
There's a big surprise waiting for IMO users who log into the redesigned website today: a new video chat feature that works right from a browser. Yes, that means there's nothing to download, as the messaging service can now make and receive video calls (using WebRTC) on its web interface. It's supposed to work even between platforms, so friends can call each other from a computer to a mobile device (via IMO's Android or iOS app) or vice versa. The problem, of course, is getting friends married to other messengers to join you on IMO, but that's another story.
Imo adds video call over WiFi and cellular to Android and iOS apps
Imo users, brush your hair and powder your nose, as you might be in for some face-to-face conversation -- now that the IM aggregator has added video calls to its repertoire. It was initially released to a small group of beta testers, but the feature, which is the app's biggest update since launching free voice calls, is available both on Google's platform and on iOS starting today. After you've updated the app, you'll see a camera icon next to a contact's name that you can use to initiate a video chat. It'll work over WiFi and cellular (3G / 4G) regardless of the messenger service, so long as the person you're calling is also logged into Imo. If you'd like to give the new feature a shot despite being married to another video chat app (or two -- as you likely are), hit the source links below.
Imo's iPad app augmented with free voice calling, enhanced photo sharing
When Imo crammed free voice calling into its iPhone application, it neglected to port the functionality to its large-screened counterpart. Now, the iPad version of Imo.im is catching up -- adding VoIP support over 3G, 4G or Wi-Fi to other Imo users across iOS and Android. The latest version of the instant messaging aggregator boasts revamped photo tools too, featuring group photo sharing and real-time image uploads. These tweaks accompany a slew of design changes, including a color-coded status indicator bar and similar hue-based notifications for contact availability. Standard stuff, really, but that shouldn't stop iPad-toting chatterboxes from heading to the source link and giving the app a whirl.
Imo offers free voice calling for iOS users
The imo instant messenger app has been updated to add voice calls. The app can communicate with your friends on any almost IM network, including Facebook Chat, Google Talk, Skype, MSN, ICQ/AIM and more. With this latest update the app adds high quality voice calls. To place a call, you tap a contact's name, and you are connected. Callers can contact other imo users on iOS or on Android. There's a video tutorial on the web. imo requires a sign up, either through imo, or it can work with one of your existing social network logins. The app works on the iPhone and iPod touch and requires iOS 3.1 or later. There is a separate iPad app but the newest voice feature has not yet been offered for the iPad. imo has a good following and generally positive reviews. This update should add to its popularity.
Imo rolls out free voice calling for iOS users, hopes you'll use it to talk about free voice calling
Imo has no doubt gotten a bit of boost in the last couple of months, when Meebo finally shuttered its Messenger offering ahead of its social-boosting Google integration, and now the service is getting a bit more robust for iOS users. The instant messaging aggregator (AIM, Google Talk, Facebook chat, et al.) is bringing free voice calling to iPhones running iOS version 3.1 and higher, a feature already available on its Android offering. Interested parties can check out a press release and not particularly informative video of the new feature after the break.
Mimo goes giant with 10-inch iMo Monster USB-driven monitor
Who says the USB monitor fun has to end at seven diagonal inches? Not Mimo, that's for sure. The famed secondary display company has issued its latest device, and this one's a looker. The 10-inch iMo Monster is aptly named, offering 10 full inches of touchscreen real estate with a native 1,024 x 600 resolution panel. The whole thing weighs just 1.77 pounds and it fully supports both Windows and OS X platforms; best of all, a single USB 2.0 cable provides all the power and connectivity you'll need. Mimo throws in a stylus, 4.5-inch USB cable and a boatload of bragging rights, but given the "limited availability," you may want to part ways with your $259.99 right away if you're looking to pick one up.
IMO: The World of Magic debuts on iPhone
Com2uS has released IMO: The World of Magic, a new MMORPG exclusively for Apple's iPhone platform and available now in the App Store. IMO players can select from one of three traditional high fantasy classes (Fighter, Ranger, or Wizard) and explore the far reaches of the Lanos Kingdom or the Sirus Empire. IMO mixes traditional RPG strategy with modern social networking niceties, and is one of the few iPhone titles that offers fully functional live network play with thousands of simultaneous participants. The game features four-member groups, guilds, multiple chat modes, and PvP arenas. IMO is free to play, but does offer In-App purchases. That said, Com2uS has taken pains to avoid introducing game-breaking items into the cash shop. As an example players can purchase a summon scroll to teleport a friend to their immediate location, but the item doesn't provide any competitive advantages. If you've never played a mobile MMORPG before, you can check out the gameplay trailer after the jump to get a taste of what's in store. Also be sure and have a gander at the screenshot gallery below. %Gallery-90935%
Mimo debuts 7-inch iMo Pivot Touch monitor
Mimo may not be doing anything crazy like producing a full-size monitor, but it's not exactly slacking when it comes to its tiny, secondary monitors -- the latest of which is the 7-inch iMo Pivot Touch. Apparently designed for folks that prefer pivoting to sliding, this new model packs the usual 800 x 480 resolution we've come to expect, along with an adequate 350 cd/m2 brightness, 400:1 contrast and, most importantly, touch capabilities (with support for both Mac and Windows). At $199.99, the Pivot Touch is also a full ten bucks cheaper than its sliding counterpart, and Mimo is even offering its own little Black Friday deal with free shipping until November 30th -- the monitor itself won't ship until December 3rd, though.
Mimo's iMo Foto Frame Printer does precisely what you'd expect
Mimo's made quite the name for itself with its delightful array of USB-powered secondary monitors, but now it seems the company is spreading its proverbial wings and introducing something strikingly out of character. The iMo Foto Frame Printer most certainly isn't the first (or second) of its kind, but it just might be the cutest. The digiframe / printer hybrid boasts an 8-inch panel, a memory card slot, bundled remote and an inbuilt photo printer that shoots out 4- x 6-inch images with a 300 x 300dpi print resolution. $229.99 gets you the unit itself, a few cables and a paper cartridge for 36 prints -- after that, you're on your own. Godspeed, young one.[Via Red Ferret]
Choose my Adventure: Turpen dings 15, awaits guidance
WoW.com readers, it's up to you to decide the fate of Turpen the Gnome Warlock with Choose My Adventure. Help test the site's new features by participating in this event, casting your vote toward the many aspects of Turpen and following his exploits on Alex Ziebart's WoW.com profile!It hasn't quite been a week since I started this adventure, but Tuesdays (or around there) will be the days you'll be seeing on-the-front-page updates for Turpen the Gnome Warlock from here on out. For everything in between that, keep an eye on my WoW.com profile. Whether you do that by bookmarking my profile or adding it to your feed, that's completely up to you! So with that said, what's gone down since this project began?What's Old is New AgainSince the character I was told to roll was a Gnome, I naturally started leveling in Dun Morogh. Despite how many Alliance characters I have, this is probably the starting zone I've done the least. I never really liked it, and to be completely honest... I don't normally do the Gnome/Dwarf thing. I don't really like them much. I love the aesthetics of Draenei and Humans, and I think the Human lore in WoW is awesome. I generally stick to those. Dun Morogh was a relatively fresh experience.
Huawei announces i-Mo 3G modem with WiFi
Here's a peek at a tiny modem making its debut at MWC next week. The Huawei i-Mo HSPA modem is, indeed very small -- the company says about the size of a key chain -- and it boasts both an HSDPA / HSUPA USB modem as well as WiFi, plus it's got a MicroSD slot for storage. We don't know about pricing or availability for this little guy yet, but it will probably be offered through carriers, and should show up sometime in the fourth quarter of 2009. Hooray!
