

OpenGL Coming to your Cellphone 107
Little Hamster writes "SGI and Nokia have signed an agreement to co-operate on the development of a 3D standard suitable for all embedded mobile terminals, based on OpenGL. This could be used for bringing real 3D Games to mobile devices, 3D global positioning systems, 3D representations of buildings or even creating entire interfaces in 3D.
You can also find the press release press release here."
the screensize (Score:2, Insightful)
This is not to say that I didn't enjoy playing Doom on a Nokia 9210 .. though the arrow pad is worst I've seen :)
Re:the screensize (Score:3, Funny)
Solution calculated - Add bigger screen.
Re:the screensize (Score:1)
Even wearables [mit.edu] are [xybernaut.com] struggling [google.com] to get 640x480, which is the smallest screen I would use for anything 3D.
On the upside, Nokia has a very good history of being innovative in the mobile market, more power to them. If they can get a usuable 3D device to market, I'd buy it.
This is not to say that I didn't enjoy playing Doom on a Nokia 9210
I enjoyed Quake [pocketmatrix.com] on my iPaq too =)
Re:I still can't (Score:2)
I actually think a top-down map is much better, so you can see some distance around you - you kinda already have the first-person view covered. But, horses for courses, if that's what you want....
Re:I still can't (Score:1)
But getting a big fat TURN HERE could be useful (Score:1)
Re:But getting a big fat TURN HERE could be useful (Score:1)
But wouldn't most people want a simple map? Something they regonize and wich has proven itself in car navigation systems?
Re:But getting a big fat TURN HERE could be useful (Score:1)
Sounds interesting.... (Score:1)
Re:Sounds interesting.... (Score:1)
Of course not. Nokia hasn't even implemented OpenGL/GPS/etc. yet, as far as we know. How can they give us a cost, if the product hasn't even been designed, never lone actually been produced yet.
To answer your question however, it will be quite expensive. Just like any new technology, until economies of scale have been achieved, and the early adopters have paid a premium, it will most likely be out of financial reach for the masses.
If the cost issue can be sorted, even if all we get is a basic ballpark figure, then I may grow to be very interested in this indeed
It seems you are interested already, you will have to wait for it to become affordable though. =)
Re:Sounds interesting.... (Score:1)
There you go.
Re:I won't be happy.. (Score:1)
First we need colour screens... (Score:2, Informative)
Presumably this technology won't be available for at least a few years, considering that Nokia have not yet launched their full-colour mobiles.
The Nokia 7650 [nokia.com] was scheduled for UK release in May but it's been put back to August.
Re:First we need colour screens... (Score:2)
I wonder why should they postpone the schedule. They are actively promoting it here in Hong Kong(free trial, booths on street, etc.), and in other countries along asia pacific rim, too.
Re:First we need colour screens... (Score:1)
The Nokia 7650 [nokia.com] was scheduled for UK release in May but it's been put back to August.
No, it has not been put back to August. You can buy them right now, at least they are available in stores here in Finland.
Re:First we need colour screens... (Score:1)
I think it could just be supply problems, it hasn't officially been put back to August; but if you go into any Carphone Warehouse [carphonewarehouse.com] store, they will tell you that the 7650 won't be available til August.
As for the 9210, yes you're right, it does have a colour screen, I was just being stupid and forgot about it. :) What I really meant to say was that 7650 is the first "everyday" phone from Nokia with a colour screen.
Re:First we need colour screens... (Score:1)
Re:First we need colour screens... (Score:1)
-Sy/\/apZ-
OpenGL? lets make a usefull cell phone first. (Score:4, Interesting)
- full calendar with appointments, alarms, repeats and no-ringing "timespans".
- nice T9 SMS entry like Sagems (as opposed to "menu bloated" alternate word lookups in Nokia's T9 implementation)
- FM _and_ AM radio tuner
- MP3/OggVorbis playback capability with CF storage
- 300hour standby
- flip-out microphone so people can hear what I'm saying
- amber backlight instead of white/green/blue
- notepad/voicerecord/simple_finance app
- GPRS, HSCSD, Bluetooth
If I could find a set that had ALL of the above I could replace my walkman, mp3 player and a pocket calendar. Unfortunately I have not seen one cell phone that has all of the above. Anybody has seen such a beast in a standard cell-phone form factor?
OpenGL? Sure, 3d menus, crappy 3d games in 160x160, will wonders never cease... arghh
Re:OpenGL? lets make a usefull cell phone first. (Score:1)
If they thought the way you do there would never be anything new in the cell phones. Just an endless rehash of the same old features.
Re:OpenGL? lets make a usefull cell phone first. (Score:2, Interesting)
No Bluetooth, flip-out microphone, radio, mp3/ogg player, though... But check a new model (S45i) that must have arried or will soon.
Re:OpenGL? lets make a usefull cell phone first. (Score:1)
* Calendar: if it's that annoying to you, use a WAP based one. Maybe I'm biased since I write them for a living, but you can get your alerts, appointments, etc etc that way, and you can access them from your normal HTML browser too.
* Nice T9.. The T9 on my Nokia 3360 works quite well.
* Amber backlight. Check out the Siemens S46. Amber backlight, WAP browser, GSM 900/1900 and TDMA 800/1900. Also has an MP3 player accessory.
As for the rest, damn, I wish I could get a phone like that too.
The closest thing I can think of to what you require would be a Nokia 9200 Communicator...
OpenGL is cool on phones, but I have to agree that it won't be that useful. Eventually I'd like to think it will be.
How about the Nokia 7650? (Score:1)
For example, someone's already written a MPEG 4 video recorder [wirelesssoftware.info] for the phone, which I frankly find amazing.
Oh, PS... it won't work in the US. But you could wait a few months for the Sony Ericsson P800 [sonyericsson.com], which will do.
Two words (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Two words (Score:1)
Re:Two words (Score:1)
Re:Two words (Score:1)
Imagine the applications (Score:1)
hrmmph. (Score:1, Troll)
Cell phones are for talking, at most instant messaging. If I want to play games on a portable, I'd do it with a GBA or something. It's novel, yes, and cool technology. But why would you want to try and play a REAL game on it? I just don't see the interest.
Sorry for the contrary opinion. If you disagree, tell me why.
Re:hrmmph. (Score:2, Insightful)
I don't disagree, but I don't see the point of you posting this opinion. Someone posts this on every mobile phone story there is. If you don't WANT this, don't BUY it - easy huh?
Re:hrmmph. (Score:4, Insightful)
While it might not be as good at games as a GBA or similar, in many cases it's "good enough". I remember playing games for hours on a Spectrum which had much less power than one of these!
Re:hrmmph. (Score:2)
If the musical ringers aren't already the worst thing invented, imagine five people on the bus playing games with the volume all the way up. And yes, I guarantee that there will be people on the bus who don't give a damn about your right to peace and quiet.
I'm almost positive that there will be, one day, a public place where so many random bastardized classical music ringers will be going off every two seconds that someone in the crowd will snap and do natural selection a favor.
I think I shall call you grumpy instead (Score:2, Interesting)
Okay I tell you why. I own a GBA. Recently I managed get a co-worker with a credit card to order me a backlight for it. With some skills I have not used in two decades(yes I am old) in managed to install the light and even to close it again. It works brilliantly. I now once again spend an awfull lot of time playing on it and might even buy some more games.
So thumbs up for the GBA right? Wrong. You see I work for a company called O2 as the web-developer, the cause I am the only programmer for the moment, for their online presence for the dutch branch. Holland was the first country in wich the XDA, a PDA with pocketpc(I know I know) and GPRS, was available. Apart that it is MS and is a bit underpowered the thing has one major advantage over the GBA, QUAKE!!!!!!! Yes it is tiny, yes the controls suck, but it is QUAKE!!!!!!! I have played doom on the GBA, trust me the two don't compare.
Since the XDA has gprs, and I presume that nokia will also, it has internet. Multiplay anyone? Fragging people why waiting for the plane could make waiting really fun. Only slight problem is that the processor is designed for boring old office type apps and so lacks the oomph needed to play later 3D games. With this move perhaps they will add a simple 3D accelerator as well
Try not to see this new devices as phones with gadgets but as mobile pc with a modem attached and if you only want a phone that can do voice. ehm what is stopping you? Just keep you're old one youre provider will love you since they will really get back the subsidie they made on it.
As for those wanting big screen, buy a nokia PCMCIA gprs/gsm card to play online while on the move.
I hope that someday soon I will simply be able to do quick FPS missions while travelling to work or maybe even a online RPG.
Re:hrmmph. (Score:1)
I just want a phone. (Score:4, Insightful)
I don't want games, I don't want mp3s, calendars, appointment reminders or anything like that. Just a phone.
I don't mind if the improved RF stage and bigger battery makes it a bit big. I don't want a phone the size of a domino. I'm quite big and heavy myself, and can easily carry a bigger phone. Just so long as it means the buttons and screen are a bit bigger, because it's a hassle to use a mobile when it's cold and you're wearing gloves.
It's the same with laptops - I want a new, modern laptop, but about the same size as my old 8086 Toshiba. Why? Because it runs for about 2 days on a fully charged battery, and has a proper clicky keyboard. The layout is a bit smaller, in the way that laptop keyboards are, but the keys have a lot of travel, like a normal desktop keyboard. It's so much more comfortable to type on.
Re:I just want a phone. (Score:1)
I do want my phones small and light. I love the reminders (cause I forget shit), calendars, and the possibilities to play with J2ME, and bluetooth.
Re:I just want a phone. (Score:2)
Re:I just want a phone. (Score:1)
Smaller phones aren't the only models available. There are plenty of models made for specialized uses. But small and light ones sell the most on mass market.
You can find a big bulky phone with long battery life if that is what you need. Stop your whining and go buy one.
Re:I just want a phone. (Score:1)
Re:I just want a phone. (Score:2)
Re:I just want a phone. (Score:2)
Similarly, I'm not always in an area with a good signal (the Scottish Highlands are pretty patchy), so I'm quite prepared to carry the extra weight and size of a decent RF strip and antenna to get a better signal.
My fingers aren't particularly large, but I still don't like fiddly, fragile buttons. Plus, if your hands are cold and your fingers are stiff, you can forget using phones like the Nokia 8210 and similar, because the scrolly button thing becomes difficult to use.
OpenGL for Linux? (Score:2, Redundant)
OpenGL is available on all other major computer platforms, including IRIX®, SolarisTM , HP-UX, Compaq® Tru64® UNIX®, AIX®, BeOS, Windows NT®, Windows® 98 and Mac® OS.
No Linux?
AFAIK Mesa isn't officially an OpenGL implementation, because it hasn't been tested, but aren't there any implementations that have gone through the tests?
Also missing from the list are the newer versions of Windows...
Re:OpenGL for Linux? (Score:2)
So what?
Re:OpenGL for Linux? (Score:2)
I'd much rather that SGI and Nokia would get other companies involved (ie nVidia + Sun )to support bindings for OpenGL through Java, so that we can have a fully independent graphics platform, with all the fruitiness of Java and all the zing of OpenGL. (mmmnn, hardware accelerated 3d in a browser...)
There are some open source projects (http://www.jausoft.com/gl4java/) that enable the use of OpenGL through Java, but it'd obviously be better if there was a major force to push for it to be a standard way of implementing graphics on all platforms that support Java + OpenGL _now_, rather than after they develop this new OpenGL ES.
btw anyone know if/when OpenGL ES or OpenML is meant to be appearing ? The Khronos website doesn't mention any dates....
3d animated logos (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:3d animated logos (Score:1)
If the summerworking students don't like their salaries.. don't work. Capatalism is fun like that.
But why? (Score:3, Interesting)
But I can think of at least one valid use for this - streaming videoconferencing. Why stream 24fps video when you can run facial-recognition software, break a face up into polygons like a game model, and transmit the facial movements to be rendered on a screen. Lots of cellphones now come with cameras [slashdot.org] built in, so it wouldn't be that great a step up. Or perhaps if it was too cheesy for live conferencing you could have a face "read" text messages to you.
Any more ideas, or is this just another flash in the pan?
Re:But why? (Score:1)
Blast...feature creep stikes again! (Score:1)
I can imagine some specialised people who might need this. So they can pay more for their mobile.
I on the other hand don't want or need 3d on my phone (not even my PDA/phone hybrid). Let me rephrtase that. I wouldn't mind it, if it was free. But it's not. And I'm not prepared to pay for something I won't use.
If they had differentiated the market, I wouldn't mind. That way, if ever the killer app for 3d on a small screen came up, I could get one. But in the mean time, when this comes out, I'll have to pay...
Oh, I'm a near graduated mechanical engineer, so I can see people saying 'but wouldn't it be great, you could show parts on your screen!' or 'you could show them what it looks like in the machine shop!'. But it doesn't work that way. Most 3d stuff has to be shown either full screen (as in game graphics; you need to see it the way the player would, anything else distorts) or large, on paper, building plan like. The last thing you need is misconceptions because of a missed detail.
Small 3d is very limited in use for most things except a small Quake game...and that's not as enjoyable as you'd think.
Re:Blast...feature creep stikes again! (Score:2)
And then, by the time only 3D phones are available, they will cost the same as the 2D ones used to.
Asking for both types is like asking for a black and white TV nowdays, because you don't want the colour.
It's just evolution of mobile devices... they will have 3D capability. If you don't want that, buy a phone now and don't upgrade it.
Re:Blast...feature creep stikes again! (Score:1)
Re:Blast...feature creep stikes again! (Score:1)
Stick with your old crappy phone if you're so inclined.
Yay for embedded GUIs (Score:2)
Seriously though, how fast could this be? I know that there are some ARM processors with built in 3D acceleration.. maybe that's what it's targeting?
Battery Life? (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Battery Life? (Score:1)
3G application (Score:2)
Now the only thing that is pointed at as a money spinners is pron (Virgin have signed with Penthouse or somesuch already).
Perhaps if the openGL takes off 3D mapping, gaming etc will be another revenue stream.
Flashbacks to 1993 (Score:1)
"This is a Nokia System, I know this!"
I call it "Billy and the Cloneasaurus"
3D interfaces (Score:1)
Re:3D interfaces (Score:2, Interesting)
Because on a flat surface the human eye best perceives information laid out on that 2D surface. Until we have a perfect 3D display and a revolutionary new input device (a bat?) you won't see 3d interfaces taking off any day now.
In the future... (Score:1)
Well the manufacturers could... (Score:1)
But you we all know the manufacturers will...
..put in some annoying whizzy interface (complete with embarrasing sound effects) that shows a rabbit pulling your incoming SMS messages out of a top-hat or something.
Yes! Alright! Wahoo! (Score:1)
YES!
This is truly supper-wicked-awesome.
Take that Russia! um?... I mean Bin Laden (waving fist in the air)
Yes!!
what's a cellphone?
YEAH overclocking and cooling!!!! (Score:1)
Seriously, i thought my phone got hot when i talked on it! now its gonna do 3d?
Hot diggity dog! (Score:1)
Thinking fondly of days of yore, when telephones had only two controls and no display, and worked just fine, thankyouverymuch.
all i care about is that java is IN on it (Score:1)
btw, check out this all-java PDA from kyocera, man that looks cool.
Kyocera Java PDA [infosync.no]
"Further distancing itself from other and more mainstream PDA products, the user interface of the Pocket Cosmo is according to Kyocera entirely original with rich menus supporting 3D movement, smooth scrolling and instantaneous switching of applications..."
more j2me news: lurker's guide to j2me [blueboard.com]
3D on a small screen DOES work (Score:3, Insightful)
Why Windows 2000 is better than Linux (Score:2)
> [Windows 2000 offers] Better business alignment with straightforward licensing and clarity of intellectual property ownership.
So my choices are:
1) Pay big bucks and be sure of who 0wns me, or
2) pay nothing (aside from development costs) and not give a rats ass.
Let's skip 3D (Score:2)
Re:Let's skip 3D (Score:1)
Ooops, 3-D in motion is arguably 4-D. But since the display is 2-D regardless I guess the best you can arguably get is 3.5D
Intellectual property (Score:1)
Re:M$ (Score:1)
Jesus man, hows about you stop thinking about Microsoft for ONE SECOND - this has NOTHING TO DO with this story.
And don't write M$, it marks you out as a complete ballbag, and I'm quite happy to lose 2 karma to tell you. Not 3 tho'
Re:M$ (Score:1)
Cue dramatic music.. flash blue screen of death..