You can play games on just about every type of mobile device-from the humblest cell phone to the slickest new laptop. Instead of being tied to a video game console, the power and portability of mobile devices let you take your favorite games on the road with you, so you can play wherever you are. Let's take a look at some of the mobile options available today.
Laptops: The Swiss Army Knives of Mobile Devices
Laptop computers are taking the place of desktop computers, with good reason. Just like the quote that says Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, only backward and in high heels, laptops can do everything that all but the most powerful desktop computers can, and they can do it almost anywhere. Plus as laptops continue to decrease in price, they are becoming an affordable alternative to a desktop machine.
If you travel with a laptop, adding a few games can help you unwind at the end of the day or improve your procrastination skills when you should be doing something else. If you use a newer Mac*, there aren't as many games available compared with the Windows* operating system so you might want to consider using Boot Camp. This program will let you run Windows on your Mac in addition to Mac OS X*.
Ultra-Mobile PCs: The New Wave
The latest and greatest mobile devices are ultra-mobile PCs (UMPCs) UMPCs typically have screens measuring (diagonally) about seven inches. With their miniature size you can take them almost anywhere, and with a full operating system, you can run standard computer software (including games), instead of being limited to the few specialized programs available on a typical handheld.
Personal Data Assistants and Cell Phones: Coming Along for the Ride
Even though personal data assistants (PDAs) and cell phones weren't originally created with games in mind, the fact that many of us carry them with us all the time make them the perfect gaming device. In fact, most of them now come with games pre-installed and allow you to add others if you want. Cell phone service providers can help you find games for your cell phone, or by hunting around using the menus on your phone, you might be able to find a service that lets you get them right from the phone.
People who own PDAs and smartphones that run the Microsoft Windows Mobile* operating system can choose from a wide variety of software, including games. Microsoft's Windows Mobile Software Web page has loads of information on this topic, and a variety of other game makers also have games available for these devices. PDAs and phones that run Palm OS* also have many software options. Palm Computing's games Web page lists games for both Palm OS and Windows Mobile, and also provides links to other types of software.
Handheld Game Consoles: The Specialists
Handheld game consoles are designed especially for games. Built by many of the same companies that make the game consoles that display on your living-room television, handheld game consoles offer a large number of games, many of which are unavailable for any other type of device. However, because they are designed strictly for games, they don't offer the features available on the other devices we've discussed. Wikipedia has a comparison of handheld game consoles that can help you understand the many options available.
