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Over the past few years the mobile phone market has pretty much become saturated while the portable media device market has been flooded with a huge variety of nearly identical devices all trying to get the attention of consumers in an effort to get some kind of edge on the competition. This situation has prompted companies that are manufacturing and marketing both types of devices to come up with features that will differentiate them from competitors and or attract more customers.

One answer that both industries have arrived at almost simultaneously is video games. The idea of adding video games to portable devices only makes sense. After all, virtually all modern portable devices has directional arrows that can be used to navigate all of the various features that are included on these devices. In the case of portable media devices, you need to be able to scroll around among all of the different menus and selections of videos, songs, and digital photos. The same thing is largely true for mobile phones. Even on the most basic mobile phone, you'll be able to access caller ID data or your address book feature, and on higher end ones you'll be able to access digital photos, text messages, email, and even videos in many cases. Therefore in the case of both portable media devices and mobile phones, the interface is already there for controlling various kinds of video games.

The options of playing video games on portable media devices and smart phones are much better developed in some ways than the options for playing video games on normal cell phones. For example, the PocketDish which is made by satellite TV provider Dish Network, serves as a gaming platform for a variety of video games. These video games can be downloaded from Dish Network can include action adventure games, role playing games, and various forms of puzzles. Apple's video iPod has similar capabilities with the option of downloading Sudoku for a small fee. Sudoku is also available for smart phones like the Treos. One version of Sudoku played on a Palm Treo can even be tied into an online game of Sudoku, making it a social game.

While video games that are designed to be played on less technologically advanced mobile phones is less developed, it's worth noting that one Motorola's Razr phone can play one version of Sudoku. One company that's putting a lot of effort into developing compatibility between video games and its phones is Nokia. After a false start last year with model that was capable of playing video games, but too bulky to be attractive as a phone, Nokia is now marketing two handsets that are video game capable without having the bulk of a normal portable gaming platform. One model is the N95 and the other is the N73. Both of these models are capable of downloading games directly from Nokia and have directional arrows built into them. In fact, the directional arrows and other controls largely replace the traditional keypad that most mobile phones have always had.

While the idea of playing a video game on such a small screen may seem awkward in many ways, it's sure to attract the attention of a lot of people who will see it as a value adding service from various portable electronics manufacturers.

A leader in technology reporting, Julia Hall has published articles about the latest digital devices and gadgets for over ten years. After graduating from MIT with a degree in electrical engineering, Julia turned down huge salaries from some of the most recognized fortune 500 companies in the world to pursue his dream of becoming a leading consumer advocate. Julia uses her expertise to cut through the too good to be true deals offered by high tech companies to reveal the real steals and the real duds that we're bombarded with daily. If you enjoy staying on the cutting edge of technology, whether for business or pleasure, but find yourself occasionally confused by the overwhelming information out there let Julia be your guide.