Nokia's N-Gage mobile telephone/video game system, unveiled earlier this month, plays better than GameBoy Advance-quality games and has a built-in cellular telephone. So why aren't Nintendo executives shaking in their boots?
One reason is that N-Gage, the most convergent device on the mobile market horizon, is not coming to Japan.
"I am sure that future versions of the N-Gage platforms will be available in Japan," said Nokia executive vice president Anssi Vanjoki. "Currently we are starting from our stronghold, the GSM market (Global System for Mobile, the standard for mobile communications across North America and Europe), but future devices may be Wide-CDMA -- the wireless technology that is unifying (the Japan) market."