strategy

HTML5-compatible mobile phones will reach sales of 1 billion in 2013, up from just 336 million this year, says research firm Strategy Analytics.

That 1 billion number refers specifically to phones whose mobile browsers fully or at least partially support HTML5, such as the iPhone 4S and Android phones. And it includes some feature phones as well as smartphones.

"We expect almost all smartphones to support HTML5 by 2013 and this makes up the largest chunk of the 1 billion total," Strategy Analytics analyst Neil Mawston told CNET yesterday. "Android, iOS, and other smartphone OSes already support … Read more

DroidHen's Defender for Android puts you at the gates of a medieval castle under attack.

With your trusty bow, a bottomless quiver of arrows, and a few magic spells, you're the kingdom's only hope of fending off what seems likes endless waves of monster assailants.

To start, you are equipped with a basic bow, fixed in position on the left side of the screen. As enemies bull-rush your castle walls, tap and hold anywhere to send a continuous stream of arrows to that point. If you drag your finger across the screen, you can also get a … Read more

I don't know if a game about pirates and warships can "fly" under the radar, but that's what happened when Crimson: Steam Pirates made its debut a few weeks back. And that's a shame, because it's one of the best iPad games I've played--and definitely worthy of a spot on Scott Stein's best free iPad games list. That's right: Steam Pirates is a freebie.

Well, partially free, and partially freemium. The game starts you off with Chapter 1 of the "Tales of Captain Blood" saga; Chapter 2 will run … Read more

There is no shortage of tower defense games at the iTunes App Store. Even in the beginning, developers understood that the touch screen was a natural fit for placing towers on a game board.

One of the first out of the gate, GeoDefense, was an immediate hit with tower defense players, providing a level of challenge that was mostly unmatched in the iTunes App Store. The game was developed by David Whatley of Critical Thought Games, a one-man development house. He developed the game in six months on nights and weekends. Our very own Josh Lowensohn wrote a story featuring Whatley … Read more

GeoDefense Swarm is the follow-up to GeoDefense, and is an extremely challenging open-path tower-defense game. Like its predecessor, GeoDefense Swarm stands out for a unique play style that mixes frantic arcade action with bang-your-head-against-a-wall puzzle-solving. Aside from the new open-path format, GeoDefense Swarm has much in common with the original GeoDefense, from its psychedelic vector graphics to its drag-and-drop interface and the same selection of upgradeable towers (GeoDefense Swarm adds a sixth tower, the Thumper, which deals damage in a wide area). You're still destroying a set number of waves of geometric "creeps," all with differing health … Read more

Sprint is holding a special event in early October that it's dubbed "a strategy update," prompting speculation as to what strategy the carrier will discuss.

The invite sent out to the media says the event will take place in New York City on Friday, October 7, from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET. But the agenda teases only presentations by senior management and a Q&A session with no details as to the topic.

So far, speculation is pointing to Sprint's 4G future as the potential subject.

Sprint CEO Dan Hesse apparently … Read more

In Greedy Spiders, your job is to rescue helpless flies being hunted by one or sometimes several hungry arachnids. Each fly is thoroughly trapped in web, but with a simple tap of your finger you're able to cut individual strands to eventually free them all. The problem is, every time you make a move, the spiders get to make one, inching themselves progressively closer to their prey.

To start, you get to cut a single strand of web per turn. A good strategy is to either snip near the spider to cut off its route, or snip one of … Read more

Anomaly Warzone Earth takes a different tack with the tower defense genre by having you play as the invading force, completing missions on a (somewhat) fixed path against a number of deadly turrets. Your heavily armored squad of vehicles and units has guns of its own, but as with every tower defense game, the more turrets you're up against, the harder it will be to stay healthy and reach your goal.

Fortunately, as you progress through the game, you'll gain abilities that will repair your vehicles and make it harder for enemies to hit you. You'll be … Read more

TowerMadness has been around for a while now, but the unique challenge and several updates over time make it a must-have for tower defense fans. Featuring 3D graphics that look great on the Retina Display, TowerMadness challenges you to defend a flock of sheep from an onslaught of attacking aliens. You can view the action from above or use a reverse-pinch gesture to zoom in on the action. You'll play on 49 included maps, but you can purchase 28 expansion maps from within the game. A recent update added 5 more maps, and two new weapon upgrades to add … Read more