Over the past year or so, Nintendo has taken a fairly 
predictable approach in its reaction to the rise of app-based gaming. The bite-sized titles, company officials would say nonchalantly whenever asked, could be a fun diversion, but didn’t compare to the deeper experience of the more feature-rich games on its mobile devices.
These days, the company sounds a lot more concerned.
Nintendo’s global president Satoru Iwata is not 
happy with the app revolution – and it’s not just because of the competition it’s giving his company.
In his GDC keynote address discussing the state of the video game industry, Iwata was particular outspoken on his fear that the explosion in cheap and free apps has devalued game development and could eventually put the industry at risk.
Nothing was going to keep Steve Jobs a
way from the introduction of the iPad 2 – not even his health.
The CEO of Apple, who has been on a medical leave of absence from the company since late January, surprised attendees at the tablet computer’s unveiling in San Francisco Wednesday, taking the wraps off of a redesigned version of its popular gadget, which will hit stores next Friday, March 11.
Panasonic finally saw the Jungle
for the trees.
The consumer electronics company has abandoned its plans to create a handheld gaming device – which was codenamed ‘Jungle’ – that would have focused on massively-multiplayer online games for the portable audience.
Panasonic is headed back 
to the city.
The consumer electronics giant has stopped development on its handheld gaming system that was code-named Jungle “due to changes in the market and in [the company’s] strategic direction”.
It’s not often that the Smurfs can
trigger an investigation by the Federal Trade Commission.
Amid stories of parents being shocked to see their children inadvertently racking up huge bills while innocently playing apps like Smurfs’ Village (a Farmville-like game centering on the little blue folk), the FTC reportedly plans to review the marketing and delivery of apps that include in-app purchases.
With Apple taking an increasingly large bite of the 
mobile gaming space, Sony has taken out the big guns in an effort to win back market share.
The company has unveiled the Xperia Play — better known as the PlayStation Phone — at the ongoing Mobile World Congress.
Due in March, the device will be available exclusively through Verizon in the U.S. market and will lead the charge of cell phones capable of playing PlayStation titles.
Lucasfilm’s chief technical officer has given up 
Hollywood for Silicon Valley.
Richard Kerris has taken over as head of worldwide developer relations at Hewlett-Packard, where he will be in charge of boosting developer interest in creating applications and programs for the company’s webOS platform — which powers the newly announced TouchPad and Pre 3, among other systems.
While it’s one of the larger players in 
the mobile gaming space, Apple’s success when it comes to video games has basically been a happy accident.
New online reports, however, show that Steve Jobs and company might be ready to finally put gaming on the front burner — and that Apple TV could be the weapon of choice.
It’s hardly a secret that iTunes is under competitive fire 
in the digital music marketplace. There are plenty of challengers, including such heavyweights as Amazon, Microsoft and Walmart, but none has made a sizable dent to date.
Now Sony is stepping up to the table with its recently announced music streaming service, dubbed Sony Qriocity Music Unlimited, which will roll out by the end of the first quarter. And rather than taking a page from the other players (launching a store to support a new product or in the hopes that music fans will find it), the company is relying on its existing (and widespread) product line to drive sales and adoption.
Chris Morris: Journalist 