New Free Chinese iPhone App for Brain Training
Thinknao, a new mobile device app development company, has just released the full and free versions of their inaugural iPhone app, aimed specifically at the Chinese iPhone market segment.
Thinknao’s flagship game is played using characters ‘printed’ on virtual tiles. Players select from a set of ten random vibrating characters and then race against the clock to find as many two, three or four character words as they can, and at least one ‘chengyu’ idiom to advance to the next round – or the game is over.
There are two paid versions of the iPhone/iPod Touch app, one which uses traditional characters and another which uses simplified characters. Thinknao also makes a LITE versions for players who’d like to try before they buy.
Thinknao’s inaugural app is riding the crest of two separate trend-waves in iPhone apps:
- The trend towards buying and using apps that combine entertainment and education, rather than keeping them separate
- The trend towards developing iPhone apps specifically for Asian markets.
David Van Dyke , CEO at thinknao, believes that apps like this are long overdue. “Chinese consumers are buying iPhones and other mobile devices in droves. Yet they feel largely ignored by iPhone app developers – thinknao is aiming to rectify that”.
The potential for these iPhone and other Wifi-downloadable apps in China is enormous, with 640 million mobile phone users, and 117 million mobile internet (Wifi) users as at end 2008. The number has already grown enormously, and revenue in this sector is only predicted to climb.
Vocabulary games such as crosswords for the English speaking world, and similar Asian versions, have been shown to play a vital role in protecting against Alzheimers disease. US residents in their 70s who read, did crosswords or jigsaws were 2.5 times less likely to develop Alzheimers disease. The benefits of edutainment can be seen right throughout life, however, Mr Van Dyke believes: “We all like to have fun while we learn, and the lessons sink in better when you’re having fun”, he said.
About Thinknao:
thinknao creates, builds and sells educational, interactive, fun, touch-screen mobile games for the Greater China and Japanese consumer markets. thinknao makes word puzzles, knowledge tests and quizzes that to provide a brief, but addictive, entertainment experience. thinknao apps are both intellectually challenging and esthetically pleasing and can also be shared: one player against another or against someone else online.
The Apple iPhone/ iPod touch is the first platform to host thinknao apps. Others, including Android and the Ophone, are soon to come. thinknao is led by an international team of mobile, internet, telecom and IT industry veterans and is headquarted in Hong Kong with its publishing and development teams in Beijing, China.
Related articles by Zemanta
- Apple finally enters the world’s biggest mobile market: China to get the iPhone in October (mobilecrunch.com)
- The iPhone launches in China today, seems to arouse little interest (pictures from Beijing) (mobilecrunch.com)
- Not Much Excitement in China for iPhone Launch (shoppingblog.com)
