iPhone Goodies Gaining Momentum

Given the somewhat surprising popularity of the iPhone (come on, that price is rich), it's less-than-surprising that a host of third party options are headed towards the device.

First up may be eBooks and even old-school text games, both taking advantage of a generally reliable service, awesome resolution, and long-time projected growth.

For those of us who rarely leave the nauseating glow of the computer screen, eBooks have become a popular alternative to the rainforest-ruining fare of yesterday. Granted, sometimes there's just no replacement for the feel of a good, physical book, but for less money eBooks save space and can be extremely convenient. HarperCollins, one of the industry's leading publishers, believes the only thing more convenient than an eBook on your laptop is an eBook on your iPhone. (Source: wired.com)

For now, a variety of eBooks are available through HarperCollins, with the company providing the reader with ten free pages before having to cough up for the rest. It's a bit better than flipping through text while standing in Coles, but of course there's no way to skip to the end.

LibreDigital, a part of NewsStand, Inc, has molded the Harper web site for iPhone use.  Many of Harper's books will be digitized in the coming months before making their way online. (Source: tmcnet.com)

More exciting to this writer is the prospect of text adventures landing on the iPhone. As a former wanderer of lands ruled by the Red Dragon (yeah, I know, too inside), it would stir up emotion if Apple can bring back some of those BBS favorites from the 90s. One of the first games already planned is the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. (Source: wired.com)

While both of these new technologies are for niche interests, in general they may just mark a new frontier for the mobile market.