Blackberry based online poker

Blackberry owners will soon be able to play Texas Hold 'Em on their hand held communications devices following the release this week of a new version of the popular online poker game from software developer Gameloft.

Poker is just one of a line of mobile games currently being released by Gameloft for the ubiquitous Blackberry, which has recently been upgraded and redesigned in a new Pearl format.

Online gambling is a more attractive proposition on the new machines due to improved graphics and multimedia features.

"It's becoming quite common to see people playing games on their BlackBerry," Mark Guibert, vice president of corporate marketing for Research in Motion, the company that makes the BlackBerry, told the New York Times. "The reality is that the market isn't split into two binary segments of gamers and non-gamers."

In addition to poker, Gameloft is releasing the racing game Asphalt: Urban GT 2, a battle simulation, Midnight Pool and games inspired by the TV series' Lost and Desperate Housewives.

At an average price of around $7 the games are cheap and easy to download at the Gameloft Web site.