Features

Global Star Software Week: The Interview

January 4, 2002

Global Star Software Week here at the Pocket Goddess site ends with an interview with Jeff Quinn, Director of Product Development at GlobalStar Software. Enjoy!

Please tell us a little more about how Global Star Software got started.

Global Star Software was originally conceived in a small igloo, in the wilderness of Canada by two Canadians speaking “Canadian” that had nothing better to do due to the fact that the entire country is blanketed 90% of the time with a deep covering of snow. Actually truth be told the idea for Global Star came about as a result of the two founders of our national distribution company (Global Star Software Sister company) realizing that content would be king. Controlling content and distribution would give them a distinct advantage in the market already deeply entrenched with major Canadian powerhouse distributors focusing in the entertainment area like Beamscope. An idea that has proven itself over time as Beamscope is all but gone from the Landscape and Triad Distributors and Global Star Software live on and have been purchased just over two years ago by Take 2 Interactive

You’ve been involved in producing quality, low-cost software for desktop computers for quite a while. What made you decide to get into the handheld market?

The handheld market was an opportunity waiting to happen. Global Star Software has prided itself in being proactive and quick to pounce on opportunities as they present themselves. When we started to see people use the devices in everyday situations we believed they were ready for prime time and despite the hardware limitations we felt there was a demand. Further to that our belief is that Palms and handhelds are simply Game Boys for Adults with add-on contact managers J

Your first products for the Palm OS were mainly productivity and utility shareware packages. Now you’ve shifted to fully-licensed games for handhelds, such as Austin Powers Pinball, PortaPets, Shooting Gallery, and Mad Gab. Do you think handheld gaming is one of the largest growth areas in this market?

Our compilations are always a proven commodity for us. They are the most natural thing to test a category. Once we have defined an area of attack so to speak we move forward with our plans of category domination. Because of the expectations that people have today of video games and entertainment devices, the quality has got to be pushed forward in an ever increasing pace and our relationship with Take 2 Interactive gives us access to some very strong franchises. Games are unifying in that everyone understands and wants. Growth potential is huge if the PDA companies continue to see the gaming market as something to be supported and bring things out such as improved video and sound devices

You’ve recently started offering Pocket PC applications as well. Why do you think it important to support both platforms?

With the relatively small market comparative to PC’s, it is important for retailers to maximize their shelf space. Having both platforms in the box is an incentive and makes it easier for the consumer. The Pocket PC is poised to become a stronger platform just based on its relationship to its big brother PC version and if anybody bets against Microsoft they would be crazy.

What other kinds of handheld applications are we likely to see from your company in the future?

Global Star will continue to push the envelop in the gaming area along with introducing many utility products for both Pocket PC and Palm platforms

Can you share any upcoming surprises with us?

Well… then it wouldn’t be a surprise now would it?

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