OWEN HEMSATH
PRIDE STAFF WRITER

Smart phone junkies looking for new ways to pass time in class need to look no further than Words With Friends, the coolest (and smartest) application for iPhone and Droid.  Voted the #1 Favorite App Award by Wired magazine, Words With Friends is a type of Scrabble-esq game that players play at their own speed and with as many players as their phone can handle.

The inventor brothers of the game, Paul and David Bettner, first introduced Words after their hit Chess With Friends became so popular.  According to an interview with techcrunch.com, the brothers said they first utilized the Internet connection when other application makers limited their games to one-player use.  Words allows users to challenge friends to a match and has the capability to challenge random players as well.  The interview boasts that the game currently holds over 1.6 million daily active players, who play an average of at least an hour per day.  The game has a “freemium” ad-supported version as well as an add-free version available for $2.99.  The game so far has earned quite a bit of money, although both Bettners did not delve into specifics.

Chad Hartman, a Computer Science major at CSUSM, said his wife is constantly playing Words.  “I’ll be doing homework in the kitchen and I’ll hear her shout, ‘dang it!’ and that’s when I know she’s playing the game.  It’s basically her new favorite thing.” Complete with bright colors and delightful sounds, Words With Friends uses the same rules and dictionary as traditional Scrabble but is available to play anywhere there is an iPhone or Droid and an Internet connection.  The game is not available on any other devices as of yet.

Top right: Photo courtesy of  techcrunch.com

Bottom right: Photo courtesy of  allstar.co