I didn't claim it wasn't horrible - just that it was possible. :)

it took me 20 minutes once to buy a game that was on sale @ steam through my phone :D it was horrible because I needed the authorization key that steam wants if you log in from a new device.

it sucked ;) so I'm quite pleased that there will be an app soon (the finished one, not the beta)

I just got access to the Steam Mobile app, so far it seems to be working pretty well. It's one of the better-performing applications on my phone at the moment, the interface is nice (although missing one or two things at the moment) and thankfully the install size is only ~500KB.

I haven't tried buying anything through it yet, though.

"With the Steam app, gamers around the world may chat with Steam friends, browse community groups and user profiles, view screenshots and user-generated content for their favorite games, read the latest gaming news, stay up to date on unbeatable Steam sales, and more."

Unless the more really is much more, then meh. Very underwhelming.
But hey, what else can they add?

An option to buy games using pre-paid mobile credit could be useful.

Wise words, Ulukai, but I still think that the purchase of games is something that I'll reserve to doing on my PC.
More choice is obviously (I'd like to say obviously but I know that people will disagree) a good thing though so go Steam!

It makes sense Steam is reaching to non-Windows markets as well, knowing that MS will lock out other distribution channels besides Windows Store for Metro apps in Windows 8. I guess this is plan B, if the worst fears come true.

Maybe GOG should do the same just for the sake of it, at least for DOSBox games that run ok on Android devices as well.

just dont use them in the shower and you should be ok

I treat my phone as a handheld computer with phone functionality. Shame Microsoft decided to go another route with Windows Phone 7, Windows Mobile 5 and 6 were perfect for me. (I now use Android.)

Given that, except maybe for games like angry bird and the like, 99.9999% of Windows games won't be Metro Applications and therefor won't be impacted, I hardly think anybody at valve is frighten by that.

It's more Valve trying to increase it's market share even more.

I'm sure waterproof covers can be found for many phones.

Useless "app" ever, imho....

That's what they originally said about Windows games when Win9x came out, ie. Win96 and DirectX are too slow and sh*tty for serious games, thus DOS gaming will prevail. For some time, maybe that was even true.

What you know now about Metro apps might not be true in a few more years.

You can't compare the two, DirectX was made especially for games and, despite its initial flaws, it was a huge improvement for game developers and greatly help having Windows being accepted as a legit platform for games.

On the other side the whole "Metro Apps" purpose is to have a unified experience between different supports, be it Desktop, Tablet or even phone, there is nothing in WinRT that is really aimed at game developer.

For game dev it doesn't really make that much sense using it until they plan on making a multi-platform (PC/Tablet) game, especially when "normal" application will continue to work just fine. Not to mention that by making a Metro apps you lock away all the PC users not using Windows 8 (See how well that worked with the DX10 / Vista exclusive games).

IMHO standard PC gaming (i.e. running the game on your computer) will be destroyed by streaming long before Steam has to worry about Metro.

Expect there to be thousands of Minesweeper, Solitaire, Angry Birds, Sudoku clones in the store. It is not much different on the WP Marketplace and other smartphone stores.

A LOT less games will be desktop-based.