GBA Getting Bluetooth

Tofuhead writes "nReach recently announced their development of a Bluetooth adapter for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance. P2P wireless gaming, internet gaming (via a USB adapter to a net-connected PC), and messaging are featured, as well as service "hot spots" that will be set up in game stores and malls. Release date: Q2 2002." Countless children shall go blind soon after. I can't imagine a harder to see screen then my cursed GBA.

Comments

GBA

[Refrag]

If CmdrTaco hates his GBA so much, why doesn't he autograph it and sell it on eBay? That should net VA Software some revenues at least...

Re:GBA

[b_pretender]

Countless children shall go blind soon after. I can't imagine a harder to see screen then my cursed GBA.

It's just CmdrTaco's typical editorial soapbox comment that he attaches to most stories.

On a more positive note, this bluetooth adapter sounds awesome. Can anybody comment on the hackability factor of the GBA? I'd buy one if I could hop onto any wireless network for surfing, email, etc.

Re:GBA

[rbeattie]

hackability factor of the GBA? Good question!

I just got my GBA for Christmas (yes, I'm 30 years old... what's your point?) and the first thing I started thinking about was how to start programming for it. Here's some of the stuff I found:

• Dev'rs GBA Dev FAQs
• GBXemu Gameboy Emulator site Coolness. Emulators for GBA and GBC and ROMS. Try before you buy...
• Lik Sang Game Boy products Check out the blank 256Mg cartridges for the GBA and GBC with optional adapter. Very, very cool.
• Gameboy Advance Developer's site

And of course a Google search will bring up a bunch more, but these are the nicest I've found so far. The last link is great because it has "demo" programs that include the code - which is key for learning how the insides of this thing work. There's an asteroids example that's really nice.

One thing that I just realized is that the GBA is based on a ARM/Thumb processor and includes a "Z80 like" processor also for when you insert GBC games. This is pretty wild. I think I'll submit an article to /. on how many companies are using ARM-based processors now. I just read that Simbian has just been ported to the ARM, PocketPCs use them exclusively, etc.

-Russ

GBA woes...

[dolo666]

Instant messaging for GBA. Now that's a dumb idea. GBA is just a whack product that makes me angry thinking about it.

I bought my wife a GBA because she really wanted it. As soon as we brought it home we realized it was missing something! Backlighting. DUH. I'm spoiled but I guess I just thought that the people at Nintendo weren't stupid. Guess I was wrong.

So I went back to the store and picked up a "Shark Lite". What a poor product! Whenever she tried to play with the Shark Lite, it would be in her way or it would cause a reflective glare.

Back to the lamp behind her head while she plays. Oh the whole GBA backlight problem gives me post-purchase depression.

What a nuisance it is to try and play a game on the GBA when you need to position yourself in a contorted manner just to get to see what you're doing in the game.

Who knows, maybe my 1 year old daughter will find a use for it.

Re:GBA woes...

[DGolden]

Older Gameboys weren't backlit. Didn't stop millions of people buying them and playing them.
All in all, I'm quite happy with my GBA, and can see it fine during daylight ("daylight, what's that?" cry 10,000 slashdot geeks) or with any electric lights at approx 60 watt tungsten-filament-bulb equivalent or above - i.e. anywhere I'd normally care to play it - and for those places where I wouldn't normally play it, there's GBA-compatible (with cable-pass-through) white-led worm lights available now (at least here in Ireland), which work fine for me.

Honestly, you didn't expect to play older gameboys in the dark without a light, why should the GBA be different? Historically, backlit color handhelds didn't do well in the marketplace, because their battery life was so short, and seeing as the GBA is targetted at kids, who will mainly be using it in daylight anyway, one would hope.

Now, if you live inside the artic circle, I suppose that the constant darkness in winter could make it a little more difficult... ;-)

Re:GBA woes...

[Junks Jerzey]

Honestly, you didn't expect to play older gameboys in the dark without a light, why should the GBA be different?

Once you've played a handheld with backlighting--I'm thinking specifically of the Atari Lynx--then you're spoiled forever.

Re:GBA woes...

[class_A]

Hopefully, this guy should solve all our GBA annoyances soon :-)

Re:GBA woes...

[Mwongozi]

Here in the UK (And probably elsewhere as well) they sell a neat little light for the GBA that's called the "GBA Floodlights". (Or something similar.)

They work really well, take a look at photos of mine.

I like the sound of the Bluetooth adapter, if only for multiplayer gaming without the damned wire...

Lack of Bluetooth on PCs

[Bronster]

internet gaming (via a USB adapter to a net-connected PC)

And here we see the problem that I think Bluetooth is still facing - there just isn't enough market penetration on PCs. What I would really like to see is something bluetooth-style on the desktop (rather than USB) so that I didn't have to mess with all those cables all the time.

For 'network games' you could run a server on the PC (or a multiplexer for internet games), then just sit around on couches playing, rather than all huddling up withing controller-cable distance, or getting off your lazy arse to go untagle medusa-the-controller-herd.

Ahh for time to play games (flash is responsible for all sorts of evils on the web, and time-wasting games numbers among them I say. I've just taken out a few minutes from flash-games on the web to write a slashdot comment, while my girlfriend takes off ahead on the laptop - I think she's about 3 levels ahead of me now dammit. Must stop slashdotting......)

Re:Lack of Bluetooth on PCs

[Refrag]

And here we see the problem that I think Bluetooth is still facing - there just isn't enough market penetration on PCs. What I would really like to see is something bluetooth-style on the desktop (rather than USB) so that I didn't have to mess with all those cables all the time.

You would still have cables, unless all of your devices were battery powered. That is the one thing people keep forgetting when they talk about Bluetooth and PCs. FireWire and USB both carry power, allowing you to connect most devices with only one cable -- which you'd be doing anyway even with Bluetooth.

Bluetooth only belongs on devices with their own power source, it isn't a replacement for FireWire or USB.

Re:Lack of Bluetooth on PCs

[Bronster]

You would still have cables, unless all of your devices were battery powered. That is the one thing people keep forgetting when they talk about Bluetooth and PCs. FireWire and USB both carry power, allowing you to connect most devices with only one cable -- which you'd be doing anyway even with Bluetooth.

Sure - an example from right here in front of me is the Logitech Cordless Wheel Mouse[tm]. I am so in love with this thing (or something). It's responsive, reliable, chews through a couple of AAA's every year or so with my use (which is quite a lot) - I think last time I replaced them because it was being jerky, it was actually Windows bitrot, and changing the batteries didn't fix things - but I thought at the rate it eats them, no worries.

What I'd like is for something in the PC to talk directly to the mouse, rather than having a PS/2 dongle hanging off to talk to it.

Yes, there are issues with synchronising in a busy room - I'm sure they can be handled. Again, I think the logitech 'hold down this button on both devices' theory is good - make it a button on the front of the PC, and chances are very good that two people, even in a crowded office, won't try it at the same time. If they do, it could even detect that and emit a beep or similar, then use good old 'backoff for a couple of minutes or so and try again'.

If I had keyboard and mouse chatting bluetooth, it would be a great start. Sure I can get the Logitech equipment that does that, but I have to have the connector box, and I can't move it from one machine to another. Add in a palm-type device that chats directly with the same protocol (no more lining up IR ports), and all would be wonderful.

Don't mind my pipe-dreams, I see that ASIO are listening already, without needing radio equipment on my desk making their job easier. After all, I'm a subversive Linux user/probably hacker or virus writer.

Re:Lack of Bluetooth on PCs

[bryan1945]

You may run into throughput problems, though. Bluetooth has a maximum bandwidth of 1Mbps, which can be degraded by the presence of other bluetooth devices or 802.11 signals. Plus then you are also sharing this bandwidth with X other players.

May not be a big deal, but I remember when people were raving about USB devices because it gave them 12Mbps, decreasing their response time in games like Unreal and such.

Just a thought.

Re:Lack of Bluetooth on PCs

[Bronster]

has a maximum bandwidth of 1Mbps, which can be degraded by the presence of other bluetooth devices or 802.11 signals.

May not be a big deal, but I remember when people were raving about USB devices because it gave them 12Mbps, decreasing their response time in games like Unreal and such.

I probably wouldn't be playing Unreal with it - but that is a good point actually - I guess in a cubical farm, anything networkish is going to want to play nice with a lot of other machines. For home use though, there wouldn't be _that_ many other devices competing.

Ok, so bluetooth on the desktop maybe isn't such a good idea, but I'd still like to see bluetooth integrated with the motherboard, so that I didn't have to plug in a USB dongle/cable to talk to every little handheld device.

Backlit screen

[SealBeater]

Regarding the visability of the GBA, there is a project to modify it with a
clear screen that serves the purpose of a backlight. You can visit the page
and view screenshots here.
Basically, people are just waiting for the guy to finish negotiations with the
suppliers. He expects the cost to be about the price of a game, all said and
done.

SealBeater

AdBoy Advance

[Dan Crash]

From the nReach products index page: "The company is well positioned with this new product to introduce a cost effective solution for retailers and advertisers to reach the teen and 'tween' market through the most successful handheld device released in the United States."

Grrrrrreat. Can't wait until I have to sit through 5 minutes of ads aimed at 10-year-olds just so I can play MarioKart Advance with a friend.

Screen not bad

[Apreche]

I see nothing wrong with the GBA screen other than the dependency on lighting. Which I'm willing to accept because it means highly increased battery life. Other than that it's a vast improvement on past gameboys.

As for this internet connection thing. It's pretty cool and all. But I'm so not buying into it. First of all, it's not an officially licensed Nintendo product. 3rd party hardware and peripherals suck. Also, if I'm going to play a game online, why would I sit next to a computer with a little GBA and a USB cable? I have a COMPUTER, I'll play me some (insert 3d online multiplayer game). Now what would be amazing would be if I could be driving in my car and playing against a kid in his car in California, with absolutely no wires attatched to my GBA. That I would buy no matter who made it.

Re:Screen not bad

[kirkb]

Instead of dictating that "battery live = good, backlight = bad", it would have been great if Nintendo could let us make the decision. Add a user-controlled backlight (like my Palm IIIxe), so that I'm responsible for managing the tradeoffs between battery live and having a viewable screen.

new babysitter?

[gir]

Imagine the kind of latchkey kids this will raise...

"Honey, the movie starts at 7 and the babysitter isn't here yet!"
"Let's just drop the kids off at Wal-Mart. It's open 24 hours right? And they have one of those Game Boy Blue Advanced Teeth things to keep the kids connected to their peers!"
"Good idea! Those Game Boys were such a smart investment!"

bleah on that!

Re:Just buy the GBA to TV Adaptor if its hard to s

[Ch_Omega]

"Just buy the GBA to TV Adaptor if its hard to see."

Wouldn't that somehow eliminate the main reason for having a handheld and portable gaming system in the first place? :)

Ha!

[pi radians]

"I can't imagine a harder to see screen then my cursed GBA"

Ever use a Virtual Boy? Now THAT was a screen to make you go blind (four actually IIRC).

Re:for thoses who dont like broken links

[vrmlknight]

for those who dont like broken links
http://www3.goldenshop.com.hk/AI-trad/gba/tvadapte r.htm

The Screen is Fine

[Tom7]

Jeez. The screen is fine, folks. You need to learn how to turn on the lights!

In fact, the screen is better than GBC's, and *loads* better than the original Game Boy's. (Dig yours out and see if you like the pale green and shadowing better..) Yet, these systems are very popular and successful. (Did you know that Nintendo had the #1 revenue in video games last year, despite the PS2 and Dreamcast release? Nearly twice Sony's earnings, and it was mostly the GBC.)

It would be nice if there were a back-lit version (I wouldn't buy it unless it had a long battery life, though), or if developers didn't make games with such dark graphics (castlevania...), but seriously, there are much worse things to complain about. How about a highly portable laptop that lasts more than 3 hours on battery? An input device that doesn't give you RSI? A car that doesn't pollute?

Car accidents?

[Ch_Omega]

"Now what would be amazing would be if I could be driving in my car and playing against a kid in his car in California, with absolutely no wires attatched to my GBA."

Is it just me, or did this sound really dangerous? :)

Re:Car accidents?

[poot_rootbeer]

Not if he gets the star power-up that makes his car temporarily invincible...

So much for "open" standards ...

[rlp]

The patent pending nReach Bluetooth Adapter .... Bluetooth is supposed to be open. But I guess attaching a wireless link to a game box that already has a wired and IRDA link is novel and non-obvious. :-)

Re:So much for "open" standards ...

[-=OmegaMan=-]

The Game Boy Advance doesn't have an infrared link. You're thinking of the Game Boy Color.

Re:Just buy the GBA to TV Adaptor if its hard to s

[fatgraham]

oddly enough, the screen is pretty damn good outside (natural light). which is where its portability comes in useful. (outside)

Screen not bad -- it's AWFUL

[Evro]

I was the recipient of a GBA for Xmas, and I was very happy with it. Until I tried using it.

I see nothing wrong with the GBA screen other than the dependency on lighting. Which I'm willing to accept because it means highly increased battery life. Other than that it's a vast improvement on past gameboys.

I have tried playing a GBA in the following places:

• on the couch
  
• in the bedroom
  
• in the bathroom
  
• on the bus to work
  
• on the train to work
  
• with a halogen lamp over my shoulder
  
• with the plugin light my girlfriend got me with it (causes glare)
  

In EVERY SINGLE SITUATION the ability to see the screen has been poor to awful. I remember reading that Nintendo chose long battery life over backlighting. Quite frankly, this was a horrible mistake. With backlighting this would have easily been the best game system of the year AFAIC. I have no use for Xbox, PS2, or gamecube, but GBA is exceptionally small and has some fun games. But with a screen I can't see it's absolutely useless. Honestly, I got a set of rechargeable NiMH batteries (6 AA, 2 AAA, 2 C, 2 D) plus the charger for $30, so I don't care about battery life. 2 hours, fine. if it took 4 batteries instead of 2, fine. If I have to plug it into an AC adapter sometimes, fine. But in its current state, it's essentially useless. Unfortunately, it's the only game in town for portable gaming.

Anyhow, how you can say "other than that it's a vast improvement on past gameboys" really confuses me. I was under the impression that the improved screen was one of the main selling points for the GBA. I've been playing Castlevania (which is great) and other than being much more comfortable to hold, how is this different from old skool gameboy/color? Please don't tell me that the graphics are so much better because I can't see them.

Re:Screen not bad -- it's AWFUL

[Fred Ferrigno]

Like you, I got a GBA for Christmas. Apparently unlike you, mine came with one of the many external lighting adapters available for the GBA. With it, I can play perfectly fine in any number of places, even in pitch black night.

I don't know why people complain so much. Just go out and buy a damned light if it bothers you that much. They're not expensive and they work pretty well. Geez, the original Gameboy, the most successful console ever with good sales for 11 years, didn't come with any lighting and no one thought a thing of it.

Re:Screen not bad -- it's AWFUL

[Fred Ferrigno]

I'm sorry I missed that in your post, and I'm sorry yours doesn't work half as well as mine.

Call it luck, but I've yet to find a lighting situation where I couldn't see the screen, and I find your pessimistic summary of the screen's abilities to fall quite short of my experience. Trust me that I am not lying, and trust me that I do not wear night-vision goggles when I play. So, given all my experience with the same screen that you have, I must strongly disagree with you and say that it is nowhere as bad as you claim.

Re:Lack of Bluetooth on Palms

[Kris_J]

For me the major annoyance is the lack of a Bluetooth solution for the TRGpro (Palm III style case plus CF slot). I've got the Ericsson T28 compatible Bluetooth wireless handsfree kit, and as a wireless handsfree kit it rocks, but I really want to be able to check my email from my Palm without taking my mobile out of my pocket. Does anyone know how a BT TRGpro/Handera solution is coming along? Maybe I'll be able to wirelessly check my email on a GBA before I'll be able to do it on the Palm I specifically purchased for that activity.

GBA docking stations

[yerricde]

there is no GBA(or Xbox, or PS2) docking station that lets me plug in a nice monitor

TV de Advance fits onto the back of your GBA and feeds the video to a nice TV. Think of it as Super Game Boy Advance.

keyboard, and mouse for my FPSs.

As Gizzmonic said, first-person shooters aren't the be-all and end-all of video games. But if you really want to play Doom Advance on your PC, use this docking station: Visoly Flash Advance Linker + VisualBoy Advance.