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Gameboy Advance Users to Get Bluetooth Internet

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the now-thats-what-I'm-talking-about dept.

AEton writes "According to this Extremetech article, X-Tra Fun has developed a Bluetooth module for the Gameboy Advance which is expected to ship by Christmas 2003. The $49 module includes Bluetooth connectivity, although a cellphone or other Bluetooth device with Internet access is required to use the Internet, and it comes with an embedded eCos Linux kernel with a Web browser and 255 pages' worth of cache. A $99 upgrade adds a Secure Digital card slot and a dongle!"

8 of 129 comments (clear)

  1. ooooo a dongle. by Neophytus · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Just looked at the demo. The interface looks rather... painful. Give me a PDA any day.

  2. Why? by L-Train8 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Okay, why you would want to browse on your gameboy vs. your PDA or cell phone is beyond me. For the same cost you can get a device designed for wireless web access, with much better UI and button layout. The main advantage I see in this technology would be for wireless multiplayer games, and they have zero developer support for that. According to their website, they are taking applications from developers. Without some seriously good game support, no one is going to buy this.

    I don't see this being purchased by more than just a few hobbyists who love to use Linux on weird platforms.

    --

    Don't forget that Friday is Hawaiian shirt day.
  3. A GameBoy's for *games* by A+Proud+American · · Score: 2, Insightful

    If you want to do business stuff (such as Internet, in this case), get a Palm Pilot or something.

    (Just my 2 cents)

  4. Nice by FrostedWheat · · Score: 4, Insightful

    $49, $99,. hmmm how much is a Gameboy Advance these days. $69.99 on amazon.com.

    $217.99 total.

    For a little more, you'd be better of with the Zaurus SL-5500. If you have the Gameboy Advance already tho, it might be worth it. Gonna be a HUGE annoyance browsing without a keyboard and backlight screen.

    Plus Doom look so much better on the Zaurus :)

  5. Re:Dongle? by mewsenews · · Score: 2, Insightful

    i apologize on behalf of the english-speaking world for perverting your view of a pure, single-definition language. i apologize for everyone who has ever used a term to describe something that does not quite meet the requirements of the term's original definition.

    i apologize for similes, metaphors, and the continuing evolution of language. i am deeply sorry.

  6. Unsigned code, rephrased by yerricde · · Score: 2, Insightful

    OT? Perhaps let me reword the question more clearly:

    Will it be possible for a purchaser of this device to write a computer program designed for the GBA platform and then use this device to run said program on a GBA system without having the specific program approved by Nintendo or by the manufacturer of this device?

    --
    Will I retire or break 10K?
    1. Re:Unsigned code, rephrased by zeno_2 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Hmm...

      I dont think the gameboy really cares what it runs. I have written a gameboy advance game in assembly (ok, it wasn't a game, it just moved a box around) but it definatly wasn't "signed code" nor was there anything that I had to code to get around any code checking. I was using an emulator to test it, but from what I understand I could copy that file to a blank cart and run it with no problems.

      Put the conspiracy theories away =).

  7. multiplayer gaming by mR3p · · Score: 2, Insightful

    well of course i cant see many people using it for browsing, but this opens up the entire possibility of multiplayer gaming, which would be better than cell phones or PDAs