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Via-based Handheld Game Console Runs PC Games
An anonymous reader writes "Via Technologies has teamed up with Ministry of Mobile Affairs (no, it's not a government agency) to build a handheld game console based on Windows XP Embedded that runs existing PC games. Described as the world's first handheld gaming device based on the x86 architecture, the Eve Mobile Gaming Console is said to be capable of instantly running thousands of existing PC games. Eve's embedded computer is built around a 533MHz Via Eden-N processor (which supports SSE and MMX) equipped with 128MB DDR266 SDRAM, and a 20GB hard drive. A built-in 4-inch LCD screen supports resolutions up to 640 x 480 pixels." The initial impressions are pretty grim, and the form factor leaves something to be desired, at least for a product vying for a share of the GBA market.
"It's funny that you say that it comes out of nowhere," said Andrew "Bunnie" Hwang, the "minister of mobile affairs" at The Ministry of Mobile Affairs (MoMA), based in San Diego. "It actually fills a vacuum in the market," of an X86-based handheld, he said.
It actually gets better when he explains that you can pay to "unlock" the device (like hackers won't figure this out within a day or two...":
If a user wishes, Hwang added, he can purchase a separate SIM card "for a reasonable price" that will completely unlock the console, so users can download whatever content they wish.
I guess we will see what happens in the marketplace.....
Happy Trails!
Erick
http://www.busyweather.com/
That should run most of the older emulators just fine. From console to PC back to console, go figure. Now if it would only butter my toast for me.
- Your stupidity got you into this mess, why can't it get you out? -Will Rogers
Modular -- Screen unit detaches from the controller. Carry just the screen unit around for media on the go. Swap controllers for a customized gaming experience.
A detachable screen? I though the form factor in the renderings was bad, but a detachable screen is worse! What happens if you lose the screen -- will they send you a replacement? How are they going to keep the contacts clean?
"They redundantly repeated themselves over and over again incessantly without end ad infinitum" -- ibid.
most PC games have too many buttons.
but is it going to be ever built by anyone and sold at retail? sounds like a support nightmare. also in the pics it's good to use, but only at places you could bring your laptop to(it's bulky).
would be fucking awesome for emulators and stuff like that though..
but I'll put my dollar on the bet that says "nice research project for pr purposes, to be never really hit the market properly if at all."
world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
When they say existing PC games, they must really mean it! Not current, but existing. The question is how long do those games have to have existed for? The hardware config is totally insufficient, aesthetics and usability aside.
~Someday, I hope to be an aspiring author.
Looks like a low power server to me. Or a GPS unit with software you can update. I'd sit one on the dash of my van.
It'd also be great for emulation. The thing just screams MAME. Or Ultimate Amiga Emulator.
How about portable network analyzer? It'll probably run standard Linux distros.
This thing is not a toy. Well..ok. It is a toy, but it's useful too.
Weaselmancer
Weaselmancer
rediculous.
Yes it wont sync but it would be nice to use it as a pda/calculator/game machine. Why settle on just one this.
Hmm maybe if any VIA employee's are reading this, you may want to consider mathmatical keys and a mini qwerty keybord. If it runs more things than games you could expand your marketshare.
http://saveie6.com/
*COUGH* vaporware *COUGH*
...in about a year, after this crashes and burns horribly in the marketplace, when they dump the remaining inventory through TigerDirect or eBay or something. After the miserable failure of this product, we will probably be able to get one for a couple hundred dollars or so.
I mean, look at the thing. $500, then you get to pay more to turn on the disabled features? A weird, non-foldable shape that won't fit in a pocket and might not even fit in a briefcase? This thing is a trainwreck of a product.
I just hope the product engineers planned ahead for the dismal sales, and designed it to be easy to hack (bootable from USB, etc.)
This would make a decent little gadget for playing my old Atari 2600 games. The tiny screen wouldn't be a handicap and the controls are right there. If you can get MAME on it you could play quite a lot of stuff.
You could also use it as a "photo wallet" (each day on vacation, dump all your photos to its hard drive, look at them with the screen to verify that they are there, and wipe your camera's chips clean for the next day). It only has CompactFlash, though.
You could even use it as a universal remote for your home; with 802.11 networking, it could talk to a computer and you could then do anything.
Of course you could use it as a portable audio/video player, if you can deal with the awkward shape.
Let's hope they make lots of these things before they figure out that no one wants them; they'll be really cheap!
steveha
lf(1): it's like ls(1) but sorts filenames by extension, tersely
I think this niche is already filled by the Sony Vaio TR series. At 1.4"x7.4"x10.6" the Sony is pretty darn small. The Sony has a 1 GHz pentium M, .5 GB DDR ram, and a 40 GB drive. It comes wireless equipped, and, no, I don't own one. Base model runs $2,200 US, which is probably a bit more than the VIA/MOMA will sell for, I'm sure.
Some mornings it's hardly worth chewing through the restraints to get out of bed.
The reason there's a vaccuum in that segment of the market is that, at this point, anything that fits that vaccuum is going to SUCK!
Honestly, what games are there for the PC platform that A) require only 640x480, B) run adequately at 500-odd mHz/128MB RAM, and C) require only a D-pad and four buttons to control? I sounds like this overpriced toy is going to require games written specially for it, so what's the point of making it x86 PC compatible?
If a job's not worth doing, it's not worth doing right.
Well, what happens when you lose your Gameboy? You bought it, you take care of it. Lose it, tough shit.
'Standards' in computing only impress those who are impressed by things like 'standards'.
Well, my 266mhz let me run:
Half life
counter strike
Unreal tournament
quake 3
age of empires 1/2
thief 1/2
And many others... everything on top of win2k server. Maybe you should learn how to give good use to old hardware.
Nevertheless, losing it falls into the "Tough shit" category along with losing anything else.
'Standards' in computing only impress those who are impressed by things like 'standards'.
Um, ok?
1 - Don't be silly, I use XP on one of my machines daily and I haven't had a bluescreen in more than a year. Last time I did it was bad memory.
2 - I get slightly better battery life on my laptop in XP compared to linux - About 15 minutes better. I could probably eek out a bit more in linux, but the point is neither has a big advantage.
3 - The XP machine mentioned in point one hasn't been reinstalled in an even longer time period than the last bluescreen.
4 - No real argument here, MS ships with atrocious defaults regarding security.
Its mildly funny, and certainly not a troll, but its not exactly accurate.
Needless to say, this could be fixed so easily:
I think the biggest flaw of this product is that they decided not to follow through on a promising idea. It's a portable mini PC tuned for gaming, for chrissakes! Gadgeteers would love that thing if it only allowed them to tinker with it!