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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.
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.
This and the fact that there's nothing on the screen lead me to believe this is a Very early prototype and I'm doubting it's going to make it out 1st Q 2005.
"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/
Can it play monkey island?
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
most PC games have too many buttons.
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.
If it plays Diablo II, it's a lot smaller than the thing I currently lug to LAN sessions.
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/
Via is proud to present its first new line of handheld game console that has all the abilities of windows XP, this all into your pocket!
- it bluescreens
- it eats more power than required, replace the batteries every 2 hours
- you have to reinstall windows xp every month
- it can get worms if you plug it on internet! (no need to install outlook, the disk share will be enough)
-
Can it run linux?
I hope this thing comes to market. Then Fails, Think Dreamcast Folks!
It's likely to be cheaper than an iPaq, and if it has USB (which makes me wonder how you get the games onto the 20GB Hard Drive) you can plug a USB Mini Hub into it for Keyboard/Mouse and have a sweet little Linux Box... or even a portable Emulation System....The possibilities look appealing.
Arrgh! But I don't think you'd want to try word processing on a 4" screen.
Make America grate again!
So let's see...it's a 500MHz x86 with only 128MB of RAM, a fixed LCD that goes only to 640x480, and a case that exists only in the crappy renders of second-rate designers. And it seems like it's meant to be limited only to games, not other Windows applications. Sure beats a standard laptop...
Anybody care to explain why I should think this is more than (exceptionally incompetent) vaporware?
*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
Look at Palm devices: more and more games are being added to the library for this family of PDA's. A lot of games are coming out for Microsoft's Pocket PC platform. The only drawback for these systems is a lack of internal storage.
Look at iPods: a ton of local storage, a well-designed user interface, and the "cool" factor that marketing companies spend billions searching for. But other than video and some basic text notes (that you can't edit on the device), the iPods and other hard drive-based media centers can't play games or do other "computerish" tasks.
What happens when we combine these two products? Eve. It's a Pocket PC, but since it runs "XP Embedded" you can theoretically run any existing PC game. Spend a little time and effort, and you won't even need a USB keyboard. You could also just store music or video on there.
It's an RCA Lyra with a bit more processing power and an add-on controller. If they can hit the $500 point next year, there might (might) be a market, but I think more people will buy it for high quality video on a teeny screen than for any gaming options.
Ooooh, and wi-fi, so you can watch the videos on the other Eves are you...
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.
1) Price. If you can get a PSP cheaper, it's going to fail. Period. The PSP is probably going to start at, what, $200-250? So I'd say it'd better be around $150-175 MAX if it wants any chance at all.
2) Accessories. It was mentioned above that they intend to have a detachable game pad area, and I hope that it uses some sort of customized USB 2.0 connection for that so they can have a large array of easy to develop add-ons. Examples: A mini-keyboard, a stand with a built in USB HUB, so you can plug in a mouse/keyboard or external HD/DVD drive, or whatever you want. Also, a Wi-Fi add-on (or standard built in) would be an obvious must have.
A 533mhz cpu with 128mb ram will run some pretty decent games. If this GPU subsystem is decent at all, and they have some sort of widdled down version of widows running you could conceivably run Q3 based games, which is pretty nice for a handheld system.
Personally, I think that if this does make it to market, it will fail on both points 1 and 2. It will likely be in the $300-400 range, since they will have to actually make money on the hardware, as they don't get licensing fees from software sales like Sony and Nintendo. The accessories will likely be available, but will be either too expensive, reach market to late, or be just plain stupid (think GB camera and printer).
If it does manage to hit the shelves at a decent price and they improve the form factor some, it could be a very cool gadget. In all likelihood, however, I think I will be one the ones grabbing one of these as they get discontinued so I can turn it into a bathroom email/web browser!
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!