8 bit computer now available for all your homebrewing needs
by Laura June 
posted Mar 30th 2009 at 2:56PM
The above 8 bit computer -- which is intended as an educational tool in emerging markets, and has been available in China and India for a while now -- is finally for sale here in the good old US of A. This hackable little package boasts a 1Mhz 6502 chip, and comes with a keyboard, mouse, two game controllers, an OS cartridge, RCA cables and nine volt power supply. You'll be jamming to your own, handheld version of "Personal Jesus" in no time at all. These bad boys are available now for the shockingly affordable price of $49.99.
Filed under: Desktops
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Mark @ Mar 30th 2009 3:01PM
Can I somehow connect 8 of them together and have a 64 bit 8 MHz system? That'd be out of this world.
Oli D @ Mar 30th 2009 3:04PM
Yes that's exactly how the system works.
Have a billion doubloons.
MJZimmer88 @ Mar 30th 2009 3:13PM
Sure... but how about what's really important... does it blend?
yuriythebest @ Mar 30th 2009 3:34PM
I think the NES is 3.98Mhz so you can just get that
mynk @ Mar 30th 2009 3:58PM
THAT IS how systems work?
wait.. so if i wanna go x86-32 to x86-64...
i just take my laptop and my dad's laptop...
and mash them together?
Oli D @ Mar 30th 2009 4:14PM
mynk, don't mash. Meld
Mics @ Mar 30th 2009 4:19PM
That IS how they made the Wii.
K2 @ Mar 30th 2009 10:06PM
sells fr less $10 in India.(Rs. 300 = $6)
GaryZ @ Mar 31st 2009 2:59AM
"a while"? this has been (or should I say "was") around in China since early 90s, and now are probably sold as antiques...
oh well, probably the economy has set US back to "emerging markets"...
Makavre @ Mar 30th 2009 3:03PM
looks alright but ...... can it run crys...
ah, nevermind
MJZimmer88 @ Mar 30th 2009 3:12PM
No.
mynk @ Mar 30th 2009 3:58PM
if you make a homebrew 8 bit crys
then sure, it can run crys
Wwhat @ Mar 30th 2009 9:14PM
Can't even run a CGA 2D version of it I bet.
m @ Mar 30th 2009 11:18PM
you know what? fuck crysis. when 8 bit ruled the world, kids could write their own games. THAT was fun.
Teh Lup @ Mar 30th 2009 3:03PM
Laura June is of teh pwn.
Giga @ Mar 30th 2009 3:04PM
I have one of these from china. Yay for famiclones.
Oli D @ Mar 30th 2009 3:04PM
Not as good as the 10 bit unit i got from a chinese market
mynk @ Mar 30th 2009 3:59PM
wtf 10 bit?
Oli D @ Mar 30th 2009 4:00PM
i did wonder whether that joke would fall into obscurity...
chinese knock off markets?
Joseph @ Mar 30th 2009 6:52PM
binary.
Templarian @ Mar 30th 2009 3:04PM
Being a developer, I find this amazing.
Still funner to making a game for the Palm Pre though.
Oli D @ Mar 30th 2009 3:05PM
why not make a spelling/grammar program instead?
Giga @ Mar 30th 2009 3:07PM
Oh the irony!
Templarian @ Mar 30th 2009 3:16PM
@Oli D, I'm sure someone has already started making a spelling and grammar application.
Oli D @ Mar 30th 2009 3:17PM
Cor, technology these days!
Loonie @ Mar 30th 2009 3:45PM
Indeed, the correct term is "funnerer". And yes, this thing has all kinds of retro-rad to accompany its educatifizing.
roundgob @ Mar 30th 2009 3:51PM
@Loonie
Where have you been? "More funneh" is the accepted primary term in the newest revision.
Sentax @ Mar 30th 2009 3:53PM
"why not make a spelling/grammar program instead?"
...
"@Oli D, I'm sure someone has already started making a spelling and grammar application."
LOL... nnnneeeeaawww!
If you're not getting it http://www.metacafe.com/watch/705351/jeff_dunham_w_peanut/
Duke @ Mar 30th 2009 4:00PM
Templarian - nice work on detecting when someone nails you.
chris @ Mar 30th 2009 3:06PM
so would this be any good for chiptunes then?
TREX6662k5 @ Mar 30th 2009 3:15PM
118 24/7.
Its directory heaven!
Oli D @ Mar 30th 2009 3:18PM
TREX, thank you for the most bizarre product plug in history.
bhtooefr @ Mar 30th 2009 3:20PM
It's a Famiclone internally.
So, anything an NES can run, it can run.
Chris @ Mar 30th 2009 3:08PM
ahahahahahahahahahaha
....$50 ......
Matt Peckham @ Mar 30th 2009 4:18PM
Atari 400 look out!
Epsilon-Not @ Mar 30th 2009 3:15PM
A whole megahertz? I don't know, it seems like too much power for me to handle.
absolutc @ Mar 30th 2009 3:18PM
That's what she said.
bu`[ @ Mar 30th 2009 3:20PM
will it play crysis?
Makavre @ Mar 30th 2009 3:30PM
your comment was about 20 minutes late .... this has already been asked and posted .....
Tabajara Labs @ Mar 30th 2009 3:30PM
I came later to say just that :oP But this is a very common famiclone in Brazil, look for "Dynacon magic computer" in Brazil and you'll find it. There is an even more advanced version, with a small tower cabinet. Go figure.
Sean U @ Mar 30th 2009 3:22PM
I heard that John Titor is coming back to 2009 for one of these, because all of the games in the past will be based on it in the future.
TMM @ Mar 30th 2009 3:27PM
50 bucks and you don't even get blast processing.
Cargojack @ Mar 30th 2009 3:29PM
I remember the 6502......I thought they quit making those once they quit manufacturing the APPLE ][
WOW!!! Call -151
paul-engadget @ Mar 30th 2009 3:34PM
6502 still in use? apparently so: http://www.westerndesigncenter.com/wdc/
With a minimalist instruction set its possible to implement the 6502 core in a gate array:
http://www1.cs.columbia.edu/~sedwards/apple2fpga/
Atanas Boev @ Mar 30th 2009 5:22PM
A9 FF 20 ED FD 60 (or, directly 4C instead...)
paul-engadget @ Mar 30th 2009 3:31PM
why couldn't they have used a 6809? from a programmer's point of view the machine code was beautiful, and much richer than a 6502, and so easy to learn!
Bob Alexander @ Mar 30th 2009 3:42PM
Alas, the 6809 isn't made anymore. It's a terrible shame; it was the most elegant 8 bit processor around. I loved my SWTPC 6809 box.
Scott Beckstead @ Mar 30th 2009 9:22PM
Yeah where's smoke Signal Broadcasting when you need them. OS9 Ruled!
Jon L @ Mar 30th 2009 3:32PM
Atari 800 lives!
Anita Peterson @ Mar 30th 2009 3:34PM
Looks like Engadget [still] has a problem with Depeche Mode... Do you guys REALLY want to upset a good chunk of your readers?