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Near-final Pandora handhelds start shipping, proves that dreams really do come true
It's been over two solid years since we first caught wind of this here gaming handheld, and while we were initially led to believe that finalized units would be in the hands of emulation junkies long before now, we suppose loyalists are finding that late really is superior to never. After months and months of "almosts," the first wave of final Pandora handhelds are shipping out, with many community followers posting up unboxing shots as they come. We're also expecting a flood of homebrewed applications to start surfacing as more of these filter out, so be sure and drop us a line if you discover and / or create something otherworldly. Plenty more shots in the links below -- you know, if you're still patiently awaiting the arrival of your own. [Thanks, Paul] Update: A community member pinged us to say that these units actually aren't final in terms of the cases they're in. They're only being sent out now to a few members so "development [can begin] on actual Pandora hardware." Sigh.
ODROID, the Android gaming handheld, now shipping to Android gaming developers (video)
Did you get your ODROID order in promptly when they went up for pre-sale back in September? Hope so, as the first lucky developers should be getting theirs any day now. Just 300 units of the 833MHz handheld are shipping, including the various cables, additional hardware, and documentation needed to start filling the thing with fun games that look an awful lot like other games, but totally aren't. One of the first is Speed Forge 3D (which totally isn't Wipeout), shown after the break exhibiting some laggy accelerometer-based controls -- but 720p output via HDMI sure is sweet. Orders are still being accepted at $349, said to be shipping in roughly five days, meaning if Santa logs into his PayPal account quickly enough you might still find one of these under your tree. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Sony surveying PSP Go audience, wants color suggestions
Hey, remember when Nintendo was dissing the PSP Go for having a "concept problem" last month? We doubt Sony cared too much, but the concept is going to get a gentle massaging, judging by this here survey. An otherwise insipid market research form has revealed an eye-catching selection of PSP Go paintjobs, replete with tick-boxes for the discerning customer to make his opinion known. The presently available Piano Black and Pearl White are in amongst them, so perhaps what Sony's looking for is a color that scores as well or higher than the current offerings, which might incite the company to make like Nintendo and bring a little more rainbow to its portable hardware. We've got our money on that sexy red number, and suspect / hope the turquoise will never make it off the drawing board.
Nintendo's Iwata muses about Kindle-like business model for future handheld
You may simply be able to chalk this one up to some freewheeling speculation and rumination, but Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata went pretty far out on a limb in talking about the future of the company during a recent sit-down with the Financial Times, and indicated that Nintendo may just be looking outside the gaming industry for a little inspiration. Apparently, Iwata is intrigued by the Kindle "because it's a new business model in which the user doesn't bear the communications cost," which he says wouldn't "fit Nintendo customers because we make amusement products." He did go on to note though, that "in reality, if we did this it would increase the cost of the hardware, and customers would complain about Nintendo putting prices up," but said that "it is one option for the future." At the same time, however, Iwata also seemingly downplayed the short-term potential for download-only games, saying that he thinks "it will take quite a long time" for the industry to shift to them -- although he did hedge his bets somewhat by pointing out how unpredictable the games business is. [Via Electronista]
Sony's PSP Go available t-t-t-today junior!
It may not do UMDs, but it does fun, and it does it well. Just in case you've forgotten -- after all, it's not like anything really happened in September to mess with your memory -- today's the day to find Sony's PSP Go on store shelves. $249.99, you, your local retailer and some fancy digital content -- it's a date. Isn't it?
Conceptual Xbox 1080 handheld beautifully merges Xbox and Zune
Carl Archambeault: you sir, are a champion. We're not exactly sure if you're on a first-class seat to Redmond or not, but the boys and girls in Washington could probably stand to learn a thing or two from the Xbox 1080. 'Course, that's probably just the fanboy in us talking -- after all, who wouldn't want the powers of an Xbox 360 and a Zune HD merged into one beautiful handheld? -- but could you imagine the market shakeup if this thing became real? Paging Mr. Benjamin J. Heckendorn![Via Coolest-Gadgets]
Easy Piano title lets DS Lite users tickle the ivory
We know that DSi of yours is all the rage, but you did hang on to that DS / DS Lite, didn't you? Phew. Starting this November in Europe and other PAL regions, you'll have a remarkably good excuse to bust that unit back out, as this new peripheral looks to require that all-but-forgotten GBA slot. At any rate, the title (which goes by Easy Piano in case you glossed over the headline) will allow players to bang out masterpieces such as Bittersweet Symphony, Every Breath You Take and Pachelbel's Canon on the 8-note, full-octave keyboard accessory. All told, 40 songs will be made available, and there's even a "creation mode" that enables owners to record up to four 3-minute-long jams. Now, if only we had a North American price and release date to pencil in, we'd be all set.[Via Joystiq]
Sega-licensed "Retro Gen" might have you hunting for cartridges
Sega's already given its seal of approval to a few Genesis / Mega Drive-based handhelds, but never one like this new "Retro Gen" device from Innex, which makes use of actual, dust-collecting cartridges instead of just some mere on-board memory. Of course, not everyone has a stack of Genesis carts at their disposal (a sad state, indeed), so the handheld also apparently comes pre-loaded with 20 unspecified games, and you'll supposedly even be able to eventually load some "licensed ROMs" onto an SD card using a special cart. While it's still not clear exactly how widespread of a release it'll get, at least one retailer does already has it up for pre-order for just $49.99 (discounted from $59.99), and it's promising a ship date of July 25th.[Via Softpedia]
Colorware gets its paint guns on Nintendo's DSi, does unthinkable things to it
Hear ye, hear ye! The abomination you see above can be yours today for the low, low price of just $374. Or, you can send in your own DSi, have it abused as such and returned to you for the even lower price of just $174. Don't ever expect it to forgive you, though.[Thanks, Joshua]
Video: Sony's PSP Go leaks out before E3, is obviously a go
Look up there, folks. That's the future of Sony's hopes and dreams in the handheld gaming sector. With just hours to go before the company's official E3 2009 press event, it looks like the pieces are all coming together. First a UMD-less game release, then a highly credible mole giving the PSP Go a name, and now -- live action shots. The images here were sourced from an obviously slipped June 2009 Qore video, and aside from giving us a look at the slider-based system (which, let's be honest, looks a ton like the questionably successful mylo), we're also told that it'll tout 16GB of internal memory, built-in Bluetooth and an undisclosed memory slot. If all goes well, it'll ship this Fall for a price to be determined, and it's actually not slated to replace the PSP-3000, as both of 'em will attempt to live on store shelves harmoniously... at least for awhile. Oh, and don't worry -- we'll be on hand in LA to bring you all the impressions we can muster early next week.[Via PlayStation Forums, thanks Matt and A1]Update: Video is now after the break! Thanks adizzy615!Update 2: Official press shots have emerged. [Via Engadget Spanish]Update 3: A few more official specifications are flowing from the full Qore video (pardon the sync issues). Here's the dirt: 3.8-inch display (resolution is undisclosed) 43 percent lighter than the PSP-3000 16GB of Flash storage Bluetooth built-in; supports handset tethering and BT headsets No UMD drive Memory Stick Micro slot New Gran Turismo, Little Big Planet and new Metal Gear Solid (!) on the way Full PlayStation Network support (movie and TV rentals / purchases) Integration with PlayStation 3 (works the same as the PSP-3000 does) Sony views each of its products as "10-year lifecycle products," so the PSP "needs to live on."
Sony apparently puts PSP Extended Life Battery Kit back on sale
What a wild ride this thing has had. Originally announced back in November of 2007, the PSP Extended Life Battery Kit promised to provide right around 20 percent more battery life in exchange for $45 and an additional bulge. Then, Sony seemingly canned the thing abruptly in August of 2008. Just a month later, Sony's US director of hardware marketing John Koller confessed that the PSP-3000's new screen would eat away more severely at the battery, but that an extended cell would solve the quandary for a few of your hard-earned dollars. Now, it seems he's finally making good on that proclamation, with the PlayStation Portable Extended Life Battery Kit back on the outfit's website for $44.99. At least one user over at the official PlayStation forums has already received one, but at the moment, SonyStyle is showing the item as backordered. Might as well get in line, yeah?[Via PlayStation Forums, thanks Eric]
GamePark GP2X Wiz gaming handheld now available, for real
There's been a few false starts, and some newfound competition from upstart Pandora, but it looks like GamePark's GP2X Wiz gaming handheld is now finally, officially available. As promised earlier, it'll set you back a fairly reasonable $179, which'll get you a 533MHz ARM9 processor-based handheld that's capable of running a handful of official games and a whole boatload of unofficial games, not to mention some applications from the app store that's slated for launch this summer. All set to add one more handheld to your collection? Then hit up the link below to get your order in.[Thanks, Conrad]
Birthday boy gets box of rocks instead of Nintendo DS
No, you're not being mercilessly attacked by an unyielding feeling of déjà vu for no good reason -- we really have seen something eerily similar to this happen before. This go 'round, we've got a totally innocent ten year old boy who was given Guitar Hero for DS prior to even owning a console; as the mother finally ended the tease, she handed him a shiny new DS handheld for him to unwrap. Unfortunately for everyone involved, all that was tucked inside was a couple of stones, a Chinese newspaper and boatloads of disappointment. After the Walmart store from which she purchased it referred her to the Big N, she furiously admitted the following: "They don't want to do nothing. They want me to keep the box of rocks. I'm not buying a box of rocks for $138." Thankfully, Wally World finally refunded her and threw in a $20 gift card for the trouble (after being hounded by a local news station, mind you), but the real damage -- losing all hope in humanity -- will never be undone. Ever.[Via plugged in]
PlayMad takes PSOne portable, shouts out to Sega's Nomad
Clearly, this is the month to be making portable PSOne mods. Just weeks after checking out Bacteria's totally bodacious IntoPlay comes a formidable opponent from G-force. The aptly named PlayMad gets its label from the innate ability to handle original PlayStation titles and its uncanny resemblance to Sega's own Nomad. We could just bore you with more details, but instead, we'll point you to the build links below and the hands-on demonstration vid just beyond the break. Trust us, it's worth a look (or two). [Via NowhereElse]
Nintendo DSi gets its own video tour
Details are slowly (but surely) starting to trickle in about the totally American flavor of Nintendo's DSi, and while you've already got a release date and price to mull over, how's about a video tour to show you what exactly you'll be getting come April 5th? The vid does a decent job of showing off those dual cameras and the slick new design, but most of all, it shows just how incredibly awesome your life will be upon actually holding one in your hands. Seriously, everything will change.[Thanks, Pedro]
Bacteria returns with IntoPlay, the expectant looking portable PSone mod
We've seen plenty of semi-portable mashups from modder extraordinaire Bacteria, and now he's back with another luggable system that turns a PSone into a fully integrated handheld. The system is naturally made from a PSone console itself as well as a travel screen, a third-party controller, custom case, and, most importantly, a lot of skill and patience -- roughly 100 hours worth. You cay buy the tangible bits in a kit on eBay for £49.99 (about $70 US), then follow Bacteria's stupendously comprehensive instructions to build your own. Or, you can just watch the video below and live vicariously. [Via benheck.com Forums]
Brando's 7-in-1 USB charging cable is a handheld owner's dream come true
It's truly heartbreaking that this gem wasn't available for purchase back when you desperately needed a low-cost gift for that special gamer in your life, but considering how lame the chocolate box you got him / her was, there's still reason to snap this up and slap a belated label on it. Brando's ingenious 7-in-1 USB Charging Cable provides power for PSP, DS, DS Lite, DSi and Game Boy Advance handhelds, and all that is required is a powered USB port and $7. Oh, and the bravery to allow a cable made by Brando (or some random backwoods company in China that Brando is in cahoots with) charge hundreds of dollars worth of your gadgetry.[Via DSFanboy]
UK warns that fake imported DS handhelds could be hazardous
HM Revenue & Customs has put out an official report warning that "hundreds of imported counterfeit game consoles seized at UK freight depots were found to have been supplied with potentially dangerous power adapters." Most of the wares had been purchased at a deep discount from Asian websites claiming to sell "genuine Nintendo products" for over 50% off. The Big N has already stepped in to confirm that the DS / DS Lites are indeed counterfeit, and the accompanying power adapters were also deemed "potentially dangerous, since they had not been electronically tested and do not meet strict UK safety standards." C'mon parents -- even if the youngin' has been bad, we'd still say coal is more fitting than a stocking full of potential electrocution.[Via Pocket-lint, image courtesy of Infendo]
Atari 2600 stuffed into Game Gear, Sega Nomad seen casting envious glances
Oh sure, there's bound to be some protrusion when shoving a retro console into a gaming handheld, but inelegant styling was a way of life for Sega back in the mid-90s. Modder Chris Koopa has achieved the impossible by stuffing an Atari 2600 (or the important parts, anyway) along with 40 games into a hacked up Game Gear and enabling it to operate for nearly a full workday with just five AA batteries. And yeah, there's totally a 2600 cartridge slot to allow for playback of original titles. You know you're oddly interested in seeing more, so tap the read link for a few shots from the rear / side.[Via technabob]
Meggy Jr RGB handheld: only as fun as your programming skills allow
If you're the type who looks at the Pandora and scoffs at the simplicity, you'll find oodles to adore in the Meggy Jr RGB. Deemed the "little sister" of the Peggy LED display kit, this gaming handheld from Evil Mad Science is only as fun as you make it; in other words, it provides all the incentive you need to sharpen those programming skills in order to craft engrossing pixel-based titles. The portable unit packs a fully addressable 8 x 8 RGB LED matrix display, a lo-fi audio transducer and plenty of buttons for controlling the action. The unit comes pre-loaded with a single game (isn't that sweet?), but from there, it's up to you to put those soldering / coding skills to good use. Claim yours now for $65 to $95 -- just be ready to deal with loads of frustration on your way to homegrown handheld nirvana.[Via Engadget German]
