Tag Archives: android console

Nintendo denies everything: the NX won’t run on Android

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Rumors claiming Nintendo’s next console would run on Google’s OS Android seem to be unfounded. In a surprisingly quick PR maneuver, the big N have clarified that Android on Nintendo consoles is just “not going to happen”.

Nintendo are currently working on a new console of which we know nothing except its code-name, NX. As there are very few certainties about this new hardware piece (it’s a new console but “it won’t replace the Wii U nor the 3DS”), speculation is rampant, and several users had been talking about the possibility of this system running under a variation of Android OS. These rumors were so strong that Nintendo themselves, who rarely concern themselves with hearsay, came out and clarified: “There is no truth to the report saying that we are planning to adopt Android for NX,” a Nintendo spokesman said. It’s just not going to happen.

This answer comes as the response to the rumors started by Nikkei, a Japanese newspaper citing inside knowledge and claiming that the big N could be using Android on their next console. The idea was simple: by using Android, Nintendo would have access from the get-go to a huge selection of titles that are already on Google’s platform, and they would only need to add their original productions on top. Also, seeing Android’s progress on areas such as TV and wearables, it doesn’t sound like a terrible idea. Furthermore, if Nintendo were to keep their Wii U style controller with a touch screen, there is no reason for any Android app to be incompatible. The counterpart of all this, though, would be the possibility of hacks and piracy.

With this rumor done with, we’re back to where we started: we have no idea what the NX is, but we can’t wait to see it and know more. Nintendo has had a rough couple of years now, with low sales on their home console department. The Wii U has been struggling to recapture a fragment of its predecessor’s success (the Wii). And even though the 3DS is doing fine and selling well, the Japanese company is already researching alternative distribution and monetization channels, such as creating amusement parks, amiibos, or even releasing smartphone games. Some users are even speculating that the NX itself might be a wearable, sort of like the pokewalker that came with Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver.

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OnePlus’ Next Product Will Be a Game Changer

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The Chinese company behind yesteryear’s most famous (and sought after) flagship killer is preparing to launch a new product, and by the looks (or teases) of it, OnePlus has a game controller in store for us.

The official launch of OnePlus’ next big thing has yet to happen, and the company has decided to tease the world (as it always does) with a few images that don’t even depict the product, but suggest pretty clearly what it might be. Basically, the new device is a “game changer,” but the company assures us that it’s neither a smartphone, nor a tablet. As I doubt that OnePlus will launch a gaming console straight away, I’m willing to bet it’s a game controller that we’ll get from Oppo’s subsidiary.

In a post on the company’s official forum, OnePlus mentioned that:

“It’s been a little over a year since OnePlus was founded, and while we launched with our flagship killer smartphone, we have, and always will be, a technology company. Innovation and revolutionary ideas that shake up the industry are what OnePlus has built itself upon.

The One was created to disrupt the smartphone world. The Power Bank was born to give our users more options and greater mobility. So, when it came time to think about our next product, we decided on a curveball.

It’s not a tablet, and it’s not a smartwatch. But it is a game changer.”

The way it is sold might be yet another problem with the OnePlus game controller. The 10,000 mAh made by this company is already out in the wild, despite the official website saying that it is “Coming Soon,” but Chinese stores sell it at twice the launch price. Sure, most of these stores offer free shipping around the globe, and it’s really anyone’s guess that the shipping costs are included in the price we’re paying. However, instead of paying $29 or more for the OnePlus’ power bank, people might be better off with Xiaomi’s $24 16,000mAh Mi Power Bank.

That being said, OnePlus’ game controller might still attractive, supposing that the resellers don’t offer it at a steep price. Of course, there’s always the option of buying it off the manufacturer’s website, but given the shipping cost, it might be preferable to get it along with a OnePlus One smartphone, which still performs well, despite being a 2014 device.

There has been no word on how much the game changer will cost, but we don’t have that much to wait, as April is just around the corner. Brace yourselves!

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iConsole Micro Android 5 TV stick shown at MWC

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All things said and done, between MWC and GDC we have gotten quite a few gaming related news as of late, the iConsole amongst them.

TV sticks are a great solution for those without a smart TV to be able to access these functionalities, and a new pocket sized device running Android 5.0 might be just what they need if they want gaming as the center of the experience, thanks to its 64-bit Intel quad-core Atom processor. This is the iConsole micro, an Android TV console with some 32GB of storage,Bluetooth 4.0 and 802.11n wireless connectivity – plus, the storage can be expanded via the use of SD cards. This stick has an HDMI connector that llos it to be plugged straight into the TV for easy setup, and easier use.

The iConsole (tricky name, as it’s running Android after all) was unveiled during Mobile World Congress (MWC 2015) in Barcelona and will launch this summer at some $129 USD – for what it’s worth, though, this device connects to the Amazon App Store and not the Google Play Store, so depending on where you buy your apps, this might be an important factor on whether you purchase it or not.

Via Lilliputing

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Razer working on their own Android console – goodbye, OUYA?

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Razer, the experts in gadgets and controllers meant for gaming, are getting into the console business, specifically one running Android.

By employing Google’s recently announced Android TV initiative, Razer hope to create a new console focused on games and android features. The console would arrive this fall, and would be capable of “streaming movies, music and other apps for large-screen entertainment”. Yet, they remark that the console has “an emphasis on gaming.” This is meant to compete with Amazon and Apple’s set-top boxes, in a way, but if Razer promises “hardcore” gaming, we’ll just have to wait and see. Could this console take the spot the OUYA never quite managed to get?

We don’t know a lot about what’s under the hood for Razer micro-console: they still need to clarify what the specs are gonna be, what the controls are gonna look like, the internal storage, or even the price. We know so little about it that they even joked about it saying that “In keeping with the spirit of Google I/O, we will not be discussing specific product details at this time.” Ha-ha?

Keeping in line with how little we know, the image you see illustrating this story is actually a render, and not the console itself. Now we know how Jon Snow feels… What we do know, though, is that the console will have some form of voice control, so maybe it will either pair with Android smartphones, or even have speakers built in the controllers like the Xbox One and PS4.

One thing that can’t be denied, though, is that Razer is one of the few companies that (right or wrong) seem to cater to the needs of hardcore gamers, so at least there’s that: a reputation they have to uphold. We’ll wait and see what news surface in the near future.

Source: Engadget

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Ouya Goes 2.0, Gets Improved Specs and Higher Price

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New Ouya

The indie gaming console that went from being 2012′s Kickstarter darling and a somehow revolutionary product to a disappointment, has now been updated with a refined controller and a boosted Wi-Fi.

Many people who backed the project on Kickstarter were disappointed when they found out that they would receive their open-source gaming console later than the ones buying it from retail stores. On top of that, Ouya taught its Kickstarter backers a tough lesson: they got the beta version, while the retail one was the finite product. Despite all this, Ouya did not disappear of the face of the Earth. On the contrary, the manufacturer had quite some great sales and even introduced a white limited edition last year, back in October. The new Ouya comes in black, but it remains to be seen if the new features justify the higher price.

Among the major problems of the first generation were a terrible controller lag, a weak Wi-Fi receiver, no visible download queues, hidden prices in the store, and the inability to truly expand the storage. The old Ouya came with 8GB of internal flash storage, and the manufacturer only extended this to 16GB in the white limited edition. Fortunately, the new Ouya also comes with 16GB, so space restraints won’t appear that quickly.

The weak Wi-Fi receiver also deteriorated the whole experience, but luckily, the manufacturer claims to have fixed this problem, as well. Not at last, a lagging controller can ruin gaming on any console, and I understand why people were unhappy with the first Ouya. The new controller is said to be more responsive. Still, this doesn’t stop people from being skeptical, and some even say that Ouya replaced its square wheel with a triangular one, meaning that the improvements are really insignificant, and they can’t turn Ouya into a successful product.

The new Ouya is available now for $129, but the old $99 will still be available. Amazon sold the first version right after the official launch, but the new one is nowhere to be seen. Still, the price of the new one is still pretty decent, when compared to the $344.95 white special edition. Chances are Ouya won’t manage to change people’s minds, especially since now it has quite a lot of competition, both better priced and with better technical specs.

If you liked this post, please check Ouya, the game-changing open-source Android console and PlayJam’s GameStick, one of Ouya’s competitors.