Android Based Handheld Game?

[omega5]

Couple of months ago, we heard about the Odroid based on Android platform.
Recently I got more information about that.

It has 833Mhz Cortex-A8 CPU with 512MB DDR2 memory. Android is getting popular due to Droid.
3D OpenGL capability seems to be good for gaming. I love HDMI connection also.
Look at the below video. It is pretty much faster than Android dev-phone G1.


This Odroid looks ugly, but it comes with schematics, full source code and debugging tool.
I'm trying to contact them to ask the availability.......

ODROID Homepage..
My link

ODROID Wiki
My link

 

[Nintendo]

Thanks for the updated info, but if you look 11 threads down you'll find an ODROID fan thread.

http://www.gp32x.de/board/index.php?/topic/49425-android-gaming-handheld-odroid/

That vid was awesome, mate. I'm highly anticipating this ANDROID based handheld console.

I'm so excited that I've even contacted the ODROID team a couple of times now, but that was weeks ago. I might email them before Christmas.

Cheers. B)


Mel

 

[omega5]

Oh! Did you already contact them?
I also really wanna get the unit by xmas. B)

I think the Odroid is only one comes with full schematics in the game console world.
It is the major reason why I choose this ugly guy. :rolleyes:

Ummm... I'm not sure whether the Pandora open their schematics or not.
Who knows that?

I enjoyed TI OMAP3 based beagle board for a long time.
But it has no LCD, no WiFi, no touchscreen.. too many lacks..
TI-Zoom2 is also awesome, but it is about US$ 1,300... too expensive for my electronics hobby..

 

[lulzfish]

Ummm... I'm not sure whether the Pandora open their schematics or not.
Who knows that?

I knows that.

OP said a few times that they'll open the location of hacking areas, like the second trigger pads, JTAG, I2C, other embedded acronyms I don't understand, etc.
But they will not publish the full schematics, because that would make cloning way too easy.
They said it's something like an 8-layer board, so I guess you won't have physical access to most of the circuitry anyway.

 

[omega5]

Ummm... I'm not sure whether the Pandora open their schematics or not.
Who knows that?

I knows that.

OP said a few times that they'll open the location of hacking areas, like the second trigger pads, JTAG, I2C, other embedded acronyms I don't understand, etc.
But they will not publish the full schematics, because that would make cloning way too easy.
They said it's something like an 8-layer board, so I guess you won't have physical access to most of the circuitry anyway.

Thank you for the information. I'm heavily considering both 2 gadgets.
Do you think we can get the OP by end of this year if I place order now?

According to Odroid site, it is 12 layers PCB.

 

[lulzfish]

Do you think we can get the OP by end of this year if I place order now?

I'm not sure if the last of the first batch will ship by the end of this year, but you can at least try to order and hopefully get it early next year.

Ordering information is way at the bottom of http://open-pandora.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=97&Itemid=12&lang=en
Basically, you e-mail openpandorasales@gmail.com and say something like, "I want a Pandora", and they'll figure out a way to get your order set up.

 

[omega5]

I'll contact OP soon... but I wanna wait for a while to see user's review before buying.
Yes.. scared..

The Odroid has been sold in Korea from September and gives me more evidence.

Hardware information of ODROID is here... it looks great for me.

Odroid H/W information


I like the open hardware as well as open software..
According to their home page, I can order next week and get it before xmas.
Price is about EUR 230~240 with free shipping ..

 

[second exodous]

But the Odroid is just so . . . Ugly.

 

[Nintendo]

4.2 2GB T-Flash(Micro-SD) Card 4.3 8GB SDHC Card What does the above mean? 2 slots for 2 different cards?

I know that ODROID (developers versions) has been available to buy since Sep, but why the fuck are they saying (below) that on December 15th they're having an ODROID Worldwide Launch?...that advertisment below is supposedly for the Developer Edition.
Where are the NORMAL retail versions. I thought the Dev Editions have been selling since Sep? And they promised us the normal retail version launch for December 2009?

Below isn't very clear at all. Maybe these Koreans can't explain shit very well.

EDIT: I tried hitting the BUY button, but nothing happens?

uck id the one they're

 

[Nova]

Holy shit, it's an Android WonderSwan!

 

[craigix]

$350? Wasn't it supposed to be like $200?

That's a nice profit margin they have there considering how simple the odroid is, I think we under priced the Pandora.

 

[Exophase]

$350? Wasn't it supposed to be like $200?

That's a nice profit margin they have there considering how simple the odroid is, I think we under priced the Pandora.

They said they're aiming for $250 when they can, with initial units for development costing more.

You say everything is simple compared to Pandora :/ Pandora does have several advantages over Odroid, but Odroid has a few of its own.

Pros Pandora:
- Much higher resolution screen (800x480 vs 480x320)
- Builtin DSP
- Keyboard
- Analog nubs
- Clamshell design
- Two full SD cards (on Odroid one is microSD, although I guess this could be a pro)
- Builtin NAND
- Much higher battery capacity

Pros Odroid:
- Faster CPU (833MHz, 32/32 L1 vs 600MHz, 16/16 L1 - otherwise they should be the same)
- Twice as much RAM, latency/bandwidth comparison unknown but they both have an effective 32bit width
- Accelerometer
- Comes with more non-volatile storage (2GB vs 512MB, albeit in the form of a microSD)
- HDMI out

The 3D is a toss-up, it's unclear exactly what type of 3D S5PC100 uses.

I'm not going to say Pandora isn't the winner here, but it's not like we're comparing it to the Dingoo or something.

 

[bnolsen]

The 3D is a toss-up, it's unclear exactly what type of 3D S5PC100 uses.

I'm not going to say Pandora isn't the winner here, but it's not like we're comparing it to the Dingoo or something.

Pandora's biggest innovations are from the care taken with the control selection and layout.
Without controls the ODROID is toast (no triggers, analog only through touchscreen).

All that 3d horsepower is really most useful for 3d gaming, and frankly the odroid is stuck with having to use a crippled NDS type scheme for its 3D. That makes the odroid really a competitor to the WIZ, trading controls for resolution cpu/video horsepower. Of course if they're pushing java for the odroid...well that blows out the RAM and speed advantages...

One thing dingoo has over both systems...you can buy one!!!

 

[craigix]

$350? Wasn't it supposed to be like $200?

That's a nice profit margin they have there considering how simple the odroid is, I think we under priced the Pandora.

You say everything is simple compared to Pandora :/

'Everything'? What?

I'm sorry but the odroid is a simple design. It's just a skateboard with basic controls. The complexity of the Pandora controls + keyboard were so difficult to do I never want to try anything like that again. Luckily I hope the Pandora design can remain basically the same for years to come.

I agree with you on that SOC though, on paper it does look nice. Interesting to see how it compares in the real world.

 

[Exophase]

'Everything'? What?

You were saying the same things about Wiz, Touchbook, probably others.

I'm sorry but the odroid is a simple design. It's just a skateboard with basic controls. The complexity of the Pandora controls + keyboard were so difficult to do I never want to try anything like that again. Luckily I hope the Pandora design can remain basically the same for years to come.

You said it was simple, period. There's way more to a device (and indeed, a design) than its housing and general mechanical structure. And in a lot of real world products, especially those with particularly high volume, the complexity of the mold and case production doesn't completely dominate the complexity of the product, nor the price.

I agree with you on that SOC though, on paper it does look nice. Interesting to see how it compares in the real world.

Yes, it'll be interesting - I imagine at least everything but the 3D are the same as in iPhone 3GS so we have a good initial reference point.

 

[craigix]

'Everything'? What?

You were saying the same things about Wiz, Touchbook, probably others.

Because it is true.

I think we can agree I didn't say it about everything though.

I'll be trying to get an Odroid just to take it to bits and have a look 'under the bonnet'. Looks like those guys will probably be usurping GPH.

 

[second exodous]

I don't think they gain anything by using Android here. Everything made for Android is very basic in controls, Google hasn't even mandated any standards to be used on Android devices as far as controls go so it's pointless to make a gaming handheld with it.

They would have been better off using another OS and making it as easy as possible to create games for their system. Since they used Android it makes me think that they know this will be a failure but know it will sell a lot of units because it has Android. After a few years I don't think anyone will remember this but they sold enough units to not care about that.

It's like hardware is easy for these companies but when it comes to the OS that is some difficult stuff there, better use a commercial offering. What the heck, you can hire how many hardware designers but when it comes to software engineers there just isn't enough to go around?

 

[Exophase]

Because it is true.

Unarguably simpler in some regards, yes. But you make it sound night and day. In some regards Touchbook and Odroid are more complex than Pandora, but I guess we could be splitting semantics on this one. Wiz is fair since it's a much lower priced device.

I think we can agree I didn't say it about everything though.

I think anyone could see I didn't mean it literally, I was using hyperbole :/

Looks like those guys will probably be usurping GPH.

Assuming you're speaking about the Wiz and not GPH's next device - which is mostly an unknown at this point - then I doubt that. They're hitting pretty different markets. Odroid just costs too much more to replace it, and I don't have a lot of faith in the controls being nearly as good. Which is saying a lot given that I'm not highly impressed with Wiz's controls to begin with.

That, and as an Android handheld it's going to be running totally different software. I also don't expect it to be competitive in battery life.

It's like hardware is easy for these companies but when it comes to the OS that is some difficult stuff there, better use a commercial offering. What the heck, you can hire how many hardware designers but when it comes to software engineers there just isn't enough to go around?

Incidentally that's exactly what Orkie told me when I asked why GPH only has half a software engineer. Something about South Korea not having a lot of embedded programmers. I don't know if I really buy it, but this company is indeed also Korean.

 

[second exodous]

It's like hardware is easy for these companies but when it comes to the OS that is some difficult stuff there, better use a commercial offering. What the heck, you can hire how many hardware designers but when it comes to software engineers there just isn't enough to go around?

Incidentally that's exactly what Orkie told me when I asked why GPH only has half a software engineer. Something about South Korea not having a lot of embedded programmers. I don't know if I really buy it, but this company is indeed also Korean.

Man, I wish I was a embedded programmer and spoke Korean, I'd move there in a heart beat. Korean women are hot!

 

[Chip]

Unarguably simpler in some regards, yes. But you make it sound night and day. In some regards Touchbook and Odroid are more complex than Pandora, but I guess we could be splitting semantics on this one.

From a design and manufacturing standpoint, it's pretty obvious which device required more effort.


Pandora board



Odroid board

There's so much empty space on the Odroid, even I could have laid out that PCB. As I'm sure Michael can attest, the Pandora was not nearly so simple.

How much of that has to do with the Samsung SoC integrating more functionality than the OMAP is another matter. If nothing else, the Samsung appears to have HDMI built-in, which is nice. This looks great spec-wise, but they flubbed the execution. Honestly, I have to agree with Second Exodus about Android. It is far from ideal for a gaming OS. And while there's nothing stopping you from replacing the OS, you can't replace the gaming controls, which are abysmal. If they'd used a real d-pad, properly placed shoulder buttons and at least one analog control, I'd have to admit it was a legitimate competitor to the Pandora on the gaming front. As it stands though, it's just not suitable for any real gaming.