Android Gaming Handheld: Odroid


I take it I'm the only one who actually likes the Wonderswan and Android then?
 
What´s everyones problem?
The separated gamepad might work out, as it did for the Playstation. Sure, its not exacly a beauty, but neither is the Pandora. The control layout looks like it would be great for vertical shmups. It has powerful hardware, HDMI out and all the bells and whistles.
What's there to hate?
 
Fishbong said:
What´s everyones problem?
The separated gamepad might work out, as it did for the Playstation. Sure, its not exacly a beauty, but neither is the Pandora. The control layout looks like it would be great for vertical shmups. It has powerful hardware, HDMI out and all the bells and whistles.
What's there to hate?

I agree. It may not look the best, but any "same arch" type handheld is good for us and there's not reason to hate it. It's not like they are making outrageous claims or lying about it.
 
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"Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_STRING in /home/hardkernel/public_html/index.php on line 12"

If it does get released, I hope it's more reliable than there website :)
 
I've got some more information about Odroid. FYI, it also can found in their web-site (www.odroid.com) but now it is on the KOREAN forum for pre-order. (It will be shipped late October, they claim they already got all necessary parts.) http://www.aesop.or.kr/?document_srl=67987

The translation of that page is below (nothing new to the web published specification, though):

1. What is Ordroid?
Its CPU is the Samsung S5PC100 based on the Cortex-A8.
This project was started from May 2009 and sample PCB was complete mid of July, now it is the middle of the final process of hardware debugging and Android Cup-Cake porting.
In middle of September, 50 prototypes were built and no significant failure has been reported.

CPU runs on 833Mhz stable, main memory is 512MB DDR2, data-rate is over 333Mhz.

2. Specification
LCD is 320x480 HVGA 3.5inch like iPhone and Android phones. Vertical and Horizontal modes are supported through OpenGL. The touchscreen is capative thus no complex calibration process is needed.

Embeded mini-HDMI port let you output 1280x720 images to HD-TV or monitor. Currently, it can encode mp4 contained Mpeg4/H.264 video and MP3/AAC audio. Maximum resoultion is 1280x720 about 30fps.
AV Framework is based on the OpenCore and 2D video accelerator is supported.

Storage is devided in to 2 part: 2-GB T-flash for Boot loader, Kernel and Android-system, SDHC for user storage.
USB is supported by composite driver - ADB for Android and mass storage driver for XP.
You can develope Kernel and bootloader through high-speed USB not ethernet(TFTP or so)

The hardware 3D accelerateor conected to surface flinger shows 7.8Mega-Vertices and 167 Mega-pixel fill-rate per second performance. It is 30% much enhanced than S3C6410.
The Audio part is designed with Wolfson (like Ipod) with I2S interface. Stereo earphone output,1W mono speaker and microphone are embeded. SPDIF digital audio can output through HDMI port to your HD-TV.

801.b/g wi-fi also supported with bluetooth. We confirmed it works with Webkit browser of Android. Basic connection test through bluetooth was also successful.
It has 4 necessory buttons for naviation of Android, HOME/BACK/MENU/ENTER and gaming controls. Volume Up/Down button is also capative touch like its screen. Embedded Accerometor can let you program various event control, too.

You can degug console, recharge, send audio I/O, trans USB or control remotely through standard TTA20 connector. The Li-Ion battery is included and recharging through USB is also possible.

Final product will include the system, USB-TTA20 cable, battery, 2G T-flash and 8G SDHC.

3. Additional notice for Pre-order
This pre-order is just for debugging board. it contains serial port for debugging, standard USB-mini-B port and power supply connector.

Only pre-order kit will include PCB circuit diagram(PDF), source of bootloader, kernel and Android into its SDHC card. Most included Andoird source will include minimal object type files for licence (mainly 3D/2D accelerator part). And additional Li-Ion battery. :)

More specific information about Odroid, visit www.odroid.com.

You can program Android Application with Google SDK 1.5r3 throuth DDMS or other method to ODROID with real time debugging. 95% of exist application of HTC G1/Hero/Magic Phone is compatible so far.

------------------------

Sounds demonic system to me include every pre-invented mobile gadget tech. Just wonder how long its battery supports :rolleyes:
 
"LCD is 320x480 HVGA 3.5inch like iPhone and Android phones."


Yuk, shit resolution for any emulation (except GBA at 3:1 ) means mandatory blurry fractional scaling for everything emulation wise. Too bad they couldn't have used the Samsung 800 x 480 OLED that would at least allow for decent looking 2:1 integer pixel doubling for most stuff.
 
DaveC said:
Yuk, shit resolution for any emulation (except GBA at 3:1 ) means mandatory blurry fractional scaling for everything emulation wise. Too bad they couldn't have used the Samsung 800 x 480 OLED that would at least allow for decent looking 2:1 integer pixel doubling for most stuff.
Neat. In that case, I'm getting one!
 
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DaveC said:
Yuk, shit resolution for any emulation (except GBA at 3:1 ) means mandatory blurry fractional scaling for everything emulation wise. Too bad they couldn't have used the Samsung 800 x 480 OLED that would at least allow for decent looking 2:1 integer pixel doubling for most stuff.

I believe they just want to get compatibility for Android apps, but yup, shitty res for handheld. ;)
I totally agree it's a shame, too, they didn't choose AMOLED (price?)
 
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$250 is a decent price. And vertical playing is a nice option for some MAME games. I don't see it make mention of the SGX though. Do you think it's the same GPU as in the iPhone 3GS, SGX535?

If so, that price is really good. You lose on screen res, QWERTY and analog, but gain on HDMI out.

The buttons don't look too comfortable though, however, it's not like I've tried Pandora's buttons.
 
This is still vaporware as well. Just stings a little to see the faster A8 in another console.
 
http://www.hardkernel.com/hardware.html

Their hardware listing specifically names the Cortex A8 and the NEON, but only has "Multimedia acceleration" where the SGX would be, providing "2D / 3D graphics".

Maybe their Cortex doesn't have a SGX? :lol: Or the DSP. So it's missing a lot of the coprocessing stuff the Pandora has.
It would be good if I wanted to buy something like the Wiz... But I'm definitely holding out for the Pandora's GPU and keyboard.
 
Phawx said:
$250 is a decent price. And vertical playing is a nice option for some MAME games. I don't see it make mention of the SGX though. Do you think it's the same GPU as in the iPhone 3GS, SGX535?

If so, that price is really good. You lose on screen res, QWERTY and analog, but gain on HDMI out.

The buttons don't look too comfortable though, however, it's not like I've tried Pandora's buttons.

From the description its the same cpu used on the iPhone. But just faster.

In other words, its about 200Mhz faster then the Pandora, and has double the Ram ( 512MB ). Its unknown what graphics this has, but if its the same packages as the iPhone, then it must be the SGX535...

And the screen is a capative touchscreen also ...

I'm more amazed at the speed that it was developed. When the Pandora has hardly any samples, those guys has in 6 months, from development to productions of 50 samples.

OpenPandora ... old before it even gets in the customers hands. ;)
 
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It has 512 MB of RAM as well? I don't know, the price sounds too cheap. I doubt this is OMAP anything. Well, I guess we will have to wait and see. If it does have SGX535 I'd be a bit upset. I still prefer the formfactor of the Pandora however.

Neither are available right now though, so it's all moot.
 
Running on Android is probably a good call. What isn't is not having a trackball as well. The touchscreen ensures compatibility with all games that make use of just the touch screen, but the next common interface would be the keyboard (which the controls can map to) and the trackball on the Magic and Dream. It'd be a pity to have a dedicated Android gaming device that can't play certain games.

As is, it's probably not competing with the Pandora. The Pandora is clearly intended for emulation, while going with Android suggests they're trying to get a bunch of developers of first party games for it, being to Android what the iPod Touch is to the iPhone.
 
Phawx said:
It has 512 MB of RAM as well? I don't know, the price sounds too cheap. I doubt this is OMAP anything. Well, I guess we will have to wait and see. If it does have SGX535 I'd be a bit upset. I still prefer the formfactor of the Pandora however.
Nope, OMAP is TI--this is a Samsung. And sure, the Pandora is much more complex--it has a keyboard, the controls were tested to be juuuust right, etc. etc. The Pandora would take longer to develop, because it has that fine point that devices like the ODROID seem to lack: attention to detail. I mean, I haven't used it yet but, the ODROID seems like it wouldn't really be all that good for gaming. With that power, it needs better controls, plain and simple.
 
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Definitely trying to piggy back on cell phone games.

Looks like no triggers. That really kills this for traditional emulation.

It seems like the controls were bolted on as an afterthought.

The accelerometer is interesting but doesn't help much for on the train/in the car stuff.

One analog stick, two triggers, better attention to the pad quality could have made this more appealing. Also a more bare to the metal OS (I'm just not digging on android).
 
Did anyone notice the battery spec?
Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery
Capacity: 1300 mAh (Replaceable)


That is 1/3 of what Pandora has.
Although it has a smaller screen, it does have a more hungry processor, right?
Are we talking about 3 to 3.5 hours of normal usage here?
 
No qwerty keypad, poor gaming controls, only one SD slot, a smaller screen, shorter battery life, and lack of a current development community still leaves me with the Pandora. It does have some nice features though.
 
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