Caanoo-Wiz-Pandora-Psp-Unnamed Console?

[darshie]

 

Well, at that point you can get a psp modded and run all that you need decently, for that price. 200 bucks are a lot of money for a simple game console...dunno about you but I can get a full laptop for that price, which play "also" emulators The Caanoo and Wiz were interesting (like the a320), because they were a bit above 100 dollars, but if I gotta expect to spend more than that, for a portable console, I think that nothing beats the PSP at that point....you have a region free console that plays awesome games, and can use the emulators if you unlock it to play anything.

The zero is interesting but if it still has a kickstart page, means that there will be no chance to get something in working condition with warranty for quite a while (and I was one of the few that took the risk and purchased one of the first GP32, so it is not like I don't support new platforms). I saw some that has a prototype, and they work pretty well, but it is quite a risk to invest all these money honestly.

I think your quandary is one that's been assessed many times on this board since 2005... I'm here to get an open source handheld, one that encourages tinkering, not one that I have to "crack" or have someone else crack to work properly. I had a PSP once upon a time, and I got rid of it for the GP2X. Don't want to tread down that road again.

I have a laptop so that's not what I'm looking for. I wouldn't be here otherwise

 
Agree, the PSP is not open source, but it depends on how much weight you give to that, compared to get the features that you want.
 
I enjoy my time coding for the PSP; I will never go to work for Sony or a game company (even because outside JP the PSP is dead basically); and does not really matter if it is open source or not. Sometimes is easier to update the firmware of a PSP, compared to be able to write something that work on open source devices (at least it was like that for the GP32; that was my last open source platform, I code mainly for windows or osx).
 
If for tinkering you mean run home-brew apps, or unsigned apps, then is one thing; if you mean to be able to write code for that platform without using libraries that requires a license, and that does not allow you to see the source code, then is another story. It all goes down to what is your target and what are your needs in the end So far I think that nothing beats the Caanoo for features and price (and community, which is the main thing if you are a developer).
 
Of course that's my take; doesn't mean that the Caanoo is the panacea for everybody I am just pointing out that for me is a waste to buy something if the PSP already play what I wanna play, but that's me of course.
 
I used to collect all the console, included the portable ones (I still owe a PC engine GT, which works just fine), but now what I need is space and flexibility.
 
I have a laptop too, I was looking for a small device to just play games, and that's why I am here when at home nothing beats the emulator running full speed on a desktop, while on the go the laptop is my workhorse....altho there are these cases where you can't stand to have a laptop (airplane, road trip), and all that you want is something small to play your games at full speed and quality. Again it all boils down to what you need ....I don't want to spend hundreds to play games, when I already spent thousands for a mac pro and a macbook air

 

[darshie]

 

 

Darshie, they do have some cheaper ones on Ebay, http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=caanoo&_sacat=0&_from=R40
 
You have to search specifically for Caanoo, not GP2X.

 
Thanks for the link!
 
These are quite expensive thou....if you add shipping we go close to the 200 dollars; while I have heard that you can get some used Caanoo for  much less (and possibly sold in USA instead than coming all the way from Korea.
 
I would gladly spend max 100-120 for one; I think that it is a fair price for it (which was the price that thinkgeek was selling them at, right?).
 
I will keep an eye on the board and ebay to see if anything pops up
 

Yeah, used is probably the cheapest you'll find. I more or less just meant the top three postings on that link I gave you. $149 with free shipping isn't bad but it's still more than what they used to go for.
You should also check the "Trading" forum on the OpenPandora boards, sometimes GPH consoles show up there for decent prices. GameSuave still has them in stock but they charge shipping on top of the $140 price tag.
 

Thanks for the hint...I lost a good deal in USA for 89 bucks because I forgot to check the auction....nobody made an offer and the guy just didn't posted it anymore.
 
That was a used one with wifi dongle, box, manuals and a memory card; not bad!
 
If they would be more rare, I would get one as investment for 150; but it doesn't seems that it will have too much of a high status as collectible item...and that sucks I still see gp32 going for less than 200, while I sold mine for a bit more than 250 4 years ago.
 
Oh, so they have Gp's on the openpandora forum? I just checked there few times to see what all this fuss was about, and like the pandora; but then I saw the price tag (and the one for the used first batch) and just told myself that most likely with a bit of patience, you can build something similar with these small arm boards that goes for less than a hundred...they will not be as pretty of course; but that device is quite big and bulky anyway, at least compared to the Caanoo or the wiz. With a bit of patience you can make a little brick with cheap parts
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-AlAt8p78E
 
Not taking away anything from the brilliant people that made the pandora, but let's face the fact that 4 years ago something like that was incredible to realize, while today you have a bunch of cheap solutions to build portable devices, so somehow it is possible for someone with decent skillset to build their own variant of the pandora.
 
Sorry for the OT; I will check their board...maybe I can find a pandora for less than 200 and a Caanoo