GCW Zero - Open Source Gaming Handheld

[craigix]

This is a prototype teaser video so to answer your question yes we are involved in most of the hardware development and all the software of this console. The case is similar to the Gemei A330 but not exact duplicate.

So we're not going to open this up to discover it's just another rebranded Dingoo? If so you will be very welcome on these boards.


But please, if we're going to find this console for sale in China, made by the same people who made the Dingoo (etc.) then tell us now

You know that the hardware is different, vastly improved over the Dingoo. Why would it be a problem if it turned out the devices were being manufactured in the same factories as the A320 and were mostly compatible?

As well as their poor quality in general (which Ed has covered), I want to know if this is a genuinely unique device, or if it's just going to be the new device from the makers of the Dingoo, and this GCW company is nothing more than a distributor.

 

[Mr_Loon]

@ GCW : Thanks for explaining a bit more about your forthcoming handheld. I've got a couple of questions :


1) Where are GCW based?


2) What price do you expect the GCW Zero to retail for?

 

[Nintendo]

I'm going to make a small edit on the topic title.

 

[gibberish]

You know that the hardware is different, vastly improved over the Dingoo. Why would it be a problem if it turned out the devices were being manufactured in the same factories as the A320 and were mostly compatible?

Probably mostly because of quality issues.


I stopped selling the Dingoo as 3 out of 10 died within a few months. It cost me more than made money.


Yep, most of the time it was the issue that one coil got ripped off the PCB which needed to be replaced, but I needed to repair this all myself, cover the shipping costs, needed the time to do that, etc.


We don't know much about GCW yet, we don't know where the company is located, if it's their first device, etc.


I hope they either have a good PCB production company with long-living PCBs or some good after sales service.


GPH had both - I could sell the devices for a good price and GPH had a warranty repair center that took care of everything and very little devices failed.


As mentioned, I would be very happy to get a new device similar to the Caanoo, as the Caanoo is most probably at the end of its life and the Pandora, while it's a great device, is surely overkill for a lot of users who just want a small OpenSource device to play games for a little price.


So if price, quality, availability, etc. is fine, I'd be happy to sell it.

I see. I wasn't aware of any QC issues with the Dingoo, I've had 3 units (sold my 1st white one when the black version came out, smashed the 2nd black one, 3rd one still working) and they've all been wonderful to me.


I see your reservations then. Hopefully these will be better.

As well as their poor quality in general (which Ed has covered), I want to know if this is a genuinely unique device, or if it's just going to be the new device from the makers of the Dingoo, and this GCW company is nothing more than a distributor.

But why does it matter that it's unique?

 

[jutleys]

The device will sell for $100 to $110

 

[Nintendo]

Got a link, mate?

 

[gcw]

We will hopefully drop the price to about $95.00 but currently projected retail price is $100.00 to $110.00. As For where are we based our main office is in the MidWest USA. The item is being manufactured in china and tested and boxed here in America if I could produce it here in America at a reasonable price I would but that at this point just is not in the cards right now.


After testing the dual soc prototype we have abandon that progress forward and have reverted to a one soc which is the video teaser you have viewed from QbertAddict we had way more issue with our dual soc idea than it was worth to take the time and figure out.

 

[Nintendo]

Sweet~ Sounds good, mate. Hoping for the best.

 

[Saber]

As For where are we based our main office is in the MidWest USA. The item is being manufactured in china and tested and boxed here in America if I could produce it here in America at a reasonable price I would but that at this point just is not in the cards right now.

Not to be a snoop, but are you Justin from the respected Dingoo Digital USA? The reason i'm asking is that his storefront is in Missouri and like you, he was planning on making a game handheld that never materialized past the planning stages a few years ago. This would be a welcome development if you are by the way.

 

[gibberish]

As For where are we based our main office is in the MidWest USA. The item is being manufactured in china and tested and boxed here in America if I could produce it here in America at a reasonable price I would but that at this point just is not in the cards right now.

Not to be a snoop, but are you Justin from the respected Dingoo Digital USA? The reason i'm asking is that his storefront is in Missouri and like you, he was planning on making a game handheld that never materialized past the planning stages a few years ago. This would be a welcome development if you are by the way.

I wondered the same

 

[Nintendo]

Good 'ol Justin.

 

[jutleys]

Well if its Justin or not that don't matter what matters is that he has got quite a few people excited about this release and hope he can pull it off and that it is genuine.This can be a very successfull device if he pulls it off and tells the truth about release dates and features not like other company's that I have delt with I won't mention names but I am sure they know.Well all we are asking that this device gets released and it is what you say it is and not another Chinese pmp we are all counting on you don't let us down your our only hope may the force be with you my friend.

 

[quartercast]

The device will sell for $100 to $110

We will hopefully drop the price to about $95.00 but currently projected retail price is $100.00 to $110.00.

Is there some connection here that's not immediately apparent?


Both joined up yesterday, etc... I see Prom has checked your profile jutleys

 

[Prometheus]

Both joined up yesterday, etc... I see Prom has checked your profile jutleys

Haha, no. I just thought that I'd seen the name (or a similar one) in another thread before and wondered where (thus, tried to see what other threads had been posted in), but it turned out I hadn't. I still can't figure out who I was actually thinking of.


[/off-topic]


I am a little confused as to how jutleys named the price before gcw did, though...

 

[quartercast]

For sure. Maybe an IP check is in order?

 

[Prometheus]

^ That's something we do anyway to check for issues. They're not the same person.

 

[quartercast]

Hmm, intriguing

 

[Prometheus]

I'm just assuming that the GCW Zero has already been reported on elsewhere.

 

[quartercast]

Well, there's a bit of back-and-forth in the comments section here, including couple of comments from qbertaddict and another interesting comment from username Jay Monroe:

We are currently looking for resellers worldwide and will allow


Only two resellers/vendors per country. If you’re interested in making orders for the


Consoles please contact me @ GCWNow@gmail.com to make arrangements for a fulfillment


Contract on release date. Tentatively release date in Mid July to Early August 2012.


Developers may also contact me for interest in development on the unit and we can arrange


To send you a prototype at discounted cost for the console.

http://www.youtube.c...s?v=6cN2wZM28Gw


Aaaand more from GCW in comments section below.

There have been a lot of questions as of late about the prototype Qbertaddict has


Been reviewing and testing for further development. As for answers here they are in


No particular order.


We are currently looking for resellers worldwide and will allow


Only two resellers/vendors per country. If you’re interested in making orders for the


Consoles please contact me @ GCWNow@gmail.com to make arrangements for a fulfillment


Contract on release date. Tentatively release date in Mid July to Early August 2012.


Developers may also contact me for interest in development on the unit and we can arrange


To send you a prototype at discounted cost for the console.


1. What is the current OS? The current OS is based on Linux 2.6 but will hopefully be


Open Dingux by release date.


2. What is the menu system? That is currently under wraps but we are working on a


Completely new menu system for it and hopefully will be done before release. If not


We may go to GMenu2x with permission of the developer of course.


3. There are two 1 GHz processors under clocked to 800 MHz with potential to over clock


To 1.2 GHz. It also has a FPU and a 3D GPU clocked at 496 MHz


4. Memory is 256MB DDR2


5. Internal Storage is 4GB but can be bumped to 8GB or 16GB by release date.


6. External storage is MicroSD and capable of supporting 32GB MicroSD card we think


It can support 64GB but this has not been tested as of yet.


7. It has G-Sensor and Vibro shock built into the system.


8. The analog nub currently is mapped to duplicate D-pad moves but will be changed


To independent mapping so it can be used as separate controller


9. The console has HDMI out and Analog TV out and is capable of 1080P on the HDMI TV-out.


10. The console has Wi-Fi built in and is 802.11b/802.11g

According to interest from community we may make a console with the Android OS and a Capacitive screen on the same hardware but that is a plan for the future not at present as we want to focus on this device at present.

The projected retail price is $100.00 to $110.00. As For where are we based our main office is in the MidWest USA. The item is being manufactured in china and tested and boxed here in America if I could produce it here in America at a reasonable price I would but that at this point just is not in the cards right now.


After testing the dual soc prototype we have abandon that progress forward and have reverted to a one soc which is the video teaser you have viewed from QbertAddict we had way more issue with out dual soc idea than it was worth to take the time and figure out.

http://obscurehandhe...tual-successor/

 

[jutleys]

I am inocent just a bystander that loves retro gaming I knew the price because I had a direct email from monroe when I requested some info on the unit.