I Think This Thing Is Going To Be Pretty Popular!

[joele]

I work in IT, but for a large Australian retail chain (name withheld ) and had mentioned the device when chatting to the national games buyer for the company. Well he just called me and told me "your GP2x thing is getting on his nerves".. Apparently nationwide we have had customers coming into our stores asking the staff if we are going to stock the new GP2X. Now he has staff ringing him who have researched it, complaining that we should stock this amazing and open (unlike PSP) device...

Unfortunately he is not interested, and maybe partly rightly so, at least for the moment, this is not a retail store kind of product, as I can see customers complaining of the lack of commercial games, and support here in Australia which we would have to provide to them etc (this may change in time though)... But I am very encouraged and surprised by the response here in Australia, and thought I would share ;-)

I wonder where they are hearing about it that they think they should ask retail stores here for it?

 

[Hooka]

it was on slashdot and a couple other of the major sites, it's gonna be a fun run that's for sure

 

[second exodous]

Probably because it's after the GP32. I didn't know of anyone that heard of the GP32, the only reason I found out about it(late I might add, never was in stock anywhere here in the US) was because I was looking into emulators. Now this is the successor to the GP32, by now quite a few people have heard of the GP32 and head there is a new one coming out. That's my guess anyway.

I have a question since you're from Australia: Is there a DMCA type law there? A while ago there was something on /. that said your government officials were trying to pass a more strict law, haven't heard anything since really. A few people don't think the GPX2 can be officially released here in the USA because it doesn't protect various companies copyright(it can play emulators) but I'm not sure about that. Maybe your country would be the same so your national games buyer for the company doesn't want to stock it?

Thanx,
Stan

 

[joele]

I have a question since you're from Australia: Is there a DMCA type law there? A while ago there was something on /. that said your government officials were trying to pass a more strict law, haven't heard anything since really. A few people don't think the GPX2 can be officially released here in the USA because it doesn't protect various companies copyright(it can play emulators) but I'm not sure about that. Maybe your country would be the same so your national games buyer for the company doesn't want to stock it?

The US are bringing there DMCA laws here... :-(

http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,64898,00.html

Basically they came through the free trade agreement with the US, which is peaving a lot of people off, myself included, I love the quote below from the article above...

"The laws in the U.S. are draconian. They go way too far. If we adopted the U.S. legislation then aspects of it would be outside of our constitution." - not a happy camper.

P.S. Note this article is from last year, I believe it is pretty much in place now..

 

[icurafu]

Hey, I live in Australia, and a friend tells me she can get it from Korea (preorder in Oct 4) for less then $200AU. So I imagine that if these consoles were sold in Australia you would be paying a good deal more then you could get them from alternative sources.

 

[joele]

Hey, I live in Australia, and a friend tells me she can get it from Korea (preorder in Oct 4) for less then $200AU. So I imagine that if these consoles were sold in Australia you would be paying a good deal more then you could get them from alternative sources.

​

Less than AUD$200 is a good deal less than GP32x even without VAT and before shipping, so interesting price. Is that what the American and UK distributors are paying?

 

[second exodous]

Man, the DMCA sucks, along with software patents. I'm sorry, both of them I didn't even hear about until after they were passed. Both came during the Clinton administration, they did a lot of sneaky things, and this was before /. I think. With /. reporting on laws like these I have a chance to complain, I need to do it on this round of broadcast flags.

Thanx,
Stan

 

[DaveC]

  A few people don't think the GPX2 can be officially released here in the USA because it doesn't protect various companies copyright(it can play emulators) but I'm not sure about that.  Maybe your country would be the same so your national games buyer for the company doesn't want to stock it?

Thanx,
Stan

​

Well that doesn't make to much sense. If it were true that you can't sell it because it plays emulators then you couldn't sell PCs, PDAs, cellphones either They just couldn't advertize it as an emu player. All of those devices can play emulators with no "hacking" of the system or firmware. How easy is it to download an emu onto your PC?

So if that is the case they better start banning PCs etc too


I think they COULD sell the GP2X in some stores. They could sell them in computer stores like CompUSA as a linux DIY setup and PMP especially since it comes with an SDK. Linux geeks would go mental over this thing. Now they could bring their GP2Xs around to show other g33k5 how l337 they are with their linux coding skillz

 

[second exodous]

Ah, but Nintendo's and Sony's(big companies with game handhelds) lawers won't use the obvious in court, they'll twist it around. See, even if you know you're right doesn't mean you think you should win, it's how much money you have to keep the lawers in court to protect your right to sell your product. It's just safer for GPH to not officially release the GPX2 in the US because they don't have the money to fight off the bigger companies. The problem is also compounded by the fact that in the information age it's hard for people to keep up knowledge if you don't use it every day Judges are too old to know about emulators and hardware, they can't make a rational decision. Live in the US and learn, the all might dollar always wins.

Thanx,
Stan

 

[icurafu]

The Americans are Paying US$190 for the GP2X.

So it is nearly Aussie dollar to American dollar.

But this all depends on the Australian performance, or misperformance against the Korean won.

So, it's a sweet deal.

 

[Alpha2]

Well that doesn't make to much sense. If it were true that you can't sell it because it plays emulators then you couldn't sell PCs, PDAs, cellphones either They just couldn't advertize it as an emu player. All of those devices can play emulators with no "hacking" of the system or firmware. How easy is it to download an emu onto your PC?

So if that is the case they better start banning PCs etc too


I think they COULD sell the GP2X in some stores. They could sell them in computer stores like CompUSA as a linux DIY setup and PMP especially since it comes with an SDK. Linux geeks would go mental over this thing. Now they could bring their GP2Xs around to show other g33k5 how l337 they are with their linux coding skillz

​

Exactly, the GP2X dosent "play roms" the programs that individual people make for it do. As long as the device itself complys with the major technical requirements (which it should easily, as I dont see it blowing up or anything) there's nothing to stop anyone from selling it... unless GPH themselves play up the emulation and risk litegation.

As for selling in stores, it's jujst not that type of device. I can't see how Slashdotters would be expecting it to show up in a CompUSA or something, that's just silly. There has to be some other mainstream news outlet reporting on it and misrepreseinting it as a mass market commercial device.

 

[slygamer]

Hey, I live in Australia, and a friend tells me she can get it from Korea (preorder in Oct 4) for less then $200AU. So I imagine that if these consoles were sold in Australia you would be paying a good deal more then you could get them from alternative sources.

​

Less than AUD$200 is a good deal less than GP32x even without VAT and before shipping, so interesting price. Is that what the American and UK distributors are paying?

​

The price from both GP32Z (US) and GBAx (UK) is US$189.99 before shipping. That comes to AUD$251.09. If it could be obtained from Korea for less than US$151.32 (AUD$200), a US$39 saving, then I'm sure a lot of people would be cancelling their orders with the official UK and US distributors and buying them from Korea.

I work as a lead programmer for a third-party games developer in Australia (major consoles only, handheld ports of our games are farmed out to sub-contractors), and hardly any of the guys here that I've talked to about the GP2x had even heard of the GP32, let alone the GP2x.

A major stumbling block to getting this unit into retail stores is the total lack of information so far on commercial titles that will be available. Is there any information available? If a retail outlet is going to stock this unit, they want a range of commercial titles available alongside it, preferably at launch time. Major retail chains are not going to care about the fact that people can write their own games for it. They want titles that people can purchase and play. It is going to have to sit on the shelves alongside the PSP and DS and try to hold its own in terms of available games.

 

[DaveC]

A major stumbling block to getting this unit into retail stores is the total lack of information so far on commercial titles that will be available.  Is there any information available?  If a retail outlet is going to stock this unit, they want a range of commercial titles available alongside it, preferably at launch time.  Major retail chains are not going to care about the fact that people can write their own games for it.  They want titles that people can purchase and play.  It is going to have to sit on the shelves alongside the PSP and DS and try to hold its own in terms of available games.

​

I don't think it should be in places that sell game consoles like the PSP etc. I say don't even sell it as a game console at all. Sell it in niche computer stores as a media player and a do it yourself linux hobbiest platform. That would kind of be a trojan horse, as soon as word got out about the other stuff like emus and ports it would get a growing niche following that would even leak into the mainstream a bit (word of mouth). Sure it wouldn't sell gobs that way but it would sell much better than if it wasn't available a US store at all like now. Everyone knows it can't compete with Sony and Nintendo. I say don't try to compete with them. Go for an alternative approach.

I have even seen a mall kiosk seller (in US) selling Xbox modding service that mods Xboxes with mod chips to play 3muz, R0mZ and W4R3Z. If THAT is legal I am sure the GP2X is fine.

 

[joele]

I can't see how Slashdotters would be expecting it to show up in a CompUSA or something, that's just silly. There has to be some other mainstream news outlet reporting on it and misrepreseinting it as a mass market commercial device.

​

Agreed for our customers to be asking about it something more mainstream than slashdot has reported on it...

 

[Alpha2]

I could see a place like the Sharper Image store selling it, they have all manner of alternative products, and may are actually pretty cool when you see them upclose. Stragnky enough I'm kinda suprised I've never seen a GP32 in any chinatown gaming shops, I've seen Gamekings and stuff before but never one of these. It's not like they wouldnt know about it but I guess with such a strong online following they know they can't sell them for $225 downtown if the customers all know the real price, unlike all the other overpriced imports I see.

 

[craigix]

While I was in Korea I noticed most things were more expensive than Europe/USA. If you want cheap stuff it has to be Hong Kong

 

[Esn]

While I was in Korea I noticed most things were more expensive than Europe/USA. If you want cheap stuff it has to be Hong Kong

​

OK, but I think that the GP32 (when it was still in stores) was also a lot cheaper in Korea. Not like it matters anyway - they don't ship internationally.