Light Review Of The Caanoo

[aesir911]

(edit: thanks mod!). Well, since I do not have any gph former devices beside the wiz, I will compare it with that (and the dingoo). And since I do not have any games on it, I will let someone else review that.


Analog Stick / Control Pad:
Caanoo - 7/10
Wiz - 3/10
Dingoo - 5/10
(The Caanoo analog stick is much better than expected. It is very sensitive and reliable, and not quite as crowded as the wiz. Although I personally like it, GPH could have added a directional pad as well (like the psp and upcoming 3DS).)

Shoulder Buttons:
Caanoo - 1/10
Wiz - 4/10
Dingoo - 5/10
(Well... They look nice, but they are just absolute pieces of junk. No sensitivity whatsoever.)

Other General Buttons:
Caanoo - 9/10
Wiz - 2/10
Dingoo - 4/10
(Such a great improvement externally. The buttons are absolutely amazing. From the power switch to the home button even to the new volume switch. GPH did a superb job (besides the bumpers).)

Screen Display:
Caanoo - 7/10
Wiz - 8/10
Dingoo - 4/10
(The Caanoo and the Wiz are basically the same.)

Screen:
Caanoo - 8/10
Wiz - 3/10
Dingoo - 2/10
(Wow! It's not an iphone sensitivity screen, but it sure is close. The screen just looks so beautiful and works well in most lighting conditions. It is not "flaky" like the wiz screen when you tap it (those who own a wiz will understand what I mean). Plus it has g-sensor! The Dingoo screen isn't touch oriented so... it scores poorly.)

Shell:
Caanoo - 10/10
Wiz - 3/10
Dingoo - 5/10
(It's PSP quality, just gonna let that speak for itself).

Ports For Adapters And USB:
Caanoo - 4/10
Wiz - 6/10
Dingoo - 4/10
(GPH put flaps over the adapters which can become annoying, especially if you have a wi-fi dongle or a charger plugged in most of the time. I never remember complaining about the Wiz's, although I wish it did have a USB port.)

Menu:
Caanoo - 8/10
Wiz - 5/10
Dingoo - 5/10
(What a great improvement. It could almost put Sony to shame... almost.)


Recommendation:

If you are interested in your first emulation device:
Caanoo - 8/10
Wiz - 6/10
Dingoo - 7/10

If you are ready to uprade your emulator device:
Caanoo - 6/10
Wiz - 3/10
Dingoo - 1/10

Let me tell you now, I LOVE the Wiz (and the dingoo is okay). I would have never rated it so bad if I had never seen the Caanoo. It is worth the upgrade just for the feel and quality of the build (even though software is not an improvement). If you have a dingoo... time to throw that thing out the window. It is useless now, the wiz had better hardware than the dingoo, but didn't feel as good while playing. The Caanoo trounces the external feel and internal capabilities of the dingoo (and yes, I own a dingoo as well). GPH is starting to grow there company, promote more community support, and sells their own games (whereas dingoo is basically good as dead). They have the best chance out of any small time videogame company to make it somewhere in the world.

 

[RupeeClock]

Sorry, but what do you mean by "Bumpers"??
...The shoulder buttons, L and R?

 

[Optimus]

Are the shoulder buttons really that bad? Why exactly?

I was really thinking about buying a Caanoo because as I have seen from screenshots and videos the shape and buttons and stick are exactly very similar to what I loved from the GP32. Clicky stick, slider for volume (I disliked the buttons on GP2X and Wiz and total absence of it in Dingoo, because I have seen ports without volume adjustment (I made the same mistake with my ports on GP2X too ) and shoulder buttons that at least seem to be big enough and extend on the sides as I original wanted them and missed them in other handhelds (The Wiz shoulder buttons are on the up side and small, Dingoo ones are even worse, I can't explain, they are in the upper side away from the corners, very small, not confortable for my fingers).

So I believed by the pictures and videos that the should buttons where exactly what I wanted, but of course I don't know how they feel in reality when you press them and how confortable they are. So what is the real problem?

I am still thinking seriously of buying a Caanoo soon, even if it's just an upgrade from Wiz. It's just the shape/buttons/nostalgy of GP32 and hope it will be an upgrade of Wiz to the better.

And I hope the scene will port and release enough new stuff fort this one too.

 

[aesir911]

well... let me try to explain better. they are some of the most resistive buttons i have ever experienced. i'm not quite sure, but it seems like you have to push so hard that it would force you to move the analog stick when pressing them. this could obviously screw you over when playing a game. about 40% of the shoulder pads entire surface area is impossible to press down. it might loosen up as you play it, but i highly doubt it.

 

[glezmen]

the dingoo shoulder buttons are awful. small, hard to find (they are in the same level with the case, even hard to find them if you are not get used to them), the WIZ shoulder buttons are very good: easy to find with your fingers, easy to press

 

[raindog]

I don´t find the analog stick in my Wiz, luckily is in garanty. I´m impressed that the Caanoo lcd screen is better than the wiz oled, that makes doubt about all the review. And if you are interested in emulation Dingoo and Wiz have much more emulators today, so i think that right now Caanoo isn´t the best choice.

Sorry for my poor english.

 

[aesir911]

Sorry for my poor english.

lots of people use google translate. you could try that.

as to the more emulating possibilities with the wiz and dingoo, just wait a couple of weeks. the gp32x file archive will be overflowing with caanoo emulators.

 

[raindog]

Sorry for my poor english.

lots of people use google translate. you could try that.

Yes, i could do that, but in that case i wont learn.

 

[aesir911]

Sorry for my poor english.

lots of people use google translate. you could try that.

Yes, i could do that, but in that case i wont learn.

could you try it for your other post, cause i didnt understand a few things?

 

[raindog]

I´m gonna try to say it in a diferent way.

I find hard to believe that the Caanoo screen is better than the Wiz one. The oled screen has its flaws, but in the end the quality of its image it´s unbeatable, no ghosting, true black, more contrast, better colors...

It seems that you compare the Caanoo´s analog stick and the Wiz´s dpad like they were the same kind of control.

And finally you have more emulators in Wiz and Caanoo right now. I hope that in the future all the emulators and games will be ported to Caanoo, maybe then í`ll buy it.

Sorry again, and thanks for your patience.

 

[BlackPowderDoc]

Well, in fairness to the Caanoo, it only got in peoples' hands yesterday, today, and tomorrow, and that's for the very earliest adopters! You have to give the developer types time to actually develop!

 

[Amon_Re]

If you are interested in your first emulation device:
Caanoo - 8/10
Wiz - 6/10
Dingoo - 7/10

I can't believe you actually rate the Dingoo higher then the Wiz, not to mention the rates you have to it's screen and all, the Wiz has an OLED screen that beats just about any handheld gaming device out there, sure, it's got a limited lifespan, but it's not like you'll be using the Wiz for the next 20 years... Not to mention the difference in CPU performance, the Wiz is a lot more powerfull then a Dingoo, and has double the ram.

Seriously, i call your ratings dung.

Let me tell you now, I LOVE the Wiz (and the dingoo is okay).

Not according to your review, you almost always rate the Dingoo higher then the Wiz....

I would have never rated it so bad if I had never seen the Caanoo. It is worth the upgrade just for the feel and quality of the build (even though software is not an improvement). If you have a dingoo... time to throw that thing out the window. It is useless now, the wiz had better hardware than the dingoo, but didn't feel as good while playing.

I disagree, i have both a Wiz & a Dingoo, the Dingoo hasn't been turned on in months now, i don't even remember where i put it to be honest, it's buggy (there's that glitch with those buttons meaning you can't make some combo's), it's got an amazingly crappy OS, and to do anything usefull on it you have to install Linux who has (or had) file corruption issue's. As for the 'feel' while playing, the Wiz feels a lot better to hold in my hands for extended periods of time, it's not perfect, but better then the Dingoo.

The Caanoo trounces the external feel and internal capabilities of the dingoo (and yes, I own a dingoo as well). GPH is starting to grow there company, promote more community support, and sells their own games (whereas dingoo is basically good as dead). They have the best chance out of any small time videogame company to make it somewhere in the world.

GPH is carving out a niche, and i hope they are successful, they're one of the few companies out there who make these kinds of handhelds, the Chinese make some nice looking PMP's too, but nothing as open as GPH their gear

 

[Nova]

The shoulder buttons are fine on my unit, maybe yours need some breaking in. They're certainly better (and larger) than the Wiz ones.

As for Screen/Analog Stick the Caanoo shouldn't be beating the Wiz in those areas by such a considerable margin. For me, they are on a par. I love the Wiz screen, but it's a bit grainy. Otherwise, it would be tons better than the Caanoo's screen. But it's just as good.

 

[u9i]

I agree with nova. Surely looking at the two screens at the same time will show you just how much more vivid an AMOLED screen really is.

 

[johncross85]

The Dingoo (A320) screen is rubbish. The build quality is fair. The buttons are okay. The OS isn't great. BUT it is very small and it is very cheap.

Comparing the Caanoo to the Wiz is a good idea because they are by the same company and have similar price points. If you are going to include devices with completely different prices then you may as well include an iPhone 4:

Build Quality
Caanoo: 7
Dingoo: 5
iPhone: 9

Phone Reception
Caanoo: 0
Dingoo: 0
iPhone: 1

john

 

[Amon_Re]

The Dingoo (A320) screen is rubbish. The build quality is fair. The buttons are okay. The OS isn't great. BUT it is very small and it is very cheap.

Comparing the Caanoo to the Wiz is a good idea because they are by the same company and have similar price points. If you are going to include devices with completely different prices then you may as well include an iPhone 4:

Build Quality
Caanoo: 7
Dingoo: 5
iPhone: 9

Phone Reception
Caanoo: 0
Dingoo: 0
iPhone: 1

john

Clearly it's not the new iPhone you're comparing it to, with it's grip of death

 

[aesir911]

If you are interested in your first emulation device:
Caanoo - 8/10
Wiz - 6/10
Dingoo - 7/10

I can't believe you actually rate the Dingoo higher then the Wiz, not to mention the rates you have to it's screen and all, the Wiz has an OLED screen that beats just about any handheld gaming device out there, sure, it's got a limited lifespan, but it's not like you'll be using the Wiz for the next 20 years... Not to mention the difference in CPU performance, the Wiz is a lot more powerfull then a Dingoo, and has double the ram.

Seriously, i call your ratings dung.

Let me tell you now, I LOVE the Wiz (and the dingoo is okay).

Not according to your review, you almost always rate the Dingoo higher then the Wiz....

I would have never rated it so bad if I had never seen the Caanoo. It is worth the upgrade just for the feel and quality of the build (even though software is not an improvement). If you have a dingoo... time to throw that thing out the window. It is useless now, the wiz had better hardware than the dingoo, but didn't feel as good while playing.

I disagree, i have both a Wiz & a Dingoo, the Dingoo hasn't been turned on in months now, i don't even remember where i put it to be honest, it's buggy (there's that glitch with those buttons meaning you can't make some combo's), it's got an amazingly crappy OS, and to do anything usefull on it you have to install Linux who has (or had) file corruption issue's. As for the 'feel' while playing, the Wiz feels a lot better to hold in my hands for extended periods of time, it's not perfect, but better then the Dingoo.

The Caanoo trounces the external feel and internal capabilities of the dingoo (and yes, I own a dingoo as well). GPH is starting to grow there company, promote more community support, and sells their own games (whereas dingoo is basically good as dead). They have the best chance out of any small time videogame company to make it somewhere in the world.

GPH is carving out a niche, and i hope they are successful, they're one of the few companies out there who make these kinds of handhelds, the Chinese make some nice looking PMP's too, but nothing as open as GPH their gear

wow... just wow. if you are going to attack me, first ask questions and then attack me. because i found flaws in everyone of your feeble attacks. anyways, i rate the dingoo higher than the wiz for first emulator because it is cheaper and easier to use for first time users. the wiz screen had lots of tearing issues, problems with emulating, and the touch screen activation was horrible (although the quality of the pictures was amazing). I rate the dingoo higher than the wiz on almost everything because EXTERNALLY I like it better than the wiz. remember that i am not comparing hardware, emulating possibilities, fan base, etc. as for your next attack, whether you realize it or not, you agree with me! and then i guess the wiz just fit your hands better than it did mine, the dingoo felt alot better.

 

[Optimus]

I thought that the dingoo emulator grade was given because of the fact that it came with integrated emulators. One concept that I found interesting and liked at first, to buy the machine and already have some emuls with it presented in a way that was even transparent or neat at first, making you think you are running for example GBA roms like you were running native apps. Of course the Wiz has some better and faster emuls (GBA almost ok with frame rate in Dingoo, sometimes jumpy but in wiz it's perfect) so I think it's better. But I only thought the higher marks for dingoo was for that reason. But I don't mind, it's just an opinion of a reviewer anyway.

I just order my Caanoo from this site. I did so because it was in UK and because I will be in the same address in London definitely before 4 of September but maybe not after. They say preorders 27/08/10 which is Friday, so I think and hope I will get it till before the date I won't be sure which my address will be. Anyway, I hope nothing wrong is going because after 15 I might go back to Greece if I can't find a job here and then I will have to contact them again and give them the address of a friend in UK to get it for me (and whenever I did that with friends in other cities, problems occured or I never show my ordered stuff again, hahaha a friend in Athens still think the Amiga he got for me is his own now )

I am really curious to get it. I think it's the first time I will get a console so early at it's release. For me it will be very funny and interesting that I will look at the file archive and I will only find 3 games and a Spectrum emulator (Oh crap, there is MAME too . It will be funny because I will have not much to do with it which will feel weird and maybe start deving something instead. It will be also a unique experience to see something new released and be greatful for a single release, this is great let's download and try it. I am never impatient or bitchy about not finding much software anyway. For me those handhelds are interesting machines for developing at first. From the other side, in few months we might see enough good stuff from the community. I am amazed how frequently we see new stuff for the Pandora now after it's release (how many months is it? I don't remember)

But I am really hot for my Caanoo. Do the post office works at Saturday in UK? Hopefully YEESSSS!!! Or else, good patience till Monday or more..

p.s. I don't understand that comment about the english, wouldn't a translator service make them sound more bad, random and funny?

 

[u9i]

Aren't they pretty much exactly the same size, the Wiz and the Dingoo?

Good one with the iphone, John

 

[aesir911]

The Dingoo (A320) screen is rubbish. The build quality is fair. The buttons are okay. The OS isn't great. BUT it is very small and it is very cheap.

Comparing the Caanoo to the Wiz is a good idea because they are by the same company and have similar price points. If you are going to include devices with completely different prices then you may as well include an iPhone 4:

Build Quality
Caanoo: 7
Dingoo: 5
iPhone: 9

Phone Reception
Caanoo: 0
Dingoo: 0
iPhone: 1

john

i added the dingoo, because there is a large percentage of users on here who love the dingoo and hate the wiz. so i thought i would compare the dingoo to the new caanoo. plus they are basically the same devices, whereas a phone is pushing it.