PGS Windows 10 gaming handheld - GPD WIN competitor

[thatgui]

But to play along here, they do say that they will get call functionality working from the Windows side if they reach $400K. It's one of their stretch goals.

Did not take a look at the new/current Kickstarter - page before making that comment. Now that I did I even less confident that this thing will happen..but anyway, could someone explain to me how stretchgoal #1 could work out ? I thought the thing in between the controls in the lower part is a display > how can virtual buttons on a screen have backlight ?

 

[vcoleiro1]

@thatgui

They are talking about the gaming buttons etc. ie not a reference to a keyboard in any way

 

[Foxgod]

So did you back them for a unit, or at a lower tier? If you will be receiving one I would love to read your thoughts and experiences once you have it. It also interests me how well installing and using other OSs works (Linux and such).

Also, don't let the opinions of the rest of us influence your decisions or feelings. I am glad you are backing them, and that they are trying to make this thing. Even if it isn't exactly for me, it is a pretty good idea (and I would probably prefer this to the Win, even if it seems they are biting off way more than they can chew...many wouldn't even try).

I am not easily offended , its all perspective anyway, and how people deal with it.
And yes, i backed for the Hardcore early bird, il make sure to let my opinion know on this board, it wont be delivered until March 2017 tho, but il post my thoughts on it by then. if it all works out.

 

[erico]

What a load of crap on this pipe dream handheld. I went to look over who are the ones involved and what they did before and found just the "group of enthusiasts" deal. It could work some 10 years ago (no it couldn´t this easy). Heck, this is so bad it makes the gpd win 10 looks good.

 

[vcoleiro1]

Ok, I mentioned this early in this thread, but I'll mention it again as a challenge to others here.

I couldn't find anything on PGSLAB LLC. I tried looking them up to see if they are a registered company and couldn't find a thing.

So I open the challenge to you all. See if you guys can find anything that confirms they are a real registered company. They are supposedly based in Detroit, MI according to the Kickstarter. There are 20 odd PGS's in that area that I saw, non seem to be them.

 

[EvilDragon]

Let's recap:

• Product doesn't have an existing prototype (and two months ago they stated they are working on a prototype and don't want to run a Kickstarter before the real prototype can be shown).
• According to the breakdown, their production costs are lower than Apples production costs. But an iPhone has a lower res screen (and only one), a simple case, better prices for parts (some are being produced by Apple themselves, some are being bought in billions).
• They've made a professional looking video, but the video of the real prototype is hidden at the end and tricks people into thinking this is a real one (look at the comments: Most don't even realize it's a Surface, iPega and Cube butchered together in a quickly printed case).
  
• They have no known product, but claim they have some of the best developers...
• They plan to deliver in March 2017, but don't even have anything remotely prototype-like. If they produce in China, they can't produce in February (Chinese New Year). That's less time than the GPD Win has and GPD has experience with that (and based the Win a lot on the previous models they have).

That sounds really realistic, right?

 

[vcoleiro1]

If I remember correctly, GPD, or I should say Softwin, is an OEM. That's why they can do things fast. So there's that on top of things.

Look, so PGSLAB is a company with seven people who are not taking a salary for 9 months . So they haven't made anything before. And so what if they don't have a prototype despite supposedly spending 2 years working on the PGS. Pffft. That's just negative talk, I mean their site hosted in Russia doesn't mean it's not legit. So what if they are cramming more into the PGS than logic might say could even fit. And those telescopic sticks that retract into all those components, of course they are real , just because a search for them draws a blank - big deal, means nothing. And being able to create products for seemingly less than part cost doesn't mean it's impossible.

And someone said that photo realistic renders and not showing an explicit working prototype is against KS rules . I'm sure they are more like guidelines than rules. And just because the Skarp Laser Razor got booted from KS for violating those guidelines, means nothing. I'm sure it had nothing to do with guidelines or rules, I'm sure Kickstarter just wanted that project canceled to stop people from having a close shave. Everyone knows KS hates smooth skin.

I really don't see the issues here. You guys are just being ridiculously negative.

I would have backed it myself , but when I was going through the features and ticking off all my dream wants, it was missing one crucial thing. The only thing that stopped me backing it . It didn't have a flux capacitor. Oh well, next time.

 

[rygD]

ED, I think most of us are in agreement that it is all very questionable, but I am pretty sure what we all really want to know something you didn't mention: If they manage to use magic or print their own money and make this actually happen, will you try to become a reseller?
[doublepost=1467378346,1467377953][/doublepost]

I would have backed it myself , but when I was going through the features and ticking off all my dream wants, it was missing one crucial thing. The only thing that stopped me backing it . It didn't have a flux capacitor. Oh well, next time.

It would be a bit pointless to put a flux capacitor in it since they need a bit more power than is provided by the battery, and it needs to be going 88 miles per hour to see the serious shit I suspect you want to see.

 

[vcoleiro1]

I forgot to mention, and I'm being serious now. Out of interest, they say at the bottom of the KS page this:

"Preliminary agreements with independent investors guarantee us proper realization of the project, even in case if there are any additional expenses due to various reasons. "

 

[rygD]

I forgot to mention, and I'm being serious now.

You weren't earlier?

 

[Agricola]

They actually posted the fequencies of the LTE module:
4G: FDD-LTE: Bands 1(2100MHz)/3(1800MHz)/7(2600MHz), TDD-LTE: Bands 38(TD2600)/39(TD1900)/40(TD2300)/41(TD2500)
3G: TD-SCDMA: Bands 34(TD2000)/39(TD1900), WCDMA: Bands 1(2100MHz)/2(1900MHz)/5(850MHz)/8(900MHz), CDMA 2000: BC0/BC1
2G: GSM: Bands 2(1900MHz)/3(1800MHz)/5(850MHz)/8(900MHz), CDMA 1X: BC0/BC1

And they said the unit is going to use ZFS memory, whatever that means...
[doublepost=1467382363,1467381590][/doublepost]And another quote from their Kickstarter comments:

Telescopic sticks are in the process of development. Yes, we have collected early prototype of the parts of different devices. Creating a more integrated prototype is a very expensive process. This requires a number of components, which can be purchased only in bulk. Build prototypes of the elements of the finished device - standard practice for small companies, from this prototype does not cease to be a prototype. The objective of the prototype to demonstrate gaming performance, and prove that the components are easy to fit in a portable package. Before embarking on a comprehensive cost, we had to make sure that users really interested in our product.

They didn't demonstrate that it fits in a portable package and with so many years of production it would've been a lot more honest to show even just a dummy PCB, but whatever...
"This is technically a prototype, just like eyes are technically a part of the brain. You can't ban us from Kickstarter for it."

@EvilDragon Buying parts for prototypes is for sure a lot more expensive than for mass production, but did you ever have problems finding sellers for single parts?

 

[Klumpen]

Has anybody actually seen the "team" behind this thing?
Or to put it slightly different: Is there proof that it's not "he, who shall not be named"?

 

[comradekingu]

But they have nearly finished telescopic sticks, which they call prototypes. And since a nearly real input scheme requires work, its like a prototype, or what people perceive of a prototype.

Making it so wouldn't stop the mental disconnect that a prototype telescopic stick has anything to do with a prototype of the full device.
Full device prototype requires work, yes, showing gaming performance doesn't. But if its only the gaming performance, on a different product, and only some prototypes of what you intend to use for the joysticks, its not like they showed anything.

It doesn't hold together at all, i'm having trouble even following the argument. Its "you aren't even wrong" territory.


Edit: Should we take these guys down on kickstarter rules and technicalities now, or is it fun to watch still?

No prototype, and showing 3D-renders all day long. I don't think adding a label with "3D-render" is how to get around that.
I looked at it briefly, and i saw n o t h i n g real, no sign of anything anywhere.

Ok they are able to play games on bought equipment, and they can do video-editing and renders, but that does not a electronics product make.

 

[EvilDragon]

@EvilDragon Buying parts for prototypes is for sure a lot more expensive than for mass production, but did you ever have problems finding sellers for single parts?

No, absolutely not. Any distributor will also sell you samples. How would you test if their product fits your needs if you can't buy samples
[doublepost=1467389322,1467388485][/doublepost]Ohmy... a quote from PGS in the comments section:

Build prototypes of the elements of the finished device - standard practice for small companies

Errmm... yes... well. That's for evaluation. So basically, it would be calling "we have a prototype" when we booted up the OMAP5432-EVM (devboard) the first time.
Oh boy... that means: Schematics, design, etc. have not even started yet.
That will be interesting

And a quote from a backer:

I'm still a bit skeptical on this, but the quick responses from PGS LAB are helping with that. I just pledged for a Hardcore system. However, I still have some questions.

So giving replies to questions is better than not having a prototype

 

[rygD]

I wonder if it can play SNES games.

 

[Klumpen]

I wonder if it can play SNES games.

I wonder if it can boot independently just by itself.

 

[Agricola]

After they were informed by a possible backer on KS that the frequencies just don't work in the United States, they said:

We are considering the possibility of producing a separate version for the Americas, with the support of compatible frequencies.
Our company is registered in Detroit, and there we are planning to rent a small office later.

So:

1. Their "incredible japanese engineers" didn't even know about mobile frequencies until they got a message on Kickstarter. They sure are incredible.
2. They claim to already be registered in Detroit, but according to vcoleiro1 there's no company to be found in the local register.

The Kickstarter comments are by the way motivational crap. It's a bit funny how any other company would try to hide things like these, but PGS just admits their prototype is built from other products and no one understands what that implies, so everything's shiny.
Fuck this company and their almost funded campaign, they should be reported to KS. I don't have an account at KS and don't want one, but if someone else wants to do that, I would be grateful. I don't want to look at this disgrace anymore.

I wonder if it can play SNES games.

Of course it can, it can even play Crysis!

Errmm... yes... well. That's for evaluation. So basically, it would be calling "we have a prototype" when we booted up the OMAP5432-EVM (devboard) the first time.

So you had a prototype for years and opened the limited preorders just last year!?
There's finally the indisputable proof that you just want our money, you scammer. You've been waiting until the hardware is old so it would klick with the rebellious Linux community and so you could built up hype in that time. Admit it!

PGS master race!

(Seriously, I will never be able to thank you enough for your honesty throughout the development and hope you sell enough units to pay the investors from the times with the Pandora back.)

 

[rygD]

I wonder if it can boot independently just by itself.

It took the Pyra a while to get to that point, but the Retro VGS was doing that somewhat early on, considering how far along they were in development.

 

[Klumpen]

They claim to already be registered in Detroit, but according to vcoleiro1 there's no company to be found in the local register.

Didn't "he, who shall not be named" want to move to the USA after his big trip there directly after the ICP2 fiasco?
Maybe there's another shiny Nissan Leaf in Detroit by now. Looking at the "prototype", the 3D printer seems to be in use at least.

 

[rygD]

Hmmm...people don't take too kindly to church burners here.