PGS Windows 10 gaming handheld - GPD WIN competitor

[ible]

Spoiler

too bad we already did with the Pyra.

and to think we all got to be a part of making something this awesome... one of the more proud achievements of my life...

(that's probably a bad sign ...)

 

[MJPIA]

Poll

L3 and R3 Location

Dear friends! Today we'd like to hear your opinion as to where the L3 and R3 buttons should be located: either on the upper end of the device near the triggers, or on the back side, separate from other control elements. Please make your choice.


Previous POLL result:

Hardware Keyboard VS Second Screen

1 692 votes VS 1 211 votes

Well I guess my 15 or so votes for the keyboard counted.
On the small chance this does actually turn into a thing I want a keyboard plus I really wanna see just what keyboard they'd end up with.
Annnnnddddd talking about poor design choices, 3 low profile buttons in a row seems like a amazing idea.

 

[rygD]

I voted a few times for keyboard. There isn't really a good choice in the current poll. I would pick clickable sticks/nubs.

 

[MJPIA]

I voted a few times for keyboard. There isn't really a good choice in the current poll. I would pick clickable sticks/nubs.

Ah but I don't think Nadir's patented retractable sticks are capable of doing that though.
Although I'm not entirely sure anyone knows what they can do anyways.

 

[rygD]

I thought the retractable ones were only on the hardcore version.

 

[MJPIA]

Ah true.

 

[TrashyMG]

Is there really a point voting for features in a fictional device used as a quick money grab?

 

[Klumpen]

Is there really a point voting for features in a fictional device used as a quick money grab?

No.

 

[TheOldOne]

I vote for it to come with the next week after it arrives loto numbers.

 

[rygD]

Is there really a point voting for features in a fictional device used as a quick money grab?

Perhaps you have missed some of the polls here. The point is "because we can".

 

[ible]

but none of the polls here have been to take your money...

just your time...

 

[rygD]

Time is money. But what I meant is that we have polls that are totally pointless for anything other than the amusement of those that create and take them. I am not PGS any of my money, but I will still do their polls. If they go with my preferences they probably won't sell many units. I am waiting for them to ask if they should use something else instead of windows. If I get to vote for Linux, especially a distro I like, I will probably vote a rew times. BSD would also be fun. If they did eventually make and sell these things with *nix, and the reviews were decent (and they use a sane keyboard layout) I might consider picking one up. Most likely I would use that money for a Pyra upgrade, though.

 

[Alperoot]

Time is money. But what I meant is that we have polls that are totally pointless for anything other than the amusement of those that create and take them. I am not PGS any of my money, but I will still do their polls. If they go with my preferences they probably won't sell many units. I am waiting for them to ask if they should use something else instead of windows. If I get to vote for Linux, especially a distro I like, I will probably vote a rew times. BSD would also be fun. If they did eventually make and sell these things with *nix, and the reviews were decent (and they use a sane keyboard layout) I might consider picking one up. Most likely I would use that money for a Pyra upgrade, though.

There will never be such a poll, you know ^^ I don't really think anybody who likes Linux will be onto PGS.

 

[rygD]

I know, but just like polls that don't matter, we can talk about things that we want and won't get. Like other new Linux palmtops.

 

[Klumpen]

I know, but just like polls that don't matter, we can talk about things that we want and won't get. Like other new Linux palmtops.

...or world peace, warp drive, food replicators, holo decks, batman...

 

[darkmaximus9]

My first Android was a Motorola Backflip:

It would close up like this with the keyboard on the outside:

Spec-wise, it was in the ballpark of the original G1 Android phone but circa 2010. So it was very low-end, but it was the first that AT&T carried. The thing is, I loved the formfactor even if I hated the performance. The keyboard was a single piece of soft plastic that would flex and the buttons were underneath and had a nice click to them. It was fairly rugged, actually. The camera being on the flip out keyboard could be used forward-facing for video chats. And the keyboard could be used as it's own stand and it could be put into a desk mode of sorts:

I actually had it worked out that I could insert it into the phone cubby in the dashboard of my car with the screen poking out and run Google Maps on it. It was super handy.

To be honest, I always wished that someone would take this kind of approach, but with an integrated gamepad instead of the keyboard. Even a cell phone case would have been nice, even if it blocked the camera. I remember that the iControlPad2 reminded me a lot of this design.

Omg i didnt know another one existed
[doublepost=1473686169,1473685919][/doublepost]So just saw the icontrolpad 2 looks cool but does it work with other phones?

 

[TrashyMG]

So just so the icontrolpad 2 looks cool but does it work wit othe phones?

I guess you were not around for that period of the board history... The iControlPad 2 project was scrapped even after a successful funding via Kickstarter, it would have been bluetooth and compatible with many phones.

 

[darkmaximus9]

Ok

 

[MechaBouncer]

Yeah, sorry to bring that up. I keep hoping for something like that to come along again. Most gamepads for phones are bigger than the phones themselves and the ones that aren't require a stand for the phone. There isn't anything that connects to the phone all the time. And nobody is making any with integrated gamepads anymore. Either they were outdated and underpowered (Xperia Play) or some Chinese obscurity without decent US band support (JXD S5800 and Much W1). Every time I see something new in this area it turns into vaporware (Snail W3D and most likely PGS). The best I can hope for is some accessory that's portable enough to carry with a phone as well.

 

[Grench]

Yeah, sorry to bring that up. I keep hoping for something like that to come along again. Most gamepads for phones are bigger than the phones themselves and the ones that aren't require a stand for the phone.

A controller that stays with the phone - essentially turning the phone into a quasi clamshell - winds up with an interesting set of mechanical delimas. The phone is several multiples heavier than the controller it's paired with. In order to fit multiple phones, the mechanical hinge connection needs to be both generic enough to fit them all - and robust enough to support that heavy screen+battery+etc. that is then the 'lid'.

The ICP1 solved that by having several different side connectors to essentially make a quasi-tablet out of the phone/controller combination without a hinge. Not perfect, but was robust enough to function.

The ICP2 was supposed to have an innovative hinge & phone clamp design to solve that - but never came to fruition - not that the mechanical issues discussed here may or may not have been involved.

But - the hypothetical ideal of mounting a phone on a hinge that closes over the game controller may be a cool fantasy, but the weight of the phone hanging out there in space off of a base 1/4 or less it's weight that is expected to secure the phone and give a comfortable gaming grip and fit in a pocket - it's a very tall order.

What we get with the Pandora & Pyra's design is that all the weight of the 'phone' beyond the screen is now distributed in the base. It results in a much more comfortable and stable set up. Pandora screens sometimes flopped around a bit still despite their lowered mass.

Think how bad it would have been if that were an entire phone riding on top of that hinge. That combination would continually be trying to flip over backwards out of your hands.

Then there is the question of the connection. A mechanical clamp winds up having to be robust enough to hold the phone in - which also means it increases the size of the whole gizmo. A heavy duty hinged flap and double sidded tape would be more effective, but beomes a permanent install.

Another option might be to have a pair of 1mm dia stainless steel prongs flip up out of the controller base that insert into a double sidded sticky 'pad' that permanently attaches to the back of the phone. The phone and base would still be detachable, with exception of the mounting plate/pad on the back of the phone. Angle adjustment is by (un)bending the steel prongs, but is otherwise 'fixed' while the phone is mounted. Still not ideal.

I would like to see the Pyra's main board (with a much scaled back CPU, no connectors), keyboard & nubs get reused in a simplified case as a game controller. Thick enough on the back for two AA rechargeable batteries, no stylus, no connection or mount for a phone, done. I would much rather see a Pyra. On my desk. Soon?