GCW Zero handheld emulation console kickstarter

cutterjohn

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[FUNDED] GCW Zero handheld emulation console kickstarter

EDIT 1/15/13 Standard version RAM has been updated to 512MB.
EDIT2 1/18/13 Amended standard version now to 16GB internal storage

Not really a game, but I ordered(5/21/12) the SE version from these guys(512MB RAM/1632GB internal storage) but they've decided to go kickstarter if anyone's interested in emulation and open source games/engines in a handheld device form factor. The 1st 40 of the 150 SE variants are currently shipping out(some people have theirs already) and the balance(110) are currently awaiting clearance by customs.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gcw/gcw-zero-open-source-gaming-handheld
http://www.gcw-zero.com/

NOTE: the regular(non SE or all the rest that ever will be made) have 256512MB RAM and 8 16GB internal storage.
1GHz Ingenics JZ4770 (MIPS based SoC) running "opendingux" linux 3.x based distro, originally based on opendingux for the Dingoo A320.

Vivante GC860 GPU (opengles 2.0 compliant driver not enabled yet in current opendingux builds, 2D is running via framebuffer)

Mini USB (OTG functionality being worked on)

Mini HDMI

802.11 b/g/n

accelerometer

…and I'm pretty sure that it has FM radio receiver functionality but again that has yet to be worked on ATM

There's a forum at dingoonity for it now with more information, videos, etc.
http://boards.dingoonity.org/gcw-zero/

It's doing pretty well with your standard emulators, SNES, gameboy, gameboy color, gameboy advance, genesis, DOSBOX, etc. along with Quake, Duke Nuke'em, etc. There is also a demo of multiplayer quake buried in the megathread, not sure if a link was ever setup in the video/review thread. PSX is currently a work in progress, but I expect it to be pretty good given what the Ingenics JZ4432(333MHz MIPS, no GPU) in the Dingo A320 was capable of.
 
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Interesting idea. I wonder if it will have a touch-screen keyboard emulator? It doesn't appear to say in the description.
 
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Interesting idea. I wonder if it will have a touch-screen keyboard emulator? It doesn't appear to say in the description.
While the LCD is capable of supporting a touchscreen the Zero doesn't have one. The analog nub is routed through what would have been the touch screen connector.

From a video comment at one point, it seems that at least the C64 emu has a virtual kb though, but for the most part such things will depend upon the builder of various emus/etc.

Better to visit the Dingoonity forums as Justin(project creator) posts there as do many of the opendingux developers(and other connected with the project) who can give "better" answers.

(My SE still hasn't shipped yet so the best I can do is what was in the vids and what info I've read since May plus the lucky people who already got their SEs as well as a weak comparison to the Dingoo A320 running opendingux…)

As to something more tablet like, at one point around May last year Justing did mention the possibility of moving onto a tablet providing the Zero worked out well... Just bear in mind it is only a possibility ATM.
 
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Standard edition has been changed to 512MB RAM now, still 8GB internal storage while the SEs will now be 32GB internal storage.

BTW: INTERNAL storage is just a uSD card, so if you're NOT afraid of taking apart your zero you can just swap in whatever you like. Up to 64GB uSD SXDC has been tested by various testers/developers.
 
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Amended storage of standard version to 16GB now... missed it when that was changed...
 
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It lists a 320x240 pixel display, but not the color depth. I guess it's... VGA palette?
 
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It lists a 320x240 pixel display, but not the color depth. I guess it's… VGA palette?
It's more than VGA obviously. Likely 15, 16, 24 or 32b, but as mentioned above you really should go to the dingoonity forums or on the IRC channel and ask.

IIRC the IRC channel is #gcw on freenode
 
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