OUYA, the US$99, Android-powered, Kickstarter-funded, hackable game console.

Forums › Gaming › OUYA, the US$99, Android-powered, Kickstarter-funded, hackable game console.

dontpanic42

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Topic # 105801 11-Jul-2012 02:06

Has anyone else been keeping their eye on this potentially awesome game console?

This article here best explains what it's about:
http://www.theverge.com/gaming/2012/7/10/3147757/ouya-the-99-android-powered-hackable-game-console-explained

Yes, I did copy and paste the title of the article for the title of this post. It explained it perfectly, didn't see any need to change it (perhaps with the addition of the US$ for clarity).

They have just started a KickStarter campaign to fund the project.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ouya/ouya-a-new-kind-of-video-game-console

I just pledged at the US$95+ level (Actually US$115 to account for international shipping) to secure my unit.
There are only around 600 spots remaining of this pledge tier (limited to 1000), which seems to be dropping fast.

Get in quick if you want to secure your unit before this limited pledge tier runs out.

Also, discuss away!

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Reply # 653842 11-Jul-2012 07:53

Sounds pretty cool. Why not the $99 level, or did that not exist until the $95 sold out?

zaptor

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Reply # 653937 11-Jul-2012 11:45

Not sure how accurate this is, but found this online to save others time.

Specs (source)

Tegra processor quad-core 3
1GB of RAM
8GB of internal storage (flash)
HDMI port for connecting to the TV (1080p support)
WiFi 802.11 b/g/ n
Bluetooth LE 4.0
USB 2.0 port
Wireless control with standard design (two similar levers, directional pad, eight gaming buttons, a button system) and touchpad
Android OS 4.0

Edit: Actually, that was already in the original linked article (which look identical, so I guess is good)

zaptor

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Reply # 653946 11-Jul-2012 12:06

Awesome concept. Nice slap of slick marketing have to say.

I think as a single player or LAN console there's definitely promise.

My main issue is that there's no control ("walled garden" if you like) - that I can see; but, maybe there will be something.

stevenz

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Reply # 653960 11-Jul-2012 12:51

I think it'll be controlled as much as the existing Android market is. If an app is reported, the Ouya team will be able to pull it if it's deemed malicious etc.

I've sent $119 their way. Has the potential to be an interesting little unit, no reason that most of the standard Android apps couldn't be shoehorned onto it, plug in a mouse & keyboard and you've got yourself a TV-pluggable android "computer".

@KnightNZ

zaptor

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Reply # 653974 11-Jul-2012 13:12

I do like the appeal of a console that doesn't need physical media.

It seems the Android market get's bad press due to the relatively low return on investment. I guess the piracy rate is an issue (no standard DRM on Android apps?), plus the hardware fragmentation would be an absolute nightmare - not an issue with Ouya, for now.

I think it's a really promising concept. I just get this nagging feeling it won't survive unless a viable revenue stream can be sustained. After the goodwill ("pledge") donations run out, it will need to survive on it's own.

dontpanic42

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Reply # 654118 11-Jul-2012 18:15

bazzer: Sounds pretty cool. Why not the $99 level, or did that not exist until the $95 sold out?

I don't remember seeing a US$99+ option (which looks the same as the 1000 limited US$95+ tier) when I pledged to the US$95+ option. At least, I'm 99% sure it wasn't there before.

I'd say they were waiting to see what sort of interest there was out there, and add more options as things sell out, and ramp up.

Suffice it to say, the demand is incredible.
16 hours since the Kickstarter campaign was launched, and they are already over the US$2 million mark! Absolutely amazing, but not surprising TBO.

Apparently that's a new Kickstarter record for the amount of pledges in the first 24 hours.
Simply amazing.

jbard

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Reply # 654125 11-Jul-2012 18:30

Yeah I just pledged $99, piracy is a concern for me as well.
I hope developers price their games in the free-$20 region and most people are prepared to pay for it.
If games are to expensive piracy will become uncontrollable.

jpwise

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Reply # 654371 12-Jul-2012 10:16

I signed up for it last night aswell. Looks like a really interesting project. Shame it doesn't deliver until Mar-2013, but with the amount of funding they're getting i wouldn't be surprised if they're able to deliver sooner.

I went for the $99 one when it only had 3000 left of the 20000 limit. Looks like they hit the limit overnight and up'd it to 80000 (57000 left now).

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zaptor

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Reply # 654535 12-Jul-2012 13:57

Hopefully people will get something in return for their seed money. Although, I suspect many are investing as much in the dream (of a "better way") as the console itself.

reven

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Reply # 654537 12-Jul-2012 14:01

just been reading about it at xbmc.

looks cool, only 1 issue i can see with it. theyre using the same shape/symbol for the buttons, and just using different colours. red and green are very common colours, colour blind people get mixed up, so if a game shows on screen to press the "green" button (via green circle) a lot of people might end up pushing the red one.

i would love it if
1. had ethernet
2. no power brick, would like to hid it if possible (raspberrypis are cool how u can strap to the tv and power via tvs usb ports)

im seriously considering buying the $99 one tomorrow (if any are left..)

dontpanic42

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Reply # 654578 12-Jul-2012 14:30

reven:
i would love it if
1. had ethernet

Re: Ethernet port.
I think I'm with you on that one. There's huge potential for multiplayer gaming on this thing, and I wouldn't want that to be hindered by adding latency through using WiFi (albeit 'n' WiFi).
An Ethernet port seems like it should be essential.

To that end, I've actually just emailed them to suggest that they think about including an Ethernet port.
They actually sent out an email to all the backers just after they hit the $2M mark, and asked people to chime in with their ideas about how to make it better.
I suggest other people do the same if they feel strongly about including an Ethernet port (or any other features they want to see). It seems they definitely want as much feedback as possible.

jpwise

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Reply # 654581 12-Jul-2012 14:34

If they don't end up adding one, you could probably attach one through the usb port anyway. No idea which ones would be compatible, but there's bound to be a few - the Wii's no different in that respect. Wifi only, ethernet through usb.

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reven

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Reply # 654584 12-Jul-2012 14:39

sure but it would be better if they included it.

wifi is great and all, but for fixed devices, ethernet is still widely used/preferred. esp if people will hack it to run xbmc (which i would do :))

reven

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Reply # 654588 12-Jul-2012 14:41

i would also love it if they did something similar to onlive.com, where games could be streamed to the device.

dontpanic42

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Reply # 654591 12-Jul-2012 14:45

The more I think about it though, the more I think it definitely needs an Ethernet port.
Running one through a USB port is all well and good, but it's bound to be not quite as good as a native port. i.e. running through the USB bus, and then through USB to Ethernet converter circuitry is bound to add latency.

Not to mention the fact that there is potential for it become quite a nice Media box (via XBMC etc, similar to raspberry pi). You would want to be able to reliably stream high bit-rate HD stuff. It's possible that Wireless 'n' would do this without any trouble, but having Ethernet to fall back on is always preferable.

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