A new handheld on the horizon

[darkblu]

it's a palmOS 5.2-based device called Zodiac (formerly known as Helix), and comes from a sillicon valey startup called tapwave

pdaArcade.com account on the matter:
http://www.pdarcade.com/modules.php?name=Search
-> type 'zodiac'

High-resolution 480 x 320 pixel screen, with portrait or landscape-mode display

i.MX1 Motorola® ARM9 Processor

Analog controller, integrated triggers and a full complement of action buttons

Unique ergo-centric design, weighing less than 6 ounces

All-inclusive gaming environment with the Fathammer X-Forge 3D Game Engine

ATI® Imageon graphics accelerator

Yamaha audio component, stereo speakers and earbud-style headphones

Dual lithium batteries

Rumble effects

Full-featured digital music player

Built-in Bluetooth networking for multiplayer wireless gaming

High-score conduit for community competition

 

[Evil_Cloud]

Is it just me, or does it looks like a few companies are going to fail miserably in 'taking over the handheld market'?

 

[hey69]

earbud-style
muha...

maybe it's the phantom portable..

see you in 2 weeks people of to holidays

 

[PC-Engine]

That sounds pretty neat.

I found this pretty interesting too, however, no mention of 3D.

http://www.mobilemag.com/content/100/340/C1849/

 

[darkblu]

I found this pretty interesting too, however, no mention of 3D.

http://www.mobilemag.com/content/100/340/C1849/

it is interesting indeed. it made it as a headline in last edition of 'inside gamasutra'. it appears upcoming cellulars will be very entertaining devices. i just hope phone developers don't get seduced by the rather high computation power of the new devices into some 3d-extremism -- they may have the cpu clocks for 3d at their disposal but 3d graphics as a rule take higher resolutons / more pixels to have a similarly aesthetic effect as some good 2d could achieve per given amount of pixels. so for the upcoming gen i'm hoping for some killer 2d stuff rather than mediocre 3d stuff.

 

[cybamerc]

Imageon doesn't have 3d functions either but maybe there's a new part coming?

 

[megadrive0088]

So the next gen handhelds that are either confirmed or rumored, are:

Helix
Sony PSP
Nintendo GBA2 / AGB2
Xboy


the real battle will be between PSP and GBA2

 

[Evil_Cloud]

So the next gen handhelds that are either confirmed or rumored, are:

Helix
Sony PSP
Nintendo GBA2 / AGB2
Xboy


the real battle will be between PSP and GBA2

Don't forget N-Gage and the successor of Gamepark 32

 

[marconelly!]

Xboy is not even rumored. As a matter of fact, it has been denied by MS officials, as being part of the market they don't see as profitable.

 

[Evil_Cloud]

http://www.godoplay.com/tapwave.html

another?

 

[MfA]

300$ for playstation quality graphics ... for that money Id expect a MBX rather than a lame old ATI IMAGEON 100. A software 3D engine running on an ARM9 burns lots more energy than a dedicated 3D core for the same fillrate ... the whole concept of software 3D in a handheld has become stupid, a fraction of the quality for a multiple of the Wattage.

With the possible levels of integration these designs are not viable, they will go up against Sony and get murdered.

Personally I think the only chance anyone has of competing with the PSP in a price/performance sense is to use the MBX. Without 3D hardware it is plain impossible, and traditional 3D cores without embedded memory would be at a severe disadvantage ... most players would not be able to approach Sony's costs with the same amount of embedded memory, tiling can lessen or maybe even remove the need for it.

 

[Vince]

I think people should keep in mind what Mfa just said as it's well said. My only concern (based in ignorence) is because I don't remember the details of PowerVR anymore, so I'm asking, is what is the inherent storage requirements for MBX? What are typical Tile Buffer sizes due to binning?

 

[Geeforcer]

So, how is this device better then dozens of PalmOS/PPC hand-helds that are already capable of running considerable library of games?