*Amazon FireTV

[Dominik D]

Amazon has been using SGX and Adreno GPUs so far. The chance of them switching to AMD/Nvidia is equal to the chance of them using something they already know. So i really don't understand all this K1 excitement (but I have a long history of AMD fanboyism so it counts for nothing, I know).

 

[liolio]

Amazon has been using SGX and Adreno GPUs so far. The chance of them switching to AMD/Nvidia is equal to the chance of them using something they already know. So i really don't understand all this K1 excitement (but I have a long history of AMD fanboyism so it counts for nothing, I know).

Excitement might be pushing it, though having pc tech inside ARM soc along with Nvidia's "weight" in PC gaming, could be a first step to more serious gaming on mobile OS.

Back to Amazon, I read rumors about a launch in Marsh, if true they are hardly making noise about it.
Could be the way to go for them, release foremost to their exiting users and wait till technology gets better before trying to push it to masses.

 

[fehu]

Smells like androidazon and bad ergonomics

 

[loekf]

If they tie in tightly with Kindle and Amazon services, this could be a big hit with casual type people. I say the more the merrier when it comes to consoles. I hope Amazon can come in and do something good. Double Helix is a good start. Focusing on good games in the $15-25 dollar range could be a very good start. If they bring in the type of titles we'd normally see on Xbox Live Arcade or PSN downloadable, it could be a fun and cheap console. Plus, having those amazon video and music services hooked up to your home theater would be good. It's like having an AppleTV that can actually play good games.

So after seeing this:

http://www.engadget.com/2014/03/14/amazon-game-controller/

we get an Adroid el-cheapo box allowing me to play Candy Crush on the big screen ?

 

[loekf]

Smells like androidazon and bad ergonomics

For Candy Crush it will do

 

[Scott_Arm]

It doesn't look comfortable. Would be interesting to hold one and see how it feels.

I'm all for another console. I'm sure it'll target more the mobile type games, or maybe the Wii type of crowd. I'm cool with that.

 

[DieH@rd]

Maybe little better from this angle:

edit - more

 

[Deleted member 13524]

The controller looks nice enough to me.

The buttons spell "Android Console" all over the place, though that doesn't put away any hardware or architecture, these days.
It could even be a imgtech SoC using MIPS CPUs.

 

[Silenti]

That has to be some sort of unfinished prototype.

 

[wco81]

So what will Amazon's be play?

Come out with something that has at least the power of the PS4 but priced at $300 or less?

Maybe $250 or less?

 

[Grall]

Power of PS4 to run mobile android games...? That'd be a ~93% waste.

What might the two dotted lines at the base of the handles be, LED indicators perhaps...? If so, very odd placement. Your thumbs ought to mostly cover them.

 

[liolio]

http://www.engadget.com/2014/03/17/amazon-streaming-gaming-dongle/

Even more of a commodity hardware than I though. Definitely less than 300$

 

[DieH@rd]

http://www.engadget.com/2014/03/17/amazon-streaming-gaming-dongle/

Even more of a commodity hardware than I though. Definitely less than 300$

"The gaming aspect is said to closely resemble a service like OnLive, which allows cloud-based streaming. Details are scare in terms of titles, but the library has been tipped to include "top-tier games" beamed from Amazon at 30fps. "

Cloud game streaming? If Amazon offers "entire steam pc library" [something like it, best hits and new games] and few exclusives... that could be huge.

 

[Rangers]

Well, that is...weird, and slightly offputting.

But, cloud streaming is something I've always thought had a lot of potential since the Onlive days.

Maybe this could turn into something with the right amount of financial backing.

Even more of a commodity hardware than I though. Definitely less than 300$

If it's really just a streamer, conceivably the price could be something even chromecast-like like $35.

Which was always really the theoretical beauty of streaming. No local hardware costs.

At $35, that would be an instant "why the hell not". At $99, the sell becomes much tougher, much like Onlive's ill fated "console". But, remember Onlive never had glitzy backing like Amazon will. That alone will make a big difference.

If they mean to pack in a controller, and really you have to, that's at least $50 right there.

Edit: Well the article casts the "advanced controller" as optional.

Overall this could have a ton of potential from a non gaming standpoint, and an overall standpoint, with gaming as just one aspect.

 

[wco81]

Hmm, maybe they include the cloud streaming with Amazon Prime, no additional purchases necessary.

Then you won't see the big-name games on it likely.

Or maybe just a handful of them, with the rest mobile games.

 

[Deleted member 13524]

So it's just a HDMI dongle to stream games from the cloud?

Meh..

 

[Rangers]

Amazon is launching a box April 2, media invited. It'll definitely be a movie streamer, as the promo image is a couch and popcorn. Whether it's also the gaming box in the title, dont know. Not long to find out at least.

IGN thinks it might be game related too http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/03...+twitter&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social

 

[patsu]

They are rumored to be working on a phone with 3D motion sensor too. May be part of the ecosystem for gaming.

 

[temesgen]

there was some noise earlier today on Twitter regarding a new video service. Apparently some stories in the MSM too:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...lly-launching-a-free-streaming-video-service/

http://businessetc.thejournal.ie/am...vice-1337341-Feb2014/?utm_source=twitter_self

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304688104579465690663213198?mod=djemalertTECH

last story was updated bc Amazon is now denying the rumor......

 

[Deleted member 13524]

So I guess no one is following the console unveiling?

http://www.theverge.com/2014/4/2/5570272/amazon-gaming-fire-tv-set-top-box-2014