GP3X - The Wiz

[CosmicMonkey]

Leaked shot of Gamepark's GP3X handheld (http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/30/gameparks-gp3x-leaked-in-spy-shots-called-the-wiz/)

No idea on specs or anything, but there you go.

[chicnstu]

Looks fake to me because if you look at the "Wiz" logo and the buttons and D-Pads they are blurred around the edges. The blur effect happens often when people copy a part of an image and move it somewhere else.

[Ze_ro]

It's fake.

--Zero

[Blanka789]

Hmm...I love my GP2X, but this is less than promising. There's plenty that could be improved upon (although I do have the F100), and this seems to fix...well, not much.

If I were to improve upon the current design, I'd say they need:

1. Rechargeable and replaceable li-ion battery and much improved battery life.

2. I don't have a touchscreen model, but the shots I've seen online seem to lack a stylus storage space. Easy to add and very useful.

3. Less OS crashing (will more than likely be helped with the extra power of this unit).

4. Screen brightness adjustment.

[boatofcar]

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2004/10/24/weekinreview/Word184.jpg

The only Wiz that matters.

[Sweater Fish Deluxe]

My favorite thing about this picture is that it looks like the system is clinging upside down. Gamepark Holdings have totally leapfrogged the competition and included an anti-gravity device in their new system! That beats motion tracking any day!


Hmm...I love my GP2X, but this is less than promising. There's plenty that could be improved upon (although I do have the F100), and this seems to fix...well, not much.
You've seen the Pandora right? To me, that looks like the real successor to the GP2X. Maybe the GP3X (whether this pic is real or not) will go the way of the XGP.

http://openpandora.org/pandoranewkeys.png

http://openpandora.org


...word is bondage...

[Blanka789]

I'm a bit unsure about the Pandora. Devices that try to do everything often fall flat on their faces, plus this thing has been picking up the title of UMPC, a hardware spec that has yeilded mostly pathetic results.

With the Pandora, gaming almost seems like an afterthought. As much as I love the DS, I hate that flip screen crap, and the Pandora copied it. A slide-out keyboard (like in the Nokia internet tablets) would work better, with dedicated gaming controls & a touchscreen on the front.

[monkeychemist]

With the Pandora, gaming almost seems like an afterthought. As much as I love the DS, I hate that flip screen crap, and the Pandora copied it. A slide-out keyboard (like in the Nokia internet tablets) would work better, with dedicated gaming controls & a touchscreen on the front.

I very much disagree. I had never seen the Pandora before and it looks awesome. I much prefer a flip screen because it keeps the screen protected while in your pocket and such. Also your buttons don't accidently get pushed in your pocket adding to the wear. I will keep my eye out for this new device.

I don't know if anyone remembers my post from a long time ago but a few friends and I were trying to design something similar but we had too many technical and financial hangups to see out dream realized. However, this looks like what I would have like to have.

[Ze_ro]

Well, it looks like I was wrong. It's real, and it's now been officially announced (http://gp2x-emulation.dcemu.co.uk/gph-the-wiz-official-announcement-141960.html) (click link for pictures and stuff). They've also released a brochure (http://gp2x-emulation.dcemu.co.uk/Wizintroduction.jpg) (links to a LARGE image) showing many pictures and screenshots. Here's the gyst of it for you 'tl;dr' folks:

System Specs:
Chipset: MagicEyes Pollux System-on-a-Chip
CPU: 533MHz ARM9 3D Accelerator
Built-in Flash Memory: 1 GB
RAM: SDRAM 64 MB
Operating System: GNU/Linux-based OS
Storage: SD Card (Presumably SDHC, since the GP2X now supports it, though no official word yet)
Connection to PC: USB 2.0 High Speed
USB Host: USB 2.0
Power: Internal 2000mAh Lithium Polymer Battery (they estimate 5 hours of battery life)
Display: 320×240 2.8 inch OLED Touch Screen (OLED is supposed to have a much better refresh rate than LCD technology)
Built-in Microphone
Physical size: 121 mm wide, 61 mm high, 18 mm deep
Weight: 136 g (with battery) (That's about a third of a pound for you non-metric folks)
More info worth noting:
Will retail for $180
Expected to be available sometime in October
Gamepark Holdings intends to release commercial games for the Wiz every month (The brochure linked above lists 10 games, and has screenshots)
Will have Flash 7 capability for movies and games
Will ship with built-in games (see the brochure for a list of what you get)
Still does all the other multimedia stuff the GP2X could (view pictures, listen to music, watch movies, e-books, etc)
Some kind of PDA functionality
GP2X software will need to be recompiled, but is expected to work
No Wi-Fi
No word on TV-out, though it has an expansion port on the bottom (which looks a lot like the one on the GP2X, maybe they'll even be compatible)
Judging from the specs, it looks like it'll be about twice as powerful as the GP2X, but noticeably less powerful than Pandora (Pandora is 600MHz with 128MB of RAM)... of course, Pandora is going to be almost twice the price ($330 according to their site), so you get what you pay for I guess. I'm not particularly thrilled with the physical design of the system, but I'm curious to see how this turns out.

--Zero

[Damaramu]

Man, I like the specs and such....but that button layout is killing it for me.

[Ze_ro]

I decided to put together a quick comparison chart for anyone who might be interested in such a thing. I tried to get things as accurate as possible, but everyone makes mistakes.

http://24.78.161.241/handheldcomp.png

--Zero

[CosmicMonkey]

Wiz hands-on from Engadget Spanish (http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/02/gamepark-wiz-hands-on-from-engadget-spanish/)

[klausien]

The built-in game Snake on Dope has to have one of the best titles ever. Might have to buy one just for that. Ridiculous.

[Wraith Storm]

I bought the GP32 and really liked it. It wasn't perfect but it was a REALLY good first attempt at an open source portable.

I held off on buying a GP2x through it's first few iterations (MK-1, MK-2, F-200), but I believe the Wiz is gonna be the one that I buy.

I don't like standard buttons being substituted by a D-pad but i'm sure i'll adjust and I think with dual D-pads we could have some very interesting ports. I could just imagine playing Descent and how well it would control!!!

Bring on the Wii... errrr... the Wiz... man, why are all the new game systems being named after taking a leak?... LOL

[DonMarco]

GamePark Holdings pushed the launch back a month to November. They are using this time to replace the second D-pad with four face buttons and changing the 2.5mm headphone plug to 3.5mm. English, Spanish and Korean forums were pretty down on the design. I'm glad GPH listened to feedback and fixed it now, instead of waiting around for the second model, like they did with the GP2X.

Link. (http://www.gp32x.com/board/index.php?showtopic=43869)

I think Wiz is short for "Wiztacular".

[Sweater Fish Deluxe]

GamePark Holdings pushed the launch back a month to November. They are using this time to replace the second D-pad with four face buttons and changing the 2.5mm headphone plug to 3.5mm. English, Spanish and Korean forums were pretty down on the design. I'm glad GPH listened to feedback and fixed it now, instead of waiting around for the second model, like they did with the GP2X.
Bah. Bunch of lilly-livered, cowering losers if you ask me. How many of these English, Spanish and Korean people bitching about the design had actually played the thing? I really don't see how a dpad instead of four face buttons would be all that different in most cases. As long as it's a *GOOD* dpad, that is. And like Wraith Storm said, it could have led to some really interesting ports (and original games), too. Plus, it certainly would have been nice for lefties when using the touchscreen, which I assume was the original idea.

Oh well, goodbye unique opportunity, hello generic copycat.


...word is bondage...

[Clownzilla]

I remember when I received my first game system on Christmas of 1985. Up until then I was accustomed to the standard joy stick controller. The minute I used the NES gamepad I was CERTAIN that I would hate the thing. Well, I guess I was wrong:) I actually think replacing the buttons with a D-Pad could be an interesting and potentially successful approach to a handheld gaming device. If you think about it, the D-Pad could easily be converted to "four buttons" and if designed right "eight buttons". They could even make an attachment to make them look like buttons.