Google to release console (and wristwatch) running on Android OS. I have to admit that I’m… confused about this. The Ouya also runs on Android (or a modified version). I think this move will potentially kill the Ouya dead(er), because Google really has the funds to push its platform. I don’t see any advantage the Ouya has now except maybe at a hobbyist developer/modding level.
Google is going to have to be careful though, I think, there are games that run on Android of course, but making a dedicated machine for games is a whole other beast. They don’t seem to have mentioned whether they’re targeting core gamers or casual gamers – I’d guess casual gamers, but we’ll see.
My guess is that if this is successful at all, we’ll probably see an Xbox situation, where the first attempt meets reasonable success but it largely a loser, only for them to follow up with a great device next generation.
It’s a response to the direction Apple has hinted with iOS 7. The developer APIs introduced in iOS 7 make it quite evident that under the new OS, your iPhone and iPad will be able to snap into a controller (they specifically announced this upcoming), and then you’ll play games from the phone to your Apple TV. Since a lot of Apple TVs are already out there (not a HUGE amount, but a good number), and there are a TON of iPhones…having the ability to buy a $30 controller and turn the stuff you already have into a gaming console is pretty cool. (And, it’ll probably stimulate AppleTV purchases for those who don’t have them).
Google sees this and Ouya, and then says ‘well, we can put together something good and get it out there, right?’ and that’s where we are. They may even beat Apple to the punch, but we’ll see.
The few Ouya owners I know only have it as a NES/Dreamcast/PS1 or other emulator. I don’t know anyone who got it because they were excited to think a bunch of quality Android based games would be released for it.
I am baffled by this whole interest in a smart-watch thing. Seems as if it’d be too small to be much use, and offer absolutely nothing that my phone doesn’t already. OTOH, I was completely wrong about tablets, so who knows.
I am too, but I can see a few things it might do better. I think it could do music better - especially if paired with a bluetooth speaker/headphones. For that matter, for those who use a bluetooth earpiece, it could very easily replace their phone. Additionally, it’s a far better solution for all the fitness applications that people put on their phone - it’s less bulky, and many have GPS watches already for running, or fitbit watches/bracelets. It also might be a better fit for near-field communication tech.
A few years ago, when bluetooth was relatively new and the earpieces starting sprouting out of certain people’s ears (not casting stones, I was one of them). I posited a variant of the PAN (personal area network) where the transceiver with battery would be on the belt or in a pocket and the visual interface would be on a medium-wide wristband, thin with a flexible OLED display.
The headset would, of course, be voice activated.
However, this doesn’t allow for the kind of data we all expect to be available on a smartphone, including games and the Internet. So, that won’t work. I would like to see what the new generation of smart watches are going to look like. As it is, many of us don’t even wear a watch anymore and use our cellphones like previous generations used a pocket watch.
The idea of smartwatches is that they act as a convenient portal into your phone. You can leave your phone in your pocket or purse, but still read texts, see and dismiss notifications, etc. I’m not sold because I stopped wearing watches when I started carrying a cellphone and don’t miss them one bit, but if you’re wearing a watch anyways it could be handy to glance at it after hearing a text notification and knowing it was family-related rather than work-related, or vice versa.
If it’s anything like the smart watches from Sony, Pebble, etc, it will be designed to pair with a smartphone, not replace it. Perhaps display notifications so you don’t have to take the phone out of your pocket to see who is calling, or read a text message. I hope it also has an accerometer and act as an activity monitor & sleep monitor. Maybe it will let you control your phone’s basic functions (e.g. music playback control).
I am interested in a smartwatch. Taking your phone out for every little thing is annoying so having a smartwatch for texts, notification, music and not least time is great. As mentioned there could be interesting fitness and NFC applications also. If someone can produce a decent smartwatch for $250 I am interested. There have been a few models by Sony and others but so far nothing really compelling. I think there is a good chance that Google or Samsung might produce something I would actually buy.