Ouya, the tiny Android-powered video game console that raised over $8.5 million last summer via Kickstarter is finally shipping.
The console is trying to break into an industry that has gone without competition for some time. Ouya stands out because of its $99 price tag and open-sourced game development.
The Wii, Playstation 3, and Xbox 360 market is very unique in that it has gone unchanged for nearly a decade with no disruptions.
The Ouya has taken a different approach, it's just as powerful as today's top smartphones. Inside the device users will find:
- a Tegra 3 quad-core processor
- 1 GB of RAM
- 8GB of memory
- Bluetooth
- Wi-Fi
Available ports include, HDMI, USB 2.0, and Ethernet.
What you can't tell from the photos is that the Ouya is made from aluminum and it's about the size of a Rubik's cube.
A few publications received the Ouya early and have shared initial thoughts on the next-generation video game device.
So far, it's received mixed reviews.
Engadget's Ben Gilbert loved the Ouya's design, noting that it's tiny but heavy and extremely quiet. He was disappointed by the lag time between the game controller and the system though.
The Verge's Adi Robertson observed, "The console sometimes feels like a bundle of contradictions. The Ouya still has a ways to go before I’d call it a full-fledged home console competitor...At $99, it doesn’t have a high bar to clear."
AllThingsD's Bonnie Cha noted that the console doesn't have in-demand games. Instead, it features original, arcade-style games created by developers. CEO Julie Uhrman believes the original content will be an advantage. But Cha fears it might actually hurt sales.
We're still waiting to get our hands on an Ouya. Until then, it sounds like people could be better off waiting for the next version, or until higher quality, original games launch.
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