next handheld game system

[unforgiven]

http://www.gametrac.com/

check it out i can play mp3 divx has digital cam and gaming system, looks nice                    

[Nebuchadnezzar]

omg its like an N-Gage on steroids, must cost major bucks                    

[unforgiven]

The upcoming Consumer Electronic Show will see the debut of another competitor in the handheld gaming market. Gametrac Group, with the backing of Microsoft, will show off its new Gametrac device at the event on January 8-11. The Gametrac boasts an advanced portable gaming experience and a handful of other features inside a single mobile device.

In addition to a 400Mhz ARM9 processor and 64-bit graphics accelerator, the Gametrac features MPEG4 movie playback, MP3 audio playback, SMS and MMS text messaging, a high-resolution JPEG digital camera, plus Bluetooth 2 and GPRS wireless networking for short-range and long-distance multiplayer games. The Gametrac supports wireless connections via tri-band GSM, like certain varieties of cellular phone, but it doesn't use them for voice communication, only multiplayer gaming.

On the interface side of things, it resembles a Super Nintendo controller -- two triggers, four face buttons, and an eight-way digital pad -- while its 2.8" QVGA (quarter VGA, 320 x 240 pixels) screen offers a little more viewing room than the Game Boy Advance.

Microsoft's involvement in the project comes in with the Gametrac's employment of the Windows CE.NET operating system, allowing easier crossover between development for Gametrac and other mobile devices. Conspicuously absent from Gametrac's announcement or the Gametrac webpage, however, is mention of any specific games.

Those will apparently be shown at CES. Gametrac promises three titles on display, as well as the system's music player, text messaging system, and a new multimedia advertising system, "Smart Ads." The prospect of a handheld game player that can receive animating junk mail may give some gamers pause, but the system's other capabilities outshine that prospect, so we'll be on hand to take a look at Gametrac when CES rolls around next month.                    

[richjob]

ROFL.

Picked up an obsolete palm-like PC for sixty bucks (runs Win CE 2.11, color, expansion slot, sixteen megs RAM).  

It is HELL to find free games for it. And it's big and ugly compared to the stuff they got nowadays.  But I'm having fun.                    

[Osiris]

heh this looks cool man


also i find the PSP lookin cool !!!!!!!                    

[Bountyhunter]

psp iz lookin kinda like an evolved game gear                    

[Osiris]

yeh but it doh eat batteries like gay-gear !!!                    

[SUPR3M3]

That "GameTrac" lookin sick jed. I want one as long as it affodable. The only thing it can't do is make phone calls, but I won't hold my word to that.                    

[richjob]

The best option: a high-end GSM cell phone.  Serious.

Get one running Symbian.  Game support is getting better.                    

[shivadee]

yuh see ppl doh realize that just bringin a console to the market mean it go sell. SONY and Nintendo have one thing, experience, nintendo moreso. XBOX has one thing, possibly the most important. MONEY.

You see this Ngage, this new one, Phantom and all this. They most likely goin an buss.

Ngage already get pulloff the shelf at Gamestop because of lack of sales, that and theyre have been NONE on order since its launch, i mean look at their game reviews? Patheitc, not ONE single good game.

PSP is the most likely gonna own handheld unless this Nintendo DS, which we hope is handheld (they said portable, not handheld) would stand up to it.

Recent posts from Nintendo's former Chairman said that they should focus on the GCN capabilities rather than new technology, the current Chairman seems to concur.                    

[snake_eater]

it soundin nice i awaits it..................                    

[Bob]

I was saying the same thing.All the features in the world not going tuh oust nintendo from the top of the handheld market.

It all comes down to portability and simple fun.

all dis mpeg4 business eh goin an do spit.                    

[shivadee]

funny thing is the Playstation was made FOR nintendo BY SONY. Nintendo said CDs are never going to make it.............well the rest is history.                    

[Xen_spartan-117]

snake eater the halo pic is kinda old...there making a movie to show how the multiplayer will be...you just got a TaSTE of what is yet to come                    

[shivadee]

a gun in each hand!! double gun butt!!! throw them off the speeders..........ahhhhh the possibilities.                    

[coldstorm]

while nintendo does have the market at their pawn . no competition could stand up since all the gameboy game can work on the gameboy advance. while sony did break out nintendo had no backward compadibility for the snes so it as a whole new round last time . this time nintendo has the entire library of game boy games , gamebiy colours games and gameboy advance games . most people will not switch unless u get excellent games with excellent battery life                    

[unforgiven]

quote again...


"The year couldn’t have started off better. The Gametrac multi-functional device recently enjoyed an ecstatic response from gamers worldwide during its unveiling at Microsoft’s booth at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

After this success and the ovations received in Las Vegas, we felt we were on the right track. Development continues at a rapid pace and the first prototype device we displayed at CEBIT is soon just a memory. In just a few days, and much to our delight as well as right on schedule, we’ll be receiving the first manufactured beta-units. The next phase is to start production of the final product in time for the launch later this year.

It’s going to be an exciting spring for us at Gametrac Europe. Not to mention seeing the first devices hit the market, mind blowing! And we’ll be participating in many trade fairs and events. Next up is the 3GSM World Congress in Cannes, 23 – 26 Feb, where we’ll display our device in cooperation with Samsung and Plextek. And the spring program also has us attending a range of trade fairs around the world, including E3 in Los Angeles.

The big news otherwise is the collaboration with Microsoft. The idea here is for Gametrac to be previewed worldwide during 2004. Naturally, we are thrilled that Microsoft has decided to show Gametrac gaming devices as part of its Device Showcase Program. Microsoft's Embedded Device Group will highlight Gametrac in key markets to demonstrate the types of cutting-edge devices that partners are building on the Windows CE .NET operating system.

As a natural step in the development of our device, which has progressed from just being a games console to being a multi-entertainment product encompassing games, films and music, we are thinking about changing the name of the product. This enables us to have a brand that better communicates what the product is about and its capabilities.

And finally I’d like to point out that Gametrac understands that the most important element in the success of any gaming console is the availability and quality of the games for it. As a division of Gametrac Europe Ltd, Gametrac Studios is focused on developing groundbreaking games both in house and through third party developers that utilise all of the functions available on the device.

Yours sincerely,

Patrik Wallgren, Head of Public Relation"                    

[Zero-X]

one word....COOOOOOOOOLLLLLL!!!!!!!