Majority of Android gamers are probably familiar with the OUYA gaming console which is probably one of the most successful technology-related Kickstarter so far. Some, however, might also be aware of another rather similar Kickstarter console named GameStick. After months of delays, the device might finally land in the hands of backers and buyers by the middle of September.
GameStick’s life began in a Kickstarter campaign at the beginning of the year, singing to almost a similar tune as OUYA, but in a more portable package. The device is made up of two parts, a large box-like controller and a smaller thumbdrive-sized dongle that plugs to a TV via HDMI. The stick is that part that runs everything, powered by a dual-core Cortex-A9 AMLOGIC 8726-MX processor, a MALI 400 graphics chip, 1 GB of RAM, 8 GB of storage, and WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity. The GameStick runs a customized version of Android Jelly Bean, not unlike OUYA. The concept was quite popular, enough that the Kickstarter was able to raise six times its funding goal.
Unfortunately, the journey wasn’t exactly smooth-sailing. For a short while, the project disappeared from Kickstarter reportedly due to some IP dispute, which was later cleared up to only involve the video used for advertisement. But that was the least of the problems that the project encountered. The device was supposed to come out in April, but that date has come and gone and delays have been announced. There was some word that it would go out around August but that now seems unlikely. They say that third time’s a charm, so the folks from GameStick are aiming for a mid-September release.
The GameStick’s hardware might dismay some, trailing a bit behind the OUYA. The price, however, is also lower at $80 compared to the OUYA’s $99, which may be a deciding factor for some. But if you were one of the backers of this gaming device or are still interested in purchasing one¸ you get to wait for a few more days to see if things will really turn out as they said.
VIA: Liliputing
