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[wildfire]

A charity whose main aim is to kickstart the education of programmers is not comparable to a private company that just raised millions of dollars on what is a huge amount of misdirection.

They have been more forthright than misleading.


They've been name dropping people left and right and unlike the Mr. Christoforo (however you spell it) from OceanMarketting (I'm not even sure I misspelled this one correctly ) they haven't been slapped down for it. Even Notch has been back-peddling and re-clarifying the point he has been making until he just said he approves the content stated in the video.


All they promised to those who pledged $95-$150 our boxes made from off the shelf parts aside from the controller preloaded with their SDK. This isn't herculean task.


All they promised to the devs who pledged is a pre-rooted box, 1 year of preferential advertising and a means of contacting them for tech support. This isn't particularity hard either.


They mislead with the poll which is hardly a big deal since all they did was point out the top 20 requests that people wanted which even included Battletoads of all the random things that could've made that list.


They were more misleading on the product being a device you can hack and still have access to everything else. It was only later on did they bring up that rooting the device removes the ability to access their store.

They are also misleading about the funding they need to do after this kickstarter which is a very big deal since a good portion of the devs who are pledging are assuming they have a plan in the works to build more consoles beyond their 40k pledges.

Did they actually confirm they're planning a $99 retail price?

They didn't. The only confirmed whoever preordered now that they would get their unit for a $99. They really can't promise something like this for people who don't pledge because of VAT and other currency differences. It is a problem as RomanticHeroX mentioned that they aren't making any statements correcting anyone about this.

 

[Brad Grenz]

Their failure to manage unrealistic expectations is in itself troubling. They seem more than happy to let people's imaginations run wild since the hype just plays into the Kickstarter campaign. A cynical company will wait until it closes and everyone's money is committed before they try to walk that back. It will be very telling to see what they do, but I think either way is just going to lead to a lot of furious backers.

 

[Raonak]

Hmmm... so i don't know much/anythign about this.


Im curious as to who is this being marketed at

Seems very niche. but interesting none the less.

 

[2MF]

They were more misleading on the product being a device you can hack and still have access to everything else. It was only later on did they bring up that rooting the device removes the ability to access their store.

So you're saying that the $699 pledge level gets you a console that can't access their store? Where is this statement of theirs, I couldn't find it with a quick google search.

 

[Sorcerer]

if apple decided to be ignorant and release am apple TV with the app store on it and allow third party Bluetooth accessories this thing is finished. I just can't see this thing having s market I'm 2013

Well, thats sort of the problem, If Apple had done this with the Apple TV, the OUYA kickstarter would probably never exist.

I know you say "if Apple decided to be igorant", but personally I have been waiting a long time for Apple to open up the Apple Tv to the app store.

The problem of Dev's reworking thier touch screen games to work with a controller would be massive since the App store is huge.

Other than that Apple could probably get a controller on the market and get something like this going within a month.

 

[pcostabel]

from the comment section:

Defiant game devs 'why we are backing Ouya'
Julie Uhrman interview 'console concept to reality'
Yves Beyar interview 'designing the Ouya'
Julie Uhrman interview 'responds to skeptiscism'
Various indie devs 'thoughts on Ouya'

 

[Dreamwriter]

So you're saying that the $699 pledge level gets you a console that can't access their store? Where is this statement of theirs, I couldn't find it with a quick google search.

The first mention of it was in a Kotaku article 8 days ago:

Obviously if a hacker roots the device, our integrated user experience and game store will no longer be available while the device is rooted — so there is, as always, a tradeoff between customizing your device and enjoying the benefits of standardization. We expect the true hackers to be an elite, but small proportion of the total number of people who buy the box. Most people will probably just use the standard setup.

 

[GK86]

from the comment section:

Defiant game devs 'why we are backing Ouya'
Julie Uhrman interview 'console concept to reality'
Yves Beyar interview 'designing the Ouya'
Julie Uhrman interview 'responds to skeptiscism'
Various indie devs 'thoughts on Ouya'

Adding to the op.

 

[2MF]

The first mention of it was in a Kotaku article 8 days ago:

Thanks. I'm not sure what that quote means though, it may just be saying that when you boot in rooted mode you are running your own software and not OUYA's software. Just like homebrew on Wii and OtherOS on PS3 was a separate interface. But you could still use the normal interface, just not at the same time.

 

[Kokonoe]

I put Yu-Gi-Oh! for the survey, make it happen Ouya.

 

[weekend_warrior]

Well, thats sort of the problem, If Apple had done this with the Apple TV, the OUYA kickstarter would probably never exist.

I know you say "if Apple decided to be igorant", but personally I have been waiting a long time for Apple to open up the Apple Tv to the app store.

The problem of Dev's reworking thier touch screen games to work with a controller would be massive since the App store is huge.

Other than that Apple could probably get a controller on the market and get something like this going within a month.

Maybe OUYA has been secretly working with Apple the whole time? Maybe the kicker starter was just a way for them to secretly gauge reception to the idea? The whole thing kind of has an Apple vibe to it.

 

[pants]

Is there a significant enough doujin community on Android to make this worth my while? (no erotica pls)

 

[HyperionX]

Another good point is that a Raspberry Pi costs $35, and it's a bare-bones board, and it doesn't include shipping. No case, no controller, no internal storage. Ouya aims to have all that and more for only $64 more shipped to consumers.

An Apple TV costs probably less than $60 total to make, with very similar hardware spec. Devices like the Roku are even cheaper. You can buy them for $99 or less right now. The Ouya only has a controller on top of those devices, and a controller only costs something on the order of $10 to make. Cost-wise the $99 price tag is very feasible.

 

[twofold]

An Apple TV costs probably less than $60 total to make, with very similar hardware spec. Devices like the Roku are even cheaper. You can buy them for $99 or less right now. The Ouya only has a controller on top of those devices, and a controller only costs something on the order of $10 to make. Cost-wise the $99 price tag is very feasible.

The Ouya doesn't have the benefit of having Apple's insanely efficient supply line, so it's pointless comparing the cost to manufacturer the Ouya against the cost of the AppleTV. I don't know what hardware is in the Roku so I can't comment on that.

Ouya doesn't have the advantage of being able to buy in huge bulk amounts so their build price is going to be significantly more than other companies. If they partnered up with a company like Asus or Samsung, maybe then they'd be able to get the build cost down.

 

[Dgott]

So let me get this right.... It's not really a console so to speak, but more like an android phone/tablet style OS that plays android marketplace style games on TV with a controller. Like a console lite? Kind of like how ROKU2HD has Angry Birds?

 

[HyperionX]

The Ouya doesn't have the benefit of having Apple's insanely efficient supply line, so it's pointless comparing the cost to manufacturer the Ouya against the cost of the AppleTV. I don't know what hardware is in the Roku so I can't comment on that.

Ouya doesn't have the advantage of being able to buy in huge bulk amounts so their build price is going to be significantly more than other companies. If they partnered up with a company like Asus or Samsung, maybe then they'd be able to get the build cost down.

The Roku is also an ARM SoC. In fact, I think they all are. If the Roku can be made in the millions by a tiny company and charge $50-99 for it, I think a slightly more powerful version could be sold for $99, by a similarly sized company.

 

[2MF]

An update was posted (I highlighted some parts):

So it’s time for us to reveal our secret weapon, someone who has been working with us tirelessly behind the scenes to bring OUYA to life, and today we’re pulling back the curtain.

Meet Muffi Ghadiali from our team, who is in charge of making the OUYA product, hardware and software.

Muffi joined OUYA from Lab126, a part of Amazon, where he worked on the Kindle line of products.

I thought it would be best if you heard directly from him, so he wrote to you...

___
Kickstarters!

I’m Muffi, and I want to tell you a little bit about what we’re working on at OUYA.

I came out of Lab126’s product team where I worked on the Kindle line -- hardware and software. I worked every day with engineering, product design, industrial design, operations, supply chain, and QA teams.

I joined OUYA because I saw--early on--the potential for an open technology to change how gaming works. Gamers are unique. They are sophisticated and they follow products from the first idea all the way to market. For a product guy like me, that's exciting. We're getting a lot of feedback, great support and lots of questions. Sometimes those are tough questions but they keep me at the top of my game. It's pretty cool that Kickstarter facilitates a direct dialogue with future users.

My job at OUYA is to ensure that we meet the needs of gamers and developers.

In short, I’m here to deliver OUYA.

I know from experience that this can be done:

* I’ve built consumer technology products for more than 15 years--both hardware and software. I’ve worked on set-top boxes, media streaming devices, handheld devices, content services, and other big consumer products.
* I’ve been playing a key role in designing the path that will take OUYA to market, from technology to production.
* And while it may seem aggressive, the technology here is actually fairly standard. We’re not building a hovercraft or a nano-bot.
* If you look online at the teardowns of other devices with some of the same components, you’ll see that our device can be built for well under $99.
* What IS innovative is the beautiful design from Yves Behar, and our model for working with game developers. From my perspective, I’m tackling the easy part.

So here’s what we’re doing now...

* Developers, we’re working to get an SDK in your hands as fast as we can, please be patient. It will be pretty simple to start, using the existing Android SDK and adding the ability to promote your game, and to charge OUYA customers. We’ll add to it as we go.
* We’re getting our ducks in a row on the hardware production. NVIDIA is helping us with production designs, and selecting the right device manufacturer. We’re in talks with a few manufacturers. I was just playing with our circuit board yesterday.
* NVIDIA is also helping us maximize the performance of our Tegra 3 chips -- they’ll work even better than the demos you see online. We’ll be able to support some intense games.

And we heard your feedback: yes, yes, we’ll add an Ethernet jack. We have a lot of consoles to make, so I wouldn’t expect too many more changes to the spec.

Please keep sending your comments. We are doing everything to deliver for you.

Thanks!

Muffi

 

[Jonboy]

Maybe OUYA has been secretly working with Apple the whole time? Maybe the kicker starter was just a way for them to secretly gauge reception to the idea? The whole thing kind of has an Apple vibe to it.

Apple and open source Android? Highly, highly unlikely.

 

[Sorcerer]

Apple and open source Android? Highly, highly unlikely.

Especially considering Steve Jobs allegedly vowed to destroy Google and android.

 

[.la1n]

An update was posted (I highlighted some parts):

Support some intense games huh? Interesting.

 

[Dreamwriter]

And we heard your feedback: yes, yes, we’ll add an Ethernet jack. We have a lot of consoles to make, so I wouldn’t expect too many more changes to the spec.

Confirmed, Ouya more powerful than Wii-U

 

[weekend_warrior]

Apple and open source Android? Highly, highly unlikely.

Well they couldn't say it was running iOS and the App Store, that would be a dead give away.

 

[GK86]

An update was posted (I highlighted some parts):

Great update. Hoping the next update gives us glimpse of a prototype.

 

[HAL_Laboratory]

Their failure to manage unrealistic expectations is in itself troubling. They seem more than happy to let people's imaginations run wild since the hype just plays into the Kickstarter campaign. A cynical company will wait until it closes and everyone's money is committed before they try to walk that back. It will be very telling to see what they do, but I think either way is just going to lead to a lot of furious backers.

Cynical company? Who wants yet another cynical company? I can see where this is heading. The OUYA is a game changer. If they don't do it, someone else will. Every great product satisfies a need, and the needs are plenty in the current industry. In 5 years things will be very different. The question is, will you be on the side that helped to usher in that change and make it your own, or will you be on the side that imploded from the hate and stopped playing?

 

[Jasoneyu]

Great update. Hoping the next update gives us glimpse of a prototype.

Yes this update actually says something! If they do show a protoype next update im keeping my pledge.

 

[Lan_97]

Is the final retail price going to be $99? If there are no discounts or other rewards, I don't see the reason for risking $99 now well after it's been funded.

 

[GK86]

Is the final retail price going to be $99? If there are no discounts or other rewards, I don't see the reason for risking $99 now well after it's been funded.

At the beginning, it was $99. They havent confirmed the price point for everyone else(I dont think anyway). But you will get the console early. They mentioned that the focus is to produce, and ship the kickstarters consoles first. So if you dont have a problem waiting until whenever they ship for everyone else, then I would suggest holding off.

 

[coughlanio]

I had backed out of my pledge last week, but just pledged again...

I reckon, even if the gaming aspect fails, with XBMC now on Android, it'll at least make a good little media centre, with Netflix etc.

And yes, I already own a Raspberry Pi, and no, XBMC does not run well on it (yet).

 

[wildfire]

I had backed out of my pledge last week, but just pledged again...

I was wondering how long I had to wait before i saw this and I only had to F5 once.*chuckles*

 

[Bomber Bob]

And yes, I already own a Raspberry Pi, and no, XBMC does not run well on it (yet).

have you tried this? http://www.raspbian.org/

http://www.memetic.org/raspbian-benchmarking-armel-vs-armhf/

 

[Wuthering_Heights]

Looks like Julie Uhrman is on Kotaku right now answering questions about Ouya.

Should be interesting for those of you with an interest in the console.

Kotaku

 

[HAL_Laboratory]

Looks like Julie Uhrman is on Kotaku right now answering questions about Ouya.

Should be interesting for those of you with an interest in the console.

Kotaku

She had some good things to say. Too bad 90% of responders were terribly rude, negative and insensitive. Fucking gamers.

 

[Delusibeta]

She had some good things to say. Too bad 90% of responders were terribly rude, negative and insensitive. Fucking gamers.

Which, to be fair, would be exactly the same response if she tried to do a similar exercise anywhere else on the internet, Gaf included.

 

[HadesGigas]

Ouya gets it's first EXCLUSIVE. Some sort of "prequel" to a game coming in 2015:

We’d like to introduce you to Robert Bowling, president of the game developer Robotoki, and an early backer of our Kickstarter. You might recognize Robert from his work with the Call of Duty franchise.

Earlier today, from his Twitter account (@fourzerotwo), Robert hinted that he had some news.

Well here it is: OUYA gamers will get FIRST access to the ravaged world of his post-zombie-apocalyptic game, Human Element.

Robotoki is the first studio to commit to building a game exclusively for OUYA: an episodic prequel that will set the stage for his eventual release of Human Element in 2015.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ouya/ouya-a-new-kind-of-video-game-console/posts/270629

 

[sykoex]

Ouya gets it's first EXCLUSIVE. Some sort of "prequel" to a game coming in 2015:



http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ouya/ouya-a-new-kind-of-video-game-console/posts/270629

https://twitter.com/fourzerotwo/status/226032074375692288/
Promo pic for Human Element:

 

[Dreamwriter]

Apparently the main "Human Element" game takes place 35 years after a Zombie Apocalypse, the Ouya game will be an episodic game depicting the events of the Zombie Apocalypse as they happened. He also said they were going to be updating us on the progress of the Ouya game throughout the Kickstarter.

 

[SkyandSun]

Another post apoc game with a middle aged guy protecting a younger girl. Great.

 

[GK86]

Sounds interesting. And lets face it, we cant get enough of zombies in our culture.

 

[Bboy AJ]

It's pretty cool that Kickstarter facilitates a direct dialogue with future users.

Probably because they're investors, buddy.

 

[coughlanio]

I'm working on an Ouya podcast. I'm currently looking for people to help co-host, if anyone here is interested.

I have a post on Reddit with a bit more detail.

As a long time, and dedicated Android user, I'm really looking forward to seeing how the Ouya will do coming up to release, and hopefully beyond. I've decided to start an Ouya focused podcast, but going beyond the games themselves, and providing an in-depth dissection of the hardware, software, and the Android ecosystem itself, and if that ecosystem can support a device like this.

I'm going to be putting a lot of work in this weekend, with a site up and running by the Sunday night, and hopefully a pilot show by the end of next week. I didn't really put much thought into this before I decided to do it, but god-dammit, I'm going to see it through.

My biggest hurdle right now, is that I have no co-hosts, which obviously doesn't make for a very good, or entertaining podcast. If anyone here would like to be considered for co-hosting, and is very interesting in following the Ouya as it progresses from conception to release, then do contact me. Don't mistake me as an Ouya fanboy either, I can see the obvious flaws of what they are proposing, but I think if successful, it can really find a corner of the market for itself.

I have a twitter set up, @RadioOuya or you can email me at radioouya@gmail.com. The site should be live at RadioOuya.com at some point over the weekend, so keep checking I guess.

I know some people are obviously going to call this pointless, but hey, if one person listens, I'll be happy.

You can reach me @RadioOuya on Twitter, or email radioouya@gmail.com (Currently waiting for RadioOuya.com to go live).

 

[Froli]

This seems related
KDDI "Smart TV Box" Cable TV STB runs Android 4.0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=121Ms9Wj4PE

 

[coughlanio]

This seems related
KDDI "Smart TV Box" Cable TV STB runs Android 4.0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=121Ms9Wj4PE

Just seems like a standard android powered set top box, mainly for digital TV.

We'll see alot of these kind of devices coming up in the next couple of years.

 

[mclaren777]

I'm working on an Ouya podcast.

Seems a little early, don't you think?

 

[Bomber Bob]

Just seems like a standard android powered set top box, mainly for digital TV.

We'll see alot of these kind of devices coming up in the next couple of years.

man, android really is the new Windows, prolly not good for playstation and xbox

I'm working on an Ouya podcast. I'm currently looking for people to help co-host, if anyone here is interested.

dude, why don't you do something like cheap android pc? would have been more audience

 

[perryfarrell]

Relevant column on Kickstarter in general:

http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2012/07/19/is-kickstarter-selling-dreams/

 

[ThatsMytrunks]

Yves Behar on the size and shape of the Ouya:

I don't know what others are doing in the future, but we have made a deliberate attempt to go away from current shapes...our console is quite small, around the size of a Rubik's cube, and so it will easily fit anywhere in a room, or be easy to throw in a backpack.

http://kotaku.com/5927754/?comment=51155191

 

[Suikoguy]

Considering getting one for XBMC....
Will probably wait and see how it will work out first.

 

[Barack Lesnar]

our console is quite small, around the size of a Rubik's cube

No fuckin' way? That's tiny, I had an image of a gamecube-like size in my mind.

 

[sykoex]

Yves Behar on the size and shape of the Ouya:

http://kotaku.com/5927754/?comment=51155191

That's cool to know. I don't find it that surprising since it has components similar to phones and tablets (minus the battery) which are already small compared to consoles.

 

[GoofsterStud]

If it can play android games I'm happy.

Will be a day on purchase if:
Netflix Support (Google App)
Funimation Support (Google App)
Hulu Support (Google App)
Emulation (16 bit)

If it can play my collection of purchased Google Play games, that would be icing on the cake.

Are my expectation unrealistic?