The E3 event, which has been scheduled to be held from June 11 to June 13, is strictly press and industry-centric. People who attend the event are required to have some professional connection to the industry. But the guys behind OUYA seem to believe that it is wise (and it indeed is) to include the players themselves while doing their marketing.

They will be showing off their Android-based console in a parking lot outside the LA Convention Center. And they will be providing equipment and free food among other stuff to developers for making sure that their booth attracts a lot of people with plenty of games.

Developer’s Best Friend (that’s apparently a job title) Kellee Santiago says, “OUYA will be present for all three days of the event, and we’ll provide everything you’ll need to put on a killer game demo. OUYA console…check, controllers…check, TV…check. We’ll also make sure that you’re fed and have plenty to drink while you’re onsite because hydration and nutrition are key.”

As we reported earlier, the device’s launch has been delayed by the company due to higher demand, and also to make sure that the console arrives without any hardware issues.

So, who all are headed to E3 for taking a peek at OUYA?

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If you were lucky enough to pledge your support for the Ouya early on, you might already have received the unique Android-based console. For those of us that didn’t, we are left waiting until the retail launch in June. A little bad news, it looks like we will be waiting longer than the 4th of June, as the console has now been delayed to June 25th.

So what caused the folks behind Ouya to delay the retail launch? The biggest reason, according to the company, is that there has been significant demand for the console and it will allow them to have more units ready to take up some shelf space at their partnering retailers.

That’s the official reason at least. Internally, it is also about addressing a pretty big concern that many early adopters have had with the console, its controller. While the control highly resembles the 360-controller and looks very high quality, it has had some reported problems with buttons getting stuck under the faceplate and other response-delay issues.

If pushing back the commercial launch a few weeks means that they can deliver a better experience from day one, all the better I say. The Ouya is a very different approach to console gaming and one that has quite a few challenges ahead, getting off to a timely retail start is important but not at the sacrifice of quality.

What do you think of the Ouya, are you excited or not?

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As promised the console has begun shipping out to early backers of project. Right now this is just the first batch, but it is a good start. If you have received shipping confirmation as part of this first batch, that means the OUYA could be yours in just 5-10 days. Again, the entire Kickstarter early backers rollout will take a few weeks.

For those of you that didn’t get in on the Kickstarter pleding, the official word is that Ouya will be available in select retail stores as well as online through Amazon from June 4th in the US, Canada and the UK. The little Android gaming device will cost considerably less than traditional games consoles have in the past with a retail price of just $99.99.

What do you think, are you planning on picking up an OUYA as soon as it hits retail?

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The Ouya has got many fans alright but there is one more Kickstarter-backed Android-running game console out there that is turning heads. The GameStick from PlayJam is different in form factor and specs from the Ouya, and the guys over at Engadget got a chance to play with a prototype of the device at the Game Developers Conference.

The GameStick comes equipped with a dual-core Amlogic processor, which is obviously weaker than the Ouya’s Tegra 3. It is roughly the size of a USB drive and fits right into a wireless controller, though the dev units do not house the GameStick inside. You can connect it to your TV’S HDMI port or if you do not like that idea there will be a dock that’ll be available with the GameStick’s retail version.

According to Engadget, the controller feels comfortable in the hands. It’s coming with appropriately springy buttons and the analog sticks feel responsive, but shoulder buttons and the d-pad did not feel right. PlayJam apparently has promised to improve the d-pad, but nothing on the shoulder buttons.

Its UI has a left rail holding games, media, a profile page, and settings. You will find a popular games section and an all games section in the games section, a Netflix app and XMBC in the media section, and the profile page shows stuff such as your profile (as you might have guessed), in-game achievements and more.

Improvements will certainly happen to the console before the retail version arrives sometime in the future, but the important thing will be content. Currently the games available are not that thrilling, but that will change, hopefully.

What do you think of the GameStick, interested or will the Ouya stomp all over this one?

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The Ouya is almost here, with the new console shipping out March 28th to Kickstarter buyers and by June for regular retail and online purchases.

With the Wii U already out, the PS4 on its way, and current generation consoles slashing prices as new ones approach – is the Ouya actually worth buying? That’s a good question, and largely will depend on what you are looking for.

Ouya – The Hardware

While an Nvidia Tegra 3 processor is far from cutting edge in the mobile world at this point, it isn’t a pushover by any means either. With a 1.7GHz quad-core Tegra 3, 1GB of RAM, 8GB internal flash, the Ouya is actually rather powerful for its $99 asking price.

Sure, the Ouya is not a Playstation 3 or Xbox 360. That said, its specs likely are a step over the Nintendo Wii. While Nintendo’s Wii didn’t support HD graphics, the Ouya will after all.

So is the Ouya priced well for its specs? Yes! To put it into comparison, a Wii black bundle with Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort currently costs $129.99. The Ouya is $99, and has tons of free games available for download that probably match the kind of depth found with many of the Wii Sports games.

It is also worth noting that Ouya has revealed that will upgrade the system every year for just $99. According to their plan, games will likely ‘scale’ their graphics depending on what kind of processor/RAM configuration you have and anything you buy for the first Ouya will transfer to the second-gen model and so on.

This means that the Ouya could end up costing hundreds if you buy a model each year, but it also means less spending all at once and yet you still will get a reasonably decent gaming and entertainment experience.

But why not just get a PS3, 360, next Xbox or PS4?

If you have the money and only have one TV set you regularly use, getting a Sony or Microsoft console (or even the Wii U) is probably going to give you a more advanced gaming experience. That said, Ouya will give you many of the unique indie games that you won’t find on the Sony, Microsoft or Nintendo consoles. You might find some of these on your tablet or smartphone, though.

The biggest reason to buy the Ouya is that it is very affordable and is great as a secondary gaming/entertainment device if you have multiple TVs in your house. Unlike the Wii or even the Sony/Microsoft current consoles, the Ouya will have TONS of major entertainment apps and not just the ‘bigger players’ like Netflix and Hulu Plus.

The Family Factor

Let’s say you are a parent. You are looking for a “gaming” device for your family but you either have a limited budget or just feel your kids don’t need a $350+ gaming system.

You could go with a tablet, but it isn’t exactly great for multiplayer. The Ouya supports multiple controllers and is very affordable. There are also tons of free games and every game can at least be tried before you buy it.

That alone makes the $99 quite trivial for parents of younger kids that don’t necessarily need the “hardcore” games that a teenager or young adult gamer might be after.

The Open Factor

Like modding and tinkering? The Ouya comes with standard screw sizes that make it easy to take apart. The software is built on Android and fully capable of being opened up. More than likely ROMs that give you full Android Jelly Bean experiences will also arrive for the console at some point in the future.

The bottom-line is that if you want to unlock extra abilities out of your Ouya, you can. Additionally, if you are a developer, any Ouya can be a developer unit. This is important not just for Ouya developing, but helping refine your skills if you are still new to the development game.

The Entertainment Factor

As mentioned before, there will be plenty of apps like YouTube, Vevo, XBMC, TuneIn, Netflix and more. The Ouya is no more expensive than any of these set-top boxes and yet offers a similar selection of apps on top of its games. Have an entertainment app you wish the Ouya came with that works for Android? It is very possible to make it work though modding, thanks to the open nature and Android-basis of the device.

The Gaming Factor

The Ouya is first and foremost an open gaming system geared towards indie gamers, casual gamers and those that like the idea of playing mobile games on the big screen. While there isn’t any “killer” titles announced at this point, there are over 200+ games on their way to the Ouya around its launch window, with much more to follow. Is this is a hardcore system? I would say yes. It is also a casual system. There will likely be a little bit of both mixed in here, though expect the majority of the more “hardcore” games to probably be from indie studios (not that this is a bad thing).

Not all of these will be gems, but even if you find just two or three you love – it will likely pay for the paltry price of the Ouya.

There are also a few unique looking games being worked on for the Ouya, like the one in this trailer:

Interested in learning more about the games coming to Ouya? Here’s a pretty comprehensive list.

The bottom-line is that the Ouya probably isn’t going to take the gaming world by storm and knock out the competition, but it could certainly be exactly what you are looking for if you want a cheap gaming and entertainment system regardless of whether you are a parent, a mobile gamer, indie gamer or simply someone wanting a set-top box with a few games thrown in.

What do you think of the Ouya, do you think it is worth it or do you feel that it is a good idea but largely one that has very little chance of succeeding?

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Are you sick and tired of buying the latest home games console only to have to wait 5+ years before it’s finally updated to the latest hardware? If so, we have some good news for you. Ouya CEO Julie Uhrman has announced that her company’s Android game system will receive a hardware refresh each year.

Just as the Ouya is based on Android and mobile phone hardware, so too will the product’s life cycle, as new Ouya systems will be launched each year with updated specs. Obviously if Sony, Nintendo or Microsoft announced a similar proposal customers would be up in arms, however as the Ouya will be priced at just $99 and will allow customers to easily transfer games from an old console to the new version, it’s a much more acceptable business plan.

The first batch of Ouya systems will be ready to ship to early backers of the product in March with a second batch expected to go on sale in June. Do you think that a yearly upgrade plan is a good idea or will its frequency end up causing fragmentation and other problems?

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The wait is almost over, the Ouya is nearly here for those waiting for regular retail availability. The open-source Android-based gaming console will not just be found online through Ouya’s site but is also making its way to several high-profile retailers including Target, Best Buy and Gamestop. You’ll also be able to pick one up through Amazon’s online marketplace if you so prefer.

According to Ouya’s CEO Julie Uhrman the console will first ship to Kickstarter backers in March, orders from the Ouya site will go out in April and finally all of its retail partners will start stocking the console in June.

The retail pricing for the Ouya is $99.99 with one controller, and $49.99 for a second gamepad. While the Ouya IS NOT a console in the same playing field as alternatives like the PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii U, it could be a welcome addition for those that like indie hardcore games, casual games and Smart TV functionality all out of one slim package. Additionally, the Ouya will be compatible with cloud-based gaming service GameON, which means that if your net connection is up to it you can even stream some of the bigger, new full-featured console games found through the cloud service.

What do you think of the Ouya, worth the $100 purchase or do you feel that it doesn’t have much to offer compared to other mobile, gaming and entertainment devices you already have around the house?

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So what are they going to use that money for?  Obviously they have used a majority of the funds to smooth the development of the first release console.  But they will use some of it for something a bit more exciting, a 3D version.  We don’t know anything else other than it will offer stereoscopic gaming on compatible 3D TVs.

According to Pocket-Lint, not only will this system be released in the U.S. for $99, but will also hit the UK with a price tag of £99 available March of 2013.

Pocket-Lint also reported that when the standard OUYA is finally released, it will be an Amazon.com exclusive, if true, it could limit the market, which could be what they want, considering this is more of an enthusiast indie console and not so much of a mainstream device like the Xbox 360 or Playstation 3.  Still, with NVIDIA unveiling a much more advanced handheld Android system just yesterday, they might adjust their marketing plan.

Are you still excited for the OUYA release or not?

The post Some Exciting Announcements Out of the OUYA Camp appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

We’ve all heard about Ouya, the open-source low-cost Android console that raised a ton via Kickstarter. While this is the best known Android console project, it’s not the only one. Now it seems that PlayJam is going beyond the smart TV with its own “GameStick” gaming system.

This basically is a flash drive-sized device that has its own internals and draws power from an HDMI port. Using Bluetooth it will communicate with a gaming pad and for processing power it has an Amlogic dual-core chip. This isn’t as fast as the Tegra 3 you’ll find in the Ouya, but the console is even smaller and will cost just $79.

Right now, PlayJam is using KickStarter to gain funds, looking for $100,000 to go through its last development hurdles. Unlike Ouya, you won’t need to wait too long after the KickStarter project to get your GameStick though, as they plan to ship this April.

What do you think of the GameStick? Like the idea or would you rather pick up an Ouya when it launches around March?

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Remember the Ouya? It has been a little while since the last time we featured an article about the open-source Android console. The good news is that the little Android box is finally almost here, with developer kit versions of the Ouya shipping out on December 28th.

We always knew that the Ouya was a small yet relatively capable little cube, but the picture above now drives home just how small the cube really is.

Wondering what the difference is between a developer version and a retail consumer Ouya? Honestly, there probably isn’t tons of differences, though the company does say that the dev units are “pretty special”– take that how you will. We do know that these developer versions will come rooted out of the box, whereas the standard commercial version will allow rooting but will require user intervention to unlock the root.

So, developers are finally getting the first true taste of the Ouya, but what about the rest of us? As a reminder, the retail arrival for the Ouya is expected in April of 2013, at a price point of just $99.

Are you excited for the Ouya, or with next generation consoles just around the corner, has the open-source Android console lost its appeal?

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