The Kickstarter darling OUYA is slowly starting to trickle into the hands of people who backed them early on in their development. Today in a blog post, they announced that through an additional round of funding, that they have raked in another $15 million that they plan on dumping into, “increasing production to meet our demand” and other development. However, shortly after saying that, they also announced that the retail launch date of the OUYA will be pushed back. 

“The demand we’re seeing from gamers and our retailers is beyond our expectations,” they write, so the retail launch of the console is being pushed back to June 25th. It seems that this new $15 million in funding will go into ramping up production after the launch of the console instead of before.

Only a bit more of a wait before we can get this Android-powered gaming console in our hands, but we will keep you updated as the launch gets closer.

Via: OUYA

OUYA Receives $15 Million in Additional Funding, Shifts Launch Date Back Anyway is a post from: Droid Life

It is like a cycle – a new mobile device comes out and first comes the drop test and screen scratch videos. After that comes the inevitable teardown from the guys over at iFixit which, unlike the first two examples, are actually interesting and useful. Now that OUYA units are actually starting to ship out to more eager developers, we get to see how the OUYA is put together and how easy it is to fix. 

As usual, the iFixit technicians get their tools and take every part of the console apart to give us their opinion on how easy the overall process is. On a scale of 1-10, 10 being the easiest, the OUYA scored a 9 which is a pretty good score. The only problems that iFixit ran into was a soldered heat sink and joysticks, both for the sake of strength in such a small console. This is good news for gamers who have a tendency to rage. If you kick the tiny console across the room, it won’t take too long to get it fixed, depending on how many pieces it is in.

Via: iFixit

iFixit Gives OUYA the Teardown Treatment, Finds the Small Console Fixes Up Easy is a post from: Droid Life

That’s right, the OUYA has official begun shipping to early backers from Kickstarter, just as they said it would. Should you have forked out the cash to be amongst the initial group, get to checking your email for shipping info and instructions for operating the little guy once it arrives. The rollout of devices will happen over the next several weeks. For the rest of you who jumped on the bandwagon after OUYA became an internet sensation, you’ll have to wait a bit longer. 

Once your new OUYA arrives, the first boot will include an update that shouldn’t take long, but will depend on your internet connection. After updating, the OUYA team wants to remind you that you’ll need a credit/debit card to download games, even though all are free to try. Your card will only be charged if you decide to buy a game.

So far, there are 104 published games on OUYA, but that’s nothing in the grand scheme of things. Their press note tonight mentioned that 8,000 developers have already created accounts with hopes of launching their apps to the Android-based console.

During this initial backer “exclusive preview” period, you’ll see plenty of changes as OUYA works to add new features, refine the user interface, and continue to build out software. With the retail launch set for June 4, you will have a full two months to see OUYA turn from Kickstarter dream project to retail player.

Who backed it? And if so, have you received your shipping info yet?

Via:  OUYA

OUYA Officially Begins Shipping to Early Backers, 104 Games Already Published is a post from: Droid Life

Click here to view the embedded video.

In this video, a rep from a company called 3DiVi takes us through a demo of their new Nuidroid motion tracking software. 3DiVi, coupled with the Ouya gaming console, works much like the Kinect does that partners with the Xbox. Using a special ASUS-built motion sensor, 3DiVi’s Nuidroid tracks your movements which then translates into commands for games and applications. 

In this demo, we see how 3DiVi tracks a body, which allows our demoer to control a video game. With a partnership through Ouya, they are hoping to bring this software to the market sometime this year.

To learn more about eyeSight, check out their site here.

Video: Demo of 3DiVi’s Nuidroid Software at GTC is a post from: Droid Life

March 28 is the day that OUYA consoles will start shipping to people who originally started backing it on Kickstarter. Seeing as how that’s only a few weeks away, OUYA announced that game developers can submit their games for review starting today. This allows OUYA to test and review the games before launch to build a nice big portfolio for early adopters to play when they fire up their OUYA for the first time. 

OUYA also wants to tell the stories of the developers who worked so hard to make their game for this new console. OUYA is going to log the time played on all games when the console first hits and the top 3 games are going to have special promotions done for their games to tell the story of how they were made.

Are you expecting an OUYA on March 28? Or will you be picking one up at all?

Via: OUYA

OUYA Opens Developer Portal for Game Submissions Starting Today is a post from: Droid Life

Official word from the makers of OUYA this morning, confirm that Kickstarter backers will start receiving their Android-powered gaming consoles sometime shortly after they ship on March 28. Once devices start shipping, everyone will receive their tracking info in an email, so keep a look out in your inbox on and around that time. 

On top of all that hotness, they also offered up a small amount of news concerning games that will be available. While it won’t launch with hundreds of exclusive titles, there are a few shining stars that they did highlight.

Kim Swift — of Portal, Left 4 Dead, and Quantum Conundrum notoriety — and Airtight Games are developing a brand new, exclusive title for OUYA!

Kim writes: “We truly feel that this platform will give us the freedom to fully realize the funky, unique game we have in mind. Though the title will definitely appeal to core gamers in terms of skill and difficulty, it really has a completely unexpected, imaginative slant that’s totally at home on this console. Expect an official announcement soon!”

Full launch is still expected for June, where people can even head into stores and pick one of these consoles.

Via: OUYA

OUYA Will Begin Shipping to Kickstarter Backers on March 28 is a post from: Droid Life

The Kickstarter darling OUYA was born from the mobile market, having components powering it that you would find in smartphones and tablets around the world. OUYA will apparently be influenced by the mobile market’s style of updating as well. Whereas traditional game consoles have a cycle of 7-10 years, the OUYA will be refreshed with new hardware every year, according to the company. 

CEO Julie Uhrman, during her DICE 2013 appearance, went on record as saying there will be a new OUYA every year. “There will be an OUYA 2 and an OUYA 3″ as they take advantage of better and faster processors and falling prices. Understandably some people are unsettled by this news but Uhrman explained that all games will be backwards compatible between the different hardware versions of the OUYA, allowing you to play any game on any console.

The question remains, is this a good idea? Part of the long console cycle is that developers are just now figuring out how to use the Xbox 360 and PS3 to their full potential. Yearly cycles of hardware won’t leave developers a lot of tinkering time on their game before they have to anticipate different hardware.

Then again, the OUYA is shipping with an older chipset by mobile standards, in the Tegra 3. It’s also sporting a lowly 1GB of RAM, so if it plans to follow mobile patterns, it makes sense for it to see upgrades on a yearly basis.

Backers of the OUYA are getting theirs next month and full retail sale starts in June, so we’ll see how this experiment in changing up traditional consoles pans out pretty soon.

Via: Engadget

OUYA CEO Says Console Will Follow Mobile Update Model, New Hardware Every Year is a post from: Droid Life

The OUYA team announced this morning through the Wall Street Journal that they have teamed up with Target, Amazon, Best Buy, and Gamestop to sell their inexpensive, Android-based consoles at launch in June. At a price of $99.99, with additional controllers running $49.99, OUYA is clearly trying to carve out their own niche in the console gaming market. We still aren’t sure if we think they can do it successfully, but the buzz around this Kickstarter funded project is undeniable.

With their 68,000 backers that will receive the OUYA in April, the crowdfunded gaming system is hoping that with some promotion and partnerships with these retailers, that they can do big things. They are already claiming to have some 200 gaming titles lined up for launch, including “a larger suite” that are exclusive to OUYA.

Pre-orders for the June launch will start today.

Via:  Wall Street Journal

OUYA to be Sold Through Amazon, Target, Best Buy, and Gamestop in June for $100 is a post from: Droid Life

According to the official OUYA Facebook page, they are nearly sold out of systems that will be sent out to buyers in April. Naturally, they coupled that announcement with the fact that more will soon become available, but for a later shipping date. So, if you want that Tegra 3-powered system in your living room in a couple of months, you best act quickly.

Have you or will you intend on buying one of these systems?

Via: Phandroid | OUYA

Last Call For OUYA April Delivery – If You Want One, Then You Better Hurry is a post from: Droid Life

GameStick, the newest overnight Kickstarter-inspired portable Android gaming system sensation, announced today that they have signed off on a new design with the help of feedback from backers. After the initial and much squarer design was received with mixed feelings, this new version of the GameStick looks much more appealing to average and advanced gamers – well, according to its creators. 

Here is what they had to say:

As you will see we have rounded the edges quite a bit so that our controller feels better in the hand. We then lost the groove between the middle section of the controller and the top deck so that it feels smooth all round…we extended the palm grips so that they feel more substantial and also changed the magic ratio between the top and bottom edges, adding 3mm to the leading edge so that the controller sits more naturally in your hand…

We made the D pad rubber so it feels nice to touch and provides good levels of grip. We changed the PLAY buttons to XBYA to make it as easy as possible for developers to port their games. We improved the analog sticks to use full multi-way + switch systems and rubberized the mushroom caps. We support a full a 45 degree tilt angle so that you can very accurately control the games you love to play…

Beyond buttons and rounded edges, the GameStick team is trying to futureproof the device for both Miracast and wireless charging:

We hated the idea of having to keep plugging your controller in to charge it up (although it supports around 40 hours of game play on a single charge) and so we wanted to add a contact based charging system and also to support a full wireless charging solution that could be built in to the GameStick Dock…

At the outset of this project we wanted to be able to power the GameStick from its controller so that you could stream games directly from the controller to any screen that was Miracast enabled…We have been pioneering this work and to lay the foundation we wanted to ensure that our controller was future proof…

So you have a fully revamped controller, one that should be futureproof with next-gen Miracast and wireless technologies. I know we don’t seem to be seeing much of a middle ground when it comes to loving or hating these affordable Android gaming systems, but the portability of this one, along with the early dedication from the team to listen to its customers is always a good sign.

New Design

Via:  Kickstarter

GameStick Unveils New Design With Help of Backers is a post from: Droid Life

We know that many of the readers here decided to back the OUYA Android-powered game console through Kickstarter a while back, so today’s news will be welcome. OUYA let some people get their hands around the controller that will be accompanying the console and they got some feedback. That feedback lead to some changes into making the controller into something really well built. 

First up for change was the D-Pad, people weren’t too excited that it was more of a disc shape rather than the traditional crosspad that allows for accurate clicks. The crosspad has been worked into the controller with the promise that “accuracy and precision are back.” The two thumbsticks were reported as being too slippery so OUYA added a more rubberized grip on top of each of them, and the touchpad in the middle of the controller has been worked to be more sensitive.

A couple of tweaks to the battery door and triggers round out a solid update on the most physical part of the OUYA system. After generating so much hype during its Kickstarter program, it’s good to hear from the OUYA team about making their console better. Are you waiting impatiently for these to start shipping?

Via: OUYA

OUYA Listens to Feedback on Controller Design, Makes a Few Tweaks is a post from: Droid Life

Now that developer units of the OUYA gaming console have started to arrive at the homes and offices of developers, it only makes sense that at least one would upload a full hands-on with the device. In this series of videos, by the developer of a game called Deadly Dungeons, we get a look at the UI of OUYA, how controllers perform, how settings can be setup, what Android looks like on the device, and get an idea as to how “beta” or “alpha” this early version is. 

The first video of the “interface” is easily the most interesting that we have included below. The UI is on display, which even I’ll admit looks very nice. It desperately needs some polish, but the OUYA team has time to make that happen. As you’ll see through the 17-minute video, there are bits and pieces of Android that will look familiar, such as the WiFi screen and browser. One thing we’re confused about, is why they chose the phone UI of Android over the tablet UI. You’ll notice during his browser and YouTube test, that the device clearly thinks the device is a smartphone and not a tablet, something I hope they change.

As a reminder, these OUYA dev units do not come equipped with games, other than a test build of something and then whatever the developer wants to put on it. You do get to see gameplay of Deadly Dungeons, however, it’s a portrait-style game, so it looks a bit odd on a big screen.

This dev pointed out something that surprises us as well – the fact that the controller doesn’t have a Start, Select, or Menu button whatsoever. Since it’s running Android, this seems like a major oversight. As is noted during gameplay of his game, the dev shows that there is no way to exit or bring up a menu in his game, something he’ll have to code in to make it fully compatible with OUYA. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it something to think about.

Last, there is a section for “Store” where we assume the OUYA team will look to feature and sell games that they have partnered with. I’m not exactly sure how or if OUYA will ever get Google Play on this device, so at this point, I’m a bit skeptical as to how robust this system can be.

It’s definitely a development worth keeping an eye on.

Interface Overview:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Console Overview:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Hooking the Beast Up:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Via: Slash Gear

Video: Developer Delivers In-depth Overview of OUYA Gaming Console is a post from: Droid Life

Remember OUYA? The crowdfunded Android-based gaming console that took the Kickstarter world by storm back in July? It’s inching closer towards reality, as developer units have begun to ship, prompting the OUYA team to do their own official unboxing for the world to see. 

As noted in the video, the developer unit doesn’t ship with any games, is probably filled with bugs, and comes in a limited edition clear plastic that “really takes into consideration the openness of OUYA.” Basically what they are saying, is that this is no where near what the final retail version will look like and was created for developers to prep games for.

For those not familiar, OUYA is an open console gaming system that allows you to play all of your favorite smartphone or tablet games on your TV, with a controller, just like you would an XBOX or Playstation 3. It’s an attempt to shake up the console market, which according to OUYA, has been pushing developers away over the years. With many of them turning to mobile, the hottest thing on the planet, OUYA thinks the time is right to take their work and put it on the big screen.

OUYA already has partnerships announced with major mobile gaming companies, so this is definitely a movement to keep an eye on. If you’d like to pre-order an OUYA console, they run $99 and can be purchased here.

Estimated shipping time for official retail units is still listed as April 2013, which is only a couple of months away.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Via:  OUYA

OUYA Developer Unit Gets Unboxed, People Freak Out Over Developer Unit is a post from: Droid Life

We’ve seen the power of Android and gaming come together with the Kickstarter craze OUYA, but a new company Green Throttle Games asks, “why buy a separate Android console when your phone can do it all?” With the help of some Bluetooth connected controllers, your phone and your big screen TV is all you need to have mobile gaming fun right on your couch. 

Green Throttle is developing their own first-party titles to be released with the new service, which they want to get third-party developers in on as well. They are releasing an SDK as part of a program to get as many games into their catalog as possible. If this all sounds exciting to you, patience might help a bit. “In the near future” is all we have as far as release date and no word on price either.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Via: Engadget

Cheers Nick S!

Green Throttle Games Looks to Maximize Your Phone’s Gaming Capabilities is a post from: Droid Life

The Kickstarter for OUYA, the Android-powered gaming console, officially ended last night with a final total of money raised somewhere near $8.5 million. Dang. If somehow you missed out on backing this Tegra 3 powered game console, you can now pre-order a device from OUYA themselves starting today. 

If you are in the United States, $109 will get you a console and a controller, which includes all the shipping costs. If you are elsewhere, tack on an extra $10 and you will be all set. OUYA definitely has the right vision in taking on the established console giants, but it remains to be seen whether the devices will get out the door quickly enough to still be relevant.

Would you take this console over the next generation Xbox or PlayStation?

Pre-Order

OUYA Gaming Console Now Up for Pre-Order, $109 with Expected Shipments Starting Next April is a post from: Droid Life