Tapwave Zodiac Simulator Screen Shots

Posted By: Ryan Monday, August 4, 2003 10:25:24 AM

Screen captures from the Tapwave Zodiac have been posted to PDArcade. The screen shots are from the developers simulator of the device. The images show a new custom launcher, virtual graffiti area and a landscape portrait control.

The screenshots on PDArcade highlight a new main application launcher for the Zodiac. The images also confirm that the screen can be used in both portrait and landscape mode. A virtual graffiti area can also be used in both screen orientations. PDArcade has 10 screen captures in total.

Tapwave Zodiac Screenshot
Tapwave Zodiac Screenshot

The Device, code-named Helix now known as the Zodiac, may be available online as early as September. There will be two versions. A mainstream model with 32 MB of RAM, will cost $299 and a higher end, with 128 MB, will sell for $399 according to details furnished by CNN/Money.

The Zodiac will be based on Palm OS 5.2 and will feature a 3.8 inch diagonal 480 x 320 pixel screen, analog joystick navigation with integrated triggers and buttons, 3D graphics acceleration, stereo sound and Bluetooth for multiplayer wireless gaming. Internally it will run a i.MX1 Motorola ARM9 Processor, has ATI® Imageon graphics accelerator and Yamaha audio component. The unit will be powered by dual lithium batteries, said to last for 16 hours.

The Tapwave corporate site lists the Demo Mobile Conference (September 17- 19) as the date of the product introduction.

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FINALLY!

Bleekerstreets @ 8/4/2003 11:13:35 AM #
I can tell this thing is going to be a huge hit...mobile gaming just got a whole lot better...

RE: FINALLY!
ArPonn @ 8/4/2003 11:20:12 AM #
True !

Any more pictures to come ? I wonder it could have the size of my Zire 71 !!!

RE: FINALLY!
a3 @ 8/4/2003 11:59:34 AM #
I'm not sure about how big this hit will be. I was a huge fan until I heard that it only works in landscape mode and then I saw the apparent form factor shown in tapwave's site.

Anyway, I will definitively wait until it is finally out to decide wether or not to wait for the TT3.

_______________________________________
Already a Tapwave's Helix fan.

RE: FINALLY!
craigf @ 8/4/2003 12:12:38 PM #
It works in portrait mode, or at least the Tapwave folks indicated at the launch event that this is a priority in their design.

RE: FINALLY!
Bleekerstreets @ 8/4/2003 12:12:51 PM #
no, it works in portrait mode also...check out the pdarcade website...

RE: FINALLY!
helf @ 8/4/2003 12:24:18 PM #
Did you not look at the pics? It'll run in portrait and landscape.

RE: FINALLY!
TTrules @ 8/4/2003 6:13:33 PM #
Thsi thing is going to be AWESOME!!!!!!!!!! I'm buying one all the way.

check out the quality!!
Bleekerstreets @ 8/5/2003 3:40:01 PM #
more screenshots of actual game play!!!

this is gonna be one kick butt PDA! (can it "really" be called a PDA???)

http://www.pdarcade.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1176

Tapwave Users Group at Yahoo!

craigf @ 8/4/2003 12:11:05 PM #
There's already a Tapwave user group over at Yahoo! in case anyone is interested. As more information comes out, the discussion is picking up.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tapwave_users

- Craig

wifi?

rened @ 8/4/2003 12:25:13 PM #
Is there any chance to extend this device with Wifi?

RE: wifi?
Massman82 @ 8/4/2003 12:40:33 PM #
I think there is a WiFi SD card coming out. It should be able to be plugged into the Zodiac, but no one can know for sure, yet.

Clie NX60 - emailMassman82@PDArcade.com/email

Is Tapwave it?

abosco @ 8/4/2003 12:22:19 PM #
Is Tapwave the third company we've been waiting for? Have we found the third company that will give us true bang for our buck? Have we found our third company to offer us 320x480 in a tablet design with ample processing speed and gobs of memory at low prices? Is it?

-Bosco
RE: Is Tapwave it?
Tungsten @ 8/4/2003 12:48:51 PM #
I see them as the next HandEra, in a good way. Unlike HE, they have something the average consumer wants.

Form Factor

indesman @ 8/4/2003 12:51:55 PM #
I think the most interesting part of the screen shots are the renderings of the unit showing button layout in the instructional images. I'm curious why they aren't more forthcoming with photos of actual devices...you've got to believe their in hardware beta testing at this point. I'm assuming there will be a considerable, 1-3 month, lag between the announcement and actual shipping units so that it will hit the market about the time OS6 is announced. It would be a much better investment if you could upgrade it when OS6 comes out but I'm unclear on whether there are different hardware requirements for OS5 vs OS6.

I have to say the pricing seems very aggressive compared to the other Palms that are out there but I guess they are going to have their work cut out for them going up aginst Gameboy Advance at $70 to $100.

RE: Form Factor
kevdo @ 8/4/2003 1:18:17 PM #
There is a "hype" video on the tapwave site that shows someone holding the supposed device. Good news is that it looks like it is relatively thin, rather than being the size of a PS2 joystick or Game Boy.

-Kevin Crossman
RE: Form Factor
LiveFaith @ 8/5/2003 9:49:09 AM #
Yeh, looks like the system settings reveals the basic layout of the device. Does not look extremely big and if the "thin" report is true, theis device may truly have a dual play/work appeal.

At least they r giving us 480x320 in a tablet format. This may attract more than just gamers? Intersting no doubt.

Pat Horne; www.churchoflivingfaith.com

Bundled Games?

kevdo @ 8/4/2003 1:19:31 PM #
Have I missed any comments on what games would be bundled with the device? Cause... uh, surely they're going to bundle something with the device. Right?

The only other question I have is whether people are going to complain that Documents to Go isn't also bundled. ;-)

-Kevin Crossman

RE: Bundled Games?
Palminator @ 8/4/2003 1:57:43 PM #
Personally, I believe this device is going to be a flop. Where is the content (games) coming from? Gaming developers need to see significant ROI from a "platform" perspective (PalmOS in this case) in order to substantiate the development efforts. Seems to me like a niche product which will struggle to get content and will eventually fail because of this. It will be a game-centric PDA (which will turn off the enterprise and general consumer market) which won't have any of the cool content (which will turn off the gamers).

RE: Bundled Games?
arielb @ 8/4/2003 4:06:35 PM #
Where are the games coming from?

"A teaser video on the website shows a mock up device running a 3D version of Spy Hunter. The CNN article also states 368 developers have signed up to support the Zodiac. It will launch with between 15-20 games optimized for it including, 'Neverwinter Nights,' 'Tony Hawk' and 'Doom II.'"

But you know, even if there weren't any games I'd still want it because of 128 meg, virtual graf, dual SD, etc


watermark

arielb @ 8/4/2003 1:44:08 PM #
imagine if that stupid PDA arcade watermark wasn't there...ahhh much better

RE: watermark
Massman82 @ 8/4/2003 1:46:21 PM #
Does it really hurt that much?

Clie NX60 - emailMassman82@PDArcade.com/email

Gauranteed game developer community

rsc1000 @ 8/4/2003 2:50:02 PM #
Just a re-buttal to all who say this will flop. Unlike all that have gone up against Nintendos Gameboy before - this has a guarantee against obsolescence. Why? Because with all the Palm OS 5 devices that have come out in the last year, Palm OS game development has increased in quality. Just look at games like GTS Racing and the upcoming to get an idea of where its going - and this is just the start.

So if i get a tapwave, even if the company goes under 6 months later, i'll still have 20 or so games optimised for my device available (that use the Fathammer 3D engine optimised for tapwave), and i'll have a kick-ass Palm OS device for only $299 (or $399 for the high end version) - a better deal than anything out there w/Palm OS 5. I will be able to continue playing new Palm OS games for years. Gamegear and NeoGeo never had that - when the devices were pulled, it was only a matter of time until all development ended. Unless Palm OS goes belly up - highly unlikely to happen for at least 4-5 years - than this device is guaranteed to have many, many new games for it. And thats the worst case scenario.

RE: Gauranteed game developer community
Fammy @ 8/4/2003 3:31:39 PM #
I share your feelings too.

What I see happening is lots of games are "TapWave" enhanced. They work on any OS5 device but have something extra special for the TapWave (maybe just a landscape mode or analog support). That's kinda what happens now. The hardware devices are fragmented (look at anything by Sony and then compare to anything else). Versions of games have 4-5 versions sometimes. OS4 low res, OS5 high res, Sony OS4 high res, Sony sound enhanced, virutal graffiti enhanced, etc, etc.

-- Fammy

RE: Gauranteed game developer community
tiocsti @ 8/4/2003 3:54:30 PM #
Maybe it's just me, but what I see happening is this becoming orphanware. I'm _far_ more likly to buy a sony psp than this device unless I see some major name producers announce support for it.

I just can't see a bright future for this...


RE: Gauranteed game developer community
Fammy @ 8/4/2003 3:57:29 PM #
I'm buying this as a PDA replacement that just happens to play games. It's got most of the feature I want: bluetooth, dual SD slots, universal connector, virtual grafitti.

The PSP is aimed at gamers who may want to listen to music or watch movies. Good luck Sony on getting all your features into the device for any reasonable price. The PSP will likely be a big ol' brick that will be tough to carry around.

-- Fammy

RE: Gauranteed game developer community
rsc1000 @ 8/4/2003 4:25:37 PM #
>>Maybe it's just me, but what I see happening is this becoming orphanware. I'm _far_ more likly to buy a sony psp than this device unless I see some major name producers announce support for it.

The Sony is FAR more likely to be orphanware because it has no major OS to fall back on - if Sony drops it, yr screwed. No more development. With tapwave (as i stated above) you'll be able to play new games developed for Palm OS for years. What part of that do you not understand? If the psp dies - you've got an expensive little brick. Even if it doesn't die - the tapwave is far more useful because its also a PDA. Sure you'll be able to play media files, for example, on the Sony - using only Sonys software (they don't have good support for their proprietary APIs on the clie now - and its a Palm OS device). So, on a proprietary OS device like the psp, expect Sony to be even more difficult about allowing developers to write cool apps without paying a premium. With the Tapwave device you'll have much better choice - thousands of apps. a growing percentage of which are OS 5 multimedia & games. As for yr comment: "unless I see some major name producers announce support for it" - have you read any of the press releases? Activision, Atari, Midway, Infogrames - it does not getting any more 'major' than these companies.

Speaking of tapwave developers - have you guys seen this yet:
http://makeashorterlink.com/?X5AD25D75

RE: Gauranteed game developer community
tiocsti @ 8/4/2003 4:40:18 PM #
I doubt the PSP will be any bigger (or much bigger) than the gameboy advance sp, which is admittedly quite a bit bigger than a pda.

As a pda, this device might fly, as a gaming device, no change imo. I'm more or less appy with the TT2.


RE: Gauranteed game developer community
helf @ 8/4/2003 4:47:55 PM #
I think it will be a hit. Even if it isn't it'll still be a awesome palm for general use.


The psp sounds like it will be pretty powerful but all it is for is games. And it takes those minicd's iirc. Who wants to keep up with that ?

RE: Gauranteed game developer community
tiocsti @ 8/4/2003 6:10:09 PM #
I've seen no evidence that activision, atari, or any other major company is developing for tapwave. The press release said they were going to license content from activision/atari/etc not that they'd be developing new games, unless you have read a different press release than I have.


RE: Gauranteed game developer community
arielb @ 8/4/2003 7:23:17 PM #
wake me up when there is even one decent word processor for the PSP

RE: Gauranteed game developer community
Edward Green @ 8/4/2003 7:46:32 PM #
Doesn't the 3d engine have versions for nGage, Symbian and PocketPC too? The p800 games used it for a start. I think what we are looking at is easier cross platform development.

Edward Green
--
http://www.khite.co.uk
RE: Gauranteed game developer community
boogie_doggie @ 8/4/2003 10:36:52 PM #
Don't forget that Sony is also a licensee of the Palm OS. I do't think that it's a stretch to believe that the PSP could suddenly become a PDA if the Zodiac takes off and Sony decides they want a piece of that action...Besides, remember that the new processor they developed for their new clamshell PDA is also supposed to be in the PSP.

RE: Gauranteed game developer community
helf @ 8/4/2003 11:14:18 PM #
What do you call thq,midway etc? they have good games adn they are onboard for creating games..

RE: Gauranteed game developer community
HandyMan @ 8/5/2003 2:40:55 PM #
The specs for PSP has been released. They are using MIPS processor not ARM. So no chance of this one running PalmOS. Besides, Sony wasn't to control the game licensing and get all the royalty revenue. They do NOT want a open gmaing standard.


Screen Shots

Alslayer @ 8/4/2003 5:25:33 PM #
Heck the shots make me want this device more. The laucher looks pretty good. It looks like it doesn't have a background feature but it still looks nice.

RE: Screen Shots
Massman82 @ 8/4/2003 5:39:22 PM #
Almost positive that there is an option to change the backround.

-------------
Roman
Clie NX60 - Massman82@PDArcade.com
RE: Screen Shots
helf @ 8/6/2003 10:24:33 AM #
There is an option for it. I just checked.

More Screenshots!

edeab220 @ 8/4/2003 6:46:15 PM #
PocketLoft.com was able to get somemore screenshots from the Zodiac. One of the screenshots show the Zodiac running Bejeweled, the most famous game on the PalmOS side.

http://www.pocketloft.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1248

----------
Editor-In-Chief at: www.pocketloft.com

RE: More Screenshots!
helf @ 8/4/2003 9:55:28 PM #
Some nice shots. I had not tried running any 3rd party apps on the simulator yet. Was just messing with the internal stuff..

For anyone that was wondering...

helf @ 8/4/2003 9:58:32 PM #
You can go to tapwave and sign up as a dev adn get all teh dev packages, which include the sim and overviews on the api's and such. It's rather nice.

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