I heard about the Linux Game Console “EVO” quite a long time ago – and I guess I forgot about it. Looks like it’s finally ready for shipping on April 17th for $380. Seems like a lot doesn’t it? I mean compared to a PS3 or XBox 360 it seems like the price is pretty much the same.
So what do you get for $380 on a linux console gaming system? Here’s what I read on a recent post from Linux Devices:
- an Athlon 2.4Ghz 64X2 processor
- 2GB of RAM
- ATI HD 3200 graphics processor
- supports up to 1080i or 1080p for HD Hi-Def gaming
- DVI and HDMI outputs
- 120 GB Hard drive
- CD/DVD ROM
- Biometric scanner
- Two 10/100 ethernet jacks
- Six USB ports
- Mirrors Evolution linux (based on Fedora)
- Video on Demand
- Nearly unlimited storage through cloud computing
Here’s a video commercial I found on YouTube from December 2008:
With those specs, it seems to blow traditional main stream gaming consoles away – doesn’t it? Well after I watched the video I went to the EVO Smart Console web site to get the lastest info. The web site boasts a DVR to pause and record live TV, video on demand, and streaming of TV, photos, or music to any web enabled device. The web site says you can get “extras”, such as a logitech wireless keyboard and mouse, biometric fingerprint scanner, 10GB of online cloud storage, and play HD video games.
Then I click for “more specs” on the EVO web site to find that you can get the EVO smart console with all the “extras” for $599, but the big shocker was that you could get loaded with Windows Vista Home for $799!! WTF!? I guess the almightly dollar reigns supreme showing that (to stay viable) even people working 5 long hard years on a Linux gaming systems offer a Windows PC version in the end! It does list a “DVD burner” in both of these versions. I click one more time to find a smart console “HD” option for $699 that includes an SD card reader and wireless network, in addition to an HD tuner so you can record in Hi-Def with the DVR. You even get “Windows emulation plug and play software” to play PC games in HD. The EVO Game Store is now online as well.
I have to hand it to them, the EVO has come a long way in 5 years – but is it really competition to the XBox 360 and Playstation 3? It certainly doesn’t have game studios with million dollar budgets behind it. And really – it’s not a gaming console at as is it? It’s a fully fledged Linux PC in a small form factor box. The fact that it has windows emulation software to play PC games and makes it so. I think it’s a great idea, but maybe it should be marketed as the “Linux Living Room PC” or something like that.
