We all know about the Chinese knock-off Wiis that are all over the place, but those are so last year. No one is going to want a knock-off of a Wii when they can get a knock-off of Kinect! At least that is the obvious thinking behind Chinese company Eedoo Software's announcement that they will be launching the eBox, a new gaming platform that works without controls!
The eBox claims to do exactly what Kinect will do, and deliver a gaming interface that doesn't need a controller. It's made out of a webcam, and possibly some magic Chinese fairy dust. The system will come packaged with 30 free games, and as of now (and mostly likely into the future) will only be available in China. The company most likely plans to sell the system for less than a Xbox 360 itself -- and thus less than Kinect and a 360 together -- which I think is a very sound business move as it probably cost them five cents to put together.
Jack Luo, president of Beijing Eedoo Technology said, "Our product is designed for family entertainment. eBox may not have exquisite game graphics, or extensive violence, but it can inspire family members to get off the couch and get some exercise."
We'll have to wait until Destructoid gets its full review copy of the system, which I'm sure is just lost in the mail right now, to see how un-exquisite those graphics really are. However, if you want to test it out before the system's projected launch date of early next year I believe there is a little known product out for the PlayStation 3 called the EyeToy that does the same thing.
Eedoo to take on big boys in video-gaming market [China Daily]
[Thanks, Maestro1]
Contest:
6:00 PM on 08.29.2010 | 
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let the best win!
Yeah Kinect is SO much more advanced then the PSEyeToy.
Linkage:
http://www.elpais.com/articulo/tecnologia/Kinect/vendera/Espana/idioma/mexicano/elpeputec/20100827elpeputec_3/Tes
But they're ripping off the US...
EDIT: Actually - the site won't even let me post this unless I censor the those racial slurs I mentioned.
EDIT: Actually - the site won't even let me post this unless I censor the those racial slurs I mentioned.
...some games.
It's an awesome double standard that Asians have to live with, not to mention getting burned by quotas, scholarships, and being revered for our awesome kung-fu and math skills (neither of which I have).
That being said: China's stuff still sucks. I can't wait to see some kid play Xiar Nov (the Chinese, non-union equivalent of Karnov) on this thing at the flea market.
Slowpoke-country. ;_;
I'm gonna be frank, as an Asian poster on Destructoid, one thing that's always made me feel rather uncomfortable with this website is how casual it is in its racism towards Asians in exclusion to any other race. I suppose it's because there aren't really major Mexican, African, or Middle Eastern game companies which means they don't show up in the spotlight. But I still wonder why it's okay to call someone a ch*nk but not a n*gger or a wetback, as if though one racial slur was "less severe" than another. I guess it's the internet so I really shouldn't care, but it makes me wonder if I'm part of a community (gaming specifically) that's inherently racist.
This IS original stuff, all technical progress is evolution from existing products. I do not know of anything "original" that has come out in the last century.