Pushed to the Edge #8: Indie To Go

Depending on your leanings, the iRiver G10 could be even more promising than the two GamePark devices. It's got a bigger screen -- 800x480 displaying 260,000 colors -- and runs Windows CE 5.0, making it easy to run emulators and plenty of other applications, including Flash and Shockwave to play the great web-based games emerging of late.

Current designs show the screen sliding up to reveal a twin set of keypads; the form factor might not be so comfortable, but the design is definitely slick. Much as with the trio of GamePark offerings, iRiver has complicated things a bit with another media player dubbed the U10. Looking much like the G10, this player isn't geared towards games, but can play Flash.

With the PSP still locking out as many homebrew possibilities as possible, these platforms all look like intriguing ways to enjoy the massive amount of emulators and new independent games begging for attention on the web. iRiver seems to be in the best position, with a solid North American distribution setup already in place and a version of Windows running on the G10.

Everyone seems to want a white PSP... how about a GP2X instead? A detailed view of the GP2x analog stick

As much as I love the potential for both of these little systems, don't color me too optimistic for the future. The Tapwave Zodiac offered a lot of the same functionality and with a great PDA base to boot. But it barely made two years on the shelf before Tapwave had to pull the plug. Tiger Telematics is in a similar position with the Gizmondo, a far more expensive handheld that has yet to find an audience.

Without a slightly lower price (less than $150) none of the three has much of a chance in the States outside the curiosity and import market. There's no specific software to drive sales, and a perception of unreliability without a recognizable "name" behind the hardware.

Still, indie is good, especially in an industry more dominated by the mainstream than film or music. The web is already a flexible platform for independent, fringe, and user-created games, but a little portable hardware couldn't hurt.

Pushed to the Edge is a regular commentary covering elements of the video game industry that cause elation, dismay, outrage, or some combination of the above.

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