The guys over at gcw-zero have graciously shipped us out their GCW-Zero: Open Source Gaming Handheld to review for you all on HQ.


A huge thanks are in order to the guy's over at www.gcw-zero.com for shipping this unit out to us! Before we go any further you should understand that this unit is still in early stages, this meaning that there is not alot that it can do at the moment.

What's a GCW-Zero I hear you say? The GCW-Zero is a Linux flavored handheld powerful enough to run classic PC games, emulate the game consoles we grew up with and run homebrew games seamlessly at high frame rates.

The GCW can be comparable to a phat PSP 1001 models in a way, back in the day there were tons and tons of firmware exploits released that allowed you to run homebrew and emulators. With the GCW Zero you can do just that without having to have to worry about a update blocking your emulators. Below we see the unit on.

The console it's self runs on Linux software, not android. So far the only way to get Apps is through FTPing OPK files which is basically binary c# programming from my understanding, or loading them through a Micro SD card slot. Personally the console Emulates just fine for me. I tested a NES emulator and had no issues, as mentioned there is not alot it can do at the moment as it is still in early beta stages. Devs are working really hard on pushing out software. The guy's over at GCW Zero did mention that there would be a App store pushed eventually.
In all honesty do not expect this device to run high end games, as the specs are a bit low, coincidentally the GCW zero ships with a respectable 32GB of internal memory it can be expandable to 64GB. Since this device is to mainly run retro gaming the screen resolution is 320 x 240 with a 3:4 ratio which is ideal for retro gaming as stated on their website.

Xbox marketing chief talks to Ars about the benefits of the move to a "digital world."







"This is a big change, consumers don't always love change, and there's a lot of education we have to provide to make sure that people understand."



This is the extremely diplomatic way Microsoft Xbox Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer Yusuf Mehdi spun his reaction to the PR challenges surrounding the Xbox One of late. And it's true, consumers around the world (and around the Internet) loudly expressed how much they dislike the changes Microsoft announced to its game licensing terms (and online requirements) for the Xbox One last Thursday, giving Sony the ammunition it needed to win E3 by basically doing nothing.



The reaction wasn't a surprise to Mehdi, though. In fact, he said a lot of the way people have responded to Microsoft's moves was "kind of as we expected." But the implication of his statements in an in-depth interview with Ars Technica was that this temporary confusion and discomfort among the audience would be worth it as gamers and consumers adjust to a console world without game discs.



"We're trying to do something pretty big in terms of moving the industry forward for console gaming into the digital world. We believe the digital world is the future, and we believe digital is better."



Mehdi made a comparison to the world of home movie viewing, where inconvenient trips to Blockbuster Video have been replaced with Netflix streaming on practically every TV-connected device. On Xbox One, having all games exist as cloud-connected downloads enables new features like the ability to access your entire library at a friend's house with a single login or loaning games to up to ten "family members" digitally and remotely.



Those digital "benefits" will be available at launch, but Mehdi hinted that the digital rights management transition might unlock some more interesting game access and distribution methods later on. "In the future, you can imagine the capability to have different licensing models, different ways that people have to access games. This all gets unlocked because of digital." He wouldn't get drawn into details, but when I suggested ideas like an "all-you-can-play" Netflix for games or purely digital game rentals, he didn't shoot me down. "Sure. It could be a variety of ways."



Mehdi also suggested that the transition to a world of strictly downloadable and online-connected games would help allow for "a diversity of business models" for publishers to take advantage of, from free-to-play titles to $60 AAA games to Xbox Live Arcade games somewhere in between. "As you go into a digital world, what's happening is publishers are choosing to have different business models, and consumers are saying 'Hey, if I can't resell the title, provide me a different way to get value to get into your game.' And we think the market will be efficient in finding good models that work for consumers." In essence, Mehdi said, consumer demand for good value from games will drive prices down, even if a publisher decides to fully cut off the market release valve of used game resale.



Publishers, of course, have been the most forceful proponents of cutting off the used game market, with some suggesting that used games are comparable to piracy for their bottom line. But Mehdi said that Microsoft wasn't simply "giving in" to publisher demands with its new game licensing terms. Instead, it was trying to balance the needs of its four main "constituents," including the consumer (who comes "first and foremost" he said), game publishers, retailers, and Microsoft itself as a company.... >

Today we announced changes to XboxOne on how you can play, share, loan & resell games same as you do on Xbox360. said Microsoft on his oficial Xbox twitter

By Don Mattrick, President, Interactive Entertainment Busines

Last week at E3, the excitement, creativity and future of our industry was on display for a global audience.

For us, the future comes in the form of Xbox One, a system designed to be the best place to play games this year and for many years to come. As is our heritage with Xbox, we designed a system that could take full advantage of advances in technology in order to deliver a breakthrough in game play and entertainment. We imagined a new set of benefits such as easier roaming, family sharing, and new ways to try and buy games. We believe in the benefits of a connected, digital future.

Since unveiling our plans for Xbox One, my team and I have heard directly from many of you, read your comments and listened to your feedback. I would like to take the opportunity today to thank you for your assistance in helping us to reshape the future of Xbox One.

You told us how much you loved the flexibility you have today with games delivered on disc. The ability to lend, share, and resell these games at your discretion is of incredible importance to you. Also important to you is the freedom to play offline, for any length of time, anywhere in the world.

So, today I am announcing the following changes to Xbox One and how you can play, share, lend, and resell your games exactly as you do today on Xbox 360. Here is what that means:

An internet connection will not be required to play offline Xbox One games – After a one-time system set-up with a new Xbox One, you can play any disc based game without ever connecting online again. There is no 24 hour connection requirement and you can take your Xbox One anywhere you want and play your games, just like on Xbox 360.

Trade-in, lend, resell, gift, and rent disc based games just like you do today – There will be no limitations to using and sharing games, it will work just as it does today on Xbox 360.

In addition to buying a disc from a retailer, you can also download games from Xbox Live on day of release. If you choose to download your games, you will be able to play them offline just like you do today. Xbox One games will be playable on any Xbox One console -- there will be no regional restrictions.

These changes will impact some of the scenarios we previously announced for Xbox One. The sharing of games will work as it does today, you will simply share the disc. Downloaded titles cannot be shared or resold. Also, similar to today, playing disc based games will require that the disc be in the tray.

We appreciate your passion, support and willingness to challenge the assumptions of digital licensing and connectivity. While we believe that the majority of people will play games online and access the cloud for both games and entertainment, we will give consumers the choice of both physical and digital content. We have listened and we have heard loud and clear from your feedback that you want the best of both worlds.

Thank you again for your candid feedback. Our team remains committed to listening, taking feedback and delivering a great product for you later this year.

It's called "Project Mountain," but gamers know it better as "the infinite power of the cloud." And with a $700 million investment, a lot of that computing is going to be handled in West Des Moines, Iowa.

The Des Moines Register has reported that Microsoft has made an enormous data-center investment thanks, in part, to $20 million in tax credits from the state of Iowa. The new computing power will support Microsoft's Office 365 and Xbox Live services. It also makes Microsoft only the third company to invest more than $1 billion in data processing.