After the success of Ouya, PlayJam — the company responsible for SmartTV — has created and already met a Kickstarter goal for its own GameStick console after just one day on the popular crowdfunding site. The tiny, Android-based console needed $100K to finish production and has so far made $108,677 as of the time of publishing.
“Thank you so much to the Kickstarter Community for helping us reach our goal on just Day 2!!” read an update posted today on the Kickstarter page. “We are humbled and excited! What a start to the New Year!”
Gamestick is a two-inch console. You read that right, two… inches. Its size is relative to that of a USB drive that fits within its own rectangular controller and uses an HDMI port to connect to a TV. The entire setup can literally fit inside one’s own pocket.
The mini console’s size isn’t the only thing about it that’s small, as it will only run consumers $79. In addition to the controller that comes with the Gamestick itself, the device is also compatible with any Bluetooth controller supporting HID and is a completely open platform.
“We wanted to create a games console that helped further our overriding mission to bring affordable gaming to the big screen,” said PlayJam CEO Jasper Smith. “Not only that, we wanted to push the boundaries of what has been achieved up to now by packing sufficient power into the most portable of devices, enabling users to carry that experience with them wherever they go.”
Currently, PlayJam has acquired 200 Android titles for GameStick and is working with its network of over 250 developers including Madfinger, Hutch, and Disney to bring even more games to the device.
The technical specs for the console as well as its Kickstarter video can be found below:
- Processor – Amlogic 8726-MX
- Memory – 1GB DDR3 / 8GB FLASH
- Content Download Manager w/ cloud storage for games.
- WiFi – 802.11 b/g/n
- Bluetooth – LE 4.0
- O/S – Android Jelly Bean
- Controller – Bluetooth, 3 mode controller: gamepad, mouse and keyboard with support for up to 4 controllers.
- Full 1080p HD video decoding
With the money now in hand, GameStick will look to meet its April release deadline that PlayJam had set for the console, according to the Kickstarter page.
