Source:
NewsVineI came across an article from French gaming site Inpact Virtuel, which claims that SEGA is preparing a portable console (codenamed the "SEGA Hedgehog") to be displayed at the usual gaming trade-shows next year, complete with the purported concept sketch at right.
Disclosure: Before I was an Xbox fanboy, I was, in fact, a SEGA fanboy.
Scoop: French gaming website Inpact Virtuel. Translated article: http://tinyurl.com/zgeft
The device looks essentially something like a DreamCast controller with a Nintendo DS-like lid, and a Sony PSP screen. In other words, if this concept sketch is anything close to the real-deal, this portable gaming console could well bring the best aspects of the competition's devices into one device.
Specs/Details:Processor: 566MHz Samsung CPU
Graphics: 128-bit NVidia graphic accelerator Memory: 128MB of RAM
Screen: 1 cm LCD with 640 x 360 resolution
Controller: Analog joystick, four buttons, two triggers, plus a laptop-like tactile mouse pad with three buttons.
Inputs: Games to be cartridge-based. Contains a USB port, Compact Flash, and SD Card reader.
Media: Vague. Possibility of DivX format support.
Backward compatibility: Master System, Saturn, and DreamCast games.
The hardware sounds promising as well: A 566 MHz CPU sounds as capable as Sony's dual-core 333 MHz (capped at 222 MHz) processor. With no apparent mention of on-board storage, the console will likely have to rely on USB flash drives and CF or SD cards. This should not be a problem, since 2 GB storage cards can be found in the neighborhood of $50 today, and by the time anything like this could be launched, should be practically worthless.
As for media capabilities, the scoop makes little mention, except that SEGA is apparently considering the possibility of DivX format support. The thought of loading a USB flash drive with several of (ahem, legally purchased) DVD movies ripped to DivX format sounds far more appealing than buying a movie in UMD format.
With an integrated USB port, Compact Flash reader, and SD Card reader, SEGA must be planning some level of media-reading functionality for this gaming console. Off the top of my head, I can imagine one sticking a digital camera's SD or CF card into the device and using it to view photographs, or sticking an SD card or USB flash drive full of MP3s and using it as a music player.
Of course, it is equally possible that all of this is hearsay, or that the device will never actually make it to market. If that is the case, then it is obviously to the detriment of portable gaming fans, because this sounds like a very exciting device.