Here’s the word from Edge today:
Unveiled at CES in Las Vegas, Project Fiona runs on Windows 8 and Intel’s i7 Ivy Bridge processor, meaning gamepad-supporting PC games will run natively on the tablet with no need for ports. Developers will, however, be able to add Fiona-exclusive control options to their games.
Brad Graff, director of partner marketing for Intel’s netbook and tablet group, said: “Project Fiona’s combination of high performance Intel-based gaming hardware and innovative tablet design is specifically focused for PC gamers. It will unleash the PC gamer to play their existing and future high-end games in one of the most exciting new form factors – a tablet.”
The company is looking to sell this sucker for $1000 at the end of 2012.
I understand that it’s a performance oriented tablet. What I don’t understand is that it isn’t being used as a tablet in the video. The set up they’ve got going on makes a laptop look a streamlined masterpiece by comparison. I mean part of the draw of tablet gaming is that you can play great games without using a keyboard, mouse, and, in this case, a weird dual analog controller that makes the tablet look like a racing wheel. They’ve basically got a desktop set up in the video, but instead of a 22inch monitor they’ve gone for an 8 inch one.
Not sure who greenlit this one, but they need to go back to the drawing board and rethink if form over function is really the next PC trend.
Let me know how that goes.
Until I saw the pricetag. Android’s Ice Cream Sandwich operating system supports HDMI out and gamepads. I can get a high-powered Android tablet for as little as $250. And there are a whole lot of games coming out for the Android. This might actually give EA’s Origin a bit of a boost, though. If I can buy it once and run it anywhere (Android, Windows 8, etc), plug into a TV or play it on the go… that’s very attractive. It would also give VALVe a huge boost for the same reason- and I know VALVe is working on a version of steam that will be easier to use on a TV. Madcatz is probably salivating at all this. And finally: if it gets Microsoft out of the hardware business and back into software, the Redmond Giant is most likely going to be very happy. But a grand? Come the expletive on guys.