Ajile Systems was founded in 1999 by four gentlemen who wanted to create the first direct execution Java microprocessor. For a time they used this chip as a peripheral for PCs, and tried to market it to PDA manufacturers et al, but the market just wasn’t there. So only recently, they decided to take this idea to the consumer (excellent plan). The end result is the JAMiD Java gaming cartridge for the GBA. This is a brilliant (you’ll agree with me soon) peripheral with a myriad of applications for the console.
Let’s take a look at the features:
For one thing, there’s an MP3 player built into it. Each set comes with a GBA audio patch cable which connects to the cart, and allows for connectivity with PC speakers. Interestingly, this also means that you needn’t buy a headphone jack for your GPA-SP, if you wish to use this unit.
It plays Java games. This is obviously the main point of the unit, to play and download high-end java games on a wider screen and more user-friendly environment than a cellphone. So there’s a library of thousands of titles even before exclusive software is developed. Perhaps this is how I’ll get to play all of those Japanese cellphone games I’ve been missing out on. Hell, I can practically guarantee it. Explanation below.
Games are downloadable from your PC via a usb cable. Ajile is creating an online resource for java games, both free and pay-per download. They’re trying to do this internationally, so all one need do is visit the Japanese site to pay for the Japanese Java games. Indeed.
Of course this resource will also be available to those who own Java-enabled PDAs and cellphones, but will be specifically designed with the JAMiD cart in mind.
The cart has an expansion port. Any intelligent individual can create a device which interacts with the cart in some way here. Examples given were bluetooth technology for wireless gaming and networking, remote control for robots or the like. Anything that will work with the realtime Java processor.
You can switch between four games at any one time. I’m not sure whether this means that only four games can occupy the cart, or if more likely, the switching option is only available to four during any given session. This ‘switching’ to which I refer, is the following: while playing, with the touch of a button, you can switch over to another game already in process. Then you can switch back, resuming right where you left off, as the cart auto-pauses any game you’ve currently got going.
The thing has a stereo audio input jack. That is to say, you can play game audio and MP3 audio simultaneously. Basically you feed external or JAMiD MP3 audio into the jack, and the cart audio out to the computer speakers, and there you have both simultaneously! Great for the many Java games with no music.
The consumer product is not ready for release, as Ajile is waiting until they get a significant amount of developer interest and JAMiD-speficic titles. That is to say; games which take advantage of the extra screenspace and particular button-mapping of the GBA. This brings me to a terribly important question which I did not ask at the show – is it possible to re-map buttons on the fly for different games?
Regardless, the consumer cart comes with the following: JAMiD cart, 8MB MMC card preloaded with MIDP games and MP3 music. A USB cable, and the GBA audio patch cable. No price decided, but it will be “far less than $100.”
So there’s no specific release date for the consumer side. But the dev kit is currently being distributed via the JAMiD (
http://www.jamid.com) site.
The kit sells for $199, and comes with everything from the consumer pack, plus the necessary tools and kits for making JAMiD-specific games, tools and expansion peripherals.
Of course, the amateur developer can just download the SDK and toolkit from Sun’s website in order to create a game for the system, and by contacting the guys at Ajile, can have it distributed much like Gamepark is slated to do with their MegaGP service.
Here are some technical specs and general recap:
32-bit direct execution Java processor, aJ-100
4MB PSRAM
4MB Flash
MP3 player with audio mixer
Stereo audio input jack
Stereo audio output jack
MMC slot
USB port
Expansion port (provides JTAG interface and dual serial ports)
Plugs into the GBA cartridge slot.
Basically this thing is going to rock the house all the way to the ground. That’s the bottom line. This is the GBA’s unintentional instant response to the advanced technologies of the N-Gage, even before the release of the Nokia handheld.
Stay tuned for more info when I get to spend some extended time with a physical unit. Interviews are forthcoming.
brandon sheffield
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