Is it a Vita? Is it an Xbox? Is it a Nintendo? No, it's a Droid X360!
Wednesday, July 25, 2012 3:21 PM
The net is abuzz with news of a brand new handheld console, the Droid X360, which first emerged on a Chinese website.
However, there is a reason that this gaming gadget wasn't featured at E3 this year and has come in under the tech radar: it is a brazen rip off the PlayStation Vita!
From the dual analog sticks and D-pad to the opaque shoulder buttons and rounded edges, the X360 is an inch-for-inch clone of the Vita. The only thing that appears to be missing is a touch pad on the rear, with an Android logo residing in its place.
Apparently the Chinese company was keen to encourage legal action not only from Japanese gaming giant Sony but from US firm Microsoft too by seemingly using the computer giant's Xbox console as inspiration for the Droid's name.
Unsurprisingly, the X360 does not run the latest Vita titles such as Gravity Rush and Assassin's Creed III: Liberation. Instead, its modern looks belie a more retro graphical approach, with nine built-in games emulators covering arcade games, Nintendo 64 3D, Sony PSone, Nintendo GBA, Nintendo GBC, NES, SNES, Sega Mega Drive and the Sega Game Gear.
A demo video shows the Droid in action as a player boots up Sonic the Hedgehog, Mario and Batman for some old school graphics and sound effects.
However, despite lacking modern games, its full specs do include an A10 processor, 1.5GHz frequency, 512MB memory, 8GB storage, 5-inch 800x480 multi-point touch screen, Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich OS, HDMI output, TF card expansion, MiniUSB expansion, cameras, video call support and a built-in 2800 mA battery, so there's plenty under the hood.
Whether the Droid X360 sees the light of day before being summarily crushed into a silicon pulp by Sony executives and lawyers remains to be seen.