OStatic

I have a confession: When I read press releases about Envizions' EVO Smart Console I am unsure if the company is run by self-assured, confident visionaries or if -- well, the situation is actually quite the opposite. I like (love?) the idea of an open source, Linux-powered gaming console. I like the potential it holds, the almost limitless features it could deliver, the creativity it could inspire.

I know that bringing hardware to market is rough, and that sometimes things get bogged down in regulatory processes and unexpected red tape. I know that balancing what you want to sell, what you want to deliver, and what your customers want, expect and request can be tricky. A company needs to hold on to its dreams and ideals -- and it needs to bring in cash in order to make those dreams and ideals happen.

It isn't easy, especially when you're selling something that isn't even at the early adopter stage. It's impossible to say if Envizions is going about this in the most logical manner -- it's uncharted territory. This is why Envizion's announcement of a 3-D online community (think Second Life) leaves me feeling even more conflicted about the EVO open source game console than ever.

Back in October, we covered the Linux-based EVO gaming console from Envizions Computer Entertainment.? Then, it was slated to arrive in November, but was delayed, and there was some skepticism about whether it would ever arrive. Now, Envizions has announced that developers, resellers, earlier adopters and potential software partners can purchase EVO beta units, which will ship on April 10th. There are 100 beta units in stock, for sale at $279 to $350, depending on who buys them. The retail price is slated to be $379 after April 17th, which seems a little high for a fledgling console. Here are more details.