Atari & Gameband

[Shinto]

I backed the Atari version for $99, and they went very quickly at that price. I haven't used any other smartwatch, but since getting my name on the list, I've been able think of a few good uses for such a device, none of which actually have anything to do with gaming. I like the microSD card slot for expandable storage, and it seems to be reasonably compact and powerful compared to other smartwatches on the market, given the specs they published. As for the bundled mini-games, I don't know, we'll see. Having the Atari logo on it is a bonus, I'll always be a sucker for the Atari logo.

 

I think they're using the wrong logo, though, at least from what they've shown so far. When Atari was actually Atari, did they ever put the Fuji in the middle of the name? I don't remember seeing that treatment until around the Infogrammes era, and I can't work up any nostalgia for it.

 

==

[StopDrop&Retro]

*GASP* Do you mean this might not be the same classic Atari company they heavily imply??

[MrMaddog]

*GASP* Do you mean this might not be the same classic Atari company they heavily imply??

 

Heh, which "Atari"? That IP keeps getting passed around like a hot potato.

 

Anyway, does the Gameband also have smartwatch functions like sync notifications, appointments and messages from phones? If so, then this might be a probable replacement for the Pebble watch which had a nice retro style on the screen but no longer sold.

Edited February 17, 2017 by MrMaddog

[Shinto]

Heh, which "Atari"? That IP keeps getting passed around like a hot potato.

 

Anyway, does the Gameband also have smartwatch functions like sync notifications, appointments and messages from phones? If so, then this might be a probable replacement for the Pebble watch which had a nice retro style on the screen but no longer sold.

 

I don't care so much who owns the IP, as long as they do something cool with it. Continually re-releasing the same decades-old games? Creating dreadful remakes that miss the point of what made these old games fun? Threatening legal action against Llamasoft? That's all I think of with regards to the current "Atari." The Flashback 2, with its 2600-on-a-chip, is the one good product I've seen with the Atari logo on it in recent years, and Legacy Engineering designed that, not "Atari."

 

From what I can tell, Gameband is licensing the IP from Infogrames/Atari, and I do see some potential in what they're doing. A watch where I could tell the time using elements from level 1 of Tempest? Yeah, I'd go for that.

I'm kind of reminded of the Fossil animated watches, but with the potential to actually play the games. How well that's actually going to work, I have no idea.

 

It looks like it's going to do the basic smartwatch functions:

We're running Android Marshmallow 6.0.1.

 

Gameband is compatible with iOS and Android, and will have access to iOS and Android Phone based Companion Apps to help manage your Gameband.

 

Apps shipping with Gameband include:

 

Calendar

Contacts

Phone Dialer

Weather

Alarm

Alexa (voice AI)

Music player

That's more what I'm interested in having it for, anyway. I do see several people in the Kickstater comments eying this device as a possible Pebble replacement, but never having owned a Pebble I can't speak to that.

[bugcatcher88]

I think they're using the wrong logo, though, at least from what they've shown so far. When Atari was actually Atari, did they ever put the Fuji in the middle of the name? I don't remember seeing that treatment until around the Infogrammes era, and I can't work up any nostalgia for it.

 

 

I don’t recall ever seeing any products from the original Atari Inc or Atari Corp using that version of the logo where the fuji was incorporated into the name (like the picture above). If I remember correctly, that version of the logo was first used by Infogrames from 2002-2003 before rebranding themselves. Sometime in 2003, the fuji logo was modified where they widened the prongs at the bottom (for whatever reason).

EDIT: Found this - http://logos.wikia.com/wiki/Atari_Interactive

Edited February 19, 2017 by bugcatcher88

[Shinto]

EDIT: Found this - http://logos.wikia.com/wiki/Atari_Interactive

 

Good find, thanks!

 

I contacted Gameband and asked about the anachronistic logo they're using on the wristband, giving them a couple mock-ups using the classic logo layouts. Gameband very politely replied, agreeing that one of the original logo arrangements I provided would be preferable, but that "Atari of today have different guidelines." He loves the alternatives I suggested and will present them to the team, but can make no guarantees.

 

So it's not Gameband getting the logo wrong, it's "Atari." I'm not surprised or anything, just disappointed. I also may be the only one bothered by this. The rest of their smartwatch is shaping up nicely and I'm excited about getting one, but it's just that a silly thing like the logo would be so easy to get right.

[StopDrop&Retro]

Made a video. Hope you guys like it!

 

[roland p]

Stopped at 'fucking'

[StopDrop&Retro]

 

 

[Raticon]

I had never heard about this thing until i stumbled over SD&R's video on Youtube. I must say i struggle to build up any sort of hype for it at all, not just because i'm no smartwatch user, but i find the whole idea rather dull and uninspired. It doesnt make anything new or groundbreaking, and in my mind it doesnt matter how fast the processor is if the intent is to play games that worked on barely more than 1Mhz back in the day on a tiny tiny screen with no keyboard, physical buttons or whatever else to interact with.

Although it is nice (on some level) to see the Atari logo on new stuff, it mostly serves to confirm that the brand will only be used to rehash the old properties until we all vomit pixels, and try to invoke some kind of nostalgia. The Atari brand will never go beyond stuff like being smacked onto Flashbacks, Smartwatches, Tshirts and bags. Although i do like my Flashbacks.

[Mr SQL]

 

 

 

 

I had never heard about this thing until i stumbled over SD&R's video on Youtube. I must say i struggle to build up any sort of hype for it at all, not just because i'm no smartwatch user, but i find the whole idea rather dull and uninspired. It doesnt make anything new or groundbreaking, and in my mind it doesnt matter how fast the processor is if the intent is to play games that worked on barely more than 1Mhz back in the day on a tiny tiny screen with no keyboard, physical buttons or whatever else to interact with.

 

Although it is nice (on some level) to see the Atari logo on new stuff, it mostly serves to confirm that the brand will only be used to rehash the old properties until we all vomit pixels, and try to invoke some kind of nostalgia. The Atari brand will never go beyond stuff like being smacked onto Flashbacks, Smartwatches, Tshirts and bags. Although i do like my Flashbacks.

 

Wow if the gamewatch is a miniature Atari like the flashback Portable that's actually pretty awesome

 

Retro game watches are cool, I liked playing my Pacman watch bitd - an Atari you could wear on your wrist would take that to a new level.

 

But I wouldn't be interested in a phone watch.

 

Good point about the Flashbacks - I like playing my Flashback portable but trying to play Atari games on a phone emulator doesn't compare because there is no joystick or dpad. Maybe the gamewatch will have a solution for this.

[MrMaddog]

But I wouldn't be interested in a phone watch.

 

Good point about the Flashbacks - I like playing my Flashback portable but trying to play Atari games on a phone emulator doesn't compare because there is no joystick or dpad. Maybe the gamewatch will have a solution for this.

 

Agree, I rather have a Flashback Portable for playing 2600 games on the go mainly for the physical controls (and the 3DS for Nintendo/Sega games for the same reason).

 

To me a smartwatch should be use to complement a smartphone. I just can't see trying to play games on those things but then again there are some people who buy expensive Apple Watches and get touchscreen games for them. So who's the bigger scammer when it comes top those devices?

[OscarGungan]

I have a Moto 360 on it's last legs and now I've grown accustomed to having a smartwatch. I'm curious about the Gameband as a replacement. The game aspect of it seems like a novelty since it seems to have most of the functions of my previous watch. I haven't heard

much about this lately. Any opinions if it's worth waiting for?

Edited August 2, 2017 by OscarGungan

[bmadgames]

I have a Moto 360 on it's last legs and now I've grown accustomed to having a smartwatch. I'm curious about the Gameband as a replacement. The game aspect of it seems like a novelty since it seems to have most of the functions of my previous watch. I haven't heard

much about this lately. Any opinions if it's worth waiting for?

I'm a backer and it seems like they are definitely moving along at a good pace. The specs still seem to be on the high end of what's available in the market.

[JBerel]

The Android user groups don't seem at all impressed by this. Wonder what the demographics are of their backers.

 

Gameband will bring us an Android gaming smartwatch this fall

A company called FMTwo Game Inc. is seeking funds via Kickstarter for the Gameband, an Android-based smartwatch specifically for gaming.

ANDROIDAUTHORITY.COM

Oscar Cooke-Abbott That's the stupidest thing I've heard in the tech world today - and I just watched your review of the nVidia Shield TV 2017, with all your uninformed statements in it.

(((savage)))

Tino Suteu No thanks. I just want a Pebble replacement that is waterproof for construction related purposes.. Kind of pointless to game on a watch.

Justin Cremeans A terrible idea that is of course a Kickstarter

Krystian Painter Stupid. Why not just make the battery last longer? That's all we want. And a better design.

Dawid Poleszczuk havent seen anything so bad in a loong time

Adil Husain A gimmick ... Which will soon be forgotten

Mihnea Cristian Ionescu Smartwatches are the biggest flop after tablets

Justin Berry We had these back in the early 90s

Basil Robinson Who the hell wants to game on a smartwatch? #techfail

Könye Gábor istead ot this sh*t bring back pebble

Xavier Lyard realistically who the hell is going to game on a watch

Ahmed Yanaal Y

Shan Escasio Why would i want to game on a watch?

Alex Ohannes Three letters sum this up perfectly : L O L.

 

It's basically this strapped to your wrist constantly with none of the convenience of controls, but all the style of a fanny pack or speaker hat...

 

[pacman000]

The Android user groups don't seem at all impressed by this. Wonder what the demographics are of their backers.

 

Gameband will bring us an Android gaming smartwatch this fall

A company called FMTwo Game Inc. is seeking funds via Kickstarter for the Gameband, an Android-based smartwatch specifically for gaming.

ANDROIDAUTHORITY.COM

Oscar Cooke-Abbott That's the stupidest thing I've heard in the tech world today - and I just watched your review of the nVidia Shield TV 2017, with all your uninformed statements in it.

(((savage)))

Tino Suteu No thanks. I just want a Pebble replacement that is waterproof for construction related purposes.. Kind of pointless to game on a watch.

Justin Cremeans A terrible idea that is of course a Kickstarter

Krystian Painter Stupid. Why not just make the battery last longer? That's all we want. And a better design.

Dawid Poleszczuk havent seen anything so bad in a loong time

Adil Husain A gimmick ... Which will soon be forgotten

Mihnea Cristian Ionescu Smartwatches are the biggest flop after tablets

Justin Berry We had these back in the early 90s

Basil Robinson Who the hell wants to game on a smartwatch? #techfail

Könye Gábor istead ot this sh*t bring back pebble

Xavier Lyard realistically who the hell is going to game on a watch

Ahmed Yanaal Y

Shan Escasio Why would i want to game on a watch?

Alex Ohannes Three letters sum this up perfectly : L O L.

 

It's basically this strapped to your wrist constantly with none of the convenience of controls, but all the style of a fanny pack or speaker hat...

 

I'd actually like that Casio "Atomic Robot" watch.