Leapfrog has a new device out called the Leapster Explorer. [The Moogle] has been poking around the insides and he patched into the serial bus to get USB host mode running. Because the same cartridge interface is used for the Didj and the Explorer, tools like the DJHI should continue to work. The $70 price tag makes this a no-brainer if you interested in doing some portable hacking. We’ve seen promising Didj hacks such as OpenGL and Video out, hopefully the new hardware will help advance the cause.
It’s impressive what’s been done on these devices.
Wow, you guys are insane in the best way!
I don’t think $70 is a no-brainer vs $24 of the didj. You can almost get netbooks for $70!
Still, good work!
Seems like the Dingoo A320 is somehow ignored by hackaday. It’s relatively cheap ($82.80), has a linux-port (dingux), lot of homebrew (even working PSX-emulation), TV-OUT, and a really huge community. Just check out http://dingoonity.org/.
@s3rious_simon
http://hackaday.com/2010/06/10/dingoo-a320-ram-upgrade/
Well, the A320 is a Chinese MIPS-based device with a Linux port, the LeapFrog devices use an ARM926 and are running Linux out of the box and you can pick them up at almost any toy store?
Why not just get a PSP fat?
They’re insanely easy to softmod. And so much more powerful than a LEAPSTER…
Nick, because the PSP doesn’t support linux right out of the box.
….
@erik, you can get something that looks like a netbook with the same cpu as the explorer maybe for about $70 but it’ll run like a dog, at least the explorer doesn’t pretend to be anything more than a kids toy :)
@Nick, erm, so much more powerful than a leapster, hate to burst your bubble but neither the didj nor the explorer are ‘leapsters’ they’re made by leapfrog though if that helps….
psp = 333Mhz *if* you overclock it.
Didj/Explorer run stock 393Mhz and are very simply overclockable to 533Mhz.
PSP not necessarily that easy to hack, requires either a game disc or to be at the correct firmware revision or for you to have access to an already hacked psp to make a pandora battery.
Stock software support (as a pmp) is better on PSP than the didj/explorer but as the didj has released source code it makes it infinitely easier to jump in and start hacking.
@Reggie
actually it is the Leapfrog Leapster Explorer
http://www.leapfrog.com/explorer/
I stand corrected :)
There IS a dev unit based on the Dingoo A320, called the ben nanonote however it’s actually slightly “wimpier” than the A320 in some ways.
http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/15/qi-hardwares-tiny-hackable-ben-nanonote-now-shipping/
Go where the Dingoos go and you’ll find someone playing or working with one.
It took me a good 5 minutes of googling to figure that out and actually find places that are selling it. I kind of want to pick up 2 – one to hack and one for my neice but they’re charging $15 – 25 for their games
Brand new 7” netbook is selling for $80 on ebay. What’s the point of hacking it?
I just got an explorer for Christmas and I would like to see if I can find any type of code generator or game backup solutions… The games are $20 and demos are very limited. A leap app game code gen would be awesome !!!