Goodbye, Zodiac.
Apparently Tapwave hints at the end of the Zodiac handheld, though it seems like more than a hint. "[Tapwave] is starting to transition from offering Tapwave
branded retail products to developing new co-branded products for OEM
partners." This is supposed to be because of the PSP and DS, but the Zodiac was never really popular in the first place. I loved it, though.
Even though it wasn’t a purely gaming platform, they did put a lot of effort into making it one. I had yet to try one (because they are pretty expensive), but what I loved most is that it’s an open platform. Developers just needed to sign up and they can start making games (and applications) for free, much like the Sidekick/Hiptop. Unlike the Hiptop, though, this thing had the technology to do full, what seemed like Playstation 1 equivalent 3D applications. Still, it doesn’t compete with the technology or market share of the PSP or DS, but neither of those platforms are really accessible for lightweight developers.
Then again, it’s not completely dead. Tapwave is going to try and develop co-branded products, but I’m not sure how well that will work out…
-sigh-