When the Kickstarter-funded Ouya Android gaming console was first announced, we all stood up and took notice. Now, its makers have announced that they are going to be adding even more new features. Early adopters will be able to enjoy XBMC, OnLive and TuneIn right from their US$99 Ouya console.
The OnLive integration was announced a couple weeks back. OnLive is a video game service that streams high-end games from the cloud – no advanced hardware is required to run premium video games that would normally require the latest video cards and processors.
Besides being playable on nearly any computer, OnLive also offers a home console unit. Users looking for a device that can do more than just play OnLive on their TV will be able to buy an Ouya and get the best of OnLive gaming and all the other features of the Ouya.
The XBMC announcement should excite users looking to use the Ouya as a major player in their media consumption. XBMC is an open-source media player that is quite popular on a number of platforms. It already supports Android, so the transition to Ouya should be a smooth one.
“The conversation between our two teams is young, but talk is ongoing and positive," said Nathan Betzen, XBMC Community Manager. "We look forward to providing more exciting news on this front as it develops.” It is still a little early to tell, but having a strong media center on the Ouya could be what it takes to convince skeptics that this device is the real deal.
The last major announcement from the Ouya team is the integration of TuneIn. This radio service offers access to 70,000 different channels and is available for listeners across 230 countries and territories.
This latest update from the Ouya folks also included new renderings of their console and controller. It provides a good feel for the scale of the devices and lets backers have a better idea of what to expect when their Ouya arrives at their door in March 2013.
At the time of this posting, there is under 40 hours left in Ouya’s Kickstarter campaign. If you want to be one of the first people to own an Ouya, you will need to get on there quickly. There are still have plenty of units available, but time is of the essence.
Source: Kickstarter
