Hands-on: Mad Catz M.O.J.O. Android mini-console [VIDEO]
You many have noticed my absence from Phandroid this week, and for those of you wondering, it’s because I was busy losing my mind at this year’s E3 game convention in Los Angeles. In between playing with Xbox One, PS4, and upcoming Wii U games, I stopped by Mad Catz tiny booth set up outside the showroom floor to take a peak at another Android mini-console soon to arrive on the market: the Mad Catz M.O.J.O..
Still very much a work in progress, this tiny Android console is showing a bit more promise than offerings from OUYA or GameStick. For one, Mad Catz is holding their cards close to their chest, waiting to reveal final specs until closer to its release. They would only promise a high-end chipset will accompany the retail version, but wouldn’t commit to an SoC just yet, in an effort to keep the MOJO from becoming obsolete by the time it’s released. If true, that alone would help give the MOJO a leg up on its competition.
The MOJO’s second killer feature is in its software. It’s one of the few Android mini-consoles to offer full Google Play support, meaning you can bring your current Android game library with you. Everything you’ve every purchased on from the Play Store, should be immediately available on the MOJO and with games featuring Android’s new Google Play Games API, users should be able to take their game saves with them, no matter which device they’re gaming on. Epic. Game on-the-go with your smartphone and when you get home, pick up where you left off on a big-boy controller to help you pwn n00bs, or acquire those hard to reach achievements.
The MOJO also features no skins, just a pure stock Android 4.x Jelly Bean experience at an affordable price. With the backing from of one of the world’s leading accessories manufacturers, the gamepad itself features low-latecy Bluetooth Smart technology, media controls for skipping and playing of music, and even cursor support using one of the analog sticks (useful for games that don’t offer full controller support).
While not even the MOJO’s name has been finalized quite yet, we still have awhile before we see this land in stores. Mad Catz told us they’re shooting for a holiday release, but nothings set in stone. With the Android mini-console getting more crowded every day, Mad Catz will need to strike while the iron is hot, lest they get lost in the shuffle. If they can pack the MOJO with a Tegra 4 or Snapdragon 800 processor, they might have a real hit on their hands — no crowd funding necessary.