History of video games/Platforms/Kano Pixel

Introduction
The Kano Pixel represents an interesting take on minimalism in a handheld device. The device is interesting in that the sorts of games on it are less constrained by its processing power, but by the limitations of other parts of its hardware instead. While not explicitly marketed as a console, the device does have a dedicated game function on its dial, and is commonly used for gaming, and is thusly included in this book.

History
"My absolute favorite"

Kano got its start in 2013 selling educational computer kits out of London in the United Kingdom.

The Kano Pixel kit was influenced by the previous Kano Powerup kit. The device began crowdfunding on Kickstarter by October 2016. The device was part of a trio of devices also including a camera and a speaker seeking to raise 500,000 collectively, though the Pixel specifically had an earlier a projected ship date of December 2016. The release was pushed back to July 2017, reportedly due to a factory fire in addition to an issue with the antenna of the device. By early August 2017 the device had definitely launched.

The kit cost $99 on kickstarter with an estimated retail price of 129.99 for non backers, though the price did eventually drop to $79.99 regularly.

Technology
"You can make a game, for instance, whose parameters are controlled by the weather outside or whether Messi scored a goal or the density of mentions for a certain word on Twitter."

Kano got its start in 2013 selling educational computer kits.

Compute
The Kano Pixel uses an ESP-Wroom-32 SOC, containing a 32-bit LX6 dual core CPU clocked at 240 megahertz. The system has 520 kilobytes of SRAM.

The system has 16 megabytes of flash storage.

The Kano Pixel is programed using a visual programming language on an external device.

Hardware
The Pixel uses 128 RGB LEDs in a 16 by 8 matrix. The LEDs can generate 16 million colors, and can be updated 30 times a second.

The Kano Pixel has a radio for Wi-Fi on the 802.11n standard. The device also has a Bluetooth radio, though it appears to be unused.

The Pixel includes an omnidirectional MEMS (micro-electromechanical system) microphone. The console includes a tilt sensor, gyroscope, and accelerometer.

The Pixel is powered by a rechargeable lithium battery with a capacity of 1,550 mAh, lasting for about 3 hours of use.

Games
A version of Snake is built into the handheld. As an educational device, most games are made by the user, rather then commercial releases.

External Resources

 * Kano - Website for the Kano Pixel Kit.