4 ms·

Exactly what I feel. Part of what gives me that feeling is that Panic and Cabel Sasser are such Twitter “darlings”, so everyone has been gushing over this for y

Exactly what I feel. Part of what gives me that feeling is that Panic and Cabel Sasser are such Twitter “darlings”, so everyone has been gushing over this for years. Also, some of the hardware choices are really stupid. No LCD backlight is ridiculous. Playing to nostalgia goes only so far. When it actively hinders the enjoyment of the product, the product just isn’t very good.

reaperducer 4y ago
When it actively hinders the enjoyment of the product, the product just isn’t very good I'm a bit confused here. In the beginning of your comment, you imply that you haven't used one. Then at the end, you state that the lack of a backlight "actively hinders" the product. How would you know if the lack of a backlight actively hinders the product, if you haven't used it? The review indicates that the lack of a backlight isn't a problem at all. That's from someone who's actually used it. How is it that you know more about this product's usability when you haven't used it? 31 comments in, and 90% of the posts here are people who have never used the product complaining how bad it is based on their pre-conceived assumptions, or making wild guesses. I miss the old days of HN when people would post when they had something substantive to add, not just to slake their vanity by seeing their words in print and pretend they're an expert on things they know little about.
- LeoNatan25 4y ago
  I know because I’m old enough to have used a Gameboy without backlight. There is, still, in 2022, a hardware modding scene that modifies old Gameboy, Color and Advance hardware to have active backlight. What do you reckon the reason for that is? Because the lack of backlight actively hinders the enjoyment of those products. But they were released decades ago, not in 2022. Is it your “take” that without testing just about every product out there, people are not allowed to form and opinion, and post about it on the internet?
  - ihuman 4y ago
    Did you read the article? It has images comparing the screen to the original Game Boy's under different lighting conditions halfway down the page. Edit: as for why there isn't a front light (like the first GBA SP): > So unlike an LCD, which has transparency to let a backlight shine through, ours is extremely reflective on the back and lets NO light shine through, so backlight isn’t possible! We tested a front light solution and it was… not great. But we’ll keep researching for future models! https://www.twitter.com/playdate/status/1131736869153017856 https://www.twitter.com/playdate/status/1131736869153017856
    - layer8 4y ago
      I modded my original Gameboy in the early 90s to add edge LEDs (green ones), which was a significant improvement. Surely something like that would have been possible. Purely reflective LCD isn’t easy on the eyes, even if it’s super reflective. It was okay for PDAs (Palm Pilot) that you only use for a minute or so at a time, but for gaming it really isn’t very attractive.
      - ihuman 4y ago
        Did those LEDs reflect off the front of the display? They said they tried something like that, but it wasn't good enough. It looks like the reflectiveness is closer to epaper than a mirror.
        LeoNatan25 4y ago
        The system described by the commenter sits between the LCD and the front plastic. There are no reflection issues as far as I am aware.
        ihuman 4y ago
        That's what I assumed the person meant, and what the twitter link I posted talked about. I also mentioned the reflectiveness because the commenter talked about problems with overly-reflective screens.
MattRix 4y ago
Most other devices “actively hindered” by bright sunlight, whereas this one is not. Seems like an interesting tradeoff.
- LeoNatan25 4y ago
  Maybe it’s my play style that is different. I don’t sit in the park, under the sun, to play handheld gaming devices. I do play on busses, trains and airplanes, as well as indoors, where there isn’t a lot of ambient light. I used to sit under a desk lamp to play the GB at evening/night. That was very uncomfortable.
  - andai 4y ago
    My friend had one of those gameboy attachments that would shine a little LED lamp on the screen.
  - philistine 4y ago
    You're comparing your past experiences with old unlit screens of the 90s. Modern unlit screens are a whole different deal. Back then unlit screens existed to give good battery life. Nowadays, unlit screens exist to be useful under sunlight. It's a whole different ballgame.

reaperducer 4y ago

When it actively hinders the enjoyment of the product, the product just isn’t very good I'm a bit confused here. In the beginning of your comment, you imply that you haven't used one. Then at the end, you state that the lack of a backlight "actively hinders" the product. How would you know if the lack of a backlight actively hinders the product, if you haven't used it? The review indicates that the lack of a backlight isn't a problem at all. That's from someone who's actually used it. How is it that you know more about this product's usability when you haven't used it? 31 comments in, and 90% of the posts here are people who have never used the product complaining how bad it is based on their pre-conceived assumptions, or making wild guesses. I miss the old days of HN when people would post when they had something substantive to add, not just to slake their vanity by seeing their words in print and pretend they're an expert on things they know little about.

LeoNatan25 4y ago
I know because I’m old enough to have used a Gameboy without backlight. There is, still, in 2022, a hardware modding scene that modifies old Gameboy, Color and Advance hardware to have active backlight. What do you reckon the reason for that is? Because the lack of backlight actively hinders the enjoyment of those products. But they were released decades ago, not in 2022. Is it your “take” that without testing just about every product out there, people are not allowed to form and opinion, and post about it on the internet?
- ihuman 4y ago
  Did you read the article? It has images comparing the screen to the original Game Boy's under different lighting conditions halfway down the page. Edit: as for why there isn't a front light (like the first GBA SP): > So unlike an LCD, which has transparency to let a backlight shine through, ours is extremely reflective on the back and lets NO light shine through, so backlight isn’t possible! We tested a front light solution and it was… not great. But we’ll keep researching for future models! https://www.twitter.com/playdate/status/1131736869153017856 https://www.twitter.com/playdate/status/1131736869153017856
  - layer8 4y ago
    I modded my original Gameboy in the early 90s to add edge LEDs (green ones), which was a significant improvement. Surely something like that would have been possible. Purely reflective LCD isn’t easy on the eyes, even if it’s super reflective. It was okay for PDAs (Palm Pilot) that you only use for a minute or so at a time, but for gaming it really isn’t very attractive.
    - ihuman 4y ago
      Did those LEDs reflect off the front of the display? They said they tried something like that, but it wasn't good enough. It looks like the reflectiveness is closer to epaper than a mirror.
      - LeoNatan25 4y ago
        The system described by the commenter sits between the LCD and the front plastic. There are no reflection issues as far as I am aware.
        ihuman 4y ago
        That's what I assumed the person meant, and what the twitter link I posted talked about. I also mentioned the reflectiveness because the commenter talked about problems with overly-reflective screens.

MattRix 4y ago

Most other devices “actively hindered” by bright sunlight, whereas this one is not. Seems like an interesting tradeoff.

LeoNatan25 4y ago
Maybe it’s my play style that is different. I don’t sit in the park, under the sun, to play handheld gaming devices. I do play on busses, trains and airplanes, as well as indoors, where there isn’t a lot of ambient light. I used to sit under a desk lamp to play the GB at evening/night. That was very uncomfortable.
- andai 4y ago
  My friend had one of those gameboy attachments that would shine a little LED lamp on the screen.
- philistine 4y ago
  You're comparing your past experiences with old unlit screens of the 90s. Modern unlit screens are a whole different deal. Back then unlit screens existed to give good battery life. Nowadays, unlit screens exist to be useful under sunlight. It's a whole different ballgame.