As you can see from the pictures, if this product does make it to market it might be a little while yet. Currently there are only some rendered images of this clamshell device available. The XD looks to be closely modelled on the “New” 3DS from Nintendo, albeit it seems to be lacking the second screen that would sit between the input controls. I would be disappointed if they didn’t fill that void with something, a small keyboard perhaps or maybe even a trackpad to save you jabbing at the hinged screen all the time when browsing.
According to a post on Baidu Tieba, it will have a 5 inch Hitachi IPS 720p display and be powered by Rockchip’s RK3288. It’s hard to decipher exactly what they are referring to with regards the analogs, but it’s possible that they’re manufactured by Japanese company Omron, and there are some technical diagrams of those also posted in the thread.
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I’ve always liked clamshell devices, so I’m kinda hoping this one turns out OK. I’ll keep my eyes peeled for more info.
According to the technical diagram, it’s quite easy to decipher how the analogs work. Let me explain.
Traditional analogs are basically a stick connected to a ball on the pivot. The input to the controller is done by monitoring the tilting of that ball, and there can also be a button below it (L3/R3) that triggers when it’s pressed.
The new approach, which is quite novel, doesn’t allow for that. Instead, it anchors one end of the the stick to the bottom of the device, while the other end moves freely. The input is done through individual analog buttons or strips in the mid end of the device. This DOES NOT allow for an L3/R3 button, and may be subject to more wear (if using strips) or analog wobble/drifting (if using buttons). It DOES allow for a more compact analog, which may be a good compromise between an analog stick that sticks out and a slider nub, allowing them to minimize the device’s size while not settling for a bad control scheme.
Thanks for the informative post dude!