That’s the lofty goal of CEO Derrick Samuels.
“We’ll create jobs for this city if we hit our pre-sell goal,” he said.
That target is 5,000 units at a special preorder price of $249.99. Interested gamers need only to plunk down $15 for now. The overall price will increase once the machine has launched.
The potential for more jobs in Anniston is always good news. It’s hard to predict whether the company will hit that target, though.
Based on early information, it certainly has a shot.
The GameBox will be the first console that features a design based on user feedback. Three models will be constructed and interested parties can vote for their favorite on the GameBox website. A new poll will be added afterward to determine the final color of the machine.
But what’s inside is what really matters, and the GameBox does not disappoint.
As stated before, the machine is the first gaming console to run on Android.
The use of Google’s operating system will give the GameBox access to the Android Marketplace. The store already has thousands of applications to download, giving the console an incredible variety of abilities on day one.
Yes, that means Netflix and Angry Birds are on the GameBox.
Envisions will launch a marketplace of its own when the console becomes available. It will feature dedicated GameBox applications that will take advantage of the systems specifications.
One of those apps is Bundle-A-Bill, an app that focuses on making payments easier. The service, free to GameBox owners, will also pay for one small bill of your choosing. That’s free water, folks.
These features make the GameBox more of an all-in-one platform. You can do much more than a standard gaming device.
Motion controls are popular on all the consoles now and this machine is no exception. Gesturing controls will be included and are expected to be a big part of the platform.
“We want users to touch and feel the Internet,” Samuels said.
Envisions will use its GameBox storage software to save game data, movies, music and more. The company has invested more than $50,000 in the project that launched last year. This will save data in the cloud so it will be possible to load the information from anywhere on different devices.
The EVO Smart Console was the company’s first foray into the market. Samuels estimates that the project took nearly a million dollars to complete. The amount of information and technique learned, however, was priceless.
A lone model rests on the table in the conference room. It’s the only machine that remains.
“The demand for the EVO was high after we discontinued the product,” he said. “We were getting phone calls from all over from people wanting one.”
Delays hampered the EVO project and many competitors were able to copy planned features.
Envisions has different plans for round two.
The company is keeping its secrets close to the chest this time around.
GameBox will be at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles this June. A huge announcement will take place concerning special features of the machine.
Envisions also hopes to pick up some new partners and excite the gaming community with its product.
The EVO GameBox is set for release before the end of the year. Barring any of those unforeseen delays, of course.
The smile on Samuels’ face speaks volumes for what is in store for his company in the future.
“I want this console to bring people together,” he said. “I want to make people smile.”
