The Mad Catz M.O.J.O is a high end micro-console
with a “MOGA PRO” like controller
which can also be used on a Desktop
plus more!

Update: 2014-03-02 Mad catz MOJO Final thoughts
Below is not maintained and out of date.

M.O.J.O & C.T.R.L.R

For the impatient, The M.O.J.O is a small Android gaming console with PC capacities.
Made up of two completely separate, high-end mobile devices.
But when put together it’s pure genius and revolutionary!

1. Target audience

• People without a console
  Who don’t want to play touch games but high-end games with controller support. ie GTA3/4, FPS etc.
• PC/MAC gamers
  Who will want to use the controller on their Desktop games.
• Mobile phone gamers
  Who want to use a real, full size, controller with the Travel clip aka the ‘MOGA PRO’ attachment.
• Always on PC on TV
  Who want a PC like experience on the TV.
  Web(email,chat,facebook,twitter, etc), office(word,excel,powerpoint,etc), media(video,music) and other apps, irc, torrents

2. M.O.J.O - High tech Micro Console

• Tegra 4 + 2GB RAM
  High-end mobile GPU hardware
• High-end Android gaming
  Better 3D emulation, better multi-tasking, better top set-box etc
• Microcomputer
  Replace your Desktop/Laptop with a microcomputer!
• Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean)
  Soon updated to Android 4.4 KitKat
• No re-buying Android games
  No manufactures ecosystem, ie ouya, playjam
• No re-buying cheap hardware
  And a through away controller every year
• Ability to continue games seamlessly
  From TV to mobile and optionally using the C.T.R.L.R
• Ability to use common BT/USB peripherals
  Controllers, keyboards, mouse, headset, mic, webcam etc
• 16GB internally storage
  Compared to Ouya’s and gamestick’s 8G
• Ethernet port
  Using a network cable, you can use the WIFI as a hotspot/repeater.
• MicroSD XC slot
  Up to 128G (if you can find one and afford it) - slow 64GB are <= $30USD
• USB3 and USB2 port
  10x faster then USB2, excellent for external drives
• Bluetooth Smart (v4)- lower latency 7ms
  Compared to XBox360’s 7ms, PS3’s 22ms, Ouya’s 100ms
• Bluetooth Smart (v4)- Bluetooth Low Energy(BLE)
  Power saving
• Nvidia GameStream
  Play PC games on the M.O.J.O, Available on update
• Portable size console
  Console, controller(s) and cables fit in a small bag.
• Rootable device
  At your own risk

3. C.T.R.L.R - High tech Controller

• First party build quality
  Not cheap and not disposable
• Console grade Controller
  Full xbox360 clone, no missing buttons ie no missing start/select or R2/R2
• Bluetooth Smart (v4)- lower latency 7ms.
  Compared to XBox360’s 7ms, PS3’s 22ms, Ouya’s 100ms Classic(2.1)
• Bluetooth Smart (v4)- Bluetooth Low Energy(BLE)
  Power saving, 40+ hours of use on 2 AAA batteries
• 3 separate Bluetooth modes
  Mobile Gamepad, Mouse(scroll, left, middle, right click), Desktop gamepad
• Use it on everything!
  ANDROID/WIN/LINUX/MAC (iOS, PS3, PS4, Ouya currently unsure)
• Travel ‘MOGA PRO’ Clip
  Attach your mobile or 7” TABLET to the controller and continue your game as a hand-held in comfort
• Media buttons
  Works while media play is the background (vol-, back, play/pause, forward, vol+)
• 2x AAA Batteries
  Don’t dispose of it when the batteries fail to recharge

4. The negatives:

• Controller support
  Because it uses Android 4.2.2 some games will work with the controller and some wont.
  When Android 4.4 is used it will have better controller support and will be compatible with Shield games.

• App installations
  Some apps explicitly require a touch screen devices, the M.O.J.O doesn’t support a touch screen.
  Developers have to explicitly develop for micro-consoles by disabling the requirement of touch screen, see my developer page.
  The only way currently to install them is via ’side loading’, downloading the .apk file and installing it via USB/MicroSD.

• Multi-touch
  I doubt the mouse mode can support multi-touch games, but I’m not 100% sure.

• Android 4.2.2 isn’t new
  Don’t know why it’s not Android 4.3 like the NVIDIA Shield, this would have provided better controller support from the start.
  There’s official talk of an update to Android 4.4 KitKat

• M.O.J.O’s C.T.R.L.R is only Bluetooth Smart(BT4)
  The low latency technology is new and only included in Android 4.4+, iOS 7 (iOS support is unknown to me)
  and new PC devices.
  The retail version support both BT4 and BT2 devices.
  My understanding is the mojo’s included controller doesn’t support BT2 but only BT4
  To compensate however Mad Catz does includes a USB BT4 adapter with the M.O.J.O which can be also used on PC/MAC or mobiles with an OTG cable (not included).

• No USB charging of the C.T.R.L.R
  I hate devices where I can’t change the battery myself, so for me this is great!
  And it will out live non-battery-replaceable controllers.

• It shouldn’t be labeled a ‘Micro-console’
  Micro-consoles have the a real stigma of being low-end and cheap, ie Ouya/Gamestick.
  This creates a dismissive attitude resulting in a lack of understanding.
  Alternatives labels could be pro-micro console, micro-plus console, Mini-console (bigger then micro)
  or mojo-console would have separated it from the ’stigma’.

UPDATE: 2nd Jan 2014: Initial Hands-on-review.

So I will expand on this with my own pre-purchase research with my focus of gaming and developing on it.

Please note: I’m not affiliated with Madcatz, Ouya, Playjam, Nvidia, Google, you etc.
Below reads like I’m a fan-boy, I am excited.. but I don’t have money to burn on disposable Ouyas’.
These are my private thoughts made public here, on my blog.
There isn’t much detailed information, the M.O.J.O launched last week!
I don’t have a M.O.J.O yet, they are extra hard to get in Australia :(
I’m not an Android fan boy, I have a Chinese mali400, 2GB-RAM, HDMI out Android tablet (which I bought instead of an Ouya).
My mobile phone is native Linux (Maemo).

---

Never cheer before you know who’s winning.

Most of the written reviews I’ve read so far on the Mad Catz M.O.J.O. are neutral with no real enthusiasm or criticisms, strange? maybe not?
Reminds me of an old Faith No More song, “King For A Day”
“Never cheer before you know who’s winning - Don’t make a sound”
Is the gaming press really so afraid to ‘make a sound’?
Well, count me among the first few cheering for the M.O.J.O!

After reading the developer’s guide and some researching, in October 12th 2013 I posted:
Developing for Mad Catzs Mojo (Android micro-console).
I wrote, ‘It’s expensive but not when you look at the hardware, it’s well worth the money‘, when it’s pre-order price here was $350AUD!

The press so far have pretty much just copied and pasted the technology specifications, slapped on the price and not much else.
No real explanation of what the hardware does or it’s potential benefits to their audience!

So, After reading a few of the same ‘reviews’, I found myself more interested in the comments on these ‘reviews’ then the article itself!
There’s a common theme with the masses..
“The M.O.J.O. is so over priced!”
“What does it do that the Ouya doesn’t?”

With an expectation of micro-consoles should all be cheap, under powered and have emulation.
I guess they must be seeing the price and just skimming through the rest.

The M.O.J.O. might be a micro-console but there’s nothing micro about it’s hardware or it’s philosophy! - It’s MASSIVE!

Here is the official launch video:

These launch videos are always visually high-tech with modern, upbeat music but only give quick snippets of the main features and always have no auditory communication- I’d rather someone talking.. explaining.. anyway I digress.

Again, the official Mad Catz M.O.J.O. page is very clear about it’s features, but it reads more like a one page magazine ad, enough to catch your interest, there’s not much information about it, anywhere for that matter! -It’s still very new.

To be fare, the M.O.J.O. is pretty complicated and currently underestimated.
It really does deserves an explanation of what it is and what it can do.

So from over-priced to revolutionary? Really?
Read on!
Continue to: Why the expensive price?

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