Leapfrog Didj Custom Educational Gaming System

So… you can install linux on this.
elinux.org/diji
Now, however, it doesn’t seem like there is a lot of support for it. However, hey, it has a …

393 MHz ARM9 CPU
256 MB Flash NAND
32 MB SDRAM
Giantplus GPM758A0 - 320x240 tft

http://andrey.thedotcommune.com/2008/11/didj-hacking.html

If you want a REAL linux board then get a beagleboard. But that is $160, and this is $25.

Amazon sells it for $50.
In for two!

Thank you for that! I’ve been wondering how to pronounce it and now I know. Now I can go to bed!

Looked up the specs on the Didj, for any nerds wondering about it.

According to cnet news,

Here’s a rehash of the Didj’s key specs:

* Processor: 393 MHz Arm 9
* Display: 320x240 resolution
* One 24-bit 2D layer (no hardware acceleration)
* One 16-bit 3D layer
* One YUV video layer (no hardware acceleration)
* Graphics: API OpenGL ES 1.1--A reduced instruction set version of OpenGL for embedded systems
* Main RAM: 32 MB DDRI 131 MHz
* NAND Flash: 256MB for data storage/download content
* Media Cartridge: 64MB
* System Software: Brio--Firmware is built on an abstraction layer called Brio to make OS and hardware transparent to developers. This means all software must be ported to Brio to run on this device.
* Screen LCD: 3.2 inches, 16.7-Million Color TFT

Oops, looks like I have stumbled on to kids.woot by accident…

Don’t make the mistake of leaving this somewhere you’ll forget it, like on the top of your fridge…

Didj on the fridge,
Didj on the fridge,
Lookin’ like a fool with your Didj on the fridge.

With all of the different and specialty games - these are great for girls and boys.

So you do need to pay additional if you want more games?

Can’t the kids just play tetris on my old gameboy? I think that’s a pretty good educational game.

Do they come in different colors? Or just colored skins?

yes, but they come up on kids.woot all the time for good prices.

We have these, kids 4 and 6 love them! Battery usage can be an issue… my kids can burn through 4aa’s in a couple days… Rechargeables are available but $$$!

Can’t begin to tell you how much I agree with you, in all seriousness. My theory is that Tetris helps build a special sense of motor skills that assists in tightly fitting things together as efficiently as possible. Functional applications include: packing a suitcase, fitting boxes of various sizes into the back of your car/trunk, pretending to be a doctor to mix and match multi-colored pills together…

…oh wait, scratch that last one. You heard nothing.

Both. and here’s an AC I found on Ebay… link

Also, my 6 year old LOVES this little machine. Definitely worth the price here, but be aware that the games will cost $15-20 each as well, even on ebay. The upside is that, like other posters have noted, you can change the level of difficulty and types of questions in the “educational” parts of the games, (i.e. harder math questions or changing multiplication to division, etc) so that extends playability of each game.

Games are subject-specific, though. A game will be only math or spelling, etc. But don’t be fooled, they ARE actual games. My son has a mariokart-like racing game and a STAR WARS themed platformer.

The last thing I’ll say is make sure you get like 8 rechargable batteries, so 4 can be charging/charged while 4 are in the handheld.

Here’s a link to the entire list of games available for this thing:

Mfg’s game library!

I’ve been seeing these and their games on sale everywhere… I have a feeling they’re being discontinued.

Good deal, though, LeapFrog stuff is good stuff. My kids had/have a Leapster and Leapster 2, and a variety of toddler LeapFrog toys. If they were older I’d get them this, but it’ll be several years yet til they’re in the target age group.

Yes and no.

It is hackable. We know how to insert a custom kernel and boot it - but as of yet there isn’t much of a kernel to run yet. It requires a custom cartridge, of which there only 10 in existence, or you’ll have to wire up your own serial port.

Those other sites like Andrey’s blog and elinux have a lot of intention but basically haven’t done anything in a year or more.

The didj homebrew scene is just now getting started. If you buy one of these for hacking it may be a bit before there is something significant to do with it. That said, I have high hopes. Since it runs linux, someone may yet manage to get Mame/Mess running on this and it could be the best gameboy ever.

Will rechargeable batteries charge when it’s connected via usb?

Thanks. Does the console come with any games pre-loaded at all?

Edit: Never mind. It comes with JetPack Heroes.

No, but if you install the leapfrog connect software on your computer, you can install the game “Jetpack Heroes.” It’s an educational math game for the 5-10 crowd.

Got the star wars didj off of kids.woot for my six year old nephew for xmas. He played it for hours and hours. He played it more than his DS.