 Cybiko Classic with antenna extended, displaying the main desktop | |
| Developer | Cybiko Inc. |
|---|---|
| Type | Handheld game console /PDA |
| Generation | Sixth generation |
| Released | April 2000 (2000-04) |
| CPU | Hitachi H8S Family |
| Display | 160×100 4 bit greyscale LCD |
| Dimensions | 2.2 by 7.1 by 14.5 centimetres (0.87 in × 2.80 in × 5.71 in) |
| Weight | 122 grams (4.3 oz) |
| Successor | Cybiko Xtreme |
TheCybiko is a line ofpersonal digital assistants andhandheld game consoles first released byCybiko Inc. in 2000. Cybiko Inc. was a startup company founded by David Yang; the eponymous PDA was firsttest marketed in New York in April 2000[1][2] and rolled out nationwide in May 2000.[3] It was designed for teens,[4][5] featuring its own two-way radio text messaging system.[6] It has over 430 "official"freeware games and applications.[7] It features a rubber QWERTY keyboard. An MP3 player add-on with aSmartMedia card slot was made for the unit as well. Cybikos can communicate with each other up to a maximum range of 100 meters (330 ft). Several Cybikos can chat with each other in a wireless chatroom. By the end of 2000, the Cybiko Classic had sold over 500,000 units.[8] The company stopped manufacturing the units after two product versions and a few years on the market.
Cybiko development was initiated in 1998 by Russian entrepreneurDavid Yang, founder ofABBYY Software House. The concept for the device emerged from social research conducted in six countries, which identified a need for digital communication among youth. The first prototype was completed by October 1998.[9] By the end of 1999, three industrial samples had been produced, and a radio protocol was patented. This protocol allowed up to 3,000 Cybiko devices to form a network without using auxiliary stations.[10] By early 1999, the Moscow-based development team had grown to 40 employees. The Cybiko was designed as a handheld computer for teenagers, combining communication capabilities with entertainment features. It included aQWERTY keyboard, a monochrome display, short-range radio messaging, and support for downloadable applications and games.[9]
Inventec, a Taiwanese manufacturer, was contracted for device production, while marketing was entrusted to Poznik & Kolker, an American firm known for their successful promotion ofFurby toys.[10] Although initially scheduled for September 1999, Cybiko's launch was delayed until early 2000 due to difficulties in casing production. This issue consumed a significant portion of the project's initial budget, with $70,000 of the $120,000 allocated to casing development.[9] Prior to Cybiko's official New York presentation, David Yang met with ICQ founderYossi Vardi. Vardi, impressed by the device, introduced Yang toAmerica Online CEOSteve Case, which subsequently led to substantial investment in the project.[9]
Cybiko was released in the U.S. market in 2000 after securing $20 million in investments.[9] The device launched in April with a trial run in select New York retailers, including FAO Schwarz, Virgin Megastore, and Software Etc/Babbage's,[11][12] before expanding nationwide in mid-May.[12] Its features, such as short-range messaging, file sharing, and the ability to discover nearby users, quickly garnered popularity and media attention.[9] The initial retail price was set at $139.[9] Sales performance was strong, with devices worth $25 million sold during the first three weeks of the holiday season, contributing to total first-year sales of approximately 250,000 units.[10]
In 2001, Cybiko introduced an upgraded model, the Cybiko Xtreme, featuring improved design and specifications. However, the emergence of more affordable internet-capable mobile phones posed significant competition.[9] Despite initial market success, the company encountered financial challenges exacerbated by the early 2000s dot-com crisis, which hindered new investment efforts. A planned London device launch on September 15, 2001, was canceled due to theSeptember 11 attacks, further impacting the company's financial position.[9]
Late 2001 saw the company restructure into two entities: Cybiko Advance Technologies, retaining ownership of the wireless network, and CWAG (Cybiko Wireless Applications and Games), which acquired the game development portfolio and other intellectual assets.[10] CWAG subsequently began collaborating with mobile companies such as Motorola, Sprint, and Nokia to adapt its software for mobile phone platforms.[10] In 2003, Cybiko Inc. announced that it would cease production of its communicators.[9]
There are two models of the Classic Cybiko. Visually, the only difference is that the original version has a power switch on the side, while the updated version uses the "escape" key for power management. Internally, the differences between the two models are in the internal memory and thefirmware location.
TheCPU is aHitachiH8S/2241 clocked at 11.0592 MHz[13] and the Cybiko Classic also has anAtmel AT90S2313co-processor, clocked at 4 MHz[14] to provide some support for RF communications. It has 512KBflash memory-basedROMflash memory and 256KBRAM installed. An add-on slot is located in the rear.
The Cybiko Classics were sold in five colors: blue, purple, neon green, white, and black. The black version has a yellow keypad, instead of the white unit found on other Cybikos.
The add-on slot has the same pin arrangement as aPC card, but it is not electrically compatible.
The Cybiko Xtreme is the second-generation Cybiko handheld.[15] It features various improvements over the original Cybiko, such as a faster processor, more RAM, more ROM, a newoperating system, a new keyboard layout and case design, greater wireless range, a microphone, improved audio output, and smaller size.[16]
The CPU is a HitachiH8S/2323 at 18 MHz, and like the original version, it also has an Atmel AT90S2313 co-processor at 4 MHz to provide some support for RF communications. 512KiB ROMflash memory and 1.5MiB RAM is installed. It features an add-on slot in the rear, which is compatible with the MP3 player.
It was released in two variants. US variant (Model No. CY44801) has frequency range of 902-928 MHz and European variant (Model No. CY44802) with frequency range of 868-870 MHz. No other functional difference exists between these variants.[17][18]
The memory expansion card plugs into the rear of the Cybiko. It provides 256 kilobytes of staticRAM, and 1 megabyte of data flash memory. The RAM allows programs with larger memory requirements to run. The data flash allows more programs to be stored. Some Cybiko programs will not run unless the Expansion Memory is plugged in.
A large number of games were produced for the Cybiko. Programs were posted daily on the website and can be downloaded using the CyberLoad application. Many games support multiplayer mode with automatic saves, which allowed resuming the game in case of a connection loss. Some of theGamos [ru] company games were ported to the Cybiko, includingColor Lines under theFunny Balls title, andSnake Battle [ru].[19]
The first games on the Cybiko were initially created in the genre of classic board games –chess,checkers,backgammon,kalah,renju andseega. The "casual" puzzle gamesPhat Cash andTooty Fruity were also made, with the latter requiring the Cybiko to be held horizontally. A first-person shooter engine was written, on which the gameLost in Labyrinth is built, similar in gameplay toWolfenstein 3D. The popular skateboarding gameBlazing Boards is based on the racing engine which was later used as the basis forTony Hawk's Pro Skater for cell phones, in a collaboration between Cybiko andTHQ. Turn-based strategy and real-time strategy games includeWarfare andLand of Kings, with the latter requiring amemory card to work.[19]
The flagship game on the system isCyLandia, which combines thetamagotchi andeconomic strategy genres. Cybiko devices with the game installed have pets called Cy-B (also called "cypets"), which the player has to raise. The game continues on switched-off devices, and in case of insufficient attention, Cy-B could "run away" to any other Cybiko within range. Players can also voluntarily send pets to other devices.[19]
Toward the end of the Cybiko's lifecycle, quest and RPG genre games were being developed, but were not released. However, the fighting gameKnight's Tournament contains role-playing elements, where player characters can be outfitted with various equipment won in tournaments. After theSeptember 11 attacks, a problem of game censorship emerged, which led to the cancellation of the beat-'em-up gameRenegade by the American management, in part because the main character is a police officer who beats uphooligans.[19]
| Name | Cybiko (Classic) | Cybiko Xtreme |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 122 g (4.3 oz) | |
| Dimensions (L × W × H) | 71 × 22 × 145 mm (2.80 × 0.87 × 5.71 in) | |
| Colors | Blue, Purple, Neon Green, White, Black | Silver |
| Display | LCD with 4-bit grayscale, 59 × 40 mm (2.3 × 1.6 in) | |
| Resolution | 160 × 100 pixels/dots | |
| Processor | Hitachi H8S/2241 @ 11.06 MHz | Hitachi H8S/2323 @ 18 MHz |
| Co-processor | Atmel AT90S2313 @ 4 MHz | |
| RAM | 256 kB | 1536 kB |
| Flash ROM | 512 kB | |
| Wired communications | Serial (RS-232, proprietary cable) | Mini USB |
| Wireless communications | 868–870 MHz (Europe) 902–928 MHz (USA) | |
