Merge pull request #10 from deeheber/playdate-blog

playdate review blog post

src/content/blog/playdate-review.md

@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+---
+author: Danielle Heberling
+pubDatetime: 2024-09-28T05:12:03.284Z
+title: Playdate Review
+description: Playdate review
+slug: playdate-review
+---
+
+## What is a Playdate?
+
+The Playdate is a small hand held game system with a crank, buttons (D-pad, a, b), and a small black and white screen (similar to e-paper).
+
+With dimensions of 76 × 74 × 9 mm, the console can easily fit into most pockets for on the go game playing.
+
+![playdate](/assets/playdate.jpeg)
+
+[Panic](https://panic.com/) is the company that created the Playdate. You might have heard of Panic from playing [Untitled Goose Game](https://goose.game/) or [Firewatch](https://www.firewatchgame.com/). Or you might have used Mac apps such as [Transmit](https://panic.com/transmit/) or [Coda (renamed to Nova)](https://nova.app/).
+
+The CEO and co-founder of Panic gave [an in depth talk](https://gdcvault.com/play/1034707/The-Playdate-Story-What-Was) about the story behind the creation of the Playdate which is entertaining and informative if you would like to go deeper.
+
+## Nice!
+
+These are some things that I enjoyed about the Playdate:
+
+- You get 24 free games (also called "season one") 2 games delievered each week until you have them all. It's delightful to see that notification light that there's new games to play at the beginning of owning this game system.
+- Games aren't limited to their catalog, you can also build your own games using [their SDK](https://play.date/dev/) or side load games from places such as [itch.io](https://itch.io/).
+- The crank as an input device is surpisingly delightful and unique.
+- Most games have enhanced details. We're talking beautiful storytelling, visuals, and music.
+- This game system is minimally connected to the internet to allow downloading of games, but otherwise there aren't distractions that would exist on a smart phone.
+- The battery life has been great so far. Marketing copy for this product boasts 8 hours when playing games and 14 days while in standby clock mode. This has matched my experience. They also use a generic usb-c charger as well, so it's likely you already have the plug/cord for it (though it comes with one).
+
+## Oh.
+
+These are some things that I think could be improved with the Playdate:
+
+- This game system does not have a backlight, so if you don't have good lighting it will be hard to see the screen.
+- I'm left handed and would love to have a "lefty" version with the crank on the left side of the game system.
+- Right now the only body color is yellow which is great, but I would like more color options especially when having multiple Playdates in my house.
+- There is not a way to shut it off. It will go in standby clock mode which is fine, but I would like the ability to fully shut the game system off without needing to let the battery die.
+- Right now for sound, it is wired headphones only. Looking through their website it appears that bluetooth is likely coming soon with a software update. To my knowledge the wifi chip they have in the game system should also double as bluetooth, so I don't think a hardware update is needed for this.
+
+## Where and how to buy
+
+I'm seeing a few resellers, but the official place to buy and where I bought one was from [the official playdate shop](https://play.date/shop/).
+
+## My opinion
+
+I would highly recommend buying this game system. The Playdate is a lovely distraction from a world full of advertisements, pop ups, and notifications.
+
+As a kid, I could sit for hours and play video games, but as an adult I find that I do not have much time to devote to playing video games. The games on this system are perfect for that. You pick up the game system, play for 15-30 min here and there plus the controls aren't complicated...so you're not spending time trying to remember how to play the game.
+
+Also anything Panic creates, I know will be high quality and well thought out.
+
+## Side story
+
+Panic holds a special place in my heart. Back when I recently relocated to Portland, OR I was looking to get out of my current company and saw that they had an open customer support role. I was currently working in customer support, but moonlighting by taking night/weekend classes at a local code school to switch into being a software engineer. I went into their office and did the full interview round (including an interview with their CEO, Cabel Sasser). The next day I received the nicest rejection email from Cabel stating that they really liked me, but think that I would be better suited to becoming a software engineer and recommended that I continue down that path.
+
+Anyway I highly recommend the Playdate and anything that Panic creates, because I know it will be high quality in terms of the aesthetics and story telling.
+<br />
+<br />