Editing Tapwave Zodiac (section)

{{short description|Handheld game console}}
{{Infobox Video game system
| title = Tapwave Zodiac
| image = Tapwave-Zodiac2-FL.jpg
| caption = The Zodiac, in aluminum case
| manufacturer = Tapwave
| generation = [[Sixth generation of video game consoles|Sixth]]
| release date = {{Start date|2003|11|01}}
| discontinued = {{End date|2005|07|31}}
| type = [[Handheld game console]]/[[Personal digital assistant|PDA]]
| os = [[Palm OS]]
| cpu = [[DragonBall MX-1|Motorola i.MX-1 ARM9 processor]]
| memory = 10 MB dedicated to the System [[Dynamic RAM]]
| storage = 32 MB (Zodiac 1)<br>128 MB (Zodiac 2)
| top game = ''[[Warfare Incorporated]]''
| connectivity = [[Wi-Fi]], [[Infrared]], [[Bluetooth]], [[USB 2.0]]
| CPUspeed = 200 MHz
}}

The '''Tapwave Zodiac''' is a mobile entertainment console and [[personal digital assistant]]. Tapwave announced the system in May 2003 and began shipping in October of that same year. The Zodiac was designed to be a high-performance mobile entertainment system centered on [[video game]]s, [[music]], photos, and [[video]] for 18- to 34-year-old gamers and technology enthusiasts. By running an enhanced version of the [[Palm Operating System]] (5.2T), Zodiac also provided access to Palm's personal information management software and many other applications from the Palm developer community. The company was based in [[Mountain View, California]].<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20050515155219/http://www.pcvsconsole.com/news.php?nid=2195 The Tapwave Zodiac Console Now Shipping]}}</ref>

The Zodiac console was initially available in two models, Zodiac 1 (32MB) for US$299, and Zodiac 2 (128MB) for US$399. Some of the game titles for the product included ''[[Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4]]'' ([[Activision]]); ''Mototrax'' (Activision); ''[[SpyHunter]]'' ([[Midway Games|Midway]]); ''[[Madden NFL 2005]]'' ([[Electronic Arts|EA]]/MDM); ''[[Doom II]]'' ([[id Software]]); ''[[Golden Axe III]]'' and ''[[Altered Beast]]'' ([[Sega]]); ''[[Warfare Incorporated]]'' ([[Handmark]]); and ''[[Duke Nukem]] Mobile'' ([[3D Realms]]/MachineWorks).

Due to insufficient funding and strong competitive pressure from the [[PlayStation Portable]] (PSP) from [[Sony]] (which was pre-announced at E3 on May 16, 2003, and shipped in North America on March 24, 2005), and the  [[Nintendo DS|DS]] from [[Nintendo]] (released on November 21, 2004), Tapwave sold the company to an undisclosed multibillion-dollar corporation in Asia in July 2005.

The Zodiac console garnered strong product reviews and received many industry awards including ''[[Popular Science]]''{{'}}s Best of What's New Award, [[Stuff (magazine)|''Stuff'' magazine]]'s Top 10 Gadgets of the Year, ''[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]'' magazine's Fetish Award, [[CNET]]'s Editor's Choice Award, ''[[PC World]]''{{'}}s 2004 Next Gear Innovations Award; ''[[PC Magazine]]''{{'}}s 1st Place Last Gadget Standing at [[Consumer Electronics Show|CES]]; ''Handheld Computing'' magazine's Most Innovative PDA of 2003; [[Time (magazine)|''Time'' magazine]] Best Gear of 2003; and the ''[[Business Week]]'' Best Products of 2003.