Difference between revisions of "Advanced Pico Beena"

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{{ConsoleBob
 
{{ConsoleBob
| logos=[[File:AdvancedPicoBeena Logo.png]]
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| consoleimage=AdvancedPicoBeena.jpg
 
| consoleimage=AdvancedPicoBeena.jpg
| imgwidth=300
 
 
| name=
 
| name=
| maker=[[Sega Toys]]
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| maker=[[Sega Toys]], [[Applause Technologies]]
 
| variants=
 
| variants=
 
| add-ons=
 
| add-ons=
 
| processor=
 
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| japan=2005
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| releases={{releasesBeena
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| beena_date_jp=2005-08-06{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20050622023947/http://www.beena.jp:80/index.html}}
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| beena_rrp_jp=12,800e{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20050622023947/http://www.beena.jp:80/index.html}}
 
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{{sub-stub}}The '''Advanced Pico Beena''' is the successor to the [[Sega Pico]], though only released in Japan. It first came out August 6, 2005, and still has games in production to this day.  
+
}}
 +
{{stub}}<section begin=intro />The '''Advanced Pico Beena''' (アドバンスピコ・ビーナ), meaning "Be Natural"{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20050622023947/http://www.beena.jp:80/index.html}} is a video game console jointly developed by [[Sega Toys]] and [[Applause Technologies]]{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20090105185333if_/http://www.applause-tech.com/pdfs/news/pr20050405_e.pdf}}. It was released in August of 2005 and is the successor to the [[Sega Pico]]. Similar to its predecessor, the Advanced Pico Beena is aimed at children between the ages of 2 and 8 and stands primarily as an educational device. It has since been streamlined further, and is now commonly referred to simply as the '''Beena''' (ビーナ) or '''BeenaLite''' (ビーナLite).
 +
 
 +
Unlike the Sega Pico, the Advanced Pico Beena has not been released outside of Japan, and is maintained entirely by the Sega Toys division of the company (which also took control of the original Pico later in its lifespan). The final game released for the platform was ''[[Cars 2 Racing Beena: Mezase! World Champion!]]'' in 2011. The Beena continued to be produced after the release of its final game until it was officially discontinued two years later in 2013.<section end=intro />
 +
 
 +
==Hardware==
 +
The Advanced Pico Beena is built similarly to the original Sega Pico, though is more powerful from a technology point of view and has a much more streamlined design. Similar to the Pico, the Beena is a large, plastic foldable unit which acts as a hybrid between traditional cartridge-based video game consoles, tablets and electronic book readers. Cartridges are book shaped and the system keeps track of which pages have been turned, and the device connects to a television, with the users manipulating the game with the touch screen, magic pen and face buttons.
 +
 
 +
Like later models of the Pico, the Beena does not have a solid base to keep the top half of the unit upright, instead relying on a much thinner retractable plastic stand. Beenas can, however, be flipped 360 degrees, and every page of the cartridge can be manipulated by the magic pen (as opposed to just the last page as seen with the original Pico). This effectively creates a tidier, tabletop touch-screen device, hiding the buttons for games which do not need them. The Magic Pen can also be removed in the Beena, and a second can be aded for two player play.
 +
 
 +
Unlike the Sega Pico, the Advanced Pico Beena caters for both left and right handed children, with two sets of {{RedButton}}, {{WhiteButton}}, {{GreenButton}}, {{OrangeButton}} and {{PurpleButton}} buttons.
 +
 
 +
Newer Beena models can be powered by batteries as well as through an [[AC adaptor]], and unlike the Pico, all Beenas have built-in speakers (similar to the [[Wii]] Remote). The system is also compatible with SD cards which can be used to save game progress. The Beena also offers score ranking and playtime which can be set by a parent, as well as superior graphics and sound.
 +
 
 +
===Technical Specifications===
 +
The following specifications originate from a product catalog provided by the on-board LSI chip's manufacturer [[Applause Technologies]]{{ref|http://web.archive.org/web/20070517042956/http://www.applause-tech.com/en_US/products/ap2010.html}}{{ref|http://web.archive.org/web/20060110211908/http://www.applause-tech.com/ja_JP/products/ap2010.html}}.
 +
 
 +
{{multicol|
 +
* LSI chip: Sega Toys 9H0-0008 (Applause Technologies AP2010)
 +
:* CPU: 32-bit ARM7TDMI clocked at 81MHz (Input Clock: 27MHz)
 +
:* On-Chip ROM: 128KB
 +
:* On-Chip RAM: 16KB
 +
* Graphics: Composite Video Output
 +
:* Resolution: NTSC (704×480), PAL (704×576 / 704×480)
 +
:* Color palette: 32768 colors (BGR555)
 +
:* Sprite plane: 128 sprites on screen
 +
* External RAM: 512KB x 16-Bit x 2 Banks (16MB) SDRAM (ICSI IC42S16100-7TG{{ref|https://www.semiee.com/file/EOL/ICSI-IC42S16100.pdf}} / ESMT M12L16161A-7T{{ref|https://www.esmt.com.tw/upload/pdf/ESMT/datasheets/M12L16161A(2Q).pdf}})
 +
* Pen Tablet
 +
:* Resolution: 176×122 / 352×244
 +
* Audio
 +
:* Input: 8-bit Mono
 +
:* Output: 12-bit Stereo
 +
:* MIDI: SMF format, 32-voice polyphony
 +
:* Speech coding: CELP (8kHz / 16kHz) encoded with Speex-1.0.4
 +
* Serial interface: UART (RS-232C, 16-byte FIFO × 1ch, 1.152Mbps maximum baud rate)
 +
* Debug interface: JTAG
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
===Models===
 +
{{mainArticle|Beena consoles}}
  
Like the Pico, the Advanced Pico Beena is a educational console system aimed at children between the ages of 2 and 8. Cartridges are book shaped, and games respond to inputs via the touch screen and magic pen. The system is also compatible with SD cards which can be used to save game progress.
+
==History==
 +
===Release===
 +
Sega Toys expected to ship 250,000 units before the end of 2005, but by November 2006 had only sold 150,000 units. By May 2008 more than 350,000 units had been sold.
  
Unlike the Pico there is an ability to play without a TV, graphics and sound are far more advanced, two players via a second pen is possible, there is also score ranking and playtime which can be set by a parent.
+
The Beena's poor sales were presumably caused by the success of the [[Nintendo DS]], which was released a year earlier.
  
==Physical Scans==
+
==Games==
 +
===List of games===
 +
<!--Note: Romanisations may be incorrect.-->
 +
{{multicol|
 +
*''[[Beena Town e Youkoso]]'' (2005)
 +
*''[[Partner In TV! o-Uchi ni Wan-chan ga Yattekita]]'' (2005)
 +
*''[[Soreike! Anpanman Hajimete Kaketa yo! Oboeta yo! Hiragana Katakana: Gojuuon Board Kinou-tsuki]]'' (2005)
 +
*''[[Futari wa Pretty Cure Max Heart]]'' (2005)
 +
*''[[Kouchuu Ouja Mushiking: Mori no Tami no Densetsu: Minna de Tanken! Kouchuu no Mori]]'' (2005)
 +
*''[[Pocket Monsters Advanced Generation Pokémon Suuji Battle!!]]'' (2005)
 +
*''[[Doraemon Tanoshiku o-Keiko Hiragana Katakana]]'' (2005)
 +
*''[[Game ga Ippai Kikansha Thomas]]'' (2005)
 +
*''[[Kazoku Minna no Nouryoku Trainer]]'' (2005)
 +
*''[[Shoku Iku Series 1 Soreike! Anpanman: Sukikirai Nai Ko Genki na Ko!]]'' (2005)
 +
*''[[Meitantei Conan: Kanzen Suiri! Kazu to Zukei no Nazo]]'' (2006)
 +
*''[[Narumiya Mezzo Piano Oshare & Lesson]]'' (2006)
 +
*''[[Doraemon Tanoshii En Seikatsu Youchien Hoikuen]]'' (2006)
 +
*''[[Futari wa Pretty Cure Splash Star]]'' (2006)
 +
*''[[GoGo Sentai Boukenger Kazu to Katachi o Oboeyou!]]'' (2006)
 +
*''[[Oshare Majo Love And Berry: Cute ni Oshare]]'' (2006)
 +
*''[[Tomica de Asobou!]]'' (2006)
 +
*''[[Cinnamoroll: Cafe Cinnamon de o-Tetsudai]]'' (2006)
 +
*''[[Nihongo de Asobo]]'' (2006)
 +
*''[[Point Gakushuu 10-masu Keisan]]'' (2006)
 +
*''[[Point Gakushuu Kakijun]]'' (2006)
 +
*''[[Point Gakushuu Tokei]]'' (2006)
 +
*''[[Kouchuu Ouja Mushiking: Nebu-Hakase to Kazu Katachi ni Challenge!]]'' (2006)
 +
*''[[Doraemon Chinou Daikaihatsu! Waku Waku Game Land]]'' (2006)
 +
*''[[Shimajirou no Eigo Activity Ehon: ABC Park de Asobou!]]'' (2006)
 +
*''[[Chiiku Drill Oshare Majo Love and Berry: Moji Kazu Chie Asobi]]'' (2007)
 +
*''[[Geneki Toudai-sei ga Tsukutta! 'Dekiru Ko ni Naru Seikatsu Shuukan Dragon Sakura Youji-hen']]'' (2007)
 +
*''[[Chiiku Drill Pocket Monsters Diamond & Pearl: Moji Kazu Chie Asobi]]'' (2007)
 +
*''[[Oden-kun: Oden Mura no Tanoshii Nakama-tachi]]'' (2007)
 +
*''[[Pururun! Shizuku-chan: Asonde Tanoshiku Nouryoku Up]]'' (2007)
 +
*''[[Taiko no Tatsujin Ongaku Lesson]]'' (2007)
 +
*''[[Meet Bub: Bub to Eigo Tanken]]'' (2010)
 +
*''[[Soreike! Anpanman Waku Waku Eigo Game!]]'' (2011)
 +
*''[[Suite PreCure: Happy Oshare Harmony]]'' (2011)
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
===[[SD Card Reader]] support===
 +
{{multicol|
 +
*''[[Anpanman no Waku Waku Game Oekaki]]'' (2007)
 +
*''[[Juuken Sentai Gekiranger: Niki Niki! Kazu Katachi ni Challenge!]]'' (2007)
 +
*''[[Omoiyari o Hagukumu Katarikake Ehon Miffy to Asobou Utaou]]'' (2007)
 +
*''[[Yes! PreCure 5: Asonde Oboeyou Hiragana!]]'' (2007)
 +
*''[[Disney Tanoshii Oekaki: o-Mise-ya-san o Tsukutchaou!]]'' (2007)
 +
*''[[1-nichi 10-pun de E ga Jouzu ni Kakeru Beena]]'' (2008)
 +
*''[[Hello Kitty no Hiragana Katakana o-Namae Kaitemiyou!]]'' (2008)
 +
*''[[Engine Sentai Go-onger Mach de Oboeru! Aiueo!!]]'' (2008)
 +
*''[[Yes! PreCure 5 GoGo!: LoveLove Hiragana Lesson]]'' (2008)
 +
*''[[Kamen Rider Kiva Hiragana Suuji Chie Battle!!]]'' (2008)
 +
*''[[Anpanman o Sagase!]]'' (2009)
 +
*''[[Samurai Sentai Shinkenger Battle ga Ippai! Iza Mairu!]]'' (2009)
 +
*''[[Issho ni Henshin Fresh Pretty Cure]]'' (2009)
 +
*''[[Pocket Monsters Diamond & Pearl Pokémon o Sagase! Meiro de Daibouken!]]'' (2009)
 +
*''[[Doraemon Waku Waku Sekai Isshuu Game: Asonde Oboeru Chizu Kokki]]'' (2010)
 +
*''[[Tensou Sentai Goseiger Super Battle Daishuugou!]]'' (2010)
 +
*''[[Oshare ni Henshin HeartCatch PreCure!]]'' (2010)
 +
*''[[Pocket Monsters Best Wishes! Chinou Ikusei Pokémon Daiundoukai]]'' (2010)
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
===With accessories===
 +
{{multicol|
 +
*''[[Disney Tanoshii o-Benkyou Series: Mic de Kantan ABC]]'' (2005)
 +
*''[[Go! Go! Advance Drive: Muttsu no Machine ni Chousen da!]]'' (2005)
 +
*''[[Soreike! Anpanman Card de Tanoshiku ABC]]'' (2006)
 +
*''[[Pashah to Henshin Beauty Academy]]'' (2006)
 +
*''[[Densha Daishuugou! Card de Asobou]]'' (2006)
 +
*''[[Kodai Ouja Kyouryuu King D-Kids Adventure: Dino Slash! Kyouryuu Battle !!]]'' (2007)
 +
*''[[Cooking Beena: o-Ryouri Dekichatta!]]'' (2007)
 +
*''[[Oshare Beena: o-Mise de Kisekae Make Haircut]]'' (2008)
 +
*''[[Soreike! Anpanman Doki Doki! Rescue Drive: Car Navi-tsuki]]'' (2008)
 +
*''[[Soreike! Anpanman o-Mise ga Ippai! TV de o-Ryouri Tsukutchao]]'' (2009)
 +
*''[[Shooting Beena Toy Story 3: Woody to Buzz no Daibouken!]]'' (2010)
 +
*''[[Cars 2 Racing Beena: Mezase! World Champion!]]'' (2011)
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
==Magazine articles==
 +
{{mainArticle|{{PAGENAME}}/Magazine articles}}
 +
 
 +
==Promotional material==
 +
{{gallery
 +
|{{gitem|Beena lite cm 2009.flv|BeenaLite CM (circa 2009)}}
 +
|{{gitem|Beena lite pv 2009.flv|BeenaLite PV (circa 2009)}}
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
==Gallery==
 
<gallery>
 
<gallery>
 +
AdvancedPicoBeena Logo.png|Older logo
 +
BeenaLite logo.png|Newer logo
 +
</gallery>
  
 +
==Patents==
 +
<gallery>
 +
WO2006107071A1.pdf|WO2006107071A1
 +
WO2006107072A1.pdf|WO2006107072A1
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
{{Clear}}
+
 
 +
==References==
 +
<references/>
 +
 
 
{{Sega_Consoles}}
 
{{Sega_Consoles}}
 
[[Category:Hardware]]
 
[[Category:Hardware]]
 +
[[Category:Advanced Pico Beena]]

Latest revision as of 21:38, 24 October 2023

AdvancedPicoBeena Logo.png
AdvancedPicoBeena.jpg
Advanced Pico Beena
Manufacturer: Sega Toys, Applause Technologies
Release Date RRP Code
Advanced Pico Beena
JP
¥12,800e[1] ?

This short article is in need of work. You can help Sega Retro by adding to it.


The Advanced Pico Beena (アドバンスピコ・ビーナ), meaning "Be Natural"[1] is a video game console jointly developed by Sega Toys and Applause Technologies[2]. It was released in August of 2005 and is the successor to the Sega Pico. Similar to its predecessor, the Advanced Pico Beena is aimed at children between the ages of 2 and 8 and stands primarily as an educational device. It has since been streamlined further, and is now commonly referred to simply as the Beena (ビーナ) or BeenaLite (ビーナLite).

Unlike the Sega Pico, the Advanced Pico Beena has not been released outside of Japan, and is maintained entirely by the Sega Toys division of the company (which also took control of the original Pico later in its lifespan). The final game released for the platform was Cars 2 Racing Beena: Mezase! World Champion! in 2011. The Beena continued to be produced after the release of its final game until it was officially discontinued two years later in 2013.

Hardware

The Advanced Pico Beena is built similarly to the original Sega Pico, though is more powerful from a technology point of view and has a much more streamlined design. Similar to the Pico, the Beena is a large, plastic foldable unit which acts as a hybrid between traditional cartridge-based video game consoles, tablets and electronic book readers. Cartridges are book shaped and the system keeps track of which pages have been turned, and the device connects to a television, with the users manipulating the game with the touch screen, magic pen and face buttons.

Like later models of the Pico, the Beena does not have a solid base to keep the top half of the unit upright, instead relying on a much thinner retractable plastic stand. Beenas can, however, be flipped 360 degrees, and every page of the cartridge can be manipulated by the magic pen (as opposed to just the last page as seen with the original Pico). This effectively creates a tidier, tabletop touch-screen device, hiding the buttons for games which do not need them. The Magic Pen can also be removed in the Beena, and a second can be aded for two player play.

Unlike the Sega Pico, the Advanced Pico Beena caters for both left and right handed children, with two sets of Red, White, Green, Orange and Purple buttons.

Newer Beena models can be powered by batteries as well as through an AC adaptor, and unlike the Pico, all Beenas have built-in speakers (similar to the Wii Remote). The system is also compatible with SD cards which can be used to save game progress. The Beena also offers score ranking and playtime which can be set by a parent, as well as superior graphics and sound.

Technical Specifications

The following specifications originate from a product catalog provided by the on-board LSI chip's manufacturer Applause Technologies[3][4].

  • LSI chip: Sega Toys 9H0-0008 (Applause Technologies AP2010)
  • CPU: 32-bit ARM7TDMI clocked at 81MHz (Input Clock: 27MHz)
  • On-Chip ROM: 128KB
  • On-Chip RAM: 16KB
  • Graphics: Composite Video Output
  • Resolution: NTSC (704×480), PAL (704×576 / 704×480)
  • Color palette: 32768 colors (BGR555)
  • Sprite plane: 128 sprites on screen
  • External RAM: 512KB x 16-Bit x 2 Banks (16MB) SDRAM (ICSI IC42S16100-7TG[5] / ESMT M12L16161A-7T[6])
  • Pen Tablet
  • Resolution: 176×122 / 352×244
  • Audio
  • Input: 8-bit Mono
  • Output: 12-bit Stereo
  • MIDI: SMF format, 32-voice polyphony
  • Speech coding: CELP (8kHz / 16kHz) encoded with Speex-1.0.4
  • Serial interface: UART (RS-232C, 16-byte FIFO × 1ch, 1.152Mbps maximum baud rate)
  • Debug interface: JTAG

Models

Main article: Beena consoles.

History

Release

Sega Toys expected to ship 250,000 units before the end of 2005, but by November 2006 had only sold 150,000 units. By May 2008 more than 350,000 units had been sold.

The Beena's poor sales were presumably caused by the success of the Nintendo DS, which was released a year earlier.

Games

List of games

SD Card Reader support

With accessories

Magazine articles

Main article: Advanced Pico Beena/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

BeenaLite CM (circa 2009)
BeenaLite PV (circa 2009)

Gallery

Patents

References

Sega Home Video Game Systems
83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11
SG-1000 SG-1000 II Mega Drive Mega Drive II
SC-3000 Mega-CD Mega-CD II Genesis 3
Sega Mark III 32X Dreamcast
Master System Master System II
AI Computer Game Gear
Saturn
Pico Beena