ROBERT J.R. GRAHAM: Panasonic’s Jungle portable gaming system emerges, gets shown off on video

Apparently Panasonic has been working itself into a frenzy over a new handheld video game console designed solely around the concept of taking MMORPGs with you everywhere you go — like you weren’t already wasting too much of your life. The makers of the ill-fated 3DO are returning to the gaming world with a portable system dubbed “The Jungle.” The clamshell device will allegedly sport a super high-resolution display, features a full QWERTY keyboard along with what looks like a touch sensitive d-pad and button arrangement, and may run atop a custom Linux build. The Jungle will also apparently sport a mini HDMI port, a micro USB port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. To our eyes, the system looks a little on the clunky side, with a definite air of something out of Nokia’s N-Gage line — not a good thing for a 2010 device. Alongside the system itself, Panasonic will launch a Battlestar Galactica title for the device, and a web show called Online Underground.