The Arduview is a credit card sized handheld with a fully transparent screen

[Freddy]

A tiny handheld console has taken the transparent trend to its limit. Video Games Chronicle reports on the Arduview, a credit card sized device that its maker claims is the first fully transparent games console, including the screen

When switched off, it looks like a piece of glass. When it is on, lit pixels glow cyan while the rest of the screen stays clear, so the game can be seen from behind as well

The Arduview is built on the open source Arduboy and Arduino platform. It comes with 400 built in games and can load more from the Arduboy community

Creator Louis Huang, a student at Babson College in Massachusetts, says it was designed not to be sealed shut, so owners can open it, flash new software and tinker. He says the inside of a device is the most interesting part, so you should be able to see it. The Kickstarter has already met its goal with 38 days to go, with early bird prices around $75 to $99 and a launch price around $147. VGC has been using one for about a month and confirms the screen works as shown

It is a charming gadget that celebrates hardware rather than hiding it. Crowdfunded projects always carry some risk, and the world first claim comes from the maker. Still, a transparent screen you can play games on is a lovely novelty

Would you buy a transparent handheld? And do you like gadgets that show off their insides?

The Arduview Is The Worlds First Fully Transparent Handheld Including The Screenwww.videogameschronicle.com