Review: OpenPandora Project

SkydivinGirl

Retro Girl
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Well, I bit the bullet and coughed up $330 for the new OpenPandora Handheld that is currently in development. According to a recent newsletter from them, they are going to start populating the boards this month and ship in November or December. The first run is going to be 4,000 units.

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I've wanted a versatile portable gaming system for quite a while and was teetering on the edge of getting a GP2X Wiz for quite some time but I really wanted a physical keyboard for retro computer emulation.

I know it seems like an extremely expensive device but, when you think about it, an 16GB iPod Touch is almost as much but has less capability.

Once I get the device, I'll do a full review for everyone. :)

Super excited,

Heather
 
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Re: OpenPandora Project

Re: OpenPandora Project

cool toy!!

what are the dimentions/capabilities/specs?

thanks, JuvUK
 
Re: OpenPandora Project

Re: OpenPandora Project

@JuvUK

From the web site:

* ARM® Cortex™-A8 600Mhz+ CPU running Linux
* 430-MHz TMS320C64x+™ DSP Core
* PowerVR SGX OpenGL 2.0 ES compliant 3D hardware
* 800x480 4.3" 16.7 million colours touchscreen LCD
* Wifi 802.11b/g, Bluetooth & High Speed USB 2.0 Host
* Dual SDHC card slots & SVideo TV output
* Dual Analogue and Digital gaming controls
* 43 button QWERTY and numeric keypad
* Around 10+ Hours battery life

Heather
 
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This is such a nische product IMHO :coffee:

As I have understood it, it is 1 year late on the market? However I am slightly tempted by one if it can deliver quality emulators and no Dingoo 65% speed rubbish :laugh:

Also, a cool UAE environment running Picasso96 in 800x480 would be awesome, but I guess we wont get WinUAE quality Amiga-emu on it?

Right?
:grouphug:
 
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Actually, this is a full Linux environment so UAE should work great! :wink:

Heather
 
Re: OpenPandora Project

Re: OpenPandora Project

Good luck on this one SdG, its a tasty little toy, I hope they pull this off..

I remember last year they re-embursed everyone whom had pre-paid, cannot remember why, I believe it was adesign fault with the memory architecture, (not sure its was last year lol)

Although I love my hacked PSP Slim&Lite the Pandora gets my envy because of DOS Box and the Keyboard *hardly seems fair if you ask me*

looking forward to the review!
 
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People got refunded due to paypal cracking down on people using their service for pre-ordering items. Then the banks questioning how they had built up this amount of other peoples money without shipping anything... then the GFC hit and the company they had paid in full for the analogue nubs went out of business.. and the inexperience and naivity of the team in pulling something like this off really didnt help with all the other little delays. :shrug:

I am also on the pre-order list since October last year. One day soon... my precious... :drool:
 
Re: OpenPandora Project

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The OpenPandora is besides Android and Memo the other sexy project. A keyboard, two SD slots... Only the CPU is becoming dated on the design. With the delays they've had the CPU isn't cutting edge. But when they finally ship, they can divert their resources to update the hardware design. Ohhh my it'll be sweet.

It took a while between rev1 and rev2 of the GP2X.

I'm x-fingers for Pandora. And like all good techs, she has a girls name too.
 
Re: OpenPandora Project

Re: OpenPandora Project

The interesting thing about this project is that it is using an ARM processor.

Everyone talks about the Intel vs AMD CPU competition, but in reality Intel shouldn't be worrying about AMD, and should be worrying about ARM. ARM is now a large UK based CPU developer who have their CPUs in a lot of devices. Most phones and pda's are using ARM chips these days, including the iPhone.

The reason Intel should be worried is because ARM have been developing a netbook CPU that will go head to head with the Atom CPU. However manufacturers going with the ARM processor won't have the restrictions Intel place on their Atom range. Currently anyone wanting to make a netbook system using an Atom CPU have to limit the spec to a maximum of 10" screen, 160GB HDD, 2GB ram and Win XP. ARM are not restricting anything, and their CPU manufacturing model is quite different with them licensing CPU specs to customers so they can fabricate the chips themselves.

What does this have to do with Pandora?

Well think about it. Once these new ARM netbook chips are available the people behind Pandora would then have a much more powerful CPU they could use for the next version.

M$ should also be a bit worried about ARM. They currently don't have a version of Windows that runs on ARM processors, however Google OS does. Therefore locking M$ out of their whole hardware/software base. If it takes off this could be interesting to watch.
 
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Nah, I don't think Intel and MS need to worry about ARM... even if ARM makes a way better netbook-cpu , and even if they have no restrictions at all, it will lack a VERY important thing: Windows OS.
Normal and typical users don't care about linus/xyz OSes, they want windows because they know it and because of their vast software and user base...
 
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Tell that to everyone with Blackberry or iphone! :jester:

Windows OS may be the king of the hill for desktops and laptops, but they're way behind the drag curve for every other electronic device.

Anyhoo, I'm looking forward to your review SDG should make for an interesting read. :D
 
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If i do get a Pandora.... I will be re-housing it straigt away into somethingless looking that a DSlite

cann't stand that crass clam-shell design...

hmmmm thinking about it now...

perhaps somthing like PSPgo like... push up and it pops up at a gentle angle revealing a keyboard and gaming pads....
 
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My good friend: the appeal of Pandora resides in its/her resemblance with the long gone Timex Sinclair (remember the ZX81 & 82 ?).

That little device give me a firm memory of that range of lovely computer with its (in)famous keyboard... Ahh... Memories...

:whistle: Midnight, not a sound from the pavement. Has the moon lost her memory? She is smiling alone..." :whistle:
 
Re: OpenPandora Project

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That's one review I look forward to seeing Heather. Looks really cool, even if a bit blocky.

Charlie
 
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T_Hairy_Bootson said:
I am also on the pre-order list since October last year.
I almost got on the pre-order list earlier in the year but I'm glad I waited until it was closer to actual production. A year is a long time to be without your money. :) On a side note, it appears they decided to have the Pandora manufactured in the USA (Texas). They said this they decided the production quality would be better by doing it there.

I'll definitely let everyone know when it comes in. :)

Take care,

Heather
 
The OpenPandora project is almost ready to ship! They expect to get the cases for the units after the Chinese New Year. After that, it's just a matter of assembly and shipping. :D

Here's a video of one of these devices running an unoptimized version UAE. I can't wait to get mine!

Heather
 
That looked pretty smooth, If only I could get my PSP to run as effectively.
 
That looked pretty smooth, If only I could get my PSP to run as effectively.


The wont for a PPC ASM Core.... I do beleive FOL is working hard at integrating one... as its just him its hard to find help to turn too.

I have to admit the Pandora is showing off reall nice, even with the screen tearing on the left... impressive stuff... although frame-skip 2... tisk ;)
 
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