Nintendo
Nintendo Switch
Cool! Looking good so far. I like the kb overlay. 
A Pandora 2 Concept
- Thread starter Binky
- Start date
gp32rich
Never been accused of being subtle
Why so focussed on flipping the screen about. As the most fragile element surely it makes more sense to leave it as protected in casing as possible .. including the connecting cables.
I'd like to see a design where the keyboard flips from under the unit.. after all it's just a pcb with a few signal cables, right?
I'd like to see a design where the keyboard flips from under the unit.. after all it's just a pcb with a few signal cables, right?
bismuthdrummer
Active Member
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- May 13, 2011
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- 534
We could add a backlit keyboard today.
It's not another touchscreen AND keyboard, it's one or the other, so might as well just have a keyboard imho.
Nubs are less natural to reach in this example.
It's not another touchscreen AND keyboard, it's one or the other, so might as well just have a keyboard imho.
Nubs are less natural to reach in this example.
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Balance would go all over the place! Try holding a laptop by the screen with the base sticking up in the air some day ... or don't
Also here, we need the screen as thin as possible.
Having said, that, a design with the battery and keyboard in one bit, and the guts and screen in an other might work..
Wait, isn't Pandora supposed to be about versatility? We get a lot of screen space from the extra screen, someone will put it it good use for sure!
Anyways, the screen couldn't slide down with a keyboard in place unless the keyboard was sunken in. With a removable keyboard, you get a much better device for typing on: If you are about to do a lot of typing, put the keyboard panel on; simples!
Nubs and things can be moved around ^_^
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-Tj-
Active Member
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- Sep 2, 2009
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- 842
Heyy, that looks vaguely familiar...
The keyboard is small, but it's easy to use, despite the recess and small buttons. I actually preferred this one over my larger LG eXpo and Cingular 8125 keyboards since both were flat. These had a slight bump to each one. The screen didn't tilt, though.
Personally speaking, I'd prefer the clamshell format for any Pandora. I've scratched one screen by putting it into a pocket with keys in it, the other was scratched by a dirty stylus. I've never put phones in my pockets with anything else in them since, not even if it has a gorilla glass capacitive screen. All my phones were either sliding type, like the i-mate Ultimate 9502 in the picture above, or slate type like Galaxy S2 (my current phone). I just rather have a console that has a built-in lid. Far less chance of accidental scratches or fractures.
I think screen protection technology may have improved a bit?
https://www.youtube.com/embed/F92CvRflk18?feature=oembed
https://www.youtube.com/embed/F92CvRflk18?feature=oembed
To me that still sounds like a bad tradeoff: worse keyboard for a second touchscreen, which we need for ... what exactly? To be sued by Nintendo?
If you want to hear a crazy idea: I would suggest to have a completely modular design instead of a bad compromise! The standard layout (shipped with the unit) will look like the pandora does now, but the entire control-unit with keyboard, nubs, D-Pad and buttons can be removed. You can then buy additional "swap-panels", like for example a second screen, an Arcade-panel, a full keyboard, music mixer, midi-keyboard, whatever you can think of. And you can even go oversize!! (See attachement)
You could even make the screen detatchable, turn it around and put it on top with no additional controlls, although I still think that you should go and buy a tablet if you want to have a tablet ...
Ok, this does reduce portablity a bit, and in some configurations the lid can not be closed, but on the other hand people already carry additional keyboards and whatnot around. So why not offer a 100% compatible solution that you can actually attach to the unit?
If you want to hear a crazy idea: I would suggest to have a completely modular design instead of a bad compromise! The standard layout (shipped with the unit) will look like the pandora does now, but the entire control-unit with keyboard, nubs, D-Pad and buttons can be removed. You can then buy additional "swap-panels", like for example a second screen, an Arcade-panel, a full keyboard, music mixer, midi-keyboard, whatever you can think of. And you can even go oversize!! (See attachement)
You could even make the screen detatchable, turn it around and put it on top with no additional controlls, although I still think that you should go and buy a tablet if you want to have a tablet ...
Ok, this does reduce portablity a bit, and in some configurations the lid can not be closed, but on the other hand people already carry additional keyboards and whatnot around. So why not offer a 100% compatible solution that you can actually attach to the unit?
Yes that was the problem, given the huge legal firepower of our favorite Redmond corporation!
Also, a keyboard overlay, is a single, cheap piece of shaped silicon.
Interchangeable control units would make the device bigger, and be lots more work to develop
Yes, and that is exactly what I find wrong about the whole idea.
It's like trading your gamepad for one of those:
http://www.deltaattack.com/tag/keyboard-joystick/
I still don't see the advantage of a second screen in the first place actually ... but if it would have to be this, I'd at least want to have a hardplastik cover with individual buttons that will then press on the screen.
It's overkill to cover that screen up 99% of the time though. Which you will do unless you want to use it primarily for NDS emulation or you actually prefer touchscreen over any kind of button (but then the Pandora is probably not what you would choose in the first place, you'd go for a real NDS or a smartphone/tablet)
It's overkill to cover that screen up 99% of the time though. Which you will do unless you want to use it primarily for NDS emulation or you actually prefer touchscreen over any kind of button (but then the Pandora is probably not what you would choose in the first place, you'd go for a real NDS or a smartphone/tablet)
Well, you could:
However high ppi you get, a device this size will always have a limited screen area. this way, it doubles.
Also, its a way of getting a decent keyboard And comfortable touchscreen use in the same device.
- put a magnifying application/overview on the lower/upper one
- put toolbars on one and the thing you were working on on the other (the gimp would work well)
- put general menus and stuff on one
- just have a big screen
- use it for software controlled keylabels (with transparent keyboard)
- Write software to do cool stuff
However high ppi you get, a device this size will always have a limited screen area. this way, it doubles.
Also, its a way of getting a decent keyboard And comfortable touchscreen use in the same device.
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laserbeams
Member
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- May 23, 2010
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- 96
I do like the general idea of a flip and slide screen - I designed something similar for a "What will the Nintendo DS 2 look like?" contest back in 2005:
Mechanically it would not be too complicated - except for the display cable, which would have to be flexible enough, and with enough room to move freely (requires a large open curved area either in the body or screen housing), the way a scanner bed element does, to keep it from breaking with repeated use.
Mechanically it would not be too complicated - except for the display cable, which would have to be flexible enough, and with enough room to move freely (requires a large open curved area either in the body or screen housing), the way a scanner bed element does, to keep it from breaking with repeated use.
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Apart from the discussed design for flippable screens there is also a second one used by most camcorders and cameras. I guess that one has less movable parts and does not require any open slits in the case. Like this one for example:
http://nexus404.com/Blog/2008/06/20/sony-handycam-hdr-cx11e-full-hd-camcorder-smile-shutter-sony-hdr-cx11e/
Just move the hinge to the bottom where it is now, add a mechanism to lock the rotation and you're there.
Also there's this:
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/11/flip-top-dell-inspiron-duo-makes-a-terrible-tablet/
http://nexus404.com/Blog/2008/06/20/sony-handycam-hdr-cx11e-full-hd-camcorder-smile-shutter-sony-hdr-cx11e/
Just move the hinge to the bottom where it is now, add a mechanism to lock the rotation and you're there.
Also there's this:
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/11/flip-top-dell-inspiron-duo-makes-a-terrible-tablet/
jorlinn
Member
Dual Screen gaming might also attract attention from Nintendo, especially if there are touch screens involved. No, I like the Pandora for it´s combination of touchscreen, gaming controls and keyboard.
