Advice And Help Needed On Pandora

[(naw)mcx]

But for me "PC" implies something powerful...

I find this interesting. The term "PC" to me means only what it's short for: Personal Computer.

The Pandora will certainly fit that definition, eh? :lol:

sure will, no one else is fucking getting on it.

You mastered double meanings. Mind if I put it in my sig? (maybe censoring that word, would be silly to get in trouble for that.)

haha, go ahead

 

[Enverex]

I just think of it as an ARM based UMPC. MID/PID make it sound like it's designed to be used for internet browsing primarily.

 

[mali]

Hmm..
Maybe just get rid of the "gaming" part and call it "OS handheld" instead.
Anything that leaves out "gaming" or "console" should suffice, I think.

Right now it says "The most powerful gaming handheld there is."
on the homepage.

Why not make it "The most powerful OS handheld there is. "

(I know, it's a rather moot discussion, but it helps to pass some time)

 

[cobaltage]

Two further suggestions: "The most handheld there is." And, "The most buttons there is."

Parenthetically, I used to follow a website, handtops.com, a community for enthusiasts of devices like the OQO, the Flipstart, and the DualCor. However, all three of those companies folded within about a year, and the website has since then more or less fallen apart. Honestly, I don't even know why it still exists. They've lost all direction, since boutique, expensive handheld computers have given way to mainstream, less expensive MIDs and UMPCs in the wake of the Intel Atom CPU, and the rise of the smartphone. So there was a real sea change in this device category as a whole while the Pandora has been in its production stage, mostly due to the competition between Intel and ARM for low power consumption mobile device space. Via has kind of dropped out of the running in this space as a result.

Pandora is an interesting class of device, no matter how you look at it. If I'm not mistaken, when it comes to gaming, it can emulate older consoles, which were television monitor types of gaming systems, all the way up the Jaguar (1993), N64 (1996), DC (1998), and PSOne (2000) (let's just say, even though I know it's not that simple). But it's also more powerful than the NDS (2004) and the PSP (2004), which are the current commercial handheld gaming systems; however, Pandora can't emulate those handheld systems. You can throw the iPod Touch and iPhone in there, which are similar with regard to hardware specs to the Pandora. So Pandora can emulate console and portable systems up to the year 2000 or so, and is powerful enough to run the types of games that are popular on the iPhone OS now, but nothing else between 2000 and 2010.

I'm afraid I have no conclusion to make from all this. My coffee hasn't kicked in yet.

 

[JayFoxRox]

Jaguar (1993), PS(One) (1994), N64 (1996) and possibly, with lots of optimizations, DC (1998)

Fixed that for you

Right now it says "The most powerful gaming handheld there is."
on the homepage.

Why not make it "The most powerful OS handheld there is. "

Because its probably not true. There are powerful handhelds out there without gaming controls, maybe less mobile, but still fitting in the handheld category

The Pandora was designed around gaming in first place as the game controls reveal and the amount of work which gone into them. As well by the high amount of games and emulators announced.
Calling it an OS handheld is a bad move in my opinion as it would mean loosing the roots. If people want a Pandora like device for office work they should go with something like a touchbook instead, without the gaming community behind it.
This is like with mobiles lately. They don't call it "MP3 player with phone functionality", but "phone with MP3 playing abilitys", which would be equal to "OS Handheld with gaming functionality" and "Gaming handheld with room for more"

//Edit, reverse reply to CoMiKe: Make it PGID and I'm fine with it, even though no-one besides us would know what it means

 

[CoMiKe]

PIGD (Portable Internet and Gaming Device)?

 

[mali]

That whole UMPC sector never took off because it was crippled by the much too high price tag and low battery life(x86). Moorestown might revive that sector. MIDs are basically a success(depends on the definition of MID, though). I pretty much saw Nokia on the right track with their ITs, but instead of hitting the market hard with an OMAP3 version in the same formfactor, they released a damn phone. Someone _has_ to occupy the niche. Pandora will do it, I suppose.

Edit:
This post was meant as a reply to cobaltage's post.

@Fox
It depends on your definition of "handheld" and Open Source. Which device out there is a handheld and Open Source, that is more powerful than Pandora?
Also I don't mean to lose the roots, just shifting the priorities a bit to help promotion on a broader base.

If people want a Pandora like device for office work they should go with something like a touchbook instead, without the gaming community behind it.

Why? The touchbook is crap and it's too large.

 

[cobaltage]

That whole UMPC sector never took off because it was crippled by the much too high price tag and low battery life(x86). Moorestown might revive that sector. MIDs are basically a success(depends on the definition of MID, though). I pretty much saw Nokia on the right track with their ITs, but instead of hitting the market hard with an OMAP3 version in the same formfactor, they released a damn phone. Someone _has_ to occupy the niche. Pandora will do it, I suppose.

Edit:
This post was meant as a reply to cobaltage's post.

I would agree with you and add to that that the fact that the UMPC was a formfactor pushed by Microsoft (as they did the Tablet PC) and was additionally hampered by its association with a desktop OS (specifically, XP). The CPUs weren't capable at the time of running a Windows OS except with a high price tag and a low battery life. The gap between the CPU and the OS is closing, kind of due to force from both directions.

I frequently wonder how well the MID/UMPC can compete with smartphones because of the issues around networking. It seems like it's possible to sell many more smartphones than MIDs with similar designs (related to Nokia's decision to switch to the smartphone). And tablets and e-book readers are coming up as well. I think Pandora will do fine and stand on its own relative to all these categories, though, because of its hardware design.


Also, I've just thought of a new slogan for Pandora based on the ramblings in my previous post. "Pandora: Welcome to the twentieth century, in emulation."

 

[mali]

I frequently wonder how well the MID/UMPC can compete with smartphones because of the issues around networking. It seems like it's possible to sell many more smartphones than MIDs with similar designs (related to Nokia's decision to switch to the smartphone). And tablets and e-book readers are coming up as well. I think Pandora will do fine and stand on its own relative to all these categories, though, because of its hardware design.

Yep, smartphones create(d) a big impact on the sales of other platforms. They made PocketPCs completely obsolete, which made me very sad. I still love and use my Axim x50v. A device that wants to compete with Smartphones has to be either cheaper or circumvent smartphones' shortcomings. Pandora is much better for gaming(controls), web browsing/video(screen real estate), office(real keyboard), battery life. Personally, I don't believe in all-in-one devices that Smartphones try to be, because they lack a real strength in a special sector(except phone functionality, of course).

Right now, most of the (non-phone)handheld devices out there are also crippled by design and _that_ is exactly Pandora's chance to be a success.

Also, I've just thought of a new slogan for Pandora based on the ramblings in my previous post. "Pandora: Welcome to the twentieth century, in emulation."

I like it

 

[juniorm33]

The Pandora was designed around gaming in first place as the game controls reveal and the amount of work which gone into them. As well by the high amount of games and emulators announced.
Calling it an OS handheld is a bad move in my opinion as it would mean loosing the roots. If people want a Pandora like device for office work they should go with something like a touchbook instead, without the gaming community behind it.
This is like with mobiles lately. They don't call it "MP3 player with phone functionality", but "phone with MP3 playing abilitys", which would be equal to "OS Handheld with gaming functionality" and "Gaming handheld with room for more"

//Edit, reverse reply to CoMiKe: Make it PGID and I'm fine with it, even though no-one besides us would know what it means

I have to disagree here, the roots was gaming but it's evolved to be more than that in my view, it's now also taking up a space that other devices tried to but was unable to sucseed in for many reasons.
Gaming is secondary to me, and it may even get me back into it!
It's going to be a replacement for my PDA x51v, and partial replacement for even my laptop. I don't have any portable consoles, so this will be my first one since game & watch.

Do agree with changing order of PIGD though, because I'd say PIG-D, and it just sounds like Pig :lol:

 

[Tensuke]

Why don't we just call it...drumroll...the Pandora! And be done with it. It's a completely new device that doesn't fit into any previous categories, so why try to classify it as such?

 

[Pleng]

Because if you don't, the reviewers will.

 

[craigix]

Maybe the Pandora PC? I like that one.

 

[absolofdoom]

The problem with PC is that, at least to the uninitiated masses, it implies Windows (see Mac ads - "I'm a PC"). Then you get about a billion people thinking it'll run windows, or at least people who expect it to work like windows. The Pandora does not, in fact, run windows, and I'd hate to see this forum filled to the brim with people asking why it doesn't.

Personally, I agree with Tensuke. And I don't think we should apply a label simply to keep others from doing it. Why? My dad still calls google "that aol search thingy" - people apply the names that make sense to them no matter how many times you try to tell them something otherwise.

 

[BaDToaD]

The Pandora: A truly pocketable computer.

 

[Dan Pora]

Maybe the fact that it almost can't be classified is one of the selling points.

Portable gaming device / Hand held computer / Mobile Internet Device

Whatever you want it to be!!

 

[peca]

Maybe the Pandora PC? I like that one.

I too. Pandora PC where P can be expanded as Pocket or Personal and C as Computer or Console. It doesn't matter how PC was mean really. Say Pandora PC and everybody can find own explanation (Pocket Console, Pocket Computer, Personal Console or Personal Computer). Maybe better to take it always as Pocket and present it in two ways. One for Pandora Pocket Computer for serious use and second for Pocket Console for fun use.

Maybe sexy "X" can attract it more (psychology). So some Pandora XC as eXtreme Console. Or "XP" -> eXtreme Pocket or PX -> Pocket eXtreme/eXperience. ut make it in way avoiding Windows XP relation.

I'm not natural English speaker so my opinion may appear stupid.

 

[Wolenber]

I've got to say PPC, because not only could it be Pandora <Personal or Pocket> <Computer or Console>, you could also switch the order of things and get other new options.

What stops it from being a Personal Pocket Console? Or a Pocket-Portable Computer?

 

[craigix]

The problem with PC is that, at least to the uninitiated masses, it implies Windows (see Mac ads - "I'm a PC"). Then you get about a billion people thinking it'll run windows, or at least people who expect it to work like windows. The Pandora does not, in fact, run windows, and I'd hate to see this forum filled to the brim with people asking why it doesn't.

Personally, I agree with Tensuke. And I don't think we should apply a label simply to keep others from doing it. Why? My dad still calls google "that aol search thingy" - people apply the names that make sense to them no matter how many times you try to tell them something otherwise.

I feel that 'running windows' is turning in to 'running the internet, google, facebook, twitter'.

If we could show them that, then they might be more comfortable.

 

[Vorporeal]

One possibility that I didn't see in the previous pages is calling it a pockettop (pocket-top? pocket top? PocketTop?). It's got a pretty good ring to it, and is a nice parallel to laptop.