After The First 3000

[lubidog]

ok so there will be no major hardware changes after the first 3000 and if i buy one of them i wont regret it later?

Yes, you will definitely regret it. Just like when you went for a big poo without asking your mummy for help!

(end of rant)

And Craig, please take as much time as you need to get it right! we will have to wait There seems so much goodwill going around the net for this project that to release it bad would be a disaster. Far better to make us wait and release something good than to have to claw back that goodwill. But I know you know this.

 

[PSyMastR]

After watching the disaster the GP2x F-100s were (with hardware revisions being unlisted in the model number or anything, and firmware woes) I think Craig and his team know what to do

 

[DisgruntleElf]

What would the cost of Pandora be without Wifi? It might be something to consider at this stage in developement for a cheaper end model. Wifi is a huge battery drainer. Internet access is everywhere. There are so many other devices that have Wifi and if developers really don't take advantage of it on the Pandora, eliminating it maybe ideal for a less expensive model.

 

[CronoTriggerfan]

What would the cost of Pandora be without Wifi? It might be something to consider at this stage in developement for a cheaper end model. Wifi is a huge battery drainer. Internet access is everywhere. There are so many other devices that have Wifi and if developers really don't take advantage of it on the Pandora, eliminating it maybe ideal for a less expensive model.

I highly doubt that a Wifi module and antenna rig is very expensive at all. If the feature were removed, the change in cost would be nominal at best. Besides, if you're worried about battery life, just turn off Wifi!

As for the delays, that's bad news, but at least the product will hopefully be perfected. Just out of curiosity, though, does this mean the "no later than August" statement still stands?

 

[fusion_power]

Something worries me. So the dev units will ship without WiFi module, and (more worrying) with a bad USB-Host-chip-thing. Will the units be replaced later or will the dev unit owners end up with worse hardware in the end?

As Craig has already stated, faulty units will be replaced free of charge. Meaning everyone will have working Wifi and USB Host.

Maybe it would be interesting to know, how such more or less serious Hardware Problems like a (maybe) non conform working USB Host can happen? Doesn't big Companies like TI test their Chips and all the Functions of the Chip(set) before the whole Thing leaves the Factory? I always thought things like USB (host) are far evolved standard components that working in Millions of Devices since Years?

Well, I'm sure the final Pandora Hardware will work without such little glitches and I can wait.

 

[Squidge]

What would the cost of Pandora be without Wifi? It might be something to consider at this stage in developement for a cheaper end model. Wifi is a huge battery drainer. Internet access is everywhere. There are so many other devices that have Wifi and if developers really don't take advantage of it on the Pandora, eliminating it maybe ideal for a less expensive model.

If Craigix places/has placed a bulk order for Wifi chips, they'll probably be $10-$15 or so (COMPLETE GUESS before anyone thinks of quoting that as fact). It'll then be an adminstrative nightmare creating two different versions and having to keep stock of both. That will then give further hassle if they run out of Wifi versions, have several hundred people awaiting them, and having a stock pile of non-Wifi versions which are not selling. Much easier to create just one version.

Maybe it would be interesting to know, how such more or less serious Hardware Problems like a (maybe) non conform working USB Host can happen? Doesn't big Companies like TI test their Chips and all the Functions of the Chip(set) before the whole Thing leaves the Factory?

Yes, and the USB Host does work in the chip, just not how it's currently setup on the board. I can't say much else however, as I don't know how much stuff TI/Craigix/etc want public. So I'll leave that to the three major players.

 

[Firefox]

Now you just need to deliver a fullspeed Jaguar emulator, otherwise they'll send the boys around to take it (and your kneecaps) off you

Hehe, I'm not worried! With the speed of the Pandora it should be pretty much a simple recompile of the x86 Linux version and - fingers crossed - might even run faster than a real Jaguar. That's proved nice on the PC version because games are generally framerate locked, so they just get smoother and smoother the faster the emulator runs (but there is a throttle toggle).

Anyway, the main reason I'm getting a dev unit is so that I can help out with the Pandora's firmware.

 

[Karel Jansens]

If Craigix places/has placed a bulk order for Wifi chips, they'll probably be $10-$15 or so (COMPLETE GUESS before anyone thinks of quoting that as fact).

Heck, that's about what my mini-PCI Atheros WiFi card cost retail.

 

[Squidge]

Maybe I overestimated then and they'll less than $10 ?

Either way, it means there's no point doing a Pandora without wifi.

 

[Svartalf]

^ yours should be ready any day now.

Coolness. I'm presuming mine should be in the same state then.

While I am miffed someone in the chain of parts bungled the USB host mode, I can live with it for right now...I wasn't planning on doing anything fancy with it initially anyhow.