Writing this review right now from a Pandora, and as such it won't be especially wordy. (saved to SD from Mousepad, posted from my laptop because the WIFI wasn't working)
Sorry if this alarms anyone still waiting for their machine, but I don't see any point in not being honest...
The most annoying things:
The hinge angle is way too low. I mean, I'm typing this right now and doing so requires angling the top end of the machine downwards. I feel like a kid watching TV from down on the floor!
The lack of shift button on the right side of the keyboard is a bugbear. It means I have to shuffle the whole handheld into my right hand in order to do a capital 's' for example. Not especially comfortable.
Matte paint finish is... okay. It picks up fingerprints a lot too.
Volume wheel feels too recessed. I can't even feel when I'm moving it sometimes.
Usual stuff that can and will go wrong. I have a screwed up right shoulder button etc.
OS and software are very buggy and crash prone right now, more so than I expeted, but it's early days yet.
Welcome to reality:
The Pandora, now it's in my hands, feels like a completely different kind of device to mainstream handhelds. My initial impression was that the production values aren't as high as I'd imagined. The design is actually quite eccentric also, at least in person.
It's like meeting someone from the internet you've known for years. You have the most amazing, all night deep conversations and seem made for each other. When you meet though, they're very weird... and strange looking. Your brain can't connect the image you had of them in your mind to the real person. Within a few days this fades away and they seem like them again! You've now properly adapted to the real person.
It's been the same with my Pandora.
Now... if I'm slightly underwhelmed, I can see the majority of people not warming to it at all. This isn't the kind of gadget love where you fall head over heels... this is more about the personality that slowly grows on you.
The reality, after two years of fantasy, is that the Pandora is the scrappy but powerful underdog. It says vey boldy, 'This is homebrew. Eat it suckers.'. It doesn't win you over straight away, it's the kind of device you have to get used to before you love it. It grows on you... even after only a few hours I'm feeling the love.
For example, I'm already getting used to looking at the screen from a lower angle. Your brain adjusts!
I've just had to shift my expectations a little. I know what to expct from my little machine now.
Positives:
The Dpad really is superb. squeaks a bit at the moment, like most of the buttons.
The screen is very crisp and sharp!
The nubs are nice. Much thinner than I imagined, and they seem to differ in loosness but way better than the crap Sony made.
The speakers are really quite loud!
Okay, that's it for now; getting sore wrists
Post more when I can think of stuff!
Edit:
Argh! The OS just locked up on me and I had to reset by removing the battery. Ah well... early days.
The Pandora smells really nice. It has that new electronics must.
My case is noticably higher when closed on the left hand side (like some other guys). Not sure how bothered I really am about that... surely something other people will comment on though.
Case is very sturdy and doesn't flex.
I'm finding that the best position to hold it, for stuff like web browsing is leant against your thigh in a crossed leg position.
Not sure how comfortable it is to hold yet, as I'm still getting used to it. My hands aren't that big, but it should suit bigger handed people quite well. Japanese stuff like the DS Lite, built for little hands are the perfect size for me... if that gives you any idea.
The hinge likes to go into the locked position, although it does stay put when put when put on a table etc.
I think I need to break in most of the buttons, and this includes all the keyboard keys - some of which are a bit stiff and squeaky.
Right nub is very sensitive and a bit annoying to use as mouse buttons. It keeps going into click even though I'm barely touching it.
I keep hitting space as a shift button. My brain needs to adjust.
For some reason I've been sent a non uk charger with an adapter. I'm using my PSP charger instead.
I'm finding that if I just brush the right nub upwards, that's all it needs to click. I just stroke it upwards, not even pushing. It's quite comfortable! I'm getting really used to the nubs now.
More edit:
abiword slow with docs
Loaded some word documents in Abiword, but the text scrolling is very slow.
I found that I had to reposition the battery or else the right side of the battery cover would squeak when pressed.
The edge on the lid can be annoying when using the touch screen. For example, the sharp corners can catch the bottom of your hand.
The Pandora starts to fel heavy after a while due to the way you have to hold it (or the way I was holding it).
I went out the room, and when I came back in and saw the Pandora sitting with the hinge up on my desk, it looked like a minature laptop. That was surreal.
I realised how cool it is that I'm running a full desktop on something so small!
Hooked a mouse up using a USB hub. That was pretty surreal! It works better than the touch screen or nubs, which have variety of bugs and quirks at the moment.
For some reason my left nub is quite stiff, but the right one is smooth as silk. It's sexy smooth.
Not sure why, but I have no rubber covers over the lid screws (which are black, so less noticable - but still...).
I found the cure to the gritty touchscreen was to just give it a good clean first.
For some reason the USB port is upside down.
Plugged my Ipod Shuffle in for a while. It got very hot, which worried me.
Sorry if this alarms anyone still waiting for their machine, but I don't see any point in not being honest...
The most annoying things:
The hinge angle is way too low. I mean, I'm typing this right now and doing so requires angling the top end of the machine downwards. I feel like a kid watching TV from down on the floor!
The lack of shift button on the right side of the keyboard is a bugbear. It means I have to shuffle the whole handheld into my right hand in order to do a capital 's' for example. Not especially comfortable.
Matte paint finish is... okay. It picks up fingerprints a lot too.
Volume wheel feels too recessed. I can't even feel when I'm moving it sometimes.
Usual stuff that can and will go wrong. I have a screwed up right shoulder button etc.
OS and software are very buggy and crash prone right now, more so than I expeted, but it's early days yet.
Welcome to reality:
The Pandora, now it's in my hands, feels like a completely different kind of device to mainstream handhelds. My initial impression was that the production values aren't as high as I'd imagined. The design is actually quite eccentric also, at least in person.
It's like meeting someone from the internet you've known for years. You have the most amazing, all night deep conversations and seem made for each other. When you meet though, they're very weird... and strange looking. Your brain can't connect the image you had of them in your mind to the real person. Within a few days this fades away and they seem like them again! You've now properly adapted to the real person.
It's been the same with my Pandora.
Now... if I'm slightly underwhelmed, I can see the majority of people not warming to it at all. This isn't the kind of gadget love where you fall head over heels... this is more about the personality that slowly grows on you.
The reality, after two years of fantasy, is that the Pandora is the scrappy but powerful underdog. It says vey boldy, 'This is homebrew. Eat it suckers.'. It doesn't win you over straight away, it's the kind of device you have to get used to before you love it. It grows on you... even after only a few hours I'm feeling the love.
For example, I'm already getting used to looking at the screen from a lower angle. Your brain adjusts!
I've just had to shift my expectations a little. I know what to expct from my little machine now.
Positives:
The Dpad really is superb. squeaks a bit at the moment, like most of the buttons.
The screen is very crisp and sharp!
The nubs are nice. Much thinner than I imagined, and they seem to differ in loosness but way better than the crap Sony made.
The speakers are really quite loud!
Okay, that's it for now; getting sore wrists
Post more when I can think of stuff!
Edit:
Argh! The OS just locked up on me and I had to reset by removing the battery. Ah well... early days.
The Pandora smells really nice. It has that new electronics must.
My case is noticably higher when closed on the left hand side (like some other guys). Not sure how bothered I really am about that... surely something other people will comment on though.
Case is very sturdy and doesn't flex.
I'm finding that the best position to hold it, for stuff like web browsing is leant against your thigh in a crossed leg position.
Not sure how comfortable it is to hold yet, as I'm still getting used to it. My hands aren't that big, but it should suit bigger handed people quite well. Japanese stuff like the DS Lite, built for little hands are the perfect size for me... if that gives you any idea.
The hinge likes to go into the locked position, although it does stay put when put when put on a table etc.
I think I need to break in most of the buttons, and this includes all the keyboard keys - some of which are a bit stiff and squeaky.
Right nub is very sensitive and a bit annoying to use as mouse buttons. It keeps going into click even though I'm barely touching it.
I keep hitting space as a shift button. My brain needs to adjust.
For some reason I've been sent a non uk charger with an adapter. I'm using my PSP charger instead.
I'm finding that if I just brush the right nub upwards, that's all it needs to click. I just stroke it upwards, not even pushing. It's quite comfortable! I'm getting really used to the nubs now.
More edit:
abiword slow with docs
Loaded some word documents in Abiword, but the text scrolling is very slow.
I found that I had to reposition the battery or else the right side of the battery cover would squeak when pressed.
The edge on the lid can be annoying when using the touch screen. For example, the sharp corners can catch the bottom of your hand.
The Pandora starts to fel heavy after a while due to the way you have to hold it (or the way I was holding it).
I went out the room, and when I came back in and saw the Pandora sitting with the hinge up on my desk, it looked like a minature laptop. That was surreal.
I realised how cool it is that I'm running a full desktop on something so small!
Hooked a mouse up using a USB hub. That was pretty surreal! It works better than the touch screen or nubs, which have variety of bugs and quirks at the moment.
For some reason my left nub is quite stiff, but the right one is smooth as silk. It's sexy smooth.
Not sure why, but I have no rubber covers over the lid screws (which are black, so less noticable - but still...).
I found the cure to the gritty touchscreen was to just give it a good clean first.
For some reason the USB port is upside down.
Plugged my Ipod Shuffle in for a while. It got very hot, which worried me.
