April/may 2008 Availability?!

[_VWV_]

The ORDERING *might* start at the end of this month, but the kit won't be delivered until May.

Can I ask about that mk1 kit? Well, it's made primarily for beta-testing + software developing. I'm just a simple user, not a coder (maybe a beta-tester to some extent . I'm totally "electronically disabled" (haven't soldered a thing myself), I haven't written an app myself, thus I won't be able to "help mature the software". So the first question is if those mk1 units are made only for individuals able to help.. or end (dead-end ) users like me can also try to preorder one? And the second question is if I will be able to assemble the device and install an operating system myself?

 

[quasist]

So the actual 3000 bug free ones won't come out till? Summer, July at least I hope. :huh:

If not taking to count chances of succesful sabotaging the production, thou are precisely right

 

[fusion_power]

MK 0.1's are ready next week. Those will be the ones with all the bugs, hopefully not too many! Coding with development kits still continues as the code will keep maturing week after week. Eventually the migration to Pandora boards will become our only focus but the main difference between Pandora and dev boards now is just wifi, analog nubs and better power management for battery powered applications.

MK1's will be released in May and those should be pretty stable but are allowed to have anything that was missed in the 0.1's. We expect to find more bugs in the kernel than the hardware by that time. This is the limited run of 100 kits to people who want to find bugs and mature the software. We are trying for these to be fully assembled units that run out of the box as it might not be the best idea to provide bare boards to less "electronically" minded individuals.

After that, and depending on whether suppliers can keep their lead times down, MK2 (which really is just the public release of MK1 unless more board errors are found or parts changes are needed for high volumes) will keep flowing out of the factory and into customer's hands as fast as we can get them out there.

Is there a non-magical way to eliminate all bugs, BEFORE the units are out? :lol:

Well I like your release tactics. Experienced Coders and Testers can do many good things for the Pandora in this early phase. And at the end we may have a matured, stable Device when the Public-sales start. I'm sure Pandoras bugs are nothing compared to the GP2X start.

 

[quasist]

I'm sure Pandoras bugs are nothing compared to the GP2X start.

Four of pandora developers/bugtestes already died, It is not funny

 

[MWeston]

You mean GP2X testers? Some of them have died over the past couple of years? That really is sad.


Well, I just popped in here to say that the biggest thing that could delay release is the LCD supplier. We keep hearing everywhere that manufacturers are having trouble getting enough glass to make enough panels to meet their customer's needs. It is confusing when every week some new PMP or chinese iPod/gaming device knock off comes out but it is likely they don't make that many. I imagine the official blog will keep the world updated about delays and dates as we find them out.

 

[fusion_power]

You mean GP2X testers? Some of them have died over the past couple of years? That really is sad.

Well, I just popped in here to say that the biggest thing that could delay release is the LCD supplier. We keep hearing everywhere that manufacturers are having trouble getting enough glass to make enough panels to meet their customer's needs. It is confusing when every week some new PMP or chinese iPod/gaming device knock off comes out but it is likely they don't make that many. I imagine the official blog will keep the world updated about delays and dates as we find them out.


Wasn't the LCD one of the first choosen parts for the Pandora? I thought at least the LCDs are "there" or in production since weeks for the first Pandora Units. ^^"" Are so many LCD's needed these days?

 

[JakeK]

Have suppliers been confirmed yet?

 

[craigix]

The ORDERING *might* start at the end of this month, but the kit won't be delivered until May.

Can I ask about that mk1 kit? Well, it's made primarily for beta-testing + software developing. I'm just a simple user, not a coder (maybe a beta-tester to some extent . I'm totally "electronically disabled" (haven't soldered a thing myself), I haven't written an app myself, thus I won't be able to "help mature the software". So the first question is if those mk1 units are made only for individuals able to help.. or end (dead-end ) users like me can also try to preorder one? And the second question is if I will be able to assemble the device and install an operating system myself?


Yes you should be able to build it, maybe you will first get the PCB, battery and LCD, then the case later, but before you get the case you will be able to use the pandora to play about with software on the LCD, or you might get a fully assembled unit with a 0.1 firmware on it which you will have to update as we make new versions. We just don't quite know yet.

 

[javaJake]

Being a Gentoo user, I'm tempted.

 

[atomicthumbs]

If there's some sort of debilitating bug on the mark 1 PCBs that somehow didn't get caught, will they be replaced?

 

[Squidge]

If there's some sort of debilitating bug on the mark 1 PCBs that somehow didn't get caught, will they be replaced?

I would assume it depends on critical the bugs are. But then again, I would also assume that all critical bugs *would* be found and killed before we get to MK1 status.

 

[craigix]

If there's some sort of debilitating bug on the mark 1 PCBs that somehow didn't get caught, will they be replaced?

Yes of course.

 

[atomicthumbs]

Mayeb I'll try to get myself one.

I'd do the most extensive beta testing possible

 

[critical]

You mean GP2X testers? Some of them have died over the past couple of years? That really is sad.

Well, I just popped in here to say that the biggest thing that could delay release is the LCD supplier. We keep hearing everywhere that manufacturers are having trouble getting enough glass to make enough panels to meet their customer's needs. It is confusing when every week some new PMP or chinese iPod/gaming device knock off comes out but it is likely they don't make that many. I imagine the official blog will keep the world updated about delays and dates as we find them out.


Wasn't the LCD one of the first choosen parts for the Pandora? I thought at least the LCDs are "there" or in production since weeks for the first Pandora Units. ^^"" Are so many LCD's needed these days?

It's one thing to choose a part, and quite another to secure a guaranteed source up front without paying money. The hardware manufacturing world is cruel and unusual. w.r.t. LCDs of a portable size - yes, there is huge demand at the moment, and it doesn't look like it's going to ease up from what I've been told.