Are Pandoras still being made? I might want one in the fall/ end of summer

[klapse]

I have an android tablet that never gets used. The Pandora is just *so* much better, more fun, more interesting, more open.

 

[Askarus]

When can you predict that you'll have a working prototype of the pyra to show off?

I would advice you to follow the Gamescom.

We will be there again and it's the perfect place to show some prototype.

Don't know how far development will be but there is a chance to see more than on FOSDEM (TI board connected to a mostly useless board).

We will have the latest case prototype there.

Maybe screen (shouldn't take too long now to get it working as all necessary parts are here).

Board??

Depends on how well things run.

Maybe the daughter board prototype as well?

Keymat??

Same.

Maybe, maybe not.

It's pretty likely to be something that´s connected to the IT board again I think.

Anyways, Gamescom will be the place for the next big presentation .

 

[Arctic]

Alright guys, I think I'm just gonna stick to gcw zero+ android tablet for awhile. When the pyra releases I'll snag one in the summer next year. I can get a zero and a new tablet for $530 anyways. And both will be supported and do what I want.


Thanks for your help though. Im not going to buy a expensive discontinued device...sorry.

 

[TrashyMG]

expensive discontinued device

Well this statement implies it won't be supported, the Community and ED will still support the Pandora well after production is complete.

But I hear you it's expensive device to get into especially near the end of the production run.

 

 

[Arctic]

I have an android tablet that never gets used. The Pandora is just *so* much better, more fun, more interesting, more open.

For someone who uses a nexus 7 everyday it's far more advanced than a Pandora and way more powerful and does everything faster,smoother and cleaner. I wanted a Pandora for something I could use to emulate systems, play homebrew games, check out the apps people make on Pandora and support a small company and have a convenient device that can be played at home and outside of home with a 10 hour battery and built in buttons But there is NO WAY I'd ever take a Pandora over a tablet because I use my nexus 7 for things the pandora is not good at.


The Pandora is great, it really is but its a different market. Its a certain market that makes it the reason why the device is niche. I'd like to have both a Pandora and a tablet for different reasons but since Pandora is abandoned I have to wait for pyra someday


Just please stop acting like your personal needs in a device applies to everyone. Thanks

 

[Arctic]

expensive discontinued device

Well this statement implies it won't be supported, the Community and ED will still support the Pandora well after production is complete.
But I hear you it's expensive device to get into especially near the end of the production run.

I have a hard time believing that the community and ED would want to support a less powerful machine, the pyra improves in every way and you can do more with it. I don't mean to be doubtful but I don't see why they would want to keep it going when there will be no more new customers and the pyra will be more powerful and will grow an audience.

 

[TrashyMG]

I have a hard time believing that the community and ED would want to support a less powerful machine, the pyra improves in every way and you can do more with it. I don't mean to be doubtful but I don't see why they would want to keep it going when there will be no more new customers and the pyra will be more powerful and will grow an audience.

- It's fairly trivial to port programs between the two devices, if the program doesn't need the power of the Pyra it will most likely get a Pandora port as well.. the same core group of coders/porters as the Pandora will most likely shift to the Pyra.. they will most likely maintain both Pandora / Pyra versions of their ports.


- ED is a stand up guy, will most likely handle Pandora repairs and service for sometime.


- The Pyra Community and Pandora Community reside in the same environment, these forums and the IRC channels.. so It's not too hard to imagine that there is some overlap.

 

[mcobit]

Because it still is one of the best devices of its kind.


Not only money matters here. There was so much effort, heart and soul put in this device. It will be supported, no matter what. People are still trying to get the best out of the device software and hardware wise. All the schematics, case files, specifications are open now. Even people from the community can still support it. Isn't that great? You can even print your own replacementparts and everything.


I think the Pandora will still last for some years.

 

[___]

you might want to have a look where we came from. in the old days this scene used to be entirely about hacking sort of obscure handhelds (gp32 and gp2x) to support them way after their lifespan. it was all about writing software for systems whose developers had long stopped releasing commercial software and firmware for. Also one of the reasons the pandora came to be: because people were so sick of that behaviour of companies who would just stop caring about their devices and customers and move on.

 

[rygD]

since Pandora is abandoned

I don't think this is quite right.  It won't be abandoned, the problem is the sources for the parts have dried up.

I don't see why they would want to keep it going when there will be no more new customers and the pyra will be more powerful and will grow an audience.

There are many communities, companies and individuals that provide support for all manner of old things.  Some of my interests include retrogaming and retrocomputing, both with original hardware, and there is still a very strong community of support, plus new hardware and software, decades after production has stopped.  If you take a look at ED's shop you will see that he is a part of this community, so I have no doubts about his continued support of the Pandora.  If that turns out not to be true I am sure many others will be willing to help out.

I am not interested in trying to convince you to purchase a Pandora/Pyra, especially since you have made up your mind.  It may turn out your choice will be better for you, and that the Pandora and Pyra wouldn't have been quite right for you.  If you do go for a Pyra in the future the community will still be around in case you want to join in the fun.

 

[ekianjo]

I have a hard time believing that the community and ED would want to support a less powerful machine

Huh ??

It's not really about the power, it's more like it's going to be trivial to continue develop and port software for the Pandora since most of the tools are already out there and easy to use. True, for most complex ones, if we don't have someone like PtitSeb to handle the Pandora related ports, we may see decreased activity, but for all average and easy ports there's no reason not to have them show up on Pandora.  

So, I'm not really sure what you are getting at. Even in the Pandora world, there are three versions, the CC being the most ancient one and less powerful than the recent 1Ghz one. Yet the CC units still get specific support to allow for proper performance of several games and ports. 

 

[Kumaki]

I'm not sure I am personally going to want the Pyra, since it will be Debian environment instead of Angstrom Super Zaxxon I am used to.

I dont see that as a disadvantage, but the opposite.
You'll get used to debian faster then superZaxxon

Hummm, I dunno.

I tend to like staying with what I get comfortable with.

I know, that probably sounds weird on a board like this...but I AM getting to the age where technology is beginning to move past me.

 

[Kumaki]

I don't know for sure, but my own impression is that ED is a real nice guy running a small company...not a giant megalithic corporation that abandons support for older products in order to FORCE you into the newer products.

That said, I believe ED will support the Pandora...and the community will support the Pandora for quite some time.

In fact, I venture so far as to guess that, should you come to a point where your Panda could not be fixed, ED might even offer you a discount to trade in your old Panda for a Pyra....or someone in the community would likely be interested in selling you their used Panda so....support I don't think will be a huge issue.

I just don't get the impression that ED subscribes to the marketing strategy employed by the huge corporations - which, essentially is to force you into newer and pricier products by simply abandoning all support for the older stuff.

 

[rygD]

I'm not sure I am personally going to want the Pyra, since it will be Debian environment instead of Angstrom Super Zaxxon I am used to.

I dont see that as a disadvantage, but the opposite.
You'll get used to debian faster then superZaxxon

Hummm, I dunno.

I tend to like staying with what I get comfortable with.

I know, that probably sounds weird on a board like this...but I AM getting to the age where technology is beginning to move past me.

You coming up on 70?  One of the guys teaching a class I am currently taking is in his 60s and is really excited about how technology continues to develop.  He keeps pushing certain new and popular stuff that works well for him and most people, but that goes in the opposite direction of my interests and needs (People actually use Windows 8 when they are trying to be productive? It doesn't do that for me).  He seems to literally buy the newest consumer level, and some enterprise level, stuff as soon as it is available.  I just wish I had the money and experience he has.

Edit:  Sorry if it is rude to ask about age...I get to tick off another year tomorrow.

 

[WizardStan]

I tend to like staying with what I get comfortable with.

What you're used to is not Angstrom, but XFCE. Angstrom is the entire package, XFCE is the desktop manager that is being used, the actual interface. A "flavour" of linux includes a lot of stuff in the back that you're probably not even aware of and won't notice if they are switched to superior debian processes.Debian can also use XFCE as well, and if it isn't the default I'll personally make an easy instruction set for you to follow step by step to install it and make it default with the familiar Pandora settings. From there, basically everything should be the same. Applications don't generally care what desktop environment you are using, so there won't be any problems, you just keep using it the exact same as you always have.

 

[sebt3]

...I'll personally make an easy instruction set for you...

Sound like a crush to me

:blink:   :wacko:  

hummm carry on

Seriously though, he is right, you'll get all what you're used too, but with faster CPU and more screen real estate. While I wouldnt recommend you to get the initial batch, but a year after you'll get a as polished software as it's on pandora but better

 

[rygD]

I tend to like staying with what I get comfortable with.

What you're used to is not Angstrom, but XFCE. Angstrom is the entire package, XFCE is the desktop manager that is being used, the actual interface. A "flavour" of linux includes a lot of stuff in the back that you're probably not even aware of and won't notice if they are switched to superior debian processes.

I didn't even notice that Kumaki might be talking about the GUI.  Will it be feasible to use KDE with a Pyra?

 

[sebt3]

Will it be feasible to use KDE with a Pyra?

it is feasible to use KDE with the Pandora (using an alternate distrib...)

 

[Kumaki]

OK...responding to several people here in the same post - so I'll adress things one at a time:

1. Actually, no I do not consider it rude to ask about age.  I am 43 at the moment.

And when I need to send a picture off my phone I look around to find a twelve year old to do it for me, because I haven't got a clue how to do it.

This is what I mean about technology moving past me.  I get nervous I'll buy something that looks really cool, and then not have the first clue how to use it, and it will basically be as useful as a brick to me.  In the area of technology, I am something of a Luddite...which I know sounds weird on this board, but there it is.

2. Yes, I guess the XCFE is what I was getting at then.  I like the look and the functionality I am currently used to on my Pandora Rebirth.  And what I was afraid of was that the new Pyra would have some totally different environment I was not comfortable or familiar with using.  For me, a certaibn level of familiarity is a big plus.  Again, this is the Luddite thing in me.  I know, here on this Board that probably sounds weird, but it is who I am.  I do not usually tend to be the "early-adopter" type.

3.  WizardStan, this is a very kind offer, and I may well take you up on that!  the thing I like about the new Pyra is the extra screen real estate.  A big plus in my book.  But I also need to have all the programs that currently work on my Pandora also work on the Pyra.  I'm quite sure most if not all of the standard apps and programs will be quickly ported, but I do have a few custom programs made for me...and, if I am unable to get the original programmer to port them for me, is it possible the comunity would?

Thanks, everyone!

 

[WizardStan]

And what I was afraid of was that the new Pyra would have some totally different environment I was not comfortable or familiar with using

Nothing wrong with that. Like sebt3 says though, give it some time, a few months to a year to get everything ironed out, and it should be a very fluid transition. Installing different desktop interfaces (like XFCE) is very easy on Debian.

if I am unable to get the original programmer to port them for me, is it possible the comunity would?

If the original programmer left the source code somewhere we can get at it, it should be really simple to rebuild any Pandora apps for the Pyra.