Back From The Dead, Looking For Pandora...

[Prophet]

So... there I am lying in my grave (what else is old man to do), really haven't been into games much in ages, skipped out on the GP2X (I know... pathetic of me), and I'm reading about the eeepc, and here I come upon Pandora...

Holy crap - I'm impressed.

I see people complaining about the design. Alright, it's no bathing beauty, but for pure functionality it's possibily the best I've seen. No other handheld device has controls like that, and the keyboard will actually make this thing USEFUL. And that nice "big" 800x480 LCD looks to be really sweet. I may not buy an eeepc if this thing can do decent web browsing and ebook reading.

At $320 (or so I've seen as the estimated price?) this could be a really great device. The design will limit its audience to the uber-geek/retrogaming/closet-techie crowd - probably not something anyone past their teens will comfortably pull out in public (Zodiac was the last such beastie), but it will have its own small but enthusiastic user base I think. Lots of potential applications for this hardware spec too (albeit I wish it had a bit more RAM perhaps, but then this is a gaming device first, not a UMPC, I mustn't forget... )

Well, good luck to all involved. It's not easy to get me out of my coffin, but this did it!

 

[BaDToaD]

Hey Prophet welcome back

I too skipped the GP2x but I've been popping in here from time to time and once the Pandora got a name and some concrete info I started popping in a lot more

 

[Jae686]

Its probably time to start saving......I wonder how fast the 3000 units 1st run will dry out before I get the chance to order.

 

[quote]

Hey, its great to see pandora bringing peeps back

 

[Magnulus]

The design will limit its audience to the uber-geek/retrogaming/closet-techie crowd - probably not something anyone past their teens will comfortably pull out in public (Zodiac was the last such beastie)

I'm sorry, but I really just don't see how that follows. The design looks nothing like a toy (limiting the age for most people) and it's clean. I won't say it looks like the iPhone, but that's another clean and simple machine. Basically, I'd say the Pandora's design is like a no-frills version of the iPhone and other such gadgets.

I've stated before that a tiny bit of a signature curve or something to go along the cover would probably have given it a more "elegant" look (think something like the wave on cans of coke.) but other than that it looks fine. Is it the clamshell style of it that makes people scoff? It seems to me sometimes that I'm the only person who's been WISHING for it to be clamshelled. Oh well.

Good ta see ya around, Prophet! I have to admit, I don't remember you from when I was first active in 2006, but it's always good to see people dig themselves out of their graves! ^_^

 

[OMars]

Wow, you know, I actually made a thread about your disappearance once. I think that you should write the online manual for this thing when it comes out. That is all.

 

[Prophet]

Thanks for the hello everyone.

If I had time I would scrape up every bit of info and start writing something, anything, that might somehow be useful. But these days I don't. But I will be following Pandora's development and hopefully be a P&|A user. (I do like that logo idea).

The design will limit its audience to the uber-geek/retrogaming/closet-techie crowd - probably not something anyone past their teens will comfortably pull out in public (Zodiac was the last such beastie)

I'm sorry, but I really just don't see how that follows. The design looks nothing like a toy (limiting the age for most people) and it's clean. I won't say it looks like the iPhone, but that's another clean and simple machine. Basically, I'd say the Pandora's design is like a no-frills version of the iPhone and other such gadgets.


I should've explained that a bit... The Pandora looks much like a DS Lite, and when opened the gaming controls are prominent. Many adults (not all, but many) feel there's a social stigma to pulling a gaming device out in public, and will only do that with gadgets that look "serious" or "cool" like cell phones, mp3 players, PDA's etc.

If the corners were streamlined a bit and the game controls were somehow colored and/or designed in such a way that they weren't quite so obvious - i.e. if it looked more like a slick UMPC that happened to have some interesting controls - then it would be more acceptable to the mainstream.

KEEP IN MIND - I'm not saying that should be done! I fully appreciate what Pandora's raison d'etre is, and I don't think that should change. It's a handheld homebrew gaming hobbyist's machine, a spiritual successor to the GP32/2X, made by hobbyists for hobbyists. And as such , it won't ever be an iphone or one of the "cool" gadgets that adults whip out to impress other adults. Not that I even do that - I'm not like that - in fact I never owned a single Apple product, and don't really plan to. But that's why I say it will find its audience amongst a core niche group of retrogamers and tech enthusiasts, because that's the same group that embraced the GP devices.

It *may* find a slightly larger audience than the Game Park devices, since (for example) I can see some of the PSP homebrew sceners who dismissed the GP2X, getting turned onto the Pandora for its relative power and versatiliy. But the price and the fact that there are no UMD game images to download (heh) will be a limiting factor. All in all, I do think Pandora will get the same audience as the GP's, and perhaps some extra as well, given its higher utility level (web browsing and media playback etc.).

We'll see.

 

[centrlink]

Good to see you back Prophet, and I agree with all you've said.

Pandora has also spiked my interest again, having been lurking occasionally around here and having been a bit of gamepark tragic in years gone by (3 GP32s and a GP2X...).

As soon as pre-orders come online, I'll place my order, I have no doubt Craig & co will get it pretty much spot on. Pity about there being no Aus distributor, but even at $320 US plus postage,this gadget will be a bargain in my book

 

[Dubya']

The design will limit its audience to the uber-geek/retrogaming/closet-techie crowd - probably not something anyone past their teens will comfortably pull out in public (Zodiac was the last such beastie)

The design looks nothing like a toy (limiting the age for most people) and it's clean. I won't say it looks like the iPhone, but that's another clean and simple machine. Basically, I'd say the Pandora's design is like a no-frills version of the iPhone and other such gadgets.

I'd say it looks a LOT like a Nintendo DS Lite which has had no trouble selling 17.6 million units. So, I don't think that the Pandora's appearance will be that much of a factor. I didn't like the design at first, but the later renderings, especially the matte black one, I like as much as I like the looks of my DS Lite (because the Pandora has virtually the same form factor as my DS Lite). I think others will like it, too. I believe the main issue in the US will be rising unit costs due to the falling dollar. Sony and Nintendo can eat the difference because they operate on a business model where they receive game royalties. The Pandora hardware alone must make all of the profit for the venture.

 

[Magnulus]

I should've explained that a bit... The Pandora looks much like a DS Lite, and when opened the gaming controls are prominent. Many adults (not all, but many) feel there's a social stigma to pulling a gaming device out in public, and will only do that with gadgets that look "serious" or "cool" like cell phones, mp3 players, PDA's etc.

Heh, I can see what you mean there. I just don't think in terms of social stigmas and the like. After all, I'm the 26 year-old wearing a scarf and hat with the Gryffindor House colours on them... ^_^

I think there's not that much you can do about the design of a gaming handheld to not make it look like one. If it doesn't look like one in design, it'll sure look like it once the person starts playing. Anything, I think both the PSP and the DS have kind of paved the way for handhelds as acceptible forms of in-public entertainment. This one even has the keyboard and clamshell to make it look more like those Psion computers of old. (It was Psion, wasn't it? I can't remember. My father used to have them and I used to spend all the batteries for him. ^_^ )

However, I do agree that it's not likely to reach VERY far outside the market the GP2X already has. I think it'll possibly have a larger audience, much like the GP2X had a larger audience than the GP32, and then the Pandora 2 might reach even further. At some point, we MIGHT have a handheld linux-based gaming system that stands as a viable alternative to the other big ones for mainstream users, much like Linux has suddenly become a viable alternative to Windows for mainstream users in 2007 (I'm excluding OSX since you can't really install Linux on a Mac as far as I know. If you can, I'd be too tempted to try it, and I really don't need it, so don't tell me. Or, well, do tell me anyway.)

 

[Ravnos]

Of course you can install Linux on a Mac. There have been distros meant specifically to replace Mac OS on PPC hardware for ages, and now that Apple is using Intel there's no barrier at all, really.

 

[icurafu]

Welcome back Prophet (and Anna Hong). I remember you spent a lot of time here just before the GP2X came out.

 

[zektor]

Prophet, welcome back man.

I actually PMed you not too long ago to see where you have been hiding I was on a PSP kick for a little while, and finally came back to my trusty 2X as I really do not see any handheld better *as of now* for my homebrew needs. But, like you, I am eager to see what the Pandora has in store. You know I'll be in on it

Good to see you back!

 

[Iorgy77]

I agree about the DS look to it, if it were made from aluminuim like the zodiac and coloured like the zodiac 2 it would be very cool and profesional looking.