Buy a Pandora or wait for the Pyra?

[TargetDummy]

Hello all, I've been lurking around the community for a while, as I've been considering purchasing a Pandora for some time. I don't own a laptop or a smart phone/PDA at the moment, and I would like a device that fulfills some of the features of both. My main concern is if it's worth it to buy the Pandora now, or wait for the Pyra instead? To give an idea of what I plan to use the device (either one) for:

-Mostly writing documents, web browsing, and research. I know there are programs for this, but it is it easy to do on the Pandora? Like, does the keyboard feel alright?

-Organization. There seems to be a built-in calendar program with an event scheduler that looks great! Is there anything else I should know about organization on the Pandora?

-Listening to music and watching videos. I have no doubt that it works well for listening to music, but how is the Pandora for videos? I've heard that the built-in movie watching program has a few bugs, but I'm actually interested to know how it works with YouTube, if it works with it at all. Can flash player be used on the device, or can it be used with a substitute such as gnash?

-Making and compiling games written in Python and Actionscript. From what I understand, writing programs in Python is completely doable on the Pandora, which is awesome! I'm curious about Actionscript though, if anyone has attempted it. It's not of high priority to me, but it would still be neat to know.

Emulating games, which seems to be the most popular use of the device, isn't as important to me as these things, and I know it works well for that, so I'm not very concerned about it. I would just like to hear from some other Pandora users if this device would meet my needs in these fields. And do you think that the Pyra could better satisfy these needs, or is it better to have a Pandora now?

Thanks for time to read this, and I'm eager to hear your opinions!

 

[Yellow Kitty]

I was going to wait for the Pyra... they say it'll be just "two more months"...

But the more I watched youtube vids about the many things the Pandora can do, and the more I read around these forums, the more I couldn't wait. So I gave in and bought one. What convinced me was that it was on sale at EvilDragon's place [dragonbox.de].

For me, it was worth not waiting. The Pandora is really cool! I'll be able to appreciate the Pyra even more, because if the Pandora can do "all THIS" think about what the Pyra will be able to do!!! Plus, the Pandora is such a unique non-mass produced item, that it's a collectable. They'll never be made again! This is what I tell myself everyday, and it makes me feel better for not waiting.

So what I did - or am doing - is I spent some money on a Pandora, and now I'm saving a little a month to pay [pre-order] a Pyra when the Pyra is ready to come out. By the time it does come out for pre-orders, I'll have enough.

If you can't wait like me, you can do what I did Just get a Pandora - WHILE IT'S ON SALE!!! - and then save some money aside each month for the Pyra.

 

[thatgui]

-Mostly writing documents, web browsing, and research. I know there are programs for this, but it is it easy to do on the Pandora? Like, does the keyboard feel alright?

The keyboard should be no problem (there are/were people on this board stating that they are writing essays, books and even whole games directly on the Pandora). Web browsing may be a some kind of a problem as things can really get slow if the sites you want to browse are rather "heavy" ones.

-Listening to music and watching videos. I have no doubt that it works well for listening to music, but how is the Pandora for videos? I've heard that the built-in movie watching program has a few bugs, but I'm actually interested to know how it works with YouTube, if it works with it at all. Can flash player be used on the device, or can it be used with a substitute such as gnash?

I guess there are a lot of people on these boards that say, the Pandora is one of the best choices on the market when its about listening to music (on the go) due to the sound quality and the availability of software to play literally any format that is available (except maybe some very exotic ones or ones where there is no chance of getting a decoder, because of copyright/patent issues)Video wise, the situation is not that ideal, as everything with fullhd resolution and/or beeing encoded with more demanding compression algorithms (like x264) won't be fun to watch (or won't play at all) not due to bugs , but the Pandoras hardware simply lacking power.

Watching Youtube videos is possible (but ist not recommended to go over 480p) on the Pandora, but its best to utilize a special program (like "the tube" or "Minitube") to do that.

I'm curious about Actionscript though, if anyone has attempted it. It's not of high priority to me, but it would still be neat to know.

That depends wether there is open source software available to help you with that - with flash beeing a topic that is handled rather novercal on ARM plattforms I have my doubts.

Emulating games, which seems to be the most popular use of the device, isn't as important to me as these things, and I know it works well for that, so I'm not very concerned about it. I would just like to hear from some other Pandora users if this device would meet my needs in these fields. And do you think that the Pyra could better satisfy these needs, or is it better to have a Pandora now?

 The biggest difference between the Pyra and the Pandora is the beefier hardware and the bigger resolution. Also that you will get a OS that has a much broader software base from the start (but this is also possible on the Pandora, it's just not supported officially).

Long story short: You can do most (if not all) what you want to do with the Pandora already. You could of course wait for the Pyra, but it will be more expensive and you will probably have to be patient till the OS reaches a state that is as "rounded" as the Pandoras current one.

 

[DrHAX]

For the keyboard. I've written 300 pages of stories on it. I've finished a novel and I'm editing it on the pandora. The Pandora is quite efficient at many things but the internet isn't one of those things in my opinion. The pyra will fix a lot of the issues the Pandoras hardware has. Only issue is we don't know when the Pyra will be around. Two months or two years we don't know when

 

[Hồng Thất Công]

Buy a Pandora or wait for the Pyra?

Buy!

 

[matzesu]

If you dotnt need the extra Power of the Pyra, i would buy a 1ghz Pandora, but otherwise, wait the 2 more months..

I have a CC Pandora, which was something like the First Version, and until now it was fast enough for my taskt..

yes it cant run Crysis, but i ditnt own Crysis...

Played a lot Gameboy on it, and a bit Nintendo DS, but somethimes it needs more Power, like for Browsing etc..

To shorten the Time for the Pandora, you need a Pandora in 2008, but now it seems the Pyra is only 2 to 3 Months near..

 

[dflatline]

The major productivity issue with the Pandora isnt the keyboard (its really good) or the hardware specs. It's the screen size, its just a fraction too small that most desktop linux applications dont fit. For me thats the one issue you cant adequately work around. You can skip frames for emulation, play lower resolution video, wait longer to compile but youre still going to have to drag windows around in a mildly annoying way

 

[Hồng Thất Công]

The major productivity issue with the Pandora isnt the keyboard (its really good) or the hardware specs. It's the screen size, its just a fraction too small that most desktop linux applications dont fit. For me thats the one issue you cant adequately work around. You can skip frames for emulation, play lower resolution video, wait longer to compile but youre still going to have to drag windows around in a mildly annoying way

What applications do you have problem with?  For me, openbox solves the majority of my windows-too-big problems...

 

[WizardStan]

but now it seems the Pyra is only 2 to 3 Months near

The most recent iControlPad2 update from Link postulates "soon after April 2015". Link is not EvilDragon, obviously, but I like to think Link, as an officially retailer, has at least a little more information than we do. April is probably a fairly reasonable early estimate. Let's say 4 months, eh? Get everyone's hopes up early.

 

[matzesu]

Nah, the Problem is, that Link, and other Reatailers will get Pyras on the Second Batch, because the First Batch is Dragonbox Only


We will see how long its takes..


But there are good changses not as long as the Pandora whit Oktober 2008 Preorders..


Luckfully i have my Pandora


But somethimes, i dit loots typos whit my Smartlet, so i wish mee my Pyra because its Keyboard..

 

[scippie]

I bought a Pandora when it was in early development. It was not so good. It had lots of problems and it wasn't at all finished (as I was told of course, so nobody is to blame except me). I sold it some time after to never return to this place again.

Until some time ago and I saw they were working on the Pyra. I read everything there was to know about the Pyra and then I went back to the Pandora specs and forums and I saw how much it had improved.

So I bought a new Pandora and I do NOT regret it. The device is fantastic.

Why am I telling you this? Because I believe that waiting for the Pyra might frustrate you when you receive it, still being in an unfinished, not enough developed shape, while the Pandora is quite perfect at what it does.

So buy the Pandy now, buy the Pyra when it is at some good age.

 

[rygD]

With the prices and options in the shop now I would definitely recommend going for a Pandora.

 

[SNESFAN]

but now it seems the Pyra is only 2 to 3 Months near

The most recent iControlPad2 update from Link postulates "soon after April 2015". Link is not EvilDragon, obviously, but I like to think Link, as an officially retailer, has at least a little more information than we do. April is probably a fairly reasonable early estimate. Let's say 4 months, eh? Get everyone's hopes up early.

Come on starwars day 2015! Don't let me down ED!

(may the 4th)

 

[shadow.8]

I bought a Pandora when it was in early development. It was not so good. It had lots of problems and it wasn't at all finished (as I was told of course, so nobody is to blame except me). I sold it some time after to never return to this place again.

Until some time ago and I saw they were working on the Pyra. I read everything there was to know about the Pyra and then I went back to the Pandora specs and forums and I saw how much it had improved.

So I bought a new Pandora and I do NOT regret it. The device is fantastic.

Why am I telling you this? Because I believe that waiting for the Pyra might frustrate you when you receive it, still being in an unfinished, not enough developed shape, while the Pandora is quite perfect at what it does.

So buy the Pandy now, buy the Pyra when it is at some good age.

I disagree, I think ED's had some experience under his belt this time that should help the overall quality of the first gen Pyra. I think it will be pretty similar, in terms of quality, to the 1Ghz Pandoras we have now.