Feedback on the Open Pandora device

[Far]

I don't own the OpenPandora device, but I've watched a few video reviews and these are my impressions.


0. It's a good first effort, but of course it would be crazy to cease improving the device. Onward & upward!


1. The small size is both a blessing, because it is easy to hold and to pocket, and a curse, because the important things that one might want to do with the device are made impossible.


2. To market a device mainly as a retro gaming system is a marketing blunder; granted, this device is made by engineers so you'd expect marketing blunders galore. It needs to be more of a Swiss Army Knife. The chiclet keyboard defeats that aim however.


3. Several features are novelties that can be dumped:


- The second SD slot


- The composite TV output


- USB host port


4. Things that look to be just fine: Linux, CPU speed, video speed, RAM, audio ports, gaming controllers, non-brickability.


5. Improvements that I would make:


- Screen size needs to be 7 to 10 inches.


- If a big touch screen would be too expensive to include, add a trackpad an a regular LCD.


- Keyboard needs to be larger to be usable. My Mac's keyboard, from Q to P, is 7.5 inches wide. My ipad is 9 inches wide. With a bigger screen you'd have space for a real keyboard.


- Consider an Atom processor.


6. Videos that pretend this device is usable for anything but gaming, video playback, and MP3 listening are disingenuous and from a marketing perspective the HARM your efforts. They make you look like snake oil salesmen. Take them down.


7. The days of stylus-based devices are over. Dump the stylus. Find someone to make a real touch-based GUI if you will have a touch display. Give a Linux programmer a free device in exchange for labor.


8. Lastly, be open to criticism. If you effectively say "piss off" to anyone who tries to help you, all your efforts will be for naught. A wise man considers all perspectives. If you are open to wisdom, then good bye.


I once heard someone say that "tradition is innovation that sticks". Clearly the iPad was an innovation that stuck. I wonder if OpenPandora has a chance at being considered innovative. With the tiny chiclet keyboard and tiny screen I do not believe it will.


Open Pandora chance to become a "big deal", but not with the current device. Will they squander it?

 

[moz]

What you seem to be describing here, is a netbook. That's not what the Pandora is. The Pandora is a computer, it does all the tasks a netbook can. But that is not what it was primarily designed for, it was designed for on the go gaming, thats why it needs the smaller form factor, thats why it needs the second SD slot (to fit more games ), and the USB out is needed if you wanted to have some multiplayer action on the go. A netbook can't do all this, and you wouldn'twant it to. It's a different machine, for a different taget market.


TL;DR, the generic response to all of these threads.


EDIT: h34r:

 

[JeFF]

Idk for you FAR, but for how many time have you been tracking this project?


2 weeks? If you want a netbook, well get a netbook. The pandora was designed with ultra-portability, retro-gaming,homebrew and umpc in mind. Yes, you can listen to mp3 with the pandora, and it works really well. Wanna watch a video? USe vlc, it reads everything. Wanna play retro-games? Fantastic emulators were written/ported by amazing people from the community to this magic device. Maybe it doesn't fit your personal specifications. Maybe this device is not made for you. If you want a portable device with your requirements, well do like craig and all the openpandora team, invest TIME and EFFORT and a LOT of MONEY in your project. Why no tv-out? 2 sd slots is much better than only 1? 7 inch screen? Thats not a tabletPC. Keyboard is NECESSARY if you want to do some office stuff, internet, etc. A tiny screen? An ipod touch screen if smaller, and still it's quite readable(in my thoughts)


The pandora is unique. Made by people, for people.

 

[THB]

Ive never driven a lamborghini, but Ive see them on top gear so I know all there is to know about them... :rolleyes:

 

[Far]

What you seem to be describing here, is a netbook.

Keep an open mind. There is a reason why people are developing games for iPad that will never run on iPhone. The bigger screen makes much more sense for some things, even for some games. In fact, if you were to ask most gamers, they'd surely tell you that the bigger the screen the better. That's why they buy 42 inch TVs for their PS3's after all.

 

[Twiitcher]

Far, if you prefaced your post that for 'your' needs the following applies would give you at least some credence. It appears that you don't need a Pandora, you can get an IPad and a detacheable kayboard and you're all set. For me, personally, pocketable, 10 hr battery life, perfect controls, retro gaming, watching movies and listening to MP3's are all things I do regularly do on my Pandora, so not disingenuous, but reality for me. The inclusion of the USB port and the tv out capability is also something I'm anxiously waiting for (cables are still not built yet for tvout) as I have a big screen option and external joypads for gaming.


For me the things you think can be taken out are the selling points for me. Perhaps the Pandora isn't being made for "huge success in the market place, millions of dollars in profit and ubiquitous existence in the homes of all consumers". That's the difficult concept for people to come to grips with in this "me me me" world. The device was designed and created for for the specific needs of an existing community that was already focused on retro handheld gaming.


The additional capabilities are a welcome bonus by the community. If by some chance the Pandora market spreads from the niche target and sales go through the roof, profit is always good, it would help insure future upgrades to the system and perhaps simplify the manufacturing process, however this device is not driven by profit, but by community and a few crazy dudes that decided to tackle the impossible task of designing and building such a device and a community that was willing to pre-order and support the project with their wallet and patience. It's an amazing device and the fact that it exists at all is an amazing feat, at least in my opinion.


Twiitcher

 

[Cloudef]

Get rid of stylus, drop the second sd slot and most of all consider a atom processor!? Are you on drugs!?

 

[kuru]

/me shakes head


Another one of those posts. Another person suggesting to turn the Pandora into something that is not a Pandora. If people would have wanted a dumbed down OS/GUI on a buttonless tablet they would maybe indeed have bought a tablet in the first place instead of waiting for a device for over two years.


The pandora is special to me just because it is exactly what it is. If you don't like it please kindly go away.


I do miss an FM unit though :3

 

[kuru]

I do miss an FM unit though :3

with the usb host our mate wants to get rid of, you can plug a usb tv/fm combo

I'm for as much simple stuff built in as possible. Maybe it's just not that simple, or affordable. Whatever, I'm happy.


But getting rid of the USB port would be truly insane. It's one of the things that bring so much usability to the Pandora.


Sent from my OpenPandora using a real browser and keyboard. Ha!

 

[PokeParadox]

I like... my second SD slot... it gives me more space...

 

[Another]

It seems Far didn't get the sense, why the Pandora is what it is.


I visited ED this week and played with the Pandora a few hours and it's really ... *looking for a suitable word* ... awesome?!

 

[Prometheus]

It seems odd to me to dismiss parts of it as unusable when you state that you do not have one.


The keyboard, in particular, is superb. I'm actually writing a novel exclusively on mine.


Also, a number of features that you suggest to drop are part of the guts of the system, and essentially "free", which is why they're there.


I use a Pandora because it is the only such miniature computer that is practical for my requirements in its size, and its capabilities. I have a tablet with many of the properties you describe as desirable (such as the excessive size, lack of a second memory card slot, and inaccurate touch-screen), but barely use it as it isn't practical and is designed for consumption instead of creation (not to mention, capacitive touch-screens are horribly inaccurate as far as my needs go - there's a reason so many devices stick with resistive, after all).

 

[EvilDragon]

I also would love to change the Pandora.


I would get rid of both SD Card slots, who needs them?


Keyboard is also not needed, a few buttons are okay.


The display is useless as well.


But I'd add some coffee grinder and cappucino creamer. That would make the perfect Pandora for me

 

[Prometheus]

^ ED, what's wrong with you?! WE DEMAND A SUGAR DISPENSER! I'm going to start an angry poll!

 

[Blue Protoman]

I also would love to change the Pandora.


I would get rid of both SD Card slots, who needs them?


Keyboard is also not needed, a few buttons are okay.


The display is useless as well.


But I'd add some coffee grinder and cappucino creamer. That would make the perfect Pandora for me

But can it still play Quake?

 

[TrashyMG]

If it was any bigger then I wouldn't want it.. I wanted a powerful handheld with game controls.. any bigger I'd be laughed while playing games..


I find the keyboard very viable.. I do a bit of terminal work and it seems natural after learning the layout.


The USB host port has been very helpful.. used a USB to Ethernet adapter setup a friends wireless router with my Pandora.


an Atom processor is a power hungry monster compared to the ARM Cortex A8 and it doesn't have that much of a performance gain.


Two SD card slots come in handy I've been exploring other OSs so I boot up the other OS on an SD card in the first slot.. leaving the other free to exchange files and such.. I wouldn't want less than two.


As for number 8.. it's a two way street, I hope that you understand our wisdom.

 

[ManlyStump]

Considering the restrictive memory space on the NAND, I agree that we need all the external memory we can get. I especially like being able to separate my games/apps/roms and my films/music to different memory cards.


And no offence Far, either you didn't word your OP very well, or you have an attitude problem. You didn't "offer criticism", you gave instructions. You literally told them they SHOULD get rid of everything you personally dislike about it. That is no way to go about it. Besides which, you seem to think they should make the pandora as close to netbooks/ipads as possible. The Pandora wasn't aimed for "big markets", it was aimed at (at least some of) the people the big market solutions don't cater for. The people who buy Pandoras DO want a retro gaming device. We DO want something that fits in our pockets.

 

[EvilDragon]

^ ED, what's wrong with you?! WE DEMAND A SUGAR DISPENSER! I'm going to start an angry poll!

Me doesn't like sugar.


You have to get what I like

Considering the restrictive memory space on the NAND, I agree that we need all the external memory we can get. I especially like being able to separate my games/apps/roms and my films/music to different memory cards.

Well, I don't think size really is a problem.


But it's awesome having a different OS (or next firmware test-version) on the first SD Card and still having a second slot for games, etc.

 

[Prometheus]

^ It's awesome using the OS on the NAND and having one slot for data and another for media, too, I must say. My novel wouldn't be going anywhere if I didn't have that second slot for music (and movies, and so on). :lol:

 

[Morn]

My novel wouldn't be going anywhere if I didn't have that second slot for music (and movies, and so on). :lol:

You could just get a bigger card. But doubling the capacity costs about 4 times much.


And the idea of touch-oriented GUI is great, but unless we have ported a whole environment, like the Droidora It would look just like my old HTC Touch. HTC did very good overlays for Windows Mobile - functional and pretty but every time you launch an external app or get too deep into the system you could see standard windows UI with small controls hard to handle even with a stylus.