Finalizing everything!

[rygD]

One thing that's been bothering me for a while now is I don't know if the non-3G/4G boards will still have the traces for the module but leave that part unpopulated or if that (electrical, not physical) section of the board is gone completely.

I know I won't need the module initially and I'd rather not solder SMD components anyway, but at the same time I want to know if installing a 4G module is possible at all.

All boards will be identical between all of the units (until/unless they get updated at some point). The differences will be in what is populated (wifi only means no mobile module, if there are 2GB and 4GB ones it is just a difference of how much RAM is present, the proposed non-backlit keyboard version would not have the LEDs around the keyboard and such).

As for if you can add 4G yourself later, that depends on skills and equipment, I suppose. It would probably be easier and cheaper for most people to just swap the main board.

 

[mclien]

IIRC the are https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball_grid_array which makes it VERY difficult to impossible to do later manually. You could place it and run it again through a reflow oven. But that would bring risks of other components to do funky, bad things.
So main advice for solder the 4G later is: DON'T. Mainboard swap or even device exchange might be the better advice.
@WizardStan thanks for the Head ups of the GPS. (Oh, and sorry for being an idiot to not notice it in the other thread..)

 

[pmprog]

The keys will become a bit more rounded (this feels a lot better when your fingers are gliding over the keymat)

Concave or convex? Please don't say the latter, that was one thing I disliked about the Pandora's keyboard

 

[TrashyMG]

Concave or convex? Please don't say the latter, that was one thing I disliked about the Pandora's keyboard

Well if the Pandora/Pyra was a touch typing device and used like a regular keyboard, I could see the benefit of concave keys, however since it's intended to be used with thumbs convex seems like the best solution.

 

[pmprog]

Well if the Pandora/Pyra was a touch typing device and used like a regular keyboard, I could see the benefit of concave keys, however since it's intended to be used with thumbs convex seems like the best solution.

Whilst I think I understand you're point, I'm not sure I share it... I'd probably even prefer flat keys over convex, but at the end of the day, the choice isn't mine.

 

[mclien]

Well, I guess if it's only you, ED might could spare one of the first keymat batch for you (which were flat). Provided you will not fear to do the exchange incl. dis-/assembling.

 

[EvilDragon]

Whilst I think I understand you're point, I'm not sure I share it... I'd probably even prefer flat keys over convex, but at the end of the day, the choice isn't mine.

That's what I thought until I tried the flat keys myself

 

[Blue Shadow]

I like the "raised corners" design of the blackberry keys, as they are more or less combining the advantages of convex and concave keys. That shape makes gliding possibble but at the same time the fingers are guided a bit and it is a less likely to accidantly hit the wrong key.
But I guess it would be pretty complicated to use similar keycaps for the pyra, so I'm fine with the convex keys.

What concerned me a bit more, is that I fear the clear keycaps could be distracting because of the light refraction, and the proptotype video seemed to confirm that. But as noone else mentioned it, it's probably just me and in practice it wouldn't be that bad.

 

[fusion_power]

Concave or convex? Please don't say the latter, that was one thing I disliked about the Pandora's keyboard

Best solution would be to just make them a little bit convex at the outer sides, not the full surface of the button. The reason why Pandora button were so ugly was the entire button top was convex.

 

[Bagpussawake]

I find the convex keys on the Pandora a problem for light reflections as part of the dome on each key is always at the right angle to pick up a reflection and partially mask the symbols/letters on the keys. It's one of the very few complaints I have with it and I was really hoping the Pyra would have flat, or even slightly concave, keys as used on previous handhelds and UMPC's I've had with chiclet style keyboards (see examples in signature below).

Still won't stop me buying one though as everything else on my improvement wishlist has been added!

 

[Kolbász]

Hi all!
I've been following development of the Pyra handheld since early 2015.
Just wanted to say +1 for 32GB eMMC, 4GB RAM and PLS8-E.

 

[Mr_Loon]

The one channel available is used for the OTG port which offers more flexibility.

That makes no sense to me whatsoever, what do you gain from having OTG USB3 & Full size USB2 compared to OTG USB2 & Full size USB3?

With full size USB3 you can add a low profile USB3 flash drive and have a real boost to fast storage.

 

[Neelix]

There is only one OTG port, and it also happens to be the only available USB3 port. The only way to have both OTG and USB3 on the OMAP 5 is to combine them.

-Neelix

 

[mecksg1]

8. Preorders!

My current plan is to start the preordering May 1st. No final delivery date will be given then (I rather make sure everything is working well than rush things just to get the units to you for a fixed date), but as soon as enough preorders are there, we will order all the parts... so once everything has been finished, the production can start shortly after.

We're getting there! [/QUOTE]

i cant wait, card is ready for full payment

 

[directive0]

Is there a place I can sign up to be notified as soon as preorders are available?

 

[Klumpen]

Is there a place I can sign up to be notified as soon as preorders are available?

Just look into this board as soon as the month of maying arrives.

 

[lukey]

Is there a place I can sign up to be notified as soon as preorders are available?

You can enter your E-Mail in the DragonBox Shop (Something like "Notify me if the Product is in Stock" (sorry i can only see the German version of the Shop)): https://www.dragonbox.de/de/45-pyra

 

[Yerffej]

Is there an estimated time on when the preorders will go up? I am 10 hours behind in the Alaska time zone so I just want to know if I should be staying up Saturday night or not.

 

[Eight Bit]

Is there an estimated time on when the preorders will go up? I am 10 hours behind in the Alaska time zone so I just want to know if I should be staying up Saturday night or not.

Hehe! That feels like history repeating from when the Pandora pre-orders went up.. Think I F5'd the whole day and still ended up somewhere in the mid-300 order numbers

I got my place secured already this time!

 

[HelenF]

How is the feel of the keyboard compared to the Pandora?

On the Pandora, I have to press the keys harder than I'd like, and there's not enough tactile feedback (I get my sudo password wrong about 50% of the time).