FOSDEM report?

[fusion_power]

Very nice Video, Board already with Keyboard lights (I hope they are multicolored, red would be more "stealthy" and healthy for the eyes for example )

I'm not familiar with Debian but I guess it was mainly developed as Desktop OS.

Well Angstrom is derived from an old flavo(u)r of debian.. It's worked well for the Raspberry Pi too.

Yes, it "works" for the Pandora but it still does not "fit". I mean stuff like matching windows for the small screen, options and general mobile usability. "Fitting OS" would be Android for Google devices and iOS for Apple devices, these OS just "fit" and are highly optimized for mobile usage. ^^

 

[zonova]

I'm not an expert, but I was wondering what people thought of the SOC that's been chosen! I saw the overview of it in the other thread, but what do you guys think?

 

[TeDaDeS]

Nice report btw. thanks for that!

 

[TrashyMG]

Yes, it "works" for the Pandora but it still does not "fit". I mean stuff like matching windows for the small screen, options and general mobile usability. "Fitting OS" would be Android for Google devices and iOS for Apple devices, these OS just "fit" and are highly optimized for mobile usage. ^^

Right, but the Pandora and Pyra are not typical mobile devices.. 


Also the OS has little to do with size of windows and interface, that is typically handled by the Desktop Environment/Window Manager/GUI/(what ever the kids are calling these days) that runs on top of the OS.. XFCE4 is what the Pandora uses mostly, but if someone decides to revamp minimenu for the Pyra or make their own thing that is more fitting as you say then you will have something... 


Personally I find XFCE4 "fits" just fine on the Pandora and would love the screen resolution bump in the Pyra. 

 

[Farox]

I followed online the ED's speaking @ FOSDEM and it was very nice and great.

Also the video of prototype board is truly impressive..congrats ED

 

[Granitehead]

Desktop Environment/Window Manager/GUI/(what ever the kids are calling these days)

Those are all slightly different things and have nothing to do with kids. ;-)
And on the Pandora it's not the WM that is the problem. It's that the programs were written in a way so that the window manager can only resize them within some limits, and the lower limits are still too large. Each and every program which has that problem would need to be changed in a smart way and ideally the changes should also work on larger resolutions so they can be submitted upstream.

Icons like in the toolbar at the bottom or on the desktop can easily be resized on the Pandora (and any successor), it's just that most people don't want to.

 

[TrashyMG]

Those are all slightly different things and have nothing to do with kids. ;-)

True, but how these terms are used and are so interchanged for the same thing it's hard to tell what is correct.. 

 

[Granitehead]

Those are all slightly different things and have nothing to do with kids. ;-)

True, but how these terms are used and are so interchanged for the same thing it's hard to tell what is correct..

Well, DE is a GUI emulating a physical desktop. WM is the thing managing windows, but it does nothing else. No panels, desktop, anything. It's often included with DEs. GUI is just the general thing, you could argue that even a terminal can be a GUI. So GUI is practically always correct, but not very precise. In your case GUI would have been best, because we are talking about a ton of issues related to various different aspects of the GUI.

 

[urisma]

I'm not an expert, but I was wondering what people thought of the SOC that's been chosen! I saw the overview of it in the other thread, but what do you guys think?

IMO, it's not the ideal SOC as far as performance goes (the new Tegra chip or a Snapdragon 800 would have  fair amount more raw power), but it's the most feasible by far, and it's still a fairly powerful chipset. I'm a bit skeptical still, though, because TI is winding down its OMAP line. I hope that this won't affect the driver situation (especially since open source SGX drivers don't exist IIRC) and general linux kernel support. I doubt that will be a problem though (the 3xxx line hasn't been EOL'd I don't think, so I hope the 5432 has similar lifespan). All in all, I'm very excited to play with the new chipset. And the Pyra in general! It sounds amazing.

 

[Wally]

Dibs on first preorder

 

[Wrath Of Khan]

Saw the Pyra (devboard) in action, some impressive multi tasking going on there 

Back tomorrow to attend some talks and hang out at the Pandora stand a bit longer.

Whynopics?Whynopics?Whynopics?Whynopics?Whynopics?Whynopics?Whynopics?Whynopics?

I promised ED I would't post the pictures of the working unit as he wants to keep the keyboard,case and screen as a surprise. You won't believe the colour they decided on!

Its red.

 

[second exodous]

Well, this handheld will fix two problems I had with the Pandora:  it will use a major Distro that has a larger presence and it has HDMI out.  I'm excited and I'll buy this one.  I loved my Pandora and still turn it on now and then but it is starting to show it's age.

Also it sounds like the production will be streamlined this time around.  Just don't mess with the d-pad and this will rock.

 

[Null]

Dibs on first preorder

Get to the back of the queue.

 

[WizardStan]

TI is winding down its OMAP line

I think they're only winding it down as a portable option, but are pushing into automotive sector. That's why the 5430 is no longer really available but the 5432 is. If they stick to that plan the 5432 should still be available 5 or more years from now. That's perhaps the defining difference between mobile and automotive chips: mobile are cutting edge and gone in a year, automotive will need to still be obtainable 5+ years down the road.

 

[Linux-SWAT]

They even removed the 5430 very recently from their products page.

http://www.ti.com/lsds/ti/omap-applications-processors/omap-5-processors-products.page

 

[cuetzpalin]

I'm really amazed about all the work already done. I wonder how the case design will change (I can't believe they are already making the first tests).

Will there be only one color available?

Thanks for the report! I can't wait to get my hands on one.

 

[ekianjo]

I can't wait to get my hands on one.

Even if the annoucement seems promising don't expect to get anything ready anytime soon. 2015 is the earliest date I expect to see anything out.

 

[apink]

I'm not familiar with Debian but I guess it was mainly developed as Desktop OS.

Well Angstrom is derived from an old flavo(u)r of debian.. It's worked well for the Raspberry Pi too.

Yes, it "works" for the Pandora but it still does not "fit". I mean stuff like matching windows for the small screen, options and general mobile usability. "Fitting OS" would be Android for Google devices and iOS for Apple devices, these OS just "fit" and are highly optimized for mobile usage. ^^

Debian will be awesome.  I already use it on my pandora (and my desktop) and look forward to people with more experience than me customizing it to the pyra. 

To say that android and ios are cases of a "fitting os" might be correct when it comes to the word "fitting".  But the "os" you get with either android or ios is a far cry from the os you get with angstrom or debian.  My mobile computing needs call for a full os as opposed to a server of apps.  Debian works very well for me on the pandora and will be awesome on the pyra.

 

[hns]

I hope that this won't affect the driver situation (especially since open source SGX drivers don't exist IIRC) and general linux kernel support. 

Kernel support is permanently improving (and will be even more when the Pyra is available to more developers):

https://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/log/?qt=grep&q=omap5

 

[doragasu]

The SoC is the only "weak" point of the device for me. I would love to see a Tegra K1 now that its driver has been open sourced, but unfortunately that will not happen. Anyway it looks awesome, and I have started saving to buy one!