Hackmodford's Pandora Review

[mvickers03]

When I use my Pandora on the table I use a USB 2.0 mouse, Its a workaround but at least the screen doesn't fall over. Someguy99 is the battery compartment bulging out at all? if so all you need to do is remove the battery and rub it all over so the sticker isn't as baggy, Don't do it too much though because I'v heard some battery's have been ever so slightly loose. Mine was uneven and it's flush now

 

[silverspring]

The Pandora is a nice unit. Like everything, it has weaknesses. In my view, these are:

The hinge - definitely a weak part of the Pandora. It doesn't necessarily have to have several locking positions, just be tighter so that when you press the touchscreen the hinge doesn't flop back all the way.
Shoulder buttons - cheap plastiky feel with no positive response and just simply 'awkward'.

A couple of other things I think could be improved are the keys and the paint/texture. The keys are functional enough, I just dont really like the design/appearance. They are too shiny and glossy - I would have much preferred a matt finish with a nicer font and a more lower-profile square shape similar to some of the renders. The paint/texutre of the case is too slippy and smooth. I feel a textured case would have been much better as sometimes when playing the unit seems to slip down my hands as there isn't enough grip

 

[tsh]

I find laptop mode is something I´m still getting used to. I do use it as a 3rd monitor at work, with igoogle up - but then use my desktop to interact. I can prod the screen with the stylus and it stays upright some of the time, but it isn´t an ideal experience - I think I want a mouse (but need a hub first, the one in my monitor seems not to work). For deskless operation, fully open is good. I´m outdoors now, mid-day overcast UK sky and it is good. I´ve never found anything to be ideal outdoors, but the Pandora screen is as good as any other. The kbd printing on the other hand is quite bad. I can read the number line, but on the other keys most of the Fn writing (in light blue) is invisible to me. Ill try some photos to demonstrate.

The best part for me is seeing the battery at 30%, thinking I need to charge, then reading 3:16 below!

 

[mvickers03]

This is just my opinion but I'm really happy with the case and the paint, Its very slightly rubberised a bit like IBM t40 and t41's lid, I don't find it slippy at all my GP2X f200 is far far more slippy after hours of use. The actual case design is VERY retro but I really like it I have nothing more to say about the case other than I like it. I wouldn't change it any way, it's very retro and that sums up me in a way and my impression of what the Pandora is about.

 

[SomeGuy99]

On closer inspection, the paint has worn off on the edges of the case (at the back). I also just noticed that the keys on my Thinkpad (that I'm using) are also painted, and have worn. It's inevitable I suppose

I prefer the texture of the unpainted areas. Very smooth.

 

[tsh]

Summer photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tsh2/sets/72157624166449581/
It's impossible to easily compare, but I took all of these at the same exposure. The laptop is 6 years old, and the screen is really poor now. Between the phones and the pandora, there isn't really a clear winner. Taken in the UK, today...

 

[levi1123]

When I use my Pandora on the table I use a USB 2.0 mouse....

Anyway to make the shoulder buttons in XFCE the L - R Mouse buttons?

 

[mali]

Summer photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tsh2/sets/72157624166449581/
It's impossible to easily compare, but I took all of these at the same exposure. The laptop is 6 years old, and the screen is really poor now. Between the phones and the pandora, there isn't really a clear winner. Taken in the UK, today...

Almost forgot to thank you for the pics. Very nice pics and special thanks for the disassembled nub pics

 

[mvickers03]

When I use my Pandora on the table I use a USB 2.0 mouse....

Anyway to make the shoulder buttons in XFCE the L - R Mouse buttons?

Yes ED said there is a way to configure it to do whatever you want. I don't know how to do it yet though mate. If you find out please let me know because I want to change shift to shift as it's something else by default

 

[God Ginrai]

When I use my Pandora on the table I use a USB 2.0 mouse....

Anyway to make the shoulder buttons in XFCE the L - R Mouse buttons?

That would be useless for using the Pandora on the table.

-God Ginrai

 

[levi1123]

When I use my Pandora on the table I use a USB 2.0 mouse....

Anyway to make the shoulder buttons in XFCE the L - R Mouse buttons?

That would be useless for using the Pandora on the table.

-God Ginrai

I doubt I'll ever need to use my pandora on the table, i asked because i'm a 1-nubber wanting a better way to click when holding the panda rather than getting the stylus out

 

[God Ginrai]

When I use my Pandora on the table I use a USB 2.0 mouse....

Anyway to make the shoulder buttons in XFCE the L - R Mouse buttons?

That would be useless for using the Pandora on the table.

-God Ginrai

I doubt I'll ever need to use my pandora on the table, i asked because i'm a 1-nubber wanting a better way to click when holding the panda rather than getting the stylus out

I'm pretty sure you could set pretty much anything to be a mouse click.

EDIT: I just thought of a hilarious feature that I would love to see someone try. Using the mic for mouseclick. XD

-God Ginrai

 

[bzar]

I just thought of a hilarious feature that I would love to see someone try. Using the mic for mouseclick. XD

-God Ginrai

It would be cool to control something like video playback with finger-snapping

 

[SomeGuy99]

"Computer, click. Click! Double Click! Hello? Computer? Oh a mouse... how quaint!"

 

[mali]

:lol:

 

[kuru]

lol actually

Edit: this just reminded me of when I was stuck in yelda on the NDS... I couldn't figure out how to make a certain enemy vulnerable until I realized the little handheld has a microphone...

Edit: heheh typo... yell-da even makes some sense there

 

[SomeGuy99]

I was stuck in yelda

Best typo ever!

This Fall, look forward to Legend of Yell-da: Piercing Scream.

Cue clip of Gannon holding his hands over his ears in pain.

Edit: Ninja!

 

[Chaser]

Nice review!

I agree on some issues.

@TitanUranus: Lmao

@Paint issues: No problems so far, she is as beautiful as ever.

@Hinge Issues: Well I'm plenty unhinged but whilst my Pandora has gotten looser with useage, she still can be used in laptop mode, including for typing, so I would imagine, battery cover issues, un-level screws etc are responsible for wobbling.

@wifi issues: It's a pain that it drops out and requires toggling and reconnection. I found the guides by Someguy99 went along way to helping with this, via either a desktop icon, or better a keyboard shortcut, as that seems to auto reconnect to the default network, unlike the icon which requires the stylus to click on the network area and select the network you want first. Saves alot of time

Of note is that I personally had no issues with the 'default keyring' pop-up until I chose to disable wifi on startup. Now it requires your password after autologin to be enabled. Probably a safety feature of Linux but it was less annoying before attempting to check any save on battery life. Be warned.

@USB issues: Is everyone having the issues Mindlord kindly made a video of, along with Hackmodford? My Pandora can happily mess with USB devices without loss, direct or via a hub. The only thing that kills it, is an attempt to use an adapter for internal HDD's externally, that fails to be recognised. A driver issue purely I imagine. After using that direct, or via a hub, I must reboot for other USB devices to be recognised again, other than that it's plug n play with various stuff and only the TV-out cable is missing.

I had planned to post in the relevant USB posts with this query and to video it, or supply dmesg details if my Pandora is behaving unusually in allowing repeated use of USB devices without dropping the hosting. Most likely it isn't, as surely more people would be mentioning this problem?

The soundfix by Notaz has made many things far better aswell . I haven't tried PSX yet but N64 is promising, though I am struggling to get the same playability from titles other than SM64 at the same settings.

Regards