Help me tell the BBC about the Pandora.

[juliano]

Message sent.

 

[Anihil8ion2199]

Sent. Hope they listen, and this helps you guys...

 

[Viking]

Sent!

 

[ToastBucket]

I have also sent them one. Think they got the message? :lol: OPT

 

[quadomatic]

Sent, hopefully they cover it...


I still feel like the Pandora would be better served if units were sent to gadget blogs like Engadget and Gizmodo

 

[Jourdy288]

Will send.

 

[skelso]

Done.


And I had just paid by license fee! Grrrr.

 

[Spud]

Done!

 

[Twisted]

Sent, mentioned the fact that it's [currently] in production [and shipping], with some thousands of pre-orders in the queue.

 

[metallurge]

Sent. Gave them an education on free (libre) software, its place of dominance in the server room, and its increasing commercial successes in consumer products. Cited OpenPandora as an example of why & how we don't have to accept closed systems.

 

[Linopoly]

I sent in my comment because I think it's important for the mainstream folk to know what exists out there. However, I have to ask why you'd even want major publicity at this point in the game. It seems pretty plain that if the BBC or someone else handed you a big influx of new orders, you wouldn't be able to handle it, given the current state of production. Am I missing something?

 

[ToastBucket]

I sent in my comment because I think it's important for the mainstream folk to know what exists out there. However, I have to ask why you'd even want major publicity at this point in the game. It seems pretty plain that if the BBC or someone else handed you a big influx of new orders, you wouldn't be able to handle it, given the current state of production. Am I missing something?

this

 

[j0n]

Done, the BBC usually has very high quality articles, although I have noticed they are fairly clueless when it comes to game tech. Hopefully they will do a follow up with some open source handhelds, would be cool to see an interview with Craig on the BBC site.

 

[Neelix]

I sent in my comment because I think it's important for the mainstream folk to know what exists out there. However, I have to ask why you'd even want major publicity at this point in the game. It seems pretty plain that if the BBC or someone else handed you a big influx of new orders, you wouldn't be able to handle it, given the current state of production. Am I missing something?

Well you said it yourself really. Its important to ensure people are aware that there are other options. When it comes right down to it this is still a niche product in a niche market. I'd be somewhat surprised if this generated a large number of additional orders in the short term.


That said, if the awareness is there then OPL will have a much better chance of success if they ever bring a product to the mass market, and a few extra orders now will put them in a much better position to start developing something new when the time comes.

 

[- Theo -]

I did that.

Hello,


You recently did a show where you talked about open gaming consoles (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/click_online/9406690.stm) which was quite interesting. However, you failed to mention a couple of independent gaming consoles, and specially a recent one that is completely open, sporting a version of Linux, and made right here in the UK: The Pandora.


You can find more details here: http://www.openpandora.org/


I'm the proud owner of one of these, and this is a great machine, sort of a bastard child between a linux netbook and a nintendo ds, with a great keyboard and gaming pad, a touch screen, a dedicated Linux distribution (based on Angstrom) and most importantly, completely open. Although it may not be on par with the latest technologies (most phones have a faster processor for instance), it has no equivalent and is the dream machine to play all sorts of emulators, an activity that is supported and even encouraged by the Open Pandora team. PSX, GBA, C64, NES, SNES, Atari ST, Amiga, C64, Spectrum, MSX, MS-DOS, everything runs flawlessly on it (and at full speed!)


I strongly encourage you to look into it and possibly do a follow-up story?


All the best,

Come on Beebs, now we want a follow-up (although I don't have a TV...)

 

[MarioPandio]

I did that.

Hello,


You recently did a show where you talked about open gaming consoles (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/click_online/9406690.stm) which was quite interesting. However, you failed to mention a couple of independent gaming consoles, and specially a recent one that is completely open, sporting a version of Linux, and made right here in the UK: The Pandora.


You can find more details here: http://www.openpandora.org/


I'm the proud owner of one of these, and this is a great machine, sort of a bastard child between a linux netbook and a nintendo ds, with a great keyboard and gaming pad, a touch screen, a dedicated Linux distribution (based on Angstrom) and most importantly, completely open. Although it may not be on par with the latest technologies (most phones have a faster processor for instance), it has no equivalent and is the dream machine to play all sorts of emulators, an activity that is supported and even encouraged by the Open Pandora team. PSX, GBA, C64, NES, SNES, Atari ST, Amiga, C64, Spectrum, MSX, MS-DOS, everything runs flawlessly on it (and at full speed!)


I strongly encourage you to look into it and possibly do a follow-up story?


All the best,

Come on Beebs, now we want a follow-up (although I don't have a TV...)

Nice letter Is that really a good idea to promote OPT under though?


I strongly encourage a different view of how opened saucy stuff should be portrayed...rule 34 photoshops of Craigix's head on faeries and the like, wasn't discouraged by its creator upon a forum thread you could actually interact with him upon!


There's no getting jobbed for poking Steve's apple of innocence away here, nor any slippery Microsoft salesmen unprepared for the weather, due to their windows being all steamed up as usual, trying to re-sell you your virginal gullibility in anything having changed in the wastegarden of corporate Eden.


Point out too many worms in the abundant fruits of Pandora's alternative embrace though and perhaps all will be rotten in Denmark before she is out of her swaddling!


Edit: Yeah I dont have tv either. Watched too much "Y Dont You" as a kid. Plus its largely all advertisement brainwashing and one sided news.

 

[craigix]

The point isn't to sell more units here, the point is to make the BBC stop being so SONY/APPLE/MS/NINTENDO or nothing.


It makes me sad that the BBC, back in the 80s not only had some brilliant computer shows (see youtube), they even had their own computer on sale, but now it's just all Apple apple apple Sony Apple Nintendo apple Sony Nintendo.

 

[cosurgi]

Some of you may have read this: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/click_online/9406690.stm

That's what I wrote in the contact form:

Hi,

I recently watched your show, and I couldn't help but wonder why you didn't mention the Pandora Console. It works great for me, because that is the smallest PC on the world - just fits in my pocket - and runs open source software. It is based on linux angstrom with xfce environment, and a package which installs most popular distribution in chroot, debian (from this distribution all other popular distros are taking their software, like ubuntu or OLPC).


With pandora I reached the point when, sometimes when I'm back at home I don't even bother to turn on my normal PC. With pandora I stay connected permanently, thanks to internet connection via bluetooth with my cellphone. I answer to emails while commuting from home to work. I ssh to do remote administration of my computing cluster - from the bus!


You really should talk a bit about Pandora, because it is really the most unique device on the world. Maybe if you contact them, they would provide you with a unit for doing a review.


best regards


Janek Kozicki

 

[trevj]

I think it'd also be worth contacting Radio 4's Click On (assuming they've not already given you a mention, and that they have a new series scheduled for 2011). If this goes anywhere and you get an interview, it's worth noting that interviewees at the end of the programme often end up getting cut off short, in order that PM can start on time. Therefore, have your watch handy or try to insist on an earlier appearance!

 

[Caine]

I'm not really surprised they ignored the Pandora. It's sales numbers (let's not mention shipping numbers) are pretty much insignificant at this point to consider it being a serious player. As for the other open handhelds, I recall them selling around 60.000 - 100.000 units total (these numbers are most likely inaccurate, correct me if you know better). The big players would consider that number a slow start on the first day.


Yes, you are fighting an uphill battle which needs to be fought. But for the reason of numbers alone, I would group all open handhelds together and mention the Pandora as the state of the art.