How "cutting Edge" Are The Pandora's Components?

[mazza558]

I ask because the Archos 5 WiFi, which came out a while ago, has the same OMAP 3450(?) chip as the Pandora will have. How many components have never been used before?

 

[JayFoxRox]

I m sure all of those components have been used before - But not in this combination.
The hardware itself does not make it "cutting edge" - but the way its meant to be used.

All components have been available for some time already, but there are only very few devices which use their full power and those devices are in the upper price-class.
Does it even matter if its "cutting edge"? Aslong as it works fine..

 

[ashdjones]

Hey, it's still the only handheld with two analogue nubs!

 

[Ryuu]

I ask because the Archos 5 WiFi, which came out a while ago, has the same OMAP 3450(?) chip as the Pandora will have. How many components have never been used before?

h34r: pandora is omap 3530

 

[NearTao]

I ask because the Archos 5 WiFi, which came out a while ago, has the same OMAP 3450(?) chip as the Pandora will have. How many components have never been used before?

I think you're mixing two different concepts here. Cutting Edge technology and component uniqueness. Cutting Edge doesn't mean that is unique or solely used in only one product and unique components doesn't necessitate any kind of product advantage. The motherboard and case for the pandora are unique components, but you might be hard pressed to argue that they are cutting edge.

So the Archos 5 is comparable, but it is a slower process, half the RAM, no keyboard, analogue/digital pads or bluetooth. It does have built in mass storage and a pretty close battery life but it's clearly in a different product class/market. I am sure somebody has ported emulators to the Archos the same as the iPhone and plenty of other gadgets that make poor gaming devices. I am sure that you can hook up some kind of keyboard/mouse to the Archos and use it as a computer as well but that doesn't make it any more desirable as a umpc in my mind.

The intent of the pandora is to be more of a gaming pc. It has the features to accommodate both and personally I think that is where people will argue that it is cutting edge. There are plenty of arguments for devices that do one thing better than the pandora but what other features are you compromising? Probably the biggest minus for the pandora is that it cannot run windows applications, but I personally don't see that as such a big deal. Other's mileage may vary.

 

[maciek_urbanski]

I ask because the Archos 5 WiFi, which came out a while ago, has the same OMAP 3450(?) chip as the Pandora will have. How many components have never been used before?

The golden three would be:

• OMAP 3530: first time on the market
• 2 Gbit of LVDDR POP memory: first time on market
• 2 analog nubs in 1 device: first time on market

 

[benjiro]

I think you're mixing two different concepts here. Cutting Edge technology and component uniqueness.

I think he's more asking about the details for those components. Like, what die size the BT chip has, the Wifi chip etc. Are the BT/Wifi usb based ( aka power suckers! ), or not. etc...

Cutting Edge technologie has most of the time a smaller die size, resulting in a lower power usage ( ed: not always the case, but in most ).

While we know a lot of detail about the OMAP, i for one have not noticed a lot of topics regarding the possible power usage of BT/Wifi, or ways to compare it to existing products ( thats how we none engineers deal with it ).

 

[JayFoxRox]

cutting edge just means the newest available and possible (state-of-the-art)

 

[mahousaru]

Oooo someone get an engineer to post about new tech v old reliable tech. The last time we had this conversation in a pub I fell asleep and I was on the vodka and red bulls! It also caused a no girl zone of ~ 50 meters around us. */me gibbers in the corner*

 

[renegadechic]

The tech is new enough for it not to be being used in any particularly comparible device. It probably is less reliable or at least less tested, but then i think we are taking it buy the horns and building it for the community our way rather than leave it in the control of one of the bigger players.

Thankfully they have been able to keep things constantly top spec over the whole conception and production. When I think of a project like the OLPC I feel quite proud of what we are achieving. Of course we have fewer political barriers but the OLPC buzz has really been killed off by the advent of the netbook and I really dont know if they can make it work now with their progressively outdated hardware.

 

[Svartalf]

Probably the biggest minus for the pandora is that it cannot run windows applications, but I personally don't see that as such a big deal. Other's mileage may vary.

That's not a minus. You honestly can't run Windows apps well in anything less than a Netbook right at the moment. The XP/Vista MIDs are painful beyond words. WinCE/Windows Mobile is a joke (It's not the same thing as Windows and the apps there aren't the same things as people "expect" with Windows...).

Anyone that wants their Windows on something that small needs to probably re-think their thinking because a desktop OS and UI doesn't translate down to handhelds very well.

It also caused a no girl zone of ~ 50 meters around us. */me gibbers in the corner*

LOL! Only 50 meters? Last time I had a convo like THAT, it generated an anti-girl field roughly 100 meters in radius around the lot.

 

[Mutilator]

i think personally its a good thing the components have been used before. I always buy components for my pc that have been out awhile as this means revisions have been made to fix problems. sure the pandora is the same with its components most of the major issues would of been fixed with the processor and other components over time.

 

[anexanhume]

It's so cutting edge that... Owww!

 

[NearTao]

Anyone that wants their Windows on something that small needs to probably re-think their thinking because a desktop OS and UI doesn't translate down to handhelds very well.

Agreed, perhaps listing it as a minus I needed air/scare quotes. Personally I don't care that it can run windows apps or not, but we keep seeing plenty of people asking if it can run windows apps/games. As you stated it isn't like any netbooks are likely going to run this software to an acceptable level either, but the questions are out there.

Still, there is a market for UMPCs that run XP/Vista. The Oqo comes to mind. Picking one up personally however does not.

 

[mazza558]

cutting edge just means the newest available and possible (state-of-the-art)

Yes, this is what I meant.

 

[JayFoxRox]

Ok, then the answer would probably be:

- Its not cutting edge
... but the most cutting edge tech. available at a good price for the public right now

 

[atomicthumbs]

 

[mali]

Thanks, you've made my day :lol:

 

[mazza558]

I have to say, that's pretty cutting edge!

 

[sebt3]

The CPU isn't actually used in any device out.
The screen is the best on the market for this size.
You have the cuting-edge feature for these size of device :
- wifi
- bluetouth
- web-browser
- etc
what feature do you need, that not already included or easily accessible via-usb add-ons ?

[off-topic]
By the way, think about a a game engine that :
- use the dsp for audio process
- use the sgx for graphics
- use the neon for physics
Now the cpu only do the game logic. The right tools for the right task.
I think a 4 specialised-cores machine that fit in your hand is a first. So it should be cutting edge no ?
[/off-topic]