How has it evolved, should I rebuy?

[Hồng Thất Công]

Also, you can use it as a bluetooth controller/keyboard for other devices via Master Control.

 

[rygD]

i need to get my pandora repaired..... 

Mine will be going in for a check up (possible display/cable issue) and surgery (upgrade, possibly recased).  I haven't decided if I want to keep waiting for the new case, or just send it in now.  The biggest problem is not wanting to let it go for that long.  I am considering picking up a second one just so I don't have to go without it.  (NO! Must save for a Pyra.)

 

[scippie]

Ok, it's settled: I just ordered one and only 15 minutes later the order status changed to "shipped"!

Woohoow! EvilDragon #1!!!

Now I'm beginning to wonder if the hardware specs are open enough to create my own non-linux-based-from-scratch OS on it :-D (am doing it on x86_64 atm., just for fun)

 

[rygD]

Now I'm beginning to wonder if the hardware specs are open enough to create my own non-linux-based-from-scratch OS on it :-D (am doing it on x86_64 atm., just for fun)

Let us know how far you get.  I would like to take a look at what you come up with for Pandora, even if it is very rough.

 

[WizardStan]

Now I'm beginning to wonder if the hardware specs are open enough to create my own non-linux-based-from-scratch OS on it

Everything but the 3D accelerator. So long as you don't mind framebuffer drawing, everything you need should be there, somewhere.Good luck!

 

[DrHAX]

i need to get my pandora repaired.....

Research RMA. There's a pandoralive article on the subject matter.


Edit: oh. Yeah I got two going to ed. I'm currently trying to get a cc unit. So I can. Continue writing... my android tablet is about useless

 

[rygD]

I'm currently trying to get a cc unit.

So, if I do look at the second hand market I will have competition...

Don't mind that funny taste in your drink, it isn't poison, it's just your imagination.

 

[DrHAX]

I'm currently trying to get a cc unit.

So, if I do look at the second hand market I will have competition...

Don't mind that funny taste in your drink, it isn't poison, it's just your imagination.

Noooo I need one to type up my novels, however if I find information on a good deal I can pass it on... also I want a CC unit because it's the Pandora I yearned for in 2011!

 

[rygD]

I wanted one with the original specs for a while, then forgot about it for a couple years.  When I remembered it was a low priority, so I passed on it at the time.  When I remembered and didn't really have money to waste I bought a Classic refurb, since it would still do everything I originally wanted, and much more thanks to some great people.  I told myself those specs were enough, and that I would be happy with it, but I want that performance boost to get the most out of it for some tasks and emus.  Even though I purchased the upgrade, I don't want to send it in, and I still think the "outdated" specs of the original are enough for most things, and want to have that too.

I suppose I will send it in next week, and maybe I will get back something even better in a month or so.

 

[scippie]

Everything but the 3D accelerator. So long as you don't mind framebuffer drawing, everything you need should be there, somewhere.
Good luck!

I wonder why that is the case: on almost every "open" system, the 3D parts are not documented. I understand it is difficult, but that should be no reason.

I believe Intel has released its 3D technology in the 4th generation x86/x64 processors to the public now.

(not that I think I will ever get that far, but that's not the point, it actually is a dissapointing fact for people who try)

 

[WizardStan]

I wonder why that is the case

Imagination Technologies claims it's to protect their IP. If they released documentation then some other company could swoop in and clone their systems, or some other lies they like to tell themselves at night.I mean, it's not like other companies have released their documentation and not been put out of business by a mass of clones.

 

[scippie]

Holding my new Pandora in my hands now already, charging now!!! (waited much longer for my first one )

 

[rygD]

Wow...less than 21 hours.  I wish it was that fast for me.  I wouldn't be so concerned to send mine in if I knew I would only be without it for a week or so.

 

[DrHAX]

Wow...less than 21 hours. I wish it was that fast for me. I wouldn't be so concerned to send mine in if I knew I would only be without it for a week or so.

I've sent both of mine in.... waiting on the shipping is nerve racking.. especially with how the trackers are.

 

[scippie]

So I have been toying with my Pandy the whole weekend and thought I should let you all (and maybe other people who had the same questions as me) know how I experienced it.

The device is just great, it still took me some "hacking" to get things (especially emulators) to work. This is probably because I never had a C64/Amiga. I had an Apple ][e and a Collecovision and later a 8088 when I was a child, so I didn't have much great games in those days. Other friends had such great games on their C64 or Amiga so I remember how great they were and want them now. But getting the kickstarts and the roms working correctly was difficult for me because of this. I had help from a friend who owned one in his childhood so I got it to work perfectly. This is of course mostly the problem with the software, not the problem of the pandy, but I assume it is a turnoff for lots of people out there.

So, I put this under the "you need some hacking skills to use it" because of this.

For other stuff: I had no trouble at all getting things to work. I have some Linux experience so connecting to a samba server, installing a package to support the file systems, making stuff work was fairly straightforward. Still, yet again, for people without Linux experience who have read my previous sentence, they will say: WHUT? People will need network shares, people will need to be able to format their SD to FAT32, they need to install packages for it. So I also put this under the "you need some hacking skills to use it". These things would be handy to be default installed or easy to install.

But when those things were completed, everything went perfect. The package manager, although terribly slow (even on 1.1Ghz) to start up (and I think using a lot of CPU) works PERFECTLY. It is great to be able to see all packages you don't have and the auto-install is so easy. I know how to install packages myself (on desktop and/or menu) but this tool does it for me. It would be great if it was able to move packages from one SD to another as well. I tend to download packages on the right SD and when I like the application/game, I move it to the left SD. When installing packages, the manager sees what is on the right SD so things I didn't like don't show up. When I just use the pandy, I remove the right SD and things I don't like are no longer there. It would be good if the package manager had all these functionalities built in (mark as "do not show" and stuff like that), but I manage. The package manager is external software but is marketed from the Pandora itself, so I think this should be regared as part of the pandora.

The 1+Ghz is really much more performant than the 600Mhz one I owned before. It makes a big difference for me. Everything is much more fluent. I have not yet felt the need to go past the default 1.1Ghz, I will try if everything goes as smooth if I lock it to 1Ghz or less because it will increase battery life.

The screen is great. Very clear, very nice. I was afraid that 800x480 would be too low, but this looks really great. I think the (non-full) HD on the Pyra will be great, full HD would indeed be overkill.

But on the negative side: I have trouble with the touch-part of the screen. I can't reach the corners of the screen with my stylus. I have recalibrated 4 times now, it doesn't help. I have seen others in this forum with the same problems. For example, if I have a file-explorer window open, I can't close it with the stylus because I can't reach the X-button. I know about alt-f4, so problem solved.

I don't like using a stylus anyway, I'm a keyboard guy, but still, I dislike this, this should be no issue. On the other hand, I was always able to solve it (using the nubs in worst case).

The battery life is indeed great. Still, I had read the specs as "wifi on, screen on, full cpu usage 1Ghz" 10 hours minimum. When I am downloading files, the remaining time drops really hard, with 99% battery to 6 hours. Of course, I won't be downloading 6 hours at once, but this is something I would have assumed to be 10 hours as cpu en bright screen are also mentioned. Still: battery life is REALLY great and I wonder if I will ever need the spare battery I ordered.

The Angstrom OS is the main OS, while it's ok, it would have been fun if applications would have been adapted to the controls. For example, if I change the cpu speed, I can only press left/right to adjust very slowly, or touch the screen. It would be great if A/B would jump 100Mhz at a time. It would be great if a window could be closed immediately by pressing the X button when in that window. A/B could also be mapped automatically as Cancel/Ok or No/Yes (or vice versa). And maybe the buttons should have a marking for them so you can't be confused.

I understand that changing all those applications specifically to this is a terrible lot of work, so I understand why it isn't so.

So, now I think I have said all the negatives I could think of. I want to stress the fact that those negatives are really MINOR for me. I am nerdy enough to not mind the negatives. The device is GREAT. The hardware is GREAT. Everything about it is GREAT and I am very glad that I bought it.

As everything in this device will be a basis for the Pyra, I believe the Pyra will be great. Still, except for 3G/4G and USB3 support, I wonder what could be improved. Faster CPU and more memory is always great of course but not really necessary. But I'm sure ED will think of lots of things I don't think of right now.

Thanks for convincing me guys, I am very happy with it!

 

[scippie]

Oh, btw, what I really miss is something like Launchy (search in menu with keyboard) or like the windows menu search functionality (but I prefer launchy).

Did I miss it or isn't something like that available for the pandy?

 

[FBnil]

I tend to download packages on the right SD and when I like the application/game, I move it to the left SD

Hey.. that's how I do it too..

You can search with Panorama (the Package Manager)  too (press a few times the shoulderbuttons to change to the search window), that's how I find things sometime If I lost them in the menu structure. (it is not as quick as Lauchy though...)

 

[scippie]

You can search with Panorama (the Package Manager)  too (press a few times the shoulderbuttons to change to the search window), that's how I find things sometime If I lost them in the menu structure. (it is not as quick as Lauchy though...)

Yes, I know. But Panorama starts up soooooooo slowly. Something Launchy like should be running in the background at all times.

 

[Hồng Thất Công]

Oh, btw, what I really miss is something like Launchy (search in menu with keyboard) or like the windows menu search functionality (but I prefer launchy).

Did I miss it or isn't something like that available for the pandy?

Oh, btw, what I really miss is something like Launchy (search in menu with keyboard) or like the windows menu search functionality (but I prefer launchy).

Did I miss it or isn't something like that available for the pandy?

You can try the Application Finder in Accessories...