I just realized that a Pandora/pyra costs as much as a decent Linux laptop ( no troll)

[Arctic]

Before you slam your fists on your Pandora and somehow form angry text you should know that I have nothing against the Pandora but I'm trying to question the logic here. I want a pyra someday actually so please just hear me out


I was browsing laptops and Linux distros and I asked myself if the Pandora/pyra is logical at their price.


I mean, $500 gets you a quad core 2-3 GHz laptop, plopping a light Linux distro like Linux mint xfce or mint mate or crunchbang is a amazing deal and will run beautifully. You can dual boot windows 8.1 if you want since it comes with it and most laptops that I see include a touchscreen these days.


I know it's not pocket size but isn't it way more.... comfortable? Sitting at a desk, in your soft chair on your 15 inch screen and having the ability to take it somewhere like the library or coffee shop?. Laptops these days are not heavy or thick for example, ultrabooks.and even the "normal" laptops aren't very thick and heavy, the only way you can find a super heavy thick laptop is if you purchase a gaming laptop.


Idk guys maybe you already have a laptop and a Pandora but I have neither and I wouldn't see myself getting a Pandora or pyra over a laptop and installing a Linux distro on it. I don't own my own computer, its someone else's and I just have the right to use it and I'm not allowed to install Linux on it and its in their room. I'd take my own laptop over a Pandora any day, they are the same price but the laptop would give me way more


I'm sorry guys, maybe I'm just missing the point of the Pandora. I just noticed how the Pandora is advertised as a real Linux PC but its awfully low in specs for the price and wouldn't be comfortable to use as a full laptop. Is it meant to be a laptop competitor or am I missing the point?

 

[mosschops]

You are missing the point.


None of my laptops fit it my pocket nor have a comparable battery life or dual analogue nubs or a joy pad or are a Pandora.

 

[TrashyMG]

I just realized I've must of seen several dozen of these type of posts over the years. Almost all say they're not trolling too.


Yes you are missing the point.

 

[moxie]

The point is the pocketability, the gaming controls and the battery life. If these points don't seem important to you, then don't by a Pandora or a Pyra, because it is not for you.

And I sure would never put $500 for an ordinary boring computer, when there is so much cheap junk to be scounged

 

[Hồng Thất Công]

With a Pandora or Pyra, you don't have to waste an important part of your body - your lap. So, I can have a sexy chick sitting on my lap while I'm Pandoraing or Pyraing. Try doing that with your $500 laptop.

 

[Arctic]

I just realized I've must of seen several dozen of these type of posts over the years. Almost all say they're not trolling too.


Yes you are missing the point.

You really can't expect people to be like " oh OK $500 sounds fair" in this day in age with laptops and tablets. There is a reason why Pandora is niche.


I've seen people question the Pandora's price too. Its a legit concern

With a Pandora or Pyra, you don't have to waste an important part of your body - your lap. So, I can have a sexy chick sitting on my lap while I'm Pandoraing or Pyraing. Try doing that with your $500 laptop.

Too bad I'm asexual but OK

 

[slaeshjag]

Right. If you compare it to a laptop or tablet, you really don't get it

 

[Arctic]

Right. If you compare it to a laptop or tablet, you really don't get it

They compare themselves to PC's and smartphones. Check the FAQ section on the home page

 

[Arctic]

The point is the pocketability, the gaming controls and the battery life. If these points don't seem important to you, then don't by a Pandora or a Pyra, because it is not for you.


And I sure would never put $500 for an ordinary boring computer, when there is so much cheap junk to be scounged

You literally never mentioned what the OS can do. That blended with size and buttons is why I want a pyra


If I can transfer data back and forth between my Linux laptop and pyra it will be sweeeeeet

 

[Yoyobuae]

I now have my Pandora connected to PC via USB mini cable, with ethernet-over-USB setup so I can ssh into Pandora and run Taskwarrior on it while taking advantage of larger PC monitor and also I have Audacious running over X forwarding with headphones connected to Pandora, because I have all my music there and audio on Pandora is better than on PC.

During the drive home I'll use Pandora as audio player using car's audio speakers.

When I get home I'll plug in Pandora to an old CRT TV I have on gym room and enjoy some anime while working out. And afterwards maybe play some Dosbox on proper gaming controls. Or maybe use Pandora as an USB Joystick to play on desktop PC back at home.

Could I do all this with other device(s), probably yes. But having a single flexible device which does it all and it's as compact as Pandora is a big plus.

And besides, you can get a Linux Laptop for even cheaper (ie. $250 chromebooks ).

 

[levi]

I regularly scp stuff between my Linux netbook or desktop and my Pandora - even with the Pandora's famously flaky wifi, it's much easier than swapping cards or wiring things up.

IMO it's fine to say a Pandora/Pyra is a better tablet than a $500 PC will be, and a better PC than a $500 tablet will be.  Even if a $500 PC is a better PC as you say, and a $500 tablet it a better tablet.  And it's a better media player and gaming console than either of them, of course, thanks to the audio hardware and gaming buttons.  And better battery life than anything except a dumb old Nokia (or my old Psion S5)

 

[TrashyMG]

You really can't expect people to be like " oh OK $500 sounds fair" in this day in age with laptops and tablets. There is a reason why Pandora is niche.

It IS a niche product and it caters to people that want such a device. there are no other device out there quite like the Pandora/Pyra.. Making such a niche device costs a ton for a extremely small company and we are willing to pay the premium for it..

 

[klapse]

Well Arctic, If I had to choose between a Pandora and a good Laptop, I would take the laptop. If you can't afford both, I can understand your choice.

Having both a laptop AND a pandora/pyra is the preferable situation to be in of course.

 

[ekianjo]

Arctic, you should check here for what people do and how they use their Pandora: 

http://pandoralive.info/?cat=15

Besides, your 500$ price point is a joke, especially if you pretend you can get a decent ultrabook at this price. A decent laptop is usually way more expensive than 500$. 

Comparing the Pandora/Pyra with a Laptop is as preposterous as comparing a portable console with a home console. Of course the home console is cheaper (or about the same price), better, more powerful. But it's not portable. Period. Different formats, different uses. 

 

[Hồng Thất Công]

Too bad I'm asexual but OK

Then it's not for u buddy

 

[Arctic]

Too bad I'm asexual but OK

Then it's not for u buddy

I fail to see how a lack of sexuality translates into a gaming device not being for me

 

[Arctic]

Arctic, you should check here for what people do and how they use their Pandora:

http://pandoralive.info/?cat=15


Besides, your 500$ price point is a joke, especially if you pretend you can get a decent ultrabook at this price. A decent laptop is usually way more expensive than 500$.


Comparing the Pandora/Pyra with a Laptop is as preposterous as comparing a portable console with a home console. Of course the home console is cheaper (or about the same price), better, more powerful. But it's not portable. Period. Different formats, different uses.

I said "laptop" and you can get a ultrabook for $500 but I'd prefer to to get a regular laptop for better specs on that price but you can find a decent ultrabook for $500. I have been researching this for a future purchase so you can be silent on that topic, I know what I'm talking about

I compare games when talking about consoles and 3ds is pretty much slaughtering the 8th gen consoles in games currently released. Games matter, not graphics. I don't have fun playing graphics I have fun playing the game.


Take a chill pill. Nobody is calling the Pandora bad.

 

[Yoyobuae]

What you want is a PC (ie. x86 CPU, lots of RAM, lots of HDD space, big screen, etc). And yes a laptop is a good match for those needs.

But as you say, maybe other people already have laptops or desktops available, which fill the need for a computer with lots of muscle.

Pandora/Pyra is not meant to work as a desktop/laptop replacement. Yes, it does offer a full OS and give the user complete control over the system so it is kind of like a PCs, but it is also meant to be portable so it can't possibly have the same power as computers several times larger.

The comparison you make is as silly as comparing a smartphone to a laptop. They are both on the same price range also, but you wouldn't use a laptop to make a call (even if it did have a 3G module), or ask a smartphone to do all the same things as a laptop can (even if on some limited cases they can).

 

[RuneIV]

I think this is really simple.

Arctic, as you've said you don't have your own computer. For 500$ go grab an all-purpose laptop/ultrabook/whatever machine that fits your need.

It'll be more convenient/practical for general computer use.

BUT... since you want to compare:

• The Pandora/Pyra have physical gaming buttons which to some people (including me) are infinitely better (for games) than touch controls on a phone/phablet/tablet. Of course you can plug in a controller in your new laptop but you loose on portability.
• The Pandora/Pyra is more portable. This has been said multiple times previously. What makes it stand out from the crowd is it's portability vs power vs openness ratio to which no other device come close.
• The Pandora/Pyra is produced by a small company. It is not like ED and the gang want to sell it for as much as a laptop. It is because they basically have to, since they cannot have the same prices on the components that the large manufacturers (who buy millions of parts) like DELL will have for the parts of your 500$ laptop.

Personally, I have a laptop. But I don't "work" on it all that much. It is still too cramped for me. I work with a Desktop computer and uses the laptop for lazing around, surfing the net. The Pyra will do that just as well and allow me to play games with physical controls from the comfort of my couch, with an open environment with a really cool community of people that really want to see the device succeed and go beyond its limit (and not just financially).

 

[ekianjo]

but you can find a decent ultrabook for $500. I have been researching this for a future purchase so you can be silent on that topic, I know what I'm talking about

Show me what you decent ultrabook at 500$ looks like - I'm missing a good laugh here.

Good for word and browsing, maybe, but if that's all you expect from a 500$ ultrabook...