Keep Pandora A Pmp, Browser, And Game Handheld Only!

[gaterooze]

Go ahead... take a wild guess at how many units Craig would consider a success for 2008. Anyone? How many people other than Craig is developing Pandora as a full time job?

Does any of that really matter to anyone but his investors? If you like it, buy it, if not, don't. Simple.

 

[Yrx]

I can't picture this becoming a huge mainstream product. If it does, it will be because of very smart marketing as well as ease of use. But if it's made specifically for the general mainstream, this thing is going to be dumb. You generally have to dumb things down and take away all the real interactivity for any real audience, and I doubt Craig would do that to us. I don't think that it will ever get beyond the niche market, although I'm sure the niche will grow considerably with it. And I think Craig and Co. know that.

In the meantime, be more concerned with how YOU are personally going to enjoy it, what YOU want out of it, how it could be improved for users like YOU and ME, and stop worrying about the rabid, frothing, brainless masses. If they don't catch on, less idiots in the forum to deal with.

 

[yannv]

I can't picture this becoming a huge mainstream product. If it does, it will be because of very smart marketing as well as ease of use. But if it's made specifically for the general mainstream, this thing is going to be dumb. You generally have to dumb things down and take away all the real interactivity for any real audience, and I doubt Craig would do that to us.
As Apple have demonstrated, the system needn't be dumb to appeal. It's a matter of making the functions people are looking for easily accessible, while preventing people from getting lost in a jumble of functions they don't understand. The latter does NOT mean removing those functions, but providing easy and consistent ways of getting back, and marking them as "advanced". For instance my Shannon touchscreen smartphone (not a cellular!) required entering quite a few digits from Pi as an unlocking code to start up a shell terminal. Personally I'd rather have it more easily discoverable, so somewhere in the menus.

 

[craigix]

I am just a consumer. Craig is a smart man, I trust him. Yours was a pointless post.

Read the other comments from the rest of us.

Our goals are the same. I'd like nothing more than for Pandora to make it into the mainstream and sell in volumes the gp2x and gp32 never dreamt of. Spending ones efforts wisely and having some market focus is what's going to let Craig sell more of this.

I can email and tell him this myself. Others already have. I hoped this thread would knock some sense into him. But it seems this thread has turned into another pep rally for a magic device that will sell until we run out of silicon.

You may discover something worth learning when you read something contrary to popular opinion. You're not just a consumer. Readers and posters to this forum are in a unique position because the products we discuss is in such a niche market. It's especially true if you consider just how far along (or lack thereof) Pandora really is. (hint: not really) e.g. gp32x.de users changed the color of the case from white to black.

Go ahead... take a wild guess at how many units Craig would consider a success for 2008. Anyone? How many people other than Craig is developing Pandora as a full time job?


I'm a bit confused by this, are you saying you know how many I would consider a success to be?

Also: 'It's especially true if you consider just how far along (or lack thereof) Pandora really is. (hint: not really) e.g. gp32x.de users changed the color of the case from white to black.'

What exacty does that mean? What's with the 'hint' comment? Why not just explain this? I'm curious to know what you are trying to say.

And i'd say that the console you would like the pandora to be already exists, it's the PSP, we are not making a PSP clone. That you would expect something like that from us makes me quite sad, there are dozens of chinese PSP clones, see the JXD et al.

-Craig.

 

[Orkie]

there are dozens of chinese PSP clones, see the JXD et al.

Oh come on. You know full well the JXD isn't a PSP clone .

 

[Squidge]

QUOTE
It's especially true if you consider just how far along (or lack thereof) Pandora really is. (hint: not really) e.g. gp32x.de users changed the color of the case from white to black.


Do you know how easy it is to change the colour of the case from one solid colour to another?

Or do you mean "This proves that the cases have not yet been made" ?

Either way, I don't see your point.

 

[lubidog]

You may discover something worth learning when you read something contrary to popular opinion.

Bloody hell, you are arrogant. And why should I guess how many units he will sell? Why? Or am I just going to get a hint, and have to work it out for myself! Poor me.

And poor Craig, without your incredible brain behind this project how can it succeed?

Sorry to be mean, but you have backed yourself into a corner and are spouting bollocks! Tell us why you don't want the extra features or shut up!

 

[telegramguy]

I'm a bit confused by this, are you saying you know how many I would consider a success to be?

And i'd say that the console you would like the pandora to be already exists, it's the PSP, we are not making a PSP clone. That you would expect something like that from us makes me quite sad, there are dozens of chinese PSP clones, see the JXD et al.

-Craig.

I don't think you're setting your sights high enough. I know the maximum number you can make right now. I don't want to undermine your project with real production info so PM or email me if you want to discuss further.

I'm anxious to get my hands on a working unit. Especially after Squidge's gotten some demo code running off of it. I wouldn't compare what you're trying to do to any of those random chinese clones at all. But you make me cringe when you want to market it like a UMPC.

Don't make the same mistakes you've written about your frustrations you've had with GPH. When I read about your observations with the various players at GPH and how they made the gp2x as if it was another project to get out the door... ignoring the market for it, I thought you've nailed it!

You've got a serious trail of fanboys here in these forums. I don't know if pep rallies are places to get encouragement from. For all I know, you've set your sights on Europe only and you'll certainly sell enough units there with your omni-device approach.

There's a huge market for Pandora here in the US. It's just the omni-device sales approach doesn't work well here. Targeting the retro-gaming crowd here and focusing on alternative gaming will.

BTW, while I'm writing here... random comment. You should crank up the price. I'd like to see you make a heftier profit and make more of these things. I was wrong about your original price.

 

[telegramguy]

Bloody hell, you are arrogant. And why should I guess how many units he will sell? Why? Or am I just going to get a hint, and have to work it out for myself! Poor me.

And poor Craig, without your incredible brain behind this project how can it succeed?

Sorry to be mean, but you have backed yourself into a corner and are spouting bollocks! Tell us why you don't want the extra features or shut up!

You know, this isn't a bash the Pandora thread. Anyone reading this thread (let alone posting in it) want Pandora to succeed. We're either lonely people that have no lives to live or are huge fans.

I simply have a different perspective on how I think Craig should market the device. I have no problems with the features; I only have an issue with how I believe Pandora is / will be marketed.

I have a very small amount of insight into the production of Pandora and I believe I know the spending habits of this niche group of Americans that are going to find interest in it.

 

[magicman5421]

What are the plans for importing to America?
Will I have to pay an arm and a leg and my firstborn to get it shipped from Europe?

 

[Yrx]

But you make me cringe when you want to market it like a UMPC.

There were several instances of this post making me laugh, but this was the first and the greatest. Why?

There has been no marketing WHATSOEVER as of this moment.

 

[coldfish]

The "Pandora" is a niche item = it has a limited audience.
If the product dev's can make profit from this limited audience, so be it. If not, so be it too.

@OP: Don't worry about other peoples problems so much, you'll be a lot happier that way (and get less flack).

 

[Magnulus]

I say keep all the functionality in, and when a second generation is in the works, evaluate what people actually use and how people feel about the controls that are already there. Feedback forms should be distributed to all buyers a week or three after they have received the unit to gauge people's feelings towards the product. These forums are just a very small percentage of the people who actually buy the machines.

 

[craigix]

I'm a bit confused by this, are you saying you know how many I would consider a success to be?

And i'd say that the console you would like the pandora to be already exists, it's the PSP, we are not making a PSP clone. That you would expect something like that from us makes me quite sad, there are dozens of chinese PSP clones, see the JXD et al.

-Craig.

I don't think you're setting your sights high enough. I know the maximum number you can make right now. I don't want to undermine your project with real production info so PM or email me if you want to discuss further.



No you don't. However if you think you do have this information post it here in public. I'm interested to see it.

 

[cappuchok]

Feedback forms should be distributed to all buyers a week or three after they have received the unit to gauge people's feelings towards the product.

Good idea, but sending the feedback forms separately might be costly and difficult to coordinate, especially considering many (most?) buyers will not be UK-based and not everyone will buy from Craigix' store but from a distributor closer to their area. I'd prefer a feedback form bundled with each unit explaining to the user that (s)he should use the device for a few weeks then fill out the form and mail it to the given address.

 

[telegramguy]

I don't think you're setting your sights high enough. I know the maximum number you can make right now. I don't want to undermine your project with real production info so PM or email me if you want to discuss further.

No you don't. However if you think you do have this information post it here in public. I'm interested to see it.


5000 units for the first batch release. Possibly another 20k+ units if everything works out by the end of 2008. I don't know what you'll do in 2009.

 

[Peter R]

Craig has already posted such information elsewhere.

 

[Chip]

Feedback forms should be distributed to all buyers a week or three after they have received the unit to gauge people's feelings towards the product.

Good idea, but sending the feedback forms separately might be costly and difficult to coordinate, especially considering many (most?) buyers will not be UK-based and not everyone will buy from Craigix' store but from a distributor closer to their area. I'd prefer a feedback form bundled with each unit explaining to the user that (s)he should use the device for a few weeks then fill out the form and mail it to the given address.


Feedback forms? In the mail? That's just plain silly. The Pandora team is designing the device around suggestions and feedback on this board. I'm sure any complaints, suggestions, praise and damnation that any and all users have will end up here. Even if a unit does find its way into the hands of an "outsider", I'm sure the a reference to gp32x.de will end up in the manual and they'll find us. We've already got a more direct channel to the manufactures than probably any other group of consumers, and the device isn't even out yet.


On a side note, is there a proper name for the "Pandora team"? Is OpenPandora your company name, or just what you're using for the website? Just looking for an easier way of referring you the company / development team / guys involved in the project.

 

[craigix]

I don't think you're setting your sights high enough. I know the maximum number you can make right now. I don't want to undermine your project with real production info so PM or email me if you want to discuss further.

No you don't. However if you think you do have this information post it here in public. I'm interested to see it.


5000 units for the first batch release. Possibly another 20k+ units if everything works out by the end of 2008. I don't know what you'll do in 2009.


Wrong. On this very forum I have already posted the details of this and it's 100 then 3000 in the first batch. Just look back though my posts and you can read the launch plan in quite a bit of detail, I even posted how we plan to avoid 1st edition GP2X style problems.

 

[icurafu]

Who gets to be in the first 100? Will it be for members of this forum who post everyday like crazy stalkers? Sorry, didn't read the post about the launch plan.