My Pandora 2 and ICP2 Keyboard Layout, GCW One/Dual(February 18th 2013)

[mattman]

anyone tried designing a Tablet Pandora ??


or a Tablet Pandora that folds over to make a clam shell.


theres alot of talk and development on the "bendy" phones. could this be an idea. ??

 

[Binky]

or a Tablet Pandora that folds over to make a clam shell.

explain...

 

[mattman]

not sure how to explain it.. but ill give it a bash ( its pretty cool in my head)


you have your pandora clam shell


when you open it up the cla shell the entire face of the inside clam is a touch screen top and bottom but the "gap" between the top and bottom is bearly noticable so it you were to use a stylus there wouldnt be interuption because of a gap between top and bottom screen ( although if possible would prefer 1 screen to cover both te top and bottom.


top screen handles all the visuals


bottom screen has the "keyboard",nubs, and all other ""buttons"" needed and acts as the interface.


basically its one touch screen that can fold over into a clam shell.


although you can minimise the keyboard to watch video content or play games in a "full Screen mode"


i would imagine its possible using the "bendy" technology that some mobile phone companies are noe starting to push.


hope this has sparked up new imaginings of what the P2 could potentially be.

 

[Binky]

Sorry, this community likes its physical controls and is probably about to explode in a fit of TOUCHCONTROLSAREEVIL.


I suggested overlaying physical controls a while back, but I think the consensus was 'too difficult - too big - wouldn't use'

 

[mattman]

ahh yeah the physical buttons and controls are obviously better.


but ideas are good to have too

 

[asimov-solensan]

Well, an option would be let the physical gaming controls as they are and replace the keyboard area with a touchscreen. That way we would have a trackpad, a backlighted keyboard, and a second screen for whatever developers (not thinking only in nds) make.


Since I don't use the keyboard that much I would be very glad with a setup like this.

 

[mattman]

Also the addition of a Game pad/keyboard module from another post


http://boards.openpandora.org/index.php?/topic/7231-my-pandora-2-concept/


if you could indulge my imagination for a moment.


imagine the clam shell with the single touch screen that can be used 1/2 and 1/2 as a touch keyboard and top screen.


but when you add the keyboard module it removes the image of the keyboard all together from the touch screen making it one large touch screen.


im not good at drawing but maybe someone could give it a bash for a laugh.


side note :: the keyboard module would have all the trimmings the the present P1 has including game pads and nubs etc.

 

[Neelix]

Virtual keyboards on touch screens are highly over-rated IMNSHO. If I'm typing I much prefer to be able to feel the keys under my fingers. Not only do I want to be able to feel that a button has been pressed, but I also want to be able to sense the shape and position of the keys by touch, and this is something that simply can't be done on a touch screen.


- Neelix

 

[Saber]

Updated the first post.

 

[asimov-solensan]

@Neelix


I agree with you. My point is: how much time do people spend writting in the pandora?


If the general answer is "a lot" I would go for the physical keyboard.


If most people use the keyboard only eventually is not stupid to think into replacing the keyboard with something more "versatile".


I don't think that an option is better than the other one.

 

[slaeshjag]

Physical keyboard is a must. A on-screen keyboard counts as no keyboard, and what's the point of a pocketable computer if you can't even use the terminal without plugging something in?

 

[Saber]

Revised the first post.

 

[DaMummy]

i dont care for the new place for enter/backspace/space button, Fn can stay there though, and i see no reason to have shift/control buttons other than on L/R, but im sure people will disagree here. i would also likely either keep power button where it is, or move it to the side, like say where NDS lite is. and im not sure if my index finger wouldnt meet your hdmi port. perhaps use microhdmi?

 

[Saber]

i dont care for the new place for enter/backspace/space button, Fn can stay there though, and i see no reason to have shift/control buttons other than on L/R, but im sure people will disagree here. i would also likely either keep power button where it is, or move it to the side, like say where NDS lite is. and im not sure if my index finger wouldnt meet your hdmi port. perhaps use microhdmi?

On the original Pandora, what keys or controls do you, or anyone else, have difficulty reaching or using for combos?


Added Micro HDMI to the P2 concepts. Thanks.

 

[coreyjohnson711]

I would say the P2 Clamshell design (as of 3/14) is pretty close to what I would ideally want. My biggest issue with the design so far is the keyboard. I would much rather have a keyboard like the droid 4 (in terms of layout, I like keys that stick out like the P1) or the Motorola VX9800 (for whatever reason that keyboard really worked well for me). Since the screen is bigger than the P1 I would assume that means the space for the keyboard is also bigger and I would much rather use that space to create a keyboard that is comfortable to thumb type. Maybe add a dedicated equals and dash key. A more radical idea would use the whole horizontal space of the case for the keyboard so that you would be moving the speakers. Put the number row down with the rest of the keyboard, put the speakers up where that used to be, maybe a little more towards center (above the nubs and towards the d/pad abxy buttons?) and move start/select below the nubs.


Speaking of the nubs, I think it is huge that the nubs get an upgrade (see other thread) so that they are more "stable" I believe is the right word. See other thread for more info about what I mean...


I do like the two set of shoulder buttons (L1/2 + R1/2) instead of just L1 and R1. I also love the Broadcom BCM4330, FM receiver ans transmitter function is beyond cool. Does it support HD radio? (just curious)


Do you have a resolution in mind for the 5" screen? 1280 * 720?


I also would change the case to be a little more comfortable in the hands, mine would usually cramp up pretty quickly which was frustrating. Maybe the bigger size would solve that.


I think if Android is on here you should add an accelerometer for games. And get Onlive running with all the hardware buttons with minimal lag. That would be huge, the ability to stream games from home PC to pandora would also be wonderful (again with minimal lag).


Is DLNA a hardware or software function, or both?


If there was such a thing as a premium/deluxe/fancy feast pandora 2 ($700 or more) it could be amusing to also see (in no particular order):


~ GPS and Compass


~ 4G SIM slot w/ usability in android / data in linux


~ DVB/ATSC receiver that would work worldwide, probably a bit tricky to find/create such a thing


~ Built in projector (why not get greedy here?)


~ Swivel tablet mode for touch screen games/e-reading/other stuff, may want a capacitive screen with that though


It's too bad that it's not a simple thing to add options and make the pandora more configurable (like when you order a notebook) to add things like webcam, gps, sim, etc.


Just thoughts by the way!

 

[albo]

Re-post from the Better nubs topic:


Maybe the center of each nub could actually be a small spheric button you can press, it could work as *click* while in desktop mode and as pressing the analog sticks on the PS1 (and maybe even PS2?) emulators

 

[Binky]

~ DVB/ATSC receiver that would work worldwide, probably a bit tricky to find/create such a thing

I think a DVB chip could be around $40 - how many people would buy a Pandora if they could watch HD TV on it?

 

[coreyjohnson711]

~ DVB/ATSC receiver that would work worldwide, probably a bit tricky to find/create such a thing

I think a DVB chip could be around $40 - how many people would buy a Pandora if they could watch HD TV on it?

If it worked in the US of A, I for sure would, that would be great.

 

[Binky]

~ DVB/ATSC receiver that would work worldwide, probably a bit tricky to find/create such a thing

I think a DVB chip could be around $40 - how many people would buy a Pandora if they could watch HD TV on it?

If it worked in the US of A, I for sure would, that would be great.

How much space would 8VSB+DVB+DAB(+)+FM chips etc take up?


Do stop me if I start ranting over why a P2 should have broadcast media reception here - There's a whole separate thread for that.

 

[coreyjohnson711]

~ DVB/ATSC receiver that would work worldwide, probably a bit tricky to find/create such a thing

I think a DVB chip could be around $40 - how many people would buy a Pandora if they could watch HD TV on it?

If it worked in the US of A, I for sure would, that would be great.

How much space would 8VSB+DVB+DAB(+)+FM chips etc take up?


Do stop me if I start ranting over why a P2 should have broadcast media reception here - There's a whole separate thread for that.

Well the FM chip is part of the Brodacom chip listed in the OP, so that would save some space. Would be fun if there were different versions of the pandora.