Next pandora (competition model)

[Prometheus]

You aren't aware of some of the DS' system-sellers, then?

That be the problem, then. I never buy those games. Any time I want to buy a new system, it's not because of some stupid features, it's because of some awesome game. Like Super Mario 3D Land, which makes me interested in the 3DS for the first time.

Yeah. For millions upon millions of people, those awesome games, such as the ones I mentioned, are system-sellers - that's precisely what I meant.

 

[Wally]

Ideas for Pandora 2.


Bigger NAND so we can ACTUALLY put a compiler on there


Some highres OLED display


Upgrade from Plastic to Aluminium Casing / more solid hinges. (To prevent case cracks and weird plastic squeaks when opening)


Slimmer design so it easily fits into ones pocket without crushing a mobile Phone


Upgrade Processor / Graphics chip but keep close the same as to prevent compatibility issues. (maybe the graphics chip can be moved to a company that will allow us to tap straight into the hardware without them thinking we can ruin their company secrets)


Backlit keyboard


Update Bluetooth to 4.0 / Wifi to 802.11n


i'm sure I could think of more but mostly i'm only dreaming

 

[Prometheus]

Upgrade Processor / Graphics chip but keep close the same as to prevent compatibility issues. (maybe the graphics chip can be moved to a company that will allow us to tap straight into the hardware without them thinking we can ruin their company secrets)

Whilst it would be nice if it was, I don't believe that this is actually possible. What's in use here is a System-on-a-Chip - there isn't a separate graphics component to get elsewhere, it's basically part of the same package as the CPU, sound, and other guts.

 

[neko]

Update Bluetooth to 4.0 / Wifi to 802.11n

This is actually somewhat difficult due to power consumption issues.


Using the same bandwidth, 802.11n allows a slight increase in the data rate under ideal conditions, from 54Mbps to 72Mbps.  Under real-world conditions the speed will be slower.


Most of the speed increase seen in 802.11n networks comes from doubling the bandwidth from 20MHz to 40MHz.  However, this means you need twice as much power to transmit the same distance.  Since 802.11g is already rather power hungry, this might not be feasible.


A GPS receiver might be feasible, if it doesn't use too much power.

 

[gotwake424]

Things I would like to see:


A powerfull well supported wifi card


Updated SOC


Ability to have the screen flip onto itself to pda like use or drawing


A battery back dont make a battery compartment that takes up space. Make the back of the device the battery im sure you could fit 5200mah at least


Resistive screen with high sensitivity


redesigned KEYBOARD key, not the gaming controls those are near perfect


Backlit keyboard


Front camera/back camera the later less important


Keep audiophile music quality


Keep dual memory slots


Keep built in speakers


USB port need 1.1 and 2.0 and 3.0 if its the same type of connector?


Displayport


Microusb its a mobile standard for charging now

 

[Zelest]

A screen and keyboard which can be heated so you can use it as a sandwich toaster on-the-go. Just put a sandwich into the Pandora 2.0, close it and ride the subway to work, presto! You got a delightful breakfast on the run!

 

[Binky]

I think that might reduce the battery life somewhat!

 

[Tensuke]

Any Pandora2 will be taking a radical approach to things as big as the original Pandora design was.

Finally my avatar has relevance.

 

[SNESFAN]

pandora transformer


1 part touchscreen pda/mobile device


1 part keyboard gaming controller


wonder if asus has that design patented

 

[Prometheus]

Hopefully.

 

[SNESFAN]

Hopefully.

you don't like your transformer? I honestly love mine more than my pc

 

[Prometheus]

The concept is great, but I no longer have it due to the OS being useless for my requirements, and no longer wanting to wait for a proper one to be developed for it - I guess I've learned to check that an OS has basic utilities first. :lol: Anyway, it wasn't getting used as much as I'd hoped, in the end, and the battery life wasn't even remotely close to my Pandora in how long it lasts or in how long it could hold a charge. It has since been rehomed with someone for whom it is well-suited, though, so that's good (although they keep running into the same interface problems that I found).


I say "Hopefully. " jokingly, I must say, though. The reason is not because the concept is bad, but because I cannot imagine that form factor working in handheld form.


For starters, it would make the device thicker and heavier (if there wasn't some equal weight in the keyboard half, it would be top-heavy and fall over), and some folks already complain that the Pandora is too thick as it is (I don't think that it is too thick, myself, but just pointing it out). Also you would get less battery life when splitting the two halves. Thirdly, and quite importantly, it would likely attract a lot more of the "You should just buy a mobile telephone plus such-and-such an add-on and this other add-on and this one too!" jibes, as I would imagine that the touch-screen would stay as a useful, accurate resistive one instead of a "Wow-ee!" capacitive one that isn't useful for nearly as many things.


That said, if they can make it work and not sacrifice the superior screen type, I'd love to see it, but Craig did say that it would be radical...

 

[T.T.]

Nothing, but is answers.


"And probably a beast to try to get into the build."


Where else could the speakers go?

I remember hearing about a acoustically transparent screen where the speakers were behind the screen, but I might not be remembering correctly

 

[SNESFAN]

The concept is great, but I no longer have it due to the OS being useless for my requirements, and no longer wanting to wait for a proper one to be developed for it - I guess I've learned to check that an OS has basic utilities first. :lol: Anyway, it wasn't getting used as much as I'd hoped, in the end, and the battery life wasn't even remotely close to my Pandora in how long it lasts or in how long it could hold a charge. It has since been rehomed with someone for whom it is well-suited, though, so that's good (although they keep running into the same interface problems that I found).


I say "Hopefully. " jokingly, I must say, though. The reason is not because the concept is bad, but because I cannot imagine that form factor working in handheld form.


For starters, it would make the device thicker and heavier (if there wasn't some equal weight in the keyboard half, it would be top-heavy and fall over), and some folks already complain that the Pandora is too thick as it is (I don't think that it is too thick, myself, but just pointing it out). Also you would get less battery life when splitting the two halves. Thirdly, and quite importantly, it would likely attract a lot more of the "You should just buy a mobile telephone plus such-and-such an add-on and this other add-on and this one too!" jibes, as I would imagine that the touch-screen would stay as a useful, accurate resistive one instead of a "Wow-ee!" capacitive one that isn't useful for nearly as many things.


That said, if they can make it work and not sacrifice the superior screen type, I'd love to see it, but Craig did say that it would be radical...

I did at first say it as a joke, but really it wouldn't be the worst idea ever to make it a dock-able pda. I hear a lot of requests for ways of making it a tablet, flipping (backflip lol), swivel etc... the dock almost seems to be the most practical way to do that if it's not patented imo.


If they made the pandora as thin as they could physically get it with the resources they have... then adding another pcb in there (1 for the controller/keyboard and 1or2 for mainboard/screen) would add some extra thickness... so yea probably a bad idea. But if they could shrink things down a bit I don't see it being too much of a stretch of the imagination to find something that works in that form factor. Cell phones are a HELL of a lot thinner and it's basically the same guts. I understand the scale of operation difference but.... if it's possible... know what I'm saying?


If they put that 4000mah battery in the keyboard half I think it would have plenty of weight to not make it lopsided. If you put a smaller.... say 1000-200mah battery in the "pda" portion I bet the weight would be evenly or better distributed. I'm sure there's other stuff you can do other than just adding a sandbag into the dock portion.... and the resistive touchscreen and the stylus (I truely hate resisitive) could fit in the top half too


also going a step further doing what asus SAID they were doing to do and make their keyboard dock "compatible" with further models. (read technically compatible but completely different finish, look, and material...not to mention changing and just plain leaving out some functionality) If one were to upgrade to a newer pandora in the future you could buy less hardware... cutting down on the price to make and buy right? I liked the idea of asus saying you could use the old stuff in the newer model, but the reality was pretty far from the whole truth.


it's too bad you didn't give the transformer more of a chance though... with the latest software updates and given you don't have a dicked up keyboard dock revision I really do see ~ 12 hours of actual use... they say 16 but I think that's a little too optimistic, I'd give it a solid 12 hours with wifi, full brightness, heavy usage whatever, 12 is where I'd put my money. I let it sit in my bag on and just not used for 3-4 days and it still had juice when I went to go use it, I find that to be just awesome.... although not as good as the ipad's like month in stand-by... that thing has a nuclear reactor in it or something.... (anyone else have an ipad? that shit is insane) In some areas I found the transformer's battery life to be equal to if not superior to the pandora, specifically in the stand-by area. anyway o/t

 

[Prometheus]

I gave it plenty of chances. The software was just ill-suited to my needs (and was constantly making a horrible impression with its unintuitive interface design, unfortunately) and three or less days of holding a charge isn't good enough for me. I need something meant for creation, not consumption, and which doesn't need constant babysitting with its battery - and more fool me for thinking that something marketed as something of a computer might offer that. :lol:


Anyway, my apologies for the off-topicness, also!


In an attempt to get back on track: I do like the idea of the halves being separatable if it's not patented. Your description above sounds workable to me. I guess using standard USB instead of some sort of proprietary connector would help, there.

 

[SNESFAN]

I gave it plenty of chances. The software was just ill-suited to my needs (and was constantly making a horrible impression with its unintuitive interface design, unfortunately) and three or less days of holding a charge isn't good enough for me. I need something meant for creation, not consumption, and which doesn't need constant babysitting with its battery - and more fool me for thinking that something marketed as something of a computer might offer that. :lol:


Anyway, my apologies for the off-topicness, also!


In an attempt to get back on track: I do like the idea of the halves being separatable if it's not patented. Your description above sounds workable to me. I guess using standard USB instead of some sort of proprietary connector would help, there.

I was getting 24 hours stand-by on the pandora... and I think this is still a problem... skeezix said it needs a kernel upgrade to have true instant-on stand-by. I understand when you power off the pandora you get like a month... I have never tested it on the transformer but I'm sure it's the same/similar.


yea no doubt on the a non-proprietary connector, micro/mini usb would be nice (the fact I can't charge my transformer on my computer.... or anything else for that matter FFFFUUUUUUUUUU)

 

[Mr Rob]

Well, there's always this: http://www.alwaysinnovating.com/home/index.htm Similar to the Transformer (Transformer came later), but I don't know if they're in production yet. If ever, for that matter.


If we went with the detachable screen, would we add any game controls to that (the XO from the One Laptop per Child actually had that, you could rotate the screen around and fold it back, with buttons solely for use in tablet mode)? Or essentially dock an ICP on it (would be wacky, but functional).

 

[Prometheus]

I was getting 24 hours stand-by on the pandora... and I think this is still a problem... skeezix said it needs a kernel upgrade to have true instant-on stand-by. I understand when you power off the pandora you get like a month... I have never tested it on the transformer but I'm sure it's the same/similar.

It's not - that's the problem! I never used standby on the Transformer because it wasn't good enough, and powering it off completely had almost the same drain as leaving it on! (I don't use standby, and I need devices to hold a charge properly for multiple weeks when they're off, as there are periods when I'm unable to use them. Like I said, it just didn't suit me in the end.)

yea no doubt on the a non-proprietary connector, micro/mini usb would be nice (the fact I can't charge my transformer on my computer.... or anything else for that matter FFFFUUUUUUUUUU)

Yeah, why can't the Transformer charge from a USB port, anyway?


But, yes! Micro USB is an absolute must for the Pandora's successor. It's pretty much the standard for mobile telephones here (I think it's some EU regulation or other, now, but I may be mistaken), so suitable chargers and cables are readily available and very plentiful. That's one of the reasons that the Raspberry Pi device uses this, too (that and because Micro USB is apparently rated for more connections/disconnections than Mini is), and I think it's a good lead to follow.

 

[SNESFAN]

Well, there's always this: http://www.alwaysinn.../home/index.htm Similar to the Transformer (Transformer came later), but I don't know if they're in production yet. If ever, for that matter.


If we went with the detachable screen, would we add any game controls to that (the XO from the One Laptop per Child actually had that, you could rotate the screen around and fold it back, with buttons solely for use in tablet mode)? Or essentially dock an ICP on it (would be wacky, but functional).

totally forgot about that thing .... they got a v2 ... 6,000mah main + 12,000mah dock and they are quoteing 10 hours.... 18,000mah... holy cow that thing must weigh a ton


https://www.alwaysin...s/touchbook.htm


whoa... 3 lbs https://www.alwaysin...15&cat=1&page=1


I completely forgot I was waiting for the v1 to come out not too long ago


EDIT: and bullshit proprietary power adapter


https://www.alwaysin...=5&cat=2&page=1


@prometheus- the non-standard power adapter (although deceivingly usb compatible) doesn't work off usb ports because it needs like 6-7v or something silly, if you plug in a normal device into the part that plugs into the wall with the usb shaped hole you will blow out your device.. so be careful... ( I love my wife very much )


the backflip idea (motorola backflip) made me actually lol when I first saw it, and television commercial trying to make it not seem like a horrible mess of an idea. I don't know it might just be me... and probably is... but it just looks silly and the idea of all the accidental keypresses and having to decide which side of my expensive device is going to be facing the ground when it set it down.

 

[DaMummy]

i love the backflip or side swivel idea, and wish one of those could be implemented into future pandoras, but i understand the patent problems behind that