Next pandora (competition model)

[Mr_Loon]

1) Improved hinge design allowing multiple locking positions (available off the shelf)

You'll note how those all say "DS Lite" on them. Nintendo isn't in the habit of licensing their property for use in machines that don't belong to them.

I get where you are coming from but I can't see the problem for Open Pandora GmbH if said hinge was bought from a 3rd party supplier. If whoever made the Pandora screen what found to be in breach of Patent / Copyright then would it suddenly become a legal problem to sell Pandoras using that screen? Don't get me wrong, I'm no lawyer, I don't know the answer to that question.


@ Emnasut : Pretty much like that but with LEDs rather than hugely expensive OLED. I must admit I was tremendously excited when I heard about those OLED keyboards a year or so ago, until I saw the price.

 

[Prometheus]

1) Improved hinge design allowing multiple locking positions (available off the shelf)

You'll note how those all say "DS Lite" on them. Nintendo isn't in the habit of licensing their property for use in machines that don't belong to them.

I get where you are coming from but I can't see the problem for Open Pandora GmbH if said hinge was bought from a 3rd party supplier. If whoever made the Pandora screen what found to be in breach of Patent / Copyright then would it suddenly become a legal problem to sell Pandoras using that screen? Don't get me wrong, I'm no lawyer, I don't know the answer to that question.

Don't the Pandora team already buy their hinges from the company that manufactures Nintendo's, though? They already told them that they cannot sell them to them, because they are Nintendo's design, that Nintendo commissioned, owned by Nintendo (there's some myth that they have a patent on such hinges, but as far as I've been able to tell, that's completely untrue - the top Google results for looking for such a patent are threads claiming there is one on GP32X, but no evidence of one actually existing ).


I strongly doubt that buying them from a third-party supplier would work out - it's sure to cause problems, due to the aforementioned fact about who owns the design of the particular part in question.


As has been stated before, the only way around it would be for OpenPandora GmbH to commission their own design that they would own, just as Nintendo did. And I seem to recall that that info came directly from the manufacturer of the hinges (DaveC mentioned it some years back on the other forum, if I'm remembering rightly).

 

[Binky]

3) A more ergonomic case design, specifically with greater rounding on the corners below the FN and comma keys, thus allowing for more comfortable extended sessions with Pandora.

Wait, doesn't Apple have a patent on that?

And finally, drum roll please, my 'big' idea :


The ABXY buttons should have nothing printed upon them but instead should have a grid of tiny LEDs embedded into each button, software could then tell the buttons what to display, for example when emulating the PS2 (we can but dream) the buttons could display the Square, Triangle, Cross & Circle of a Sony controller etc. It is appreciated that this would be no easy feat to pull off but then the Pandora project was never about putting ease ahead of excellence and innovation.


This is an idea I've had kicking about for 20 years or so in relation to how to improve the PC keyboard, it would be great to see this implemented on the Pandora.

Should someone start a Somewhat dubious ideas for the P2 thread where ideas that everyone shoos away can be allowed to mature in peace and tranquility? (seriously) Actually, all the ideas are being put forward here.


I agree one aim for the P2 should be making it significantly better, not just newer. Include (some of) the awesome that misses the mainstream. Include the hardware for great applications. Fill out a niche or two.

 

[Mr_Loon]

@ Binky : What is 'somewhat dubious' in the possibly myopic eyes of some, may well, after a little nuanced thought, be pure genius in the eyes of others, such is the nature of innovation. My call is to keep this thread open for brainstorming and interesting ideas (like your idea for the expandora) that may help Pandora 2 stand out from the crowd.


Here is why I don't think the idea of LEDs in the ABXY buttons is 'somewhat dubious' : A frequent use for the Pandora is to emulate a variety of classic consoles, all of these have different button layouts for the ABXY buttons, when a game told you to press A it would be a pleasant user experience to be able to press the button that had A displayed on it.


As for the hinge design if after consultation with those with legal know how it proves to be a little too risky to go with one of the multiple sellers of replacement hinges for the NDS then how about a hinge that could be locked into position by turning a thumb screw?

 

[Prometheus]

I like the LED idea, and don't think it's dubious, either. I do think it could be costly, though!


That thumb-screw idea's pretty neat, too... Anyone could set it to be exactly how they want it. I like. (Though I hope it would retain the same locking point that the current one has, too. :lol: )

 

[Caine]

I like the LED idea, and don't think it's dubious, either. I do think it could be costly, though!

What was the price again of the optimus maximus, something like $1800 or so? Naturally, they would not need to be oleds, nor are you dealing with a full-sized keyboard, but it would be quite a bit more expensive than the regular buttons.


It's a nice idea in concept, but just not worth the extra cost. I never look at the buttons anyway.


[edit]Missed the link on the previous page. $1800 is about right, in fact it costs a little bit more.[/edit]

 

[Binky]

It wouldn't be possible to put a lock release catch in somewhere would it?


i.e. squeeze a mechanical button/slider - move lid - release to lock at any position.


--


Also, are there any common tasks we can move off the screen? e.g.

• Hardware battery charge indicator
  
• Hardware wifi on/off switch.
  
• M-u-s-t H-a-v-e M-o-r-e B-u-t-t-o-n-s !
  

 

[fusion_power]

Variable, adjustable hinge lock, THAT would be something new. Quick, patent it before others do, Apple may reading here... h34r:


A more durable LCD cable is also a MUST for the next Pandora. No more flat ribbon but a more simple cable. I know there are connection technics where you only need a small cable to connect to the LCD, needs an extra decoder thingy on the LCD itself, could be expencive...don't know... ^^"

The problems with LCDs is: It's all about the size.


Bigger LCDs are cheap to get with higher resolutions. It's the small size that makes them this expensive.


The OLPC screen is 7,5", that's a lot bigger than our Pandora screen.

Of course the Pandora 2 would need a smaller screen, maybe 5" or less. of course this has to be built, afaik Pixel Qi don't have such sizes yet.

 

[diligentcircle]

The varying display idea is one I like, but wouldn't a passive matrix LCD be cheaper than LEDs?

 

[Prometheus]

^ Then someone could code a Tamagotchi-clone for the buttons.

 

[Binky]

Would it be possible to counterweight the lid, so its center of gravity was very near the hinge, as then the lid wouldn't fall backwards?


What about putting some LEDs in the logo on the lid, for use as a battery monitor when charging?


More complicated idea for the buttons:

• say you want the button to either show triangle or Y
  
• you make the key transparent
  
• paint opaque black over most of it
  
• with a translucent red Y
  
• and a translucent green triangle
  
• put a green led and a red led under it
  
• red LED on shows Y
  
• green LED shows triangle
  

 

[sukhi2011]

We don't need screen bigger than 5" because we need pandora 2 to be pocketable tha's whole concept in the first,it suppose to be mini laptop,which p1 is.


We need to have cheap of everything to be used in p2 so the cost stays on cheap in production and when it's fully made,we don't system to cost £500-800gbp,that will be to expensive,already p1 costing about £378.00 is already to expensive for most of us and can't afford it.


We need pandora 2 to be powerful and packed with features to be next evolution handheld system to date.

 

[akarolick]

What would double or triple production costs? Adding an external GPU is not even an option regardless of cost.


You can get an Amlogic Cortex-A9 SoC like what's in that Yinlips console, but you don't want that. Personally I think i.MX6 looks good for a number of reasons, but I have no idea when they'll finally be available.. I'm assuming you'll be able to buy them from distributors like all the other i.MX chips. It was announced nearly a year ago but I haven't heard anything about getting them since..


Using an i.MX6 would save space vs the current setup on things like voltage shifters and probably allow a smaller PMIC. You could also save space by scrapping one or potentially both of the nub controllers. Not to mention, using small potentiometers would probably leave more board space. I'm sure there's a lot of things you could do. Personally I would trade features for space though - I wouldn't mind it being slightly longer (in fact, I think it'd be more comfortable to hold).. what I would not want is for it to be thicker. I'd prefer it were thinner.

I may/may not have an i.MX6 dev board and if it turned out that I did then I would say that it is a friggin beast...


P.S. there might already be a solid android build floating around if we went with that...


P.P.S. hypothetically

 

[Binky]

We don't need screen bigger than 5" because we need pandora 2 to be pocketable tha's whole concept in the first,it suppose to be mini laptop,which p1 is.


We need to have cheap of everything to be used in p2 so the cost stays on cheap in production and when it's fully made,we don't system to cost £500-800gbp,that will be to expensive,already p1 costing about £378.00 is already to expensive for most of us and can't afford it.


We need pandora 2 to be powerful and packed with features to be next evolution handheld system to date.

I just made a printout for a paper Pandora, make one, there is just about room for a 5 1/2 " screen.


The difficulty is which features bring the most functionally, and the least extra cost...

 

[WizardStan]

What about putting some LEDs in the logo on the lid, for use as a battery monitor when charging?

There's already a GPIO pin run into the lid through the LCD cable. It's just one, but with the right software it could output a signal corresponding to battery life.


That seems like a pretty good use of it.


One of the things I like about the Pandora is that it has all these possibilities, things that could be done with it if I'd just get off my lazy ass.


I'm not sure I want OPT officially using these extra lines, it'd take away from the things that I could one day do. Just as soon as I beat these games I'm playing now.

 

[Binky]

how about fitting a 16 pin shift register in the P2's lid, and use 5 Red, 5 green, and 5 blue LEDs.


Then there's 15 colourful LEDs to play with, and a spare connection for hardware hacking! B)

 

[kmob]

After living with the Pandora for a while these would be my wish list items for the next version I totally appreciate that a lot of these would be expensive and so are aspirational! To summarise though I'd like the P2 to be faster and have massive connectivity.


More RAM and a faster CPU. As much and as fast as possible.


Improved GPU with full OpenGL drivers. Yes this would cost more, but it would make porting a whole lot easier and rapidly increase the software available.


Larger, higher resolution screen - I'm happy with the size of the device but if somehow we could get a higher resolution screen that took up the entire dimensions of the lid (obviously requiring moving the speakers).


Improved sound chips - if we could somehow maintain the awesome sound quality but be able to provide multichannel audio (ideally with HD decoding) that would be great, but I'd not want to risk losing the superb current sound quality! this would of course require another connector though (see below).


More default connectivity - I'd like a HD out port (micro HDMI or display port) ideally with audio out, I'd like a factory supplied (practically I realise it would have to be a costed peripheral) breakout board with serial, Ethernet, analogue/digital audio in/out, digital and analogue video in/out (could replace on board HD out port), full v1.1/v2.0/v3.0 USB host).


Faster/larger IO. Ideally keep the two card slots but have a faster controller that could provide the bandwidth and support for SDXC v4.0 (and higher?) cards.


Backlit keyboard with more keys on the keyboard and go back to the community regarding the layout.


L2/R2 trigger buttons


Better wireless chip with good drivers and a/b/g/n support. Ideally with an external aerial connector.


…and the moon on a stick!

 

[slaeshjag]

I really can't see how it would be possible to add more keys without reducing the size of them

 

[Binky]

• Good power management: charge with as small a boot as possible, extend sleep and media playing battery life.
  

A while back the iaudiofools* were all exited about the Cowon D3, an android smart-but-not-a-phone media player. The software performance was spectacularly %&*@ and they all went to sleep again.

Maybe we can catch some of them with battery life and SQ, and give the P2 a reputation as a great, next gen, media player?




*Those are Cowon iAudio fans, nothing to do with Apple inc.

 

[Exophase]

Improved GPU with full OpenGL drivers. Yes this would cost more, but it would make porting a whole lot easier and rapidly increase the software available.

Nobody provides full OpenGL drivers for SoC GPUs, and no one who is making a good GPU is providing documentation or open drivers. Until that changes or someone reverse engineers a good GPU and someone writes the drivers you won't see full OpenGL support on Pandora 2.