No prototypes for GamesCom, but a Wifi Chip and a Pyra in the dark!

[rygD]

Doing more layouts is quite cheap compared to the prohibitly expencive extra cost of making another mold. I care enough alone to make that happen, but cant afford the latter.

How much would we need for a second layout?  I thought it was pretty pricey.

The best all-around option is singlewide space mold, since that adds benefits to all layouts, and for colours to be user selectable.

It isn't ideal, but if there is enough demand and money in the future maybe another keymat mold can be made.  We would still have that missing seperator on the case, but we would gain a key.

Beyond getting some amount of "demographic selects colours they pay for", which aligns adding value with user preference directly, many projects have had success selling an option where one or few users pay alot, enabling more selection for many.


TOHKBD had someone fork up 2500€ for "Upgrade everyone to get custom colouring and upgrade everyone that had that already to signature!"


Love the option, love that person.

While not exactly what you described, we already had some shadowy figure leave a briefcase full of money with ED.  Maybe now everyone gets 4G for their country without paying extra!

 

[fluktuid]

I'm not very into ChipTechnic, but can't ED make a changeable Chip like the cpu pcb?

Then everyone can choose the whished combination freely I think.

If this doesnt work I am for 2 Models

-2,4ghz (the cheap model)

-2,4+5ghz + 3g/4g (the 'big' model)

 

[levi]

For such a cheap component, it's very hard to justify the cost of a socket/connectors to allow it to be swapped out.

 

[Pinkerton]

Colour should be beige like an Amiga 500... heck just make it look like a portable Amiga 500.. .seriously it will rock

 

[Urben]

I wonder if I'm the only one who considers it incredibly rude to out someone's real name in a forum where they do not normally use it?

-Neelix

 It seems many agree, but it isn't suprising, as Saber seems to have been on a bit of a rampage of sorts lately.

And people ask me why I dont want to tell my real name when I actually dont need to.

And the name is not even closely the most intimate details one has.

 

[Stellanatus]

The keyboard worried me for a second when I saw the Euro currency but not the Dollar sign. I saw it though. Its weird to me how the Euro sticks out and the Dollar is just sort of out of the way almost hidden. Oh well you guys are mostly Europeans anyway. 

So question? Is the custom OS for the Pyra finished?

 

[TrashyMG]

The keyboard worried me for a second when I saw the Euro currency but not the Dollar sign. I saw it though. Its weird to me how the Euro sticks out and the Dollar is just sort of out of the way almost hidden. Oh well you guys are mostly Europeans anyway.

The dollar sign is were it is on every keyboard... no reason to change that.

So question? Is the custom OS for the Pyra finished?

The OS is pretty much just debian 8, however there are some Pyra specific packages in a pyra repository. Some of the customizations are in a first run wizard, specific scripts and so on. It's still a lot less custom than the OS on the Pandora.

 

[slimeycat]

Anyone tell me where the keyboard debate is ?   And also my real name is Slimey Cat.

I would be happy to have a 5ghz chip.  Again because I live in a high density area and also use bluetooth and wifi at the same time ..  be happy to pony up the extra $30 for it.

Will bluetooth actually work this time?

-SC

 

[TrashyMG]

Will bluetooth actually work this time?

It works on all of my Pandora... Only issues I've had was dealing sound configurations with Alsa... this should be less of an issue with Debian 8.

 

[levi]

Colour should be beige like an Amiga 500... heck just make it look like a portable Amiga 500.. .seriously it will rock

That was the original design criterion behind the Pandora IIRC (or at least, the original reason for it having a keyboard). They only then went and made it the wrong colour though

 

[danielo515]

I have to say that using ten keys for "language dependent" characters is a bit selfish. You are all discussing about how to put the F11 and F12 keys (which are useful keys) to save dedicated keys and then you sue 10 keys for some characters that are only useful for writing emails in German or Norwegian ? I think you should better place symbols like _= | [ ] { } in a comfortable place, this is a device for tech people at the end. I am missing the ñ, but I will not ask for it just because I want it for my own language.

Other thing, if the pyra logo does so many things, how is supposed to be used? you should be able to: open the "start" menu, put the console to sleep, shut down the console,open a menu to kill a program... too many things!

 

[Timstertoo]

Really like the backlit keyboard picture! Money is starting to burn in my pocket 

Is that a Pyra joke?

Ha! Should've been. Missed opportunity. Good spot 

 

[fahrstuhl]

Well short of annoying ED with pm's, I've done all I can for the singlewide space cause.


I voted, I argued. I pointed out some of the benefita as I saw them.

I still definitely plan to cut my space key in half and move the resistor to gain that additional key. I hope my soldering skills are up to the task >.< Maybe ED could offer this as a payed service?

 

[rygD]

Well short of annoying ED with pm's, I've done all I can for the singlewide space cause.


I voted, I argued. I pointed out some of the benefita as I saw them.

I still definitely plan to cut my space key in half and move the resistor to gain that additional key. I hope my soldering skills are up to the task >.< Maybe ED could offer this as a payed service?

I have been thinking about how this can be accomplished without looking trashy.  Everything I come up with to split it requires 2 keymats.  With previous keymat design I would have been able to pop out a key cap and sand off or paint over the markings and glue it back in.  I suppose I can still do something like that, or maybe I can use just use the escape or user key (or both...I can't remember if they are together, but if they are it would prevent me from having a cut between the keys where it is unprotected due to lack of case plastic, and with light pouring out) from the other keymat and smile when I see it.  I probably won't bother with this.

I think cutting the spacebar might not produce very nice results.  Maybe if it was very clean and the cap was replaced with 2 caps from the other size keys.  Once you have done it I would appreciate you sharing your results and how you feel about the mod.

 

[TrashyMG]

I have been thinking about how this can be accomplished without looking trashy.

Nothing wrong looking Trashy...

 

[rygD]

I have been thinking about how this can be accomplished without looking trashy.

Nothing wrong looking Trashy...

I very strongly considered giving you a shout out after I typed that.

 Or something.  

forget it...

 

[jp10558]

Personally, I'd save the money and not do 5Ghz. I think the Pyra will be expensive enough, and if someone really needs 5Ghz, they can use a USB adapter right? 

 

[HtheB]

*sees design*

damn it....

Does anyone here has some tissues for me!? :lol:

 

[Natsu]

So do we need a 5Ghz poll or are we just going to put it in both Pyra versions?

 

[GinGordon]

5GHz is very useful in congested areas, even more so in the near-future

If you live in a city centre, close to a busy road and terrasses, the extra 5GHz channels are very welcome!

Here are some world-wide statistics, based on actual measurements:

Source: https://wigle.net/

I have been monitoring 2.4GHz WiFi congestion in my neighbourhood over the last 8 years and it gets worse by the year. Some neighbours are so stupid that instead of investing in a better, directional antenna, they simply install another gateway, making matters even worse. Result: Even on a quiet Sunday numbers go off the scale now:

For those wondering, here is an interesting read why not sticking to channels 1-6-11 may be to your advantage.