One Handheld To Rule Them All.....

[Zarneth]

I sorta hate these polls. But I'd really like to know exactly how people see the Pandora. Is it just a gaming handheld to you? or does it have so much more potential.

Sure gaming is what it'd be best at. But I really do see it as a UMPC. It can do anything. It can do EVERYTHING. And I've never before seen a device so small that can do so much. Everything else (phones, pda's, handheld consoles) is aimed at a narrow purpose with a lot of limitations, likely so the manufacturers can sell more devices, and sell new ones when they become outdated so soon, instead of just making.... one device to rule them all.

I'd really like to know how the Dev's making the Pandora see it too.

Edit: Typo in the poll. First option should read "It's gaming handheld pure and simple"

 

[gruso]

Short answer, UMPC. Long answer...

I got some gift vouchers at Christmas, and decided to get an Ipod Nano for watching movies on the train. Within a month I was fed up with Apple's encrypted firmware. So I was looking around for an alternative when I came across the GP2X, which I promptly bought (no explanation needed!). Scouring the web for new stuff to put on it, I found the Pandora.

I'd been eyeing off the XO laptop as a potential purchase, but I wasn't keen on carrying a bag full of gadgets around with me. The Pandora consolidates the lot for me, and I'll be squeezing the broadest range of functionality out of it that I can. (Let's be honest though, my main use for a laptop would be internet & multimedia. Pandora offers good gaming on top. I won't be opening a spreadsheet on it too often.)

From iPod to GP2X to Pandora in a few months... a short, dizzying journey, lol.

 

[nubie]

Seconded, I am purely fed up with proprietary crap.

(someone I know has an MP3 player that needs WMP11 and XP or it won't even transfer music, WTF, I wouldn't spend $10 on junk like that.)

I really need a device where I can keep track of specialized PDF and other documents, say I need a schematic or procedure when I am fixing someones PC, right at my fingertips.

In fact I see this as a compliment to anything, holding a FAQ or walkthrough on a game I am playing, letting me watch TV shows on the go, letting me take them to a friend's house.

PDA, this would be awesome with some hand-recognition software, if I have to I will modify it so that the screen can flip into a Tablet mode (I am already considering a Portrait mode for Arcade style gaming)

 

[JakeK]

I voted for mostly gaming and some music/vid etc. When WiFi becomes more available to me (highly unlikely though) I will use the web more. I am not a big music listener. I do go on some long trips so the movie capability is right up my alley.

I mostly will play games on it. For me because of Linux I have found it really hard on the GP2X to get apps and whatnot because I don't understand it all. I hope that when the Pandora is released and apps are made that it is all easy to follow and understand.

 

[cappuchok]

To me, it's an UMPC with a focus on gaming (hence the control layout) but I'll probably put it to good use in mostly any area where I use my laptop today (browsing, webgames, mail, light office productivity stuff, servicing...). While it'll be the perfect gaming device to wind down with on a long trip (think MAME and PSX), it'll also be a nice replacement for my laptop when it comes to browsing on the go, and it'll be the perfect travelling companion for my GP2X (dual SD slots and keyboard will make updating/tweaking emulators and exchanging data a breeze) and my camera (think mobile media center, or use a WiFi hotspot to upload photos to the workstation at home).

 

[quote]

For me it is gaming, web, and video. If it works out right, this thing could be an awesome web browser.

 

[ldesnogu]

For me it's none of the above. I see the device as a good way to experiment with C-A8 in silicon (I'm tired of slow emulators ), a way to start playing with C64x+ after playing with C6x 10 years ago, and a way to play with OpenGL ES 2.0.

Basically it's a dev toy

 

[bacteria]

So much hype for this system, it hasn't even come out yet. It could be quite disappointing when it does come, or it could be very good; what you can be sure of is that during the development process many features and benefits of a system don't make it into the final product.

 

[Chip]

So much hype for this system, it hasn't even come out yet. It could be quite disappointing when it does come, or it could be very good; what you can be sure of is that during the development process many features and benefits of a system don't make it into the final product.

I don't see how we could be all that disappointed unless some part of the hardware just plain doesn't work. The Pandora team has been very forthcoming about what will and will not be included in the hardware, so we have a pretty good idea what we're getting on that end. There has been quite a bit of hype about software which may or may not be forthcoming (Fullspeed Saturn and N64 emulation! Mindblowing 3D GUIs! A cure for cancer!), but that's just the usual speculation from mostly non-programmers. Some people may be disapointed when these things don't turn up within a week of release, but I think most of us are cautiously optimistic. The only hardware "promises" that are unlikely to be fulfilled are the 16 hr battery life (Craigix posted it as a hypothetical, now everyone is taking it as gospel) and instantaneous support for all SDIO peripherals (drivers don't grow on trees).

As for the original poll, I will likely be splitting my time 60 / 40 between gaming and mobile computing. Hype aside, I think we can reasonably expect full speed 8bit and 16bit emulation, a capable media player, and a decent web browser within a couple months of launch. We can also expect several quick ports of GP2X games and apps in a short time. I can see myself taking advantage of all of those things, and that alone is worth the price of admission.

 

[jdh2550]

I'm definitely in the UMPC first, game device second camp. I look forward to MAME games from the get go and I might venture into the massive PSX catalog.

However, the thing that makes this device great for me is that it's a truly "take anywhere" PC. At the size of a DS it's easily pocketable for me so I hope to get into the habit of always having it with me. It's still a conscious decision to take a laptop along and sometimes I'm left wishing I'd bought the laptop when I'd left it at home.

Also, as a portable computer it's very well thought out in terms of connectivity - USB Host, Wi-Fi, Dual SDHC with SDIO. I know I can add it but I do wish it had bluetooth built in - oh well, never mind...

BTW, I have learned that UMPC is actually a term that does specifically mean x86 based ultra portable (it was coined by Micro$oft I think - check out wikipedia - thanks to Exophase for educating me). So, we need a new acronym! How about POSUM (portable, open source and ultra mobile)

 

[gruso]

^ Hehe, I like the idea of hijacking a M$ term, but I think I like POSUM even better.

 

[javaJake]

The original intent of the design was "It's for Gaming mostly, but can still handle all kinds of apps on the side." I sure hope the UMPC crowd isn't disappointed when it is released.

 

[nubie]

POSUM sounds like Pose'em, stylish no?

I actually like POSSUM (I could paint a stripe down the middle of the Pandora and just call it a possum).

Portable Open Source Software Ultra-Mobile.

 

[whiskthecat]

I would never buy a UMPC, because I know I would just get bored with it. But, the Pandora on the other hand, has UMPC capabilities and it plays games.

 

[Tobriand]

POSUM sounds like Pose'em, stylish no?

I actually like POSSUM (I could paint a stripe down the middle of the Pandora and just call it a possum).

Portable Open Source Software Ultra-Mobile.

Which, coincidentally, also answers what creature ought to be used as the mascot...

 

[squeakypants]

Yeah, POSUM is pretty awesome.

I think it will be both. It will be great for games, but great for media as well. Programming on the go is definitely a nice possible feature. And of course web browsing and such.

 

[arconreef]

My primary use, of course, will be emulation. But I Plan to use it for Audio/Video during long car rides, and while waiting in long lines. It's really neat that you can pack emulation/gameplay & audio/video in a single package... Nintendo sure can't do that.

Though I definitely don't see it as a laptop replacement. It can't play PC games & apps for one thing.

 

[cappuchok]

Though I definitely don't see it as a laptop replacement. It can't play PC games & apps for one thing.

It will, through ports. Older DOS games may hopefully be playable through DOSbox as well, but I'd rather see native ports. Maybe not the latest greatest stuff, but as long as source is available (think ioQ3) I really think there's a fair chance someone will try and port <insert-game-here> to the Pandora. Of course, I have no doubt that emulators will be the main focus of most developers, as well as improving the built-in applications like media players, menu interfaces and stuff like that. But for my money, it will also be a small Linux laptop (with good gaming controls) and will be used for both gaming and regular PC stuff like surfing the web, checking email, playing audio/video and doing maintenance tasks for my GP2X (2x SD slots FTW!) even while on road trips (which sure beats carrying a 17" laptop around!).

 

[gibberish]

my main use for it will be emulation and web browsing and email.
ill also be watching video's on it a fair amount, perhaps mp3's depending how clunky it is to use as an mp3 player.

if any software emerges for music production, ill be using that a lot too.

i cant wait, i just wish july would hurry the fu*k up cos i am sooooo eager to bag one of these beauties.

props to the team!

 

[zaoin]

It's a possible replacement for a Zodiac with wifi.
I need PIM with alarms.