Our New Machine, Pandora

[God Ginrai]

Anyone got an iPhone/iTouch? What happens when you fill the startup screen full of icons - does it then scroll vertically, or does something funky happen?

What I was thinking of is that if you had a screen full of icons, you could simply touch and drag an icon-free part of the screen (say, the space between icons/etc) it would move all the icons up or down. If you move you finger slowly up the screen, it was scroll slowly, but if you quickly moved your finger up/down the screen and then released, it would quickly scroll before slowing down to a stand still.

In other words, let steal how Apple do it on the iTouch/iPhone (I really do like it's user interface)

Good idea, but instead of having to try to fit your finger in a gap, why not have a space on either the left or the right of the screen where it doesn't have more icons, that way you can just put your finger on that side and use it to scroll without having to worry about accidentally picking an app.

Also, as far as tabs are concerned, if we end up having them, I don't see why we might specifically need an Emu tab, but I do think that a games tab should be standard, and then also allow the user to make multiple extra tabs that they can name whatever they like, which they can fill with what they want.

EDIT: @Stealth Bagel: I would still suggest reading the thread when they have a couple of hours to spare. But aside from that, we can still tell them to use the search funtion which can easily answer your question even faster than reading a thread can for any thread over 3 pages.

-God Ginrai

 

[DisgruntleElf]

It is all complete we just don't want to release anything until we are ready.

Pictures - Videos - Specs - Prototypes to devs - Preorders - Release

We have a goal of around Mar/April for the final systems to be shipping out. Some devs are getting PCBs in the next week or two.

This isn't a dream or a fanboy system (as some people keep saying) - it's real.

I'm very certain the "Craiginator" is real. I'm also convinced the "Craiginator" will be a reality. I'm just trying to figure out where in the developement cycle the "Craiginator" is. With a shipping goal of Mar/April, I just find it unusual that everything about the "Craiginator" is so tight-lipped. Now would be the time to whet our appetities.
Is there going to be a naming contest? I'll just scramble up the name, "Natorcraigi", like the winner of the GP2X contest did.

 

[icurafu]

It is all complete we just don't want to release anything until we are ready.

Pictures - Videos - Specs - Prototypes to devs - Preorders - Release

We have a goal of around Mar/April for the final systems to be shipping out. Some devs are getting PCBs in the next week or two.

This isn't a dream or a fanboy system (as some people keep saying) - it's real.

I'm very certain the "Craiginator" is real. I'm also convinced the "Craiginator" will be a reality. I'm just trying to figure out where in the developement cycle the "Craiginator" is. With a shipping goal of Mar/April, I just find it unusual that everything about the "Craiginator" is so tight-lipped. Now would be the time to whet our appetities.
Is there going to be a naming contest? I'll just scramble up the name, "Natorcraigi", like the winner of the GP2X contest did.


No idea what planet you're from, but here it's typical to expect that you'll know nothing about the inards, until the device is released and a consumer is brave enougth to void their warrenties to have a peak.

The craiginator is special in that way that we already know so much about it. And we also know what it will stand for. I don't know what more you could expect to know before a prototype is demonstrated.

 

[DaveC]

I think it's pointless spending days coding a new interface and then finding no one else likes it. Mockups solve this problem. (and even if the person doing the mockup can't code, it may encourage people who can to start work on such a design).

Also, since it sounds like its going to be pda than game console, can we drop tabs such as 'games' & 'emulators' (just have 'apps'). Even better, make the tabs customisable (user names them appropriately and decides what goes where).

Customisable tabs of course. While you say "it is a PDA" not everyone will use it as such. I know I have absolutely 0 interest in keeping appointments or even going on the net with this thing. I have a bazzilion internet capable devices like PC, cellphone, etc I really could care less about another. I will use it almost exclusively for games and emus. "Apps" will be used by me for non-game stuff like file managers, picture viewers etc. Remember no matter how much you think the interface is perfect many will think it is the worst piece of rubbish ever made. Not your fault, just everyone has different needs and preferences. I would not lock anything in the interface (Ex. don't make some internet part of the screen that you can't disable) , but make it fully customisable.

 

[MWeston]

A lot of the secrecy is at TI's request. I'm not saying they are the bad guy or anything. We can't spout off a bunch of specs because it tells too much about the chip and it's capabilities. PCB pictures might have to be from a distance so that not too much detail about the chip itself can be seen Maybe that is a bit extreme, who knows.

The OMAP3430 is TI's flagship ARM processor and once this thing is ready for production, we can blast out all kinds of specs as they apply to this device. Many of the parts in this project are currently under NDA and obviously can't be hidden when the device is released, but for now it makes them happy. I'm not just referring to TI here, many other parts are new too. This thing is pretty cutting edge.

As Icurafu said, with any other device, customers wouldn't even know the device existed until it was released. It is a complicated situation and everyone involved is working hard to get it done sooner than later. December should be a good month for information. It should really spark up the interest in this thing as a real product rather than a collective dream!

Oh, and I for one like people's mock ups I think this forum topic (and the main one) are a great outlet for creativity. You can see just how wrong you were from what the device really looks like.

 

[Deed]

It is all complete we just don't want to release anything until we are ready.

Pictures - Videos - Specs - Prototypes to devs - Preorders - Release

We have a goal of around Mar/April for the final systems to be shipping out. Some devs are getting PCBs in the next week or two.

This isn't a dream or a fanboy system (as some people keep saying) - it's real.

You forgot something very important in your "completed tasks" list. A business plan Not that you have to disclose it of course, I just hope for you that you have a good and realistic one

 

[lubidog]

I think it's pointless spending days coding a new interface and then finding no one else likes it. Mockups solve this problem. (and even if the person doing the mockup can't code, it may encourage people who can to start work on such a design).

Also, since it sounds like its going to be pda than game console, can we drop tabs such as 'games' & 'emulators' (just have 'apps'). Even better, make the tabs customisable (user names them appropriately and decides what goes where).

Customisable tabs of course. While you say "it is a PDA" not everyone will use it as such. I know I have absolutely 0 interest in keeping appointments or even going on the net with this thing. I have a bazzilion internet capable devices like PC, cellphone, etc I really could care less about another. I will use it almost exclusively for games and emus. "Apps" will be used by me for non-game stuff like file managers, picture viewers etc. Remember no matter how much you think the interface is perfect many will think it is the worst piece of rubbish ever made. Not your fault, just everyone has different needs and preferences. I would not lock anything in the interface (Ex. don't make some internet part of the screen that you can't disable) , but make it fully customisable.



Dave you seem to forget that other people want different things than you!!! I also have internet things (psp,N95 etc) but because of the ram in this thing I hope I will really be able to use it as a portable web browser and PDA, and that is the MAIN reason I want it!

 

[Tobriand]

Many of the parts in this project are currently under NDA and obviously can't be hidden when the device is released, but for now it makes them happy. I'm not just referring to TI here, many other parts are new too. This thing is pretty cutting edge.

That sounds very cool indeed. I wonder what other non-TI parts this is going to include?

There's a few possibilities that spring to mind. The ones that I can come up with are chips for additional codecs, a dedicated audio processor, multitouch technology or a microprojector.

Consider:
- WiFi chip is a given. Most are fairly generic as far as I can tell, so no need for secrecy surrounding them.
- BlueTooth has already been declared a no-go, so no secrecy surrounding that.
- Same for GPS, although that would make more sense.
- The OMAP already contains more 3D biff than we'll probably ever need for a handheld, so unlikely to be an extra chip on that front. No extra chip means no additional non-TI related secrecy.
- Can't imagine that the OMAP would be unable to handle pretty near any of the codecs currently available, so tentatively rule that out.
- The battery is a standard component, so no secrecy needed by the manufacturers of it (although conceivably Ti could want the battery kept quiet because it would allow extrapolation to power figures for the OMAP3430).

So, if that's the case, and it is as cutting edge as it's supposed to be, ask yourselves, what other technologies are at the edge of current developments, and would therefore require secrecy?

- A different piece of audio tech - the standard AC'97 codec is very good, but it's certainly conceivable that Craig and all may have decided that there's enough audiophiles among us to justify getting something dedicated. Probably not too likely though unless it is a LOT more energy efficient than the OMAP chip.

- Multitouch: it's on everyone's mind at the moment due to the i-phone. Therefore it would be a BIG selling point to the mainstream. Also, it definitely deserves secrecy because last I heard there are quite a few different groups working on producing the tech in different ways, and you do NOT want to give away the way you're doing it before you've had a chance to get it exactly right in case someone else perfects it for you and claims to have done it themselves without your research. Definitely worthy of secrecy.

- Microprojector: Least likely imo, because as I understand it the tech is just too new. But again, it would be very cool, very cutting edge, and completely worth any secrecy that's involved.


Final thought: Only other component I can think of that would be deserving of secrecy is the keyboard. Which would mean it's a non-standard implementation of a keyboard. Now, think about it, what's the only majorly non-standard keyboard you can think of? For me, it's the Laser-projected one. Who knows, maybe they've licensed the tech to implement it. And again, THAT would be worthy of secrecy because it's a handheld implementation of something that's so far only been available stand-alone.

I wonder if I'm anywhere near the mark with any of that...

EDIT: Having read up on WiMax, it looks like a completely different technology, so I'm kinda assuming it's not in the spec.

 

[LHC]

Fingertip control is great if you want your screen to turn into a greasy piece of shit. What is wrong with using the D-Pad to select, when the stylus isn't required?

 

[geise69]

Has Craig actually said "Hey that's a great idea! I'm gonna use that in the new machine?" I know everyone is throwing around ideas and is wanting to help cause they are excited about this new machine. However couldn't we just let Craig do his thing, then release it, then we can do whatever we want with it. It IS going to be open source homebrew device anyways. We can change whatever we want later on. All of this is getting a bit tired. I do like a lot of these ideas but I really just want to come in here and read actual news on the device itself. Is there going to be any new info before the holidays?

EDIT: Nevermind. I found Craig is gonna release some info soon when I read this other thread

 

[sam fisher]

Maybe it uses some cutting edge new Lithium battery or a fuel cell

 

[Yonkaku]

Maybe it uses some cutting edge new Lithium battery or a fuel cell

My bets on cell phone.

WITH THE NEW GPHONE OS.

 

[Deed]

A 3D screen. Cheap and unforeseen. Although it would be prettry tricky to mix that with a touchscreen

A microprojector would be very cool actually, but this is really doubtful (there was a rumor that wii was going to have one by the way). Anyway, I'll buy instantly the first device to incorporate a cheap microprojector

 

[mafia-man]

Just thinking how about running a promo comp type thing? Something like Come up with the Official name of the Craiginaitor. Winner gets one of the first off the production line? hehehe

 

[Javacat]

Unless they already have a super secret special name already and just don't want to reveal it yet h34r:

 

[Firefox]

Maybe it uses some cutting edge new Lithium battery or a fuel cell

 

[atomicthumbs]

Wiki page updated with moar info.

 

[sam fisher]

Mr fusion

 

[icurafu]

Thanks for keeping it up to date.

edit: dw

 

[atomicthumbs]

Thanks for keeping it up to date.

edit: dw

DW? :wacko: