Our New Machine, Pandora

[KeyboardCowboy]

A non-MMSP2+ chipset wouldn't limit the appeal to the GP2X community, it would only add the possibility for a more feature-rich device with greater programmer appeal and put a significant dent in power consumption. However the MMSP2+ would be fine so long as the engineers are very careful to alleviate the bottlenecks encountered in the GP2X's MMSP2 implementation.

My main reason for thinking a more robust PDA-like chipset is the ideal choice is because it would be beneficial not only from a gaming standpoint but for general purpose use. The device is clearly meant to have a much broader appeal than the GP32 or GP2X and the GP__ community is just a facet of that; so the chipset that provides the best overall application performance for a variety of tasks is preferable.

I am curious why you don't just make your own hand-held if everyone is beneath you?? Maybe personally write or phone someone who is involved with the development.

Hang out on IRC maybe and discuss it with the guys on that channel.

Definitely not a one-man job. Part selection, PCB design, case design, ergonomics, mechanics, software, marketing, lostistics to name just a handful of the sort of talents you'd need onboard to produce a successful handheld. However I would be interested to hear more about this IRC channel and whom in it would be responsible for design or engineering of this new handheld. I'm primarily interested as a software developer and would like to interject some ideas on design and see if I can't help shape the platform into the most appropriate and versatile it can be, so I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to able to speak to them one-on-one.

 

[Vimacs]

there is no irc channel!

 

[jbrodack]

now that discussion is getting less heated I just want to ask exactly who is making this new machine? I know craig is involved. who else? who is going to manufacture it? is a new company going to be created? Is GPH involved at all? sorry if this was mentioned before but there is quite a bit a talk to go through so forgive me if I missed it. Though I won't be an early adopter of this machine no matter what if this is to be the successor of the gp2x which the community will support I am obviously going to be curious about who is behind it and the basic details of it. technical specs I'll leave to others to discuss as I don't know nearly enough in that area to even enter that conversation.

 

[Dzz]

My wish list:

1. Killer gameplay ergonomics... "in the zone for 3 hours and feeling great" ergonomics.
2. Whatever. Faster CPU/memory I suppose.

 

[gaterooze]

A non-MMSP2+ chipset wouldn't limit the appeal to the GP2X community

That's overstating things a rather lot, innit? Most buyers won't know the difference from an end-user POV. You claim that devs will be put off, but I haven't yet heard a real dev say this particular chipset would put them off--in fact, they've only said the opposite so far.

Since you've used neither this chipset, nor the others you propose, I'm not sure how you can make this judgement that it would be a catastrophic choice? Whereas someone like Squidge, who has greatly proven himself in these matters, and *has actually used this chip* seems to think it's suitable for this handheld.

Anyway, let's talk about more interesting aspects of the device...

Will it have a slot to store a stylus, a la the DS?

 

[icurafu]

now that discussion is getting less heated I just want to ask exactly who is making this new machine? I know craig is involved. who else? who is going to manufacture it? is a new company going to be created? Is GPH involved at all? sorry if this was mentioned before but there is quite a bit a talk to go through so forgive me if I missed it. Though I won't be an early adopter of this machine no matter what if this is to be the successor of the gp2x which the community will support I am obviously going to be curious about who is behind it and the basic details of it. technical specs I'll leave to others to discuss as I don't know nearly enough in that area to even enter that conversation.

A mysterious first party I would imagine. Sounds kinda exotic and exciting.

I doubt they woudl accounce themselves before they are ready. And I'm fairly sure the distributors will not say anything to damage the relationship.

 

[quartercast]

now that discussion is getting less heated I just want to ask exactly who is making this new machine? I know craig is involved. who else? who is going to manufacture it? is a new company going to be created? Is GPH involved at all? sorry if this was mentioned before but there is quite a bit a talk to go through so forgive me if I missed it. Though I won't be an early adopter of this machine no matter what if this is to be the successor of the gp2x which the community will support I am obviously going to be curious about who is behind it and the basic details of it. technical specs I'll leave to others to discuss as I don't know nearly enough in that area to even enter that conversation.

For a summary of all that was discussed, and answers to many of your queries, read the first post of the original thread. Don't read the next few posts, they were nasty.

 

[KeyboardCowboy]

Since you've used neither this chipset, nor the others you propose, I'm not sure how you can make this judgement that it would be a catastrophic choice? Whereas someone like Squidge, who has greatly proven himself in these matters, and *has actually used this chip* seems to think it's suitable for this handheld.

You probably misunderstood me. I didn't say it was catastrophic, just less than ideal. As I made clear earlier in the thread the MMSP2+ would work fine if implemented in such a manner as to eliminate bottlenecks that would hinder proper performance.

For a summary of all that was discussed, and answers to many of your queries, read the first post of the original thread. Don't read the next few posts, they were nasty.

To my recollection the company producing the handheld was not named at any point in the prior thread, only that GP/GPH are not involved.

 

[quartercast]

For a summary of all that was discussed, and answers to many of your queries, read the first post of the original thread. Don't read the next few posts, they were nasty.

To my recollection the company producing the handheld was not named at any point in the prior thread, only that GP/GPH are not involved.

Oh? Did I say something incorrect? I was responding to the post given in the quote.

 

[KeyboardCowboy]

I thought you were implying the prior thread contained this info and thought I'd spare someone looking through 101 pages for it. My mistake.

 

[cappuchok]

Just a few wishes off the top of my head:

Hardware-wise:
* USB 2.0 Host (this would most likely have to be implemented off SoC)
* RGB A/V-out (best TV-out possible for European market)

Software-wise:
* 2.6.x kernel
* WEP, WPA/WPA2 (-PSK) support
* Ad-hoc WLAN support if Bluetooth is not implemented
* Possibly no Samba server if USB 2.0 Host isn't implemented (to save space on the built-in flash, a card reader is generally faster for simple SD access anyway, and the main use of a Samba server I can see would be if the device supported USB 2.0 Host for use as a NAS of sorts).

 

[sam fisher]

If Wifi is included, which we are told it is, then I believe that all modern forms of encryption are a given?

 

[Squidge]

Thanks for the prices of the i.MX31, so we now have $24 and $25 for that, but still have no prices for the MMSP2+. I assume you have these prices also and just forgot to quote on that part of the post?

The MMSP2+ was never considered so I don't have an exact price figure.

Then how could you possibly say the i.MX31 is only "a very small increase in price", if you don't have prices of both chipsets?

 

[sam fisher]

Assumption

 

[X-Code]

That was actually quite funny :lol:

 

[KeyboardCowboy]

The price of the MMSP2+ is clearly less than that of the i.MX31. Even if that doubled the cost of the MMSP2+, it would be a small increase considering it encompasses the majority of the system's hardware. One doesn't need to know the exact ratio of the prices when either one will be so inexpensive.

 

[atomicthumbs]

I think I missed something. Will somebody explain in a nutshell:

-What this thing is
-Who will be making it
-What it will cost
-When will it be availible
-Are there prototypes already made

It seems that this would draw all of the developers from the GP2X to this thing.

 

[X-Code]

All the info that has been released is here : http://www.gp32x.de/board/index.php?showt...=38044&st=0

I doubt that devs will stop developing for the GP2X just because a new machine is coming out

 

[A_SN]

All the info that has been released is here : http://www.gp32x.de/board/index.php?showt...=38044&st=0

I doubt that devs will stop developing for the GP2X just because a new machine is coming out



Oh yeah? Well I'm pretty sure I will.

 

[X-Code]

Ok, there may be a few exceptions :lol: .