Pandora 1.5 by replacing ICs and chips with better, pin-compatible parts?

[CFWhitman]

Only true benefit of gold is it's resistant to corrosion.

I was going to mention that. It's funny the bill of goods that Monster Cable sold to people over the years. It's also true that long distance cable runs can be strangled by cable that's too thin. However, there is no difference in quality between "thick enough" and five times thick enough. I've never run audio cable far enough for 18 gauge wire not to be more than thick enough, and it's much cheaper than Monster Cable. Shielding can be useful of course, if RF interference could be a problem.


I refuse to buy anything (knowingly) from Monster Cable anyway, since, besides overcharging for their stuff, they are trying to trademark the word "monster" and keep people from using it for anything not related to their company. They've sued Monster.com; Disney for Monsters, Inc. (not that I'm a big fan of Disney's policies either); Fenway Park for their Monster Seats, etc. It's ridiculous to try to completely lock up a word that's part of the regular English vocabulary.

 

[Grench]

OK... No public answers required, but something to consider...


What would it cost per unit for the smallest purchasable quantity of the DM3730?


What would it cost to do a 'short run' of that many DM3730 onto the new German boards?


What would it cost to throw an old CPU in the trash?


Add those up, multiply by 2, add it to the currently listed Pandora purchase price. Look at that number, look at the revenue & profit numbers it could generate to keep the overall project going.


In my humble opinion, If you want to do an upgrade program to further the project - there it is.


When can I pre-order one of THOSE?

This was discussed but quickly shot down when it was pointed out they still have thousands of the OMAP on hand they need to get rid of first. Maybe in 4 or 6 months when they've used them all up it'll be a consideration, but first they have fill existing pre-orders with existing stock.

You're ignoring this factor (see bold text). I'm not talking about skipping the old stock - it would get paid for twice as fast under this scenario.

This would increase the Pandora price another 50 - 60 EUR approximately,


The SoC is one of the most expensive parts.

The listed pre-order price on www.openpandora.org right now is 375 EUR (Not including VAT)


So, rounding up for your profit, with the 512MB and the faster CPU the price could be @450 EUR.


According to Google, at today's exchange rate 450EUR ~ $584 for a "Pandora 1.5".


For fairness, you'd want to allow existing pre-orders to buy up to that for the difference between what they originally paid and that price.


If you're in need of the old boards & Pandoras for warranty use - you could run an upgrade program.


In the meantime - if you're willing to sell them, I'd buy a new one with 512MB and the newer CPU. Then my kids can fight over my old one.


Grench

 

[craigix]

I'm sure we could be persuaded at $1000 each

 

[Grench]

I'm sure we could be persuaded at $1000 each

At that rate it would need a screen upgrade too.


Doubling the price for just the CPU upgrade is a bit out of line - but I could see paying $100 (75 EUR) or so over the standard unit for it.


There is no shame in selling the same unit with two processor speeds as options - that has been a standard in the computer industry since the 80286 came on the scene.


Just a RAM upgrade isn't enough to make me buy a new/2nd one. Double RAM and a faster CPU - now you're talking.


Encouraging existing customers to buy a updated/new/2nd one isn't such a bad idea is it?

 

[quartercast]

Mmmm, Pandora Extreme Edition!

 

[Grench]

I'm sure we could be persuaded at $1000 each

Call it a Pandora ExEd if you must.


So - can we negotiate on this price? $1000 is a still a bit steep - tempting, but my wife would kill me. How about $650?


The point is - is there a price point where it becomes viable to purchase a minimum quantity of the newer CPUs and sub them in for one day's production? I can't be the only one who does enough desktop work with his Pandora to where this starts to become possible.


Grench

 

[Sigurd]

I think one of the problems with an upgraded Pandora is that it would make the old model obsolete. Agreed it would be nice, but i think it would be too much for the Pandora team to handle, Sure, it can work in theory and maybe the economics check out. But the i fear that the stress of getting a whole new production line (new pandoras) would make this project a bit bigger than it would be able to handle :/

 

[Grench]

I think one of the problems with an upgraded Pandora is that it would make the old model obsolete. Agreed it would be nice, but i think it would be too much for the Pandora team to handle, Sure, it can work in theory and maybe the economics check out. But the i fear that the stress of getting a whole new production line (new pandoras) would make this project a bit bigger than it would be able to handle :/

I take the opposite view on this. It is a relatively minor change that would allow them to have two price points for what is otherwise one product - and allow them to segment the marketplace for a minimal outlay. Segmentation is all about ensuring that those who are able and willing to pay more -do-.


Also - this is how you make a REPEAT customer. Give them something incremental that they want - and get them to buy another, preferably more expensive, item. Those of us with a year or so of use on our existing Pandora are a prime audience for a step-up version. We know what it can do - getting one that can do a bit more may be worth purchasing a newer one for.


Do you think Apple considers it a bad idea to update their product line? Heck no - that is how they make their money.


We're not talking about 'a whole new production line' any more than when a notebook manufacturer offers two different CPU speeds on the otherwise same machine. Some people will see the merit in buying up to the faster one -and paying more for it. Others will still want the bargain of the entry level device.


Altruism is great and all - profit is cool too though.

 

[Sigurd]

I think one of the problems with an upgraded Pandora is that it would make the old model obsolete. Agreed it would be nice, but i think it would be too much for the Pandora team to handle, Sure, it can work in theory and maybe the economics check out. But the i fear that the stress of getting a whole new production line (new pandoras) would make this project a bit bigger than it would be able to handle :/

I take the opposite view on this. It is a relatively minor change that would allow them to have two price points for what is otherwise one product - and allow them to segment the marketplace for a minimal outlay. Segmentation is all about ensuring that those who are able and willing to pay more -do-.


Also - this is how you make a REPEAT customer. Give them something incremental that they want - and get them to buy another, preferably more expensive, item. Those of us with a year or so of use on our existing Pandora are a prime audience for a step-up version. We know what it can do - getting one that can do a bit more may be worth purchasing a newer one for.


Do you think Apple considers it a bad idea to update their product line? Heck no - that is how they make their money.


We're not talking about 'a whole new production line' any more than when a notebook manufacturer offers two different CPU speeds on the otherwise same machine. Some people will see the merit in buying up to the faster one -and paying more for it. Others will still want the bargain of the entry level device.


Altruism is great and all - profit is cool too though.

I am aware that money = Awesome. But i would very much like the current production finished first. I think the community are putting too much preassure on the Pandora team and that it is simply not possible to arrange an upgraded pandora at this time. In the future it would be awesome. But i'd rather wait 2 years and get a proper Pandora 2 with perhaps a 2ghz core and a finely polished OS rather than getting what would be the equivilent of a Iphone 4S compared to a Iphone 4.

 

[Grench]

I am aware that money = Awesome. But i would very much like the current production finished first. I think the community are putting too much preassure on the Pandora team and that it is simply not possible to arrange an upgraded pandora at this time. In the future it would be awesome. But i'd rather wait 2 years and get a proper Pandora 2 with perhaps a 2ghz core and a finely polished OS rather than getting what would be the equivilent of a Iphone 4S compared to a Iphone 4.

From the other threads - it's more critical than that. Funding for fulfillment of old pre-orders is dependent on current sales. The more sales they can make right now - the faster those old pre-orders can be fulfilled. I.e. if something like this spurs a bunch of new orders, the would be profits would fund the build and shipment for some of the units that should have gone out two years ago. This is the most likely way that I can think of for them to sell a 2nd unit to the people who already have one.