(EDIT NOTE: CRAP. My bad for not adding "SPECULATION/QUESTION/HOPE" to the topic name. I personally abhor topics that are titled like this, implying new information, when it's just the above three. Once again, I am sorry.)
Is there any chance that, a year or so from now, we might see an update to the Pandora that only changes the chipset? Tegra 2 (or by then, Tegra 3), or OMAP4 would make for *major improvements in speed that (hopefully) could be "drop-in" replacements, both for the case and the software stack (with, of course a couple extra drivers here and there).
I mean, as it stands, the box, screen, and controls are near-perfect. 800x480 seems perfect for a screen of that size (it's like ebook reader levels of DPI), dual analog nubs, four fire buttons, and a pair of shoulder buttons seems like a perfect "lowest common denominator" (over-achieving even, with the nubs) platform for handheld gaming, whether emulated, commercial or home-brewed. A couple of extra shoulder buttons would be nice, but by no means necessary. Nobody's emulating the PS2 yet.
Basically, what I'm hoping is that if the Pandora achieves sustained, healthy production, a future unit with all of the same outer features and only attaining an upgrade in ARM chipset will substantially lower the turn-around time for a follow-up. I mean, I could be wrong, but it really looked like the two big things that slowed the Pandora's release down were finishing the software stack and making everything that goes around the motherboard. A new chip that runs all the existing software, only "mo faster" would be pretty near in a year's time.
Any thoughts?
* At least, that's what it seems the Coretex A9 is offering over A8, all the big companies seem to be enthusiastic about offering them in pairs. I'm well aware that emulation isn't arbitrary to "thread up", but I imagine it could help at least some projects.
Is there any chance that, a year or so from now, we might see an update to the Pandora that only changes the chipset? Tegra 2 (or by then, Tegra 3), or OMAP4 would make for *major improvements in speed that (hopefully) could be "drop-in" replacements, both for the case and the software stack (with, of course a couple extra drivers here and there).
I mean, as it stands, the box, screen, and controls are near-perfect. 800x480 seems perfect for a screen of that size (it's like ebook reader levels of DPI), dual analog nubs, four fire buttons, and a pair of shoulder buttons seems like a perfect "lowest common denominator" (over-achieving even, with the nubs) platform for handheld gaming, whether emulated, commercial or home-brewed. A couple of extra shoulder buttons would be nice, but by no means necessary. Nobody's emulating the PS2 yet.
Basically, what I'm hoping is that if the Pandora achieves sustained, healthy production, a future unit with all of the same outer features and only attaining an upgrade in ARM chipset will substantially lower the turn-around time for a follow-up. I mean, I could be wrong, but it really looked like the two big things that slowed the Pandora's release down were finishing the software stack and making everything that goes around the motherboard. A new chip that runs all the existing software, only "mo faster" would be pretty near in a year's time.
Any thoughts?
* At least, that's what it seems the Coretex A9 is offering over A8, all the big companies seem to be enthusiastic about offering them in pairs. I'm well aware that emulation isn't arbitrary to "thread up", but I imagine it could help at least some projects.
