Pandora Ad Text

[javaJake]

I got fed up with explaining why it was so awesome, so I wrote this up to copy-n-paste. I wanted to post it here for two reasons:

1. Am I accurate? Sometimes I feel like I go ever-so-slightly overboard, and I don't want to get my friends to buy something they actually didn't want. (OK, I'm all set, then. Pretty much confirmed I'm not overboard. )
2. Someone could make it into a poster or something, or use it to show their own friends.

CODE

*** Website: http://openpandora.org/ ***

The "ARM® Cortex™-A8 600Mhz+ CPU" makes sure the Pandora doesn't slow down for anything, especially not for a measly Firefox 3 or Quake3 session.

The "430-MHz TMS320C64x+™ DSP Core" provides its services as another processor, with a special knack for processing HD video on the fly. Never again will you sacrifice video quality because your handheld couldn't handle it!

The "PowerVR SGX OpenGL 2.0 ES compliant 3D hardware" gives you the power to run just about any Linux game. (Assuming the game can work with the rest of the specs shown here.)

The "800x480 4.3" 16.7 million colours touchscreen LCD" listens to your every need and responds with one of the highest-resolution, brilliant displays available.

"Wifi 802.11b/g, Bluetooth [and] High Speed USB 2.0 Host" connect you to daily necessities, like the internet, your phone, your headset, your iPod, your digital camera, and anything else you might think of, on the go.

"Dual SDHC card slots" will theoretically read up to 1TB worth of SD cards at the same time, providing limitless storage compared to any other handheld available. Currently, using today's resources, up to 64GB is possible.

"S-Video TV output" will take the action and post it on just about any TV. Watching a video or playing PSX? Why not view it on a big screen?

"Dual Analogue and Digital gaming controls" makes this a mobile console. Play a wide range of games from the good ol' days of gaming with as much authenticity as possible. The library available goes from Amiga to PSX to homebrew. See this discussion on what will be playable at launch day:
http://www.gp32x.de/board/index.php?showtopic=41897

"43 button QWERTY and numeric keypad" will have your laptop collecting dust in no time. Mobile e-mail, IM, word processing, and web-browsing are no match for this guy.

"Around 10+ Hours battery life" when gaming, but did you hear this can keep playing your tunes for over four days!?

 

[Mr B]

Might want to limit SDHC card capacity bragging to actually available card sizes. That would give a current max limit of 64GB, i think?
Also, shouldn't a sales pitch be short, simple, and to the point?

"Pandora, plays most if not all media you throw at it, thanks to it being one of the most powerful handheld devices on the market today (tomorrow) and while your at it it has a fantastic homebrew community making sure you can play games, use it for Internet connectivity, and loads of other fun."

Someone already interested might ask for specs, but most of them cant tell a ARM from another, wouldn't know what amount of ram is a good or bad one, and so on.

But as I've said b4. I don't see this as even close to a replacement for a laptop. I spent 16 hours a day in front of a keyboard. If i were to spend a 4'th of my time in front of a Pandora trying to get anything done on the web, through my email, working on documents, and so on, I'd either hurt myself badly (worn out thumbs) or get frustrated with the small screen and stop using it. To me, it's a great way to check my email on the move, and a few mins casual web browsing like on the train, a bus and so on. Main use, without competition, in games, and as I've expressed, i don't quite see that it has what it takes in that region.
Time will tell.
B!

 

[magicman5421]

This would be great for the technically inclined, but for those who aren't, this would just confuse them.

 

[emil10001]

According to wikipedia, the sdhc standard might be able to address 2TB on a single card, but is limited in the standard specification to 32GB. The 32GB might get pushed out further, but they might also want to go to some new format to break everything and sell us a bunch of new hardware.

Edit:
As far as the laptop thing, it depends on what you use your laptop for. When I got my n800 it replaced my laptop initially because my laptop, while powerful and hosting a nice big screen, it weighed almost 8lbs. I bike into work quite a bit, and there's a huge difference between a few ounces and 8lbs on your back riding up steep hills. This, coupled with the fact that I rarely used if for anything more than checking an occasional web page, and listening to music. I would have to make the decision in the morning whether or not it was worth it to bring in the laptop everyday, and most days the answer was 'no.'

There does need to be some balance too. When I replaced my laptop and n800 with an OQO 02, I realized that I couldn't really be productive for anything *more* than music and web stuff (and barely then) with such a small screen (and non-existent linux drivers, but that's another story). So, I traded the OQO for a macbook air, which is still very light, and doesn't take up a ton of room in my bag. Now, I don't really need to make that decision if it's 'worth it' to bring. I have it, and if I have a chance to use it, I won't be stuck without it.

But, on the go, i.e. running around the city, on busses, subways, walking places, and rarely when I ride in a car, I just use the n800 because its fast, and I don't need a big scree or full keyboard for that stuff. I'm looking forward to the pandora adding a 'game on-the-go' to what I already have with my n800. (also the dramatically improved cpu)

 

[CandidStan]

Might want to limit SDHC card capacity bragging to actually available card sizes. That would give a current max limit of 64GB, i think?
Also, shouldn't a sales pitch be short, simple, and to the point?

"Pandora, plays most if not all media you throw at it, thanks to it being one of the most powerful handheld devices on the market today (tomorrow) and while your at it it has a fantastic homebrew community making sure you can play games, use it for Internet connectivity, and loads of other fun."

Someone already interested might ask for specs, but most of them cant tell a ARM from another, wouldn't know what amount of ram is a good or bad one, and so on.

But as I've said b4. I don't see this as even close to a replacement for a laptop. I spent 16 hours a day in front of a keyboard. If i were to spend a 4'th of my time in front of a Pandora trying to get anything done on the web, through my email, working on documents, and so on, I'd either hurt myself badly (worn out thumbs) or get frustrated with the small screen and stop using it. To me, it's a great way to check my email on the move, and a few mins casual web browsing like on the train, a bus and so on. Main use, without competition, in games, and as I've expressed, i don't quite see that it has what it takes in that region.
Time will tell.
B!

On a train or bus? I don't think you can get a wifi signal for very long on a moving vehicle.

 

[Kyo]

"even" firefox 3 is technically incorrect, as it plays firefox 3 with ease.

 

[Mr B]

On a train or bus? I don't think you can get a wifi signal for very long on a moving vehicle.
I pity you, still living in a third world country with access only to stoneage technology. You sure you really need a Panda to start with? :- p

Ok, that wasn't nice, and certainly wasn't called for. And just to clarify, i do say it jokingly.
Here, in my home town, buses have wireless net capacity. It's not fast, but it's enough to check your mail, and do some web browsing. We have had it for a few years actually. It was added when they installed surveillance cameras to the buses simply due to them being wireless. Simplicity. Also, on longer travels, as with trains, we've had Internet connectivity for a few years more even. They actually only promise it to work in business class, but so far i haven't ever ended up on a wagon that hasn't had working connection. Most of the long travel buses also provide this, and have done, since the trains started offering it, simply to stay competitive.
B!

 

[emil10001]

Wow, I'm in Boston, and we only have one commuter rail (longer distance than the subway) line with wifi access. So, it's a no on the subway, and byoi (bring your own internet) on the bus, commuter rail. But, I have full internet access with my cellphone as a modem, so, underground is when I hop on some non-network game. =)

 

[Kyo]

Boy you should go to germany and ride some buses. It would be like an adventure! (Also, has anyone else noticed that there's an awful lot of talk about buses (especially coming from Chip) on these forums?)

 

[WizardStan]

I pity you, still living in a third world country with access only to stoneage technology. You sure you really need a Panda to start with? :- p

Ok, that wasn't nice, and certainly wasn't called for. And just to clarify, i do say it jokingly.
Here, in my home town, buses have wireless net capacity. It's not fast, but it's enough to check your mail, and do some web browsing. We have had it for a few years actually. It was added when they installed surveillance cameras to the buses simply due to them being wireless. Simplicity. Also, on longer travels, as with trains, we've had Internet connectivity for a few years more even. They actually only promise it to work in business class, but so far i haven't ever ended up on a wagon that hasn't had working connection. Most of the long travel buses also provide this, and have done, since the trains started offering it, simply to stay competitive.
B!

By "third world" I assume you mean "so unbelievably capitalistic that the corporations would charge you for the air you breath if they could figure out how to measure it". That's the main reason most of North America doesn't already have cheap wifi; why give something away when you don't have to, or when you can charge for it? In fact, in a lot of cases, they're going backwards. Air Canada has terminals in the back of every seat so you could watch a selection of TV or movies on your flight. It used to be included in the airfare. Then someone said "why are we just giving away this service when we could charge $10? If people are stupid enough to pay for it, that's an extra $10 per person. If not, then we save a few cents on the cost to power the terminals. It's win-win"
Why should they install wifi in the subway? If I want to get across the city, my choices are the city run subway, the city run buses, the city run street cars, or an expensive taxi. I have no choices, I can't just switch, and heaven forbid they should spend money to make my trip enjoyable. I mean, it's not like they don't raise the cost of transit 10% every year to cover costs of additions and things. Oh wait, THEY DO!
Here in Toronto, we were almost successful in getting free (slow) wifi across the entire city a few years ago. Then the corporations came along and said such a move would put them out of business. As if dialup speed wifi was going to kill broadband, even if it was free. ME AM WANT KILL!
End of pointless rant.

 

[TaG]

If you used Pandora on the bus in my city you don't have to worry about free wifi - you probably won't own a Pandora for very long.

 

[Sphinxter]

If you used Pandora on the bus in my city you don't have to worry about free wifi - you probably won't own a Pandora for very long.

Aye, welcome to the hood.

 

[Sphinxter]

I think what's missing is the, "elevator speech". That dozen or so concise words forming a complete sentence that clearly describes the pandora and what sets it apart in the handheld gaming market you would say to someone who got on the elevator looked at the thing your holding and asked, "What's that?", and you only have time for one complete sentence between floors.

 

[TaG]

I think what's missing is the, "elevator speech". That dozen or so concise words forming a complete sentence that clearly describes the pandora and what sets it apart in the handheld gaming market you would say to someone who got on the elevator looked at the thing your holding and asked, "What's that?", and you only have time for one complete sentence between floors.

"What's that?"
"The most f*****g awesome handheld ever made."

And I kept that short and vague to avoid mentioning 'gaming' or 'UMPC', so I didn't re-ignite the blue touch-paper.

 

[javaJake]

Edit: AUGH QUOTES I HATE THIS FORUM
Another Edit: Fixed. Quick Edit was a disaster. Bug report time. <_<

According to wikipedia, the sdhc standard might be able to address 2TB on a single card, but is limited in the standard specification to 32GB. The 32GB might get pushed out further, but they might also want to go to some new format to break everything and sell us a bunch of new hardware.

Might want to limit SDHC card capacity bragging to actually available card sizes. That would give a current max limit of 64GB, i think?

I've added the realistic 64GB limit, and added "theoretically" to the existing sentence. Thanks for the input.

Someone already interested might ask for specs, but most of them cant tell a ARM from another, wouldn't know what amount of ram is a good or bad one, and so on.

That's what this ad is for actually. I point a lot of people to the specs, but they all have said "meh". When I showed them this text, they changed their tune. It's supposed to explain what each spec means.

"even" firefox 3 is technically incorrect, as it plays firefox 3 with ease.

Ah, good point! Changed.

 

[Mr B]

That's what this ad is for actually. I point a lot of people to the specs, but they all have said "meh". When I showed them this text, they changed their tune. It's supposed to explain what each spec means.

Sorry to say it, but you have to redo it somehow then. Listing ARM yada yada and frequency wont make anyone any more informed. Heck. Check threads on this forum, nobody really has a answer to "What can we expect in raw cpu performance". Guesses and estimates. Your best "performance number" is to sinly remove the specifics and put something along the lines of "A Cortex-A8 & PowerVR SGX makes sure there is plenty of power to both play games ranging from console & arcade emulators to Quake III"

You, and I KNOW you can't measure CPU performance across platforms by the frequency, but joe sixpack doesn't understand this. Telling him it's a 600Mhz CPU, means he goes" Oh... But... My 8 year old PC had more CPU then that."
B!

 

[chad78]

-the quote system is f***ed!-

-Mr B said "Also, shouldn't a sales pitch be short, simple, and to the point?"-


I agree with Mr. B.

(Space added so Mr B can easily add that poem to his sig line. )

It should talk more about what the Pandora can do than what parts the Pandora has. Although mentioning some hardware isn't always bad.

Something like:

"Introducing the last handheld device you will ever need.

• Keep in contact with friends and family with email, VOIP, and chat.
• Keep up with the latest news, weather, sports, stocks, and gossip with news feeds, podcasts, and the full Firefox powered Internet.
• Keep entertained with your music, pics, videos, comics, and ebooks.
• Keep your boss happy with a full MS Compatible office suite at your finger tips.
• Keep the evil hordes at bay with the most powerful portable game system ever released.
• And keep it all - in your pocket.

The Open Pandora Gaming UMPC.

And keep your bank account in the black. Buy it today for less than the annual fees of an iPhone."

 

[javaJake]

Well, it wasn't meant to be simple, because it was meant to explain why the Pandora is so awesome. I wasn't going for a motto.

And if anyone has suggestions on modifications to make it more newbie-friendly, let me know.

It should talk more about what the Pandora can do than what parts the Pandora has. Although mentioning some hardware isn't always bad.

I would agree, except bringing up examples that display the versatility of the Pandora is so hard. It's like trying to explain all the things C++ can do.

 

[PSyMastR]

Something like:

"Introducing the last handheld device you will ever need.

• Keep in contact with friends and family with email, VOIP, and chat.
• Keep up with the latest news, weather, sports, stocks, and gossip with news feeds, podcasts, and the full Firefox powered Internet.
• Keep entertained with your music, pics, videos, comics, and ebooks.
• Keep your boss happy with a full MS Compatible office suite at your finger tips.
• Keep the evil hordes at bay with the most powerful portable game system ever released.
• And keep it all - in your pocket.

The Open Pandora Gaming UMPC.

And keep your bank account in the black. Buy it today for less than the annual fees of an iPhone."


I really like that haha.