Pandora Desktop Environment Prototype Try 2 (screenshots And Videos)

[CandidStan]

I agree with Sphinxter on this one, everyone was crying that they wanted the less travel/no click analog nubs to avoid delay, well look what happened anyway? Everyone questioned the usability in games, but I don't think they thought of standard OS use.

Not that I'm complaining, I'm still going to get one, but click would have been really nice.

 

[cb88]

what about using the back buttons for click?

 

[Coder_TimT]

So, has any thought been giving to using matchbox-desktop 2.0? It uses a bar across the top, similar to gmenu, to display the vfolder categories. With some hacking to display icons at the top(or side) instead of just the bar, and some keybindings to switch categories, it could functionally mirror gmenu pretty well.

I guess I just like the idea of some sort of "category shortcut bar" available on the desktop to jump between categories, as opposed to having to back out to a root folder...

Anyway, screen capture below...

 

[CandidStan]

what about using the back buttons for click?

My Libretto worked something like that and I absolutely hated it. Your second nature instinct is to click, not pull down.

 

[Mr.Gonzo]

well if you want to vary the colors how about making the icons more blue-green like the pandora box

btw grey is not a color

hey MR. Gonzo you thought of doing a theme?

Myehh... just did a quick draft.

Got Ideas to improve it ?

 

[CandidStan]

well if you want to vary the colors how about making the icons more blue-green like the pandora box

btw grey is not a color

hey MR. Gonzo you thought of doing a theme?

Myehh... just did a quick draft.

Got Ideas to improve it ?


Less pixelation?

 

[Mr.Gonzo]

Well the point of that theme was to be retro . aha

here , less pixelated

 

[CandidStan]

Well the point of that theme was to be retro . aha

here , less pixelated

:lol: nevermind.

 

[wesbrown18]

So, has any thought been giving to using matchbox-desktop 2.0? It uses a bar across the top, similar to gmenu, to display the vfolder categories. With some hacking to display icons at the top(or side) instead of just the bar, and some keybindings to switch categories, it could functionally mirror gmenu pretty well.

Unfortunately, matchbox-desktop 2.0 doesn't look complete. And it doesn't seem to have the plugin support that we need. We did look at this briefly.

The key to getting this to work well with the Pandora experience is the plugin support.

 

[peca]

Absence of analog controls click ability is not so crucial. Yes, it will be better for controlling desktop, but not so good in games. I can confirm (but someone other can decline), that accidental click in game happens. This mean that "missing" click ability is not so missing as appear. It just have pros and cons.

I take part in discuss and poll about keyboard layout, and mostly first thing mentioned was mouse emulation by analogs. This came with suggestion how to emulate mouse buttons and scroll controls. Now we just cant wait for solution that Craig & Co make. We see if they take some inspiration or have better guess.

 

[MDave]

Here's a quick mockup, based on the industrial theme. Something that looks more Pandora-like, perhaps

Not bad. I might need to implement matchbox-desktop plugins for media files. That's a fairly good idea, though it may come after Pandora release.

I like this. Give me pngs for the icons and background and I can get that running.


Here ya go: LINK

I desaturated the blue a bit for the wallpaper, hope that pleases everyone.

 

[mali]

I like the design But I find the Pandora logo a tad too prominent. Something more embedded, like a more hinted logo made of PCB traces forming out of a blurred PCB-like Background would be cool. Unfortunately I have zero graphics design skills :rolleyes:
Or my second idea, a negative logo that looks like it was etched into the background.

 

[Vorporeal]

Well the point of that theme was to be retro . aha

here , less pixelated

If you actually make those icons and background a bit more detailed and less pixelated, that would be an INCREDIBLE theme.

Pretty please with a cherry on top?

 

[ste_167]

Very C64, Mr.Gonzo! Like it! The most powerful handheld in the world with an 8-bit theme!

 

[fusion_power]

Well the point of that theme was to be retro . aha

here , less pixelated

So the big one was Pixel-"Quadrupling"? Not bad, it is much faster to draw only 200x120px than 800x600px. Should be a good Retro feeling onto the tiny screen, I think even the Pixeldoubling (400x240) would still look High-Res onto the Pandora LCD.
I hope the Pandora Menu system has a good scaler included so everyone can choose the Resolution and different Themes in other resolutions can be included. (I'm for a 400x240 Menu with Pixel Doubling so we have nice, huge Icons and they are the same Size like the GP2X had in 1:1 Res :lol: )

 

[ashdjones]

Well the point of that theme was to be retro . aha

here , less pixelated

Very cool.

 

[TaG]

Here ya go: LINK

I desaturated the blue a bit for the wallpaper, hope that pleases everyone.

Well the point of that theme was to be retro . aha

here , less pixelated
If you actually make those icons and background a bit more detailed and less pixelated, that would be an INCREDIBLE theme.

Pretty please with a cherry on top?
The makings of two nice themes - thanks MDave and Mr.Gonzo . I like the retro but agree with Vorporeal.

 

[dentrado]

I guess I just like the idea of some sort of "category shortcut bar" available on the desktop to jump between categories, as opposed to having to back out to a root folder...

I would like that too.. is this possible to do with matchbox?

 

[hells_dark]

Well the point of that theme was to be retro . aha

here , less pixelated

I love them Mr Gonzo !

 

[Mr.Gonzo]

Well thanks for the feedback
I thought pixel quadrupling would be good. since i really want a retro feel and im not sure that pixel doubling will look like pixel doubling on the pandora. we have to remember that its still a small screen.
I like pixel quadrupling. its pretty.

IM not sure what you are talking about vorporeal... You mean a version with no big pixels. for the people who like the theme but dont want it to be retro Sure i could still make an HD version.

aha