Pandora In The Future

[Kuwago]

As I realize that right now Pandora is a project in progress, I have watched it closely.

I like the fact that it will include an entire working desktop system.

What I was wondering was for more portability? Or a unit that had more connectivity in the future?

I got this idea not only from the Pandora project and specs but just from the type of devices I also like to use.

Maybe in the future after things take off, how about a small unit that can not only play games, and have a whole OS based on the ARM processors and also offer the connectivity of a mobile phone?

Probably something like this:

http://www.umpcportal.com/products/MIU/HDPC/

http://miubit.com/eng/index.php

but with a little more style and definately not as ugly nor proprietary. As stated in teh Faq, from the work done on the first Pandora unit, there will be a number of available systems/OS ported so it will offer good choice and portability. A unit that likewise features a keyboard although on a smaller scale. Ala Communicator or the ROADS Handy PC idea. Somethign pocketable like the old Zauruses that it seems sharp abandoned...

Well just an idea for the 'way' off future but with ARM throwing in with Linux. It does seem possible.

What does anyone else think?

 

[maciek_urbanski]

In next version I'd like to see:

• Cortex A9 MPCore (quad core)
• SGX 543 (four dual issue shader engines, internal oprimizations)
• larger, OLED screen (7.6", 800x480, like OSD076WVGAT with multi-touch
• hinge that would allow it to be converted to "tablet mode"
• additional controllers (nubs & buttons) on both sides of screen that would be used in "tablet mode"
• charging station with additional ports (DVI,few usb,Ethenet)
• GPS receiver (in tablet mode it would be a nice navigation device)
• OS coustomized a'la Palm Pre (I immediately fell in love with its interface)

CPU & GPU seems possible - next iPhone is rumored to have MPCore+SGX543... (see here and here)

Ahh - I choose only components that exist on the market or are in pre-production phase.

B)

 

[peca]

I'm strongly against "multi-touch" if it is based on capacitive layer. This solution doesn't allow use stylus for fine art, drawing etc. But may be "multi-touch" can be put to back side of the case or other solution.

 

[surt]

Well, if were dreaming, we can have capacitive touch-screen and a Wacom Penabled sensor to have the best of both worlds.

 

[j6cubic]

Tablet mode is extremely unlikely as that would probably drive the price of the device way up. All conceivable ways of creating a tablet device are patented (because, probably, the whole concept of a tablet device is) and the last cost estimate I heard for challenging a patent in court is 500.000 USD. Unless you have access to some really good lawyers and enough money to blow six figures on a lawsuit against a patent holder undoubtedly very motivated in keeping his patent, the next-gen Pandora would be saddled with licensing fees - and even a 50 USD/device fee would make it unreasonably expensive.

Especially as I think tablet mode is overrated for small devices and not really worth a markup. There ought to be others like me as well. The device might be designed in such a way that it's relatively easy to mod it into a tablet, though; that shouldn't drive up manufacturing costs by much.


As for the quad-core CPU: Nice idea but do you know how it would affect battery lifetime? A handheld the gives me less than five hours per recharge cycle would not be very attractive.

The GPS receiver could make the device more expensive again, depending on how much the chipset costs. But a valid idea, especially if the price happens to be in in the < 10 USD range.

The docking station is a nice idea, especially combined with the more powerful CPU. Depending on how large a form factor is okay, one could even put in a SO-DIMM slot as a memory expansion port. And the port used to interface with the docking station could also be used for smaller accessories like a USB hub (for those who need multiple OHCI/EHCI ports on the go).

 

[grobi]

Please leave the pandora as long as possible at the specs we have today. Every "improvement" (and think about the success of netbooks taking back much of the notebook-improvements since 2005) would splinter the software-community into "early adopters" not able to run latest software and "late runners" that had the luck of receiving a more capable version.

Pandora should not be about beating quad core PCs in fps, but about beating any other mobile device in fps AND battery life AND creativity of its software developing community.

grobi

 

[Qwertyuiop]

I'm strongly against "multi-touch" if it is based on capacitive layer. This solution doesn't allow use stylus for fine art, drawing etc. But may be "multi-touch" can be put to back side of the case or other solution.

You can buy a stylus that works on the iphone, so I'm assuming the devs would include a stylus that works with the device.

 

[maciek_urbanski]

I'm treating Pandora primarily as game console, I'm not sold by 'this is really UMPC' movement. My primal reason is Pandora keyboard. For occasional use it's OK, but I'm not picturing anyone writing more text on it.

Reason behind "tablet mode" is really a "PSP" model of gaming (controls and screen on the same surface).
And when in "tablet mode" - unit looks like majority of GPS i know of... And there are some creative implications of GPS in gaming ("iPhone kill" anybody ?).

As for battery life - Apple has recently shown battery that powers 17" MacBook Pro for 7 hours straight. Things evolve.

As for quad-cores taking more power than single core - this is fundamental misunderstanding. In ARM MPCore unused cores sleep/switch off when not used, so effectively system running single-threaded app. can disable other cores and behave like 1-core CPU.
And when app. is multi-theaded - it does it's work significantly faster, so power balance usually is in favor of multicore. Of course this is not always the case (for example when multi-core does not power-down on per-core basis).

And since we're not talking about changing current Pandora design, but about future Pandora 2 (which will materialize probably in 3+ years) - relax and free your imagination, will ya ?

 

[marshal]

I'm strongly against "multi-touch" if it is based on capacitive layer. This solution doesn't allow use stylus for fine art, drawing etc. But may be "multi-touch" can be put to back side of the case or other solution.

You can buy a stylus that works on the iphone, so I'm assuming the devs would include a stylus that works with the device.


Well doesn't the "stylus" just emulate a finger... I would be surprised if it is precise like on a normal touchscreen. I would prefer to be wrong though... a screen with finger-friendly multitouch and separate precise stylus input would be awesome !!
Never heard of any technology than could actually do this though.

 

[Bosbeetle]

I can only say what we mis untill the real pandora is there. I hope it'll last very long. (I also hope the pandora 2 wont see the light of day to soon)

 

[Trip]

Please leave the pandora as long as possible at the specs we have today. Every "improvement" (and think about the success of netbooks taking back much of the notebook-improvements since 2005) would splinter the software-community into "early adopters" not able to run latest software and "late runners" that had the luck of receiving a more capable version.

Pandora should not be about beating quad core PCs in fps, but about beating any other mobile device in fps AND battery life AND creativity of its software developing community.

grobi

Agree 100%

It would be good to see a decent docking station in the near future though and interesting if they created one that hooks up to a specialised/homemade arcade machine for perfect arcade emulation

 

[Karel Jansens]

I'm strongly against "multi-touch" if it is based on capacitive layer. This solution doesn't allow use stylus for fine art, drawing etc. But may be "multi-touch" can be put to back side of the case or other solution.

You can buy a stylus that works on the iphone, so I'm assuming the devs would include a stylus that works with the device.

Have you seen those iPhone (<spit!>) styluses? It's like sketching with a lipstick...

 

[nightwheel]

I'm strongly against "multi-touch" if it is based on capacitive layer. This solution doesn't allow use stylus for fine art, drawing etc. But may be "multi-touch" can be put to back side of the case or other solution.

You can buy a stylus that works on the iphone, so I'm assuming the devs would include a stylus that works with the device.

Here's a video with the stylus in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvnfXXulOIY

 

[fahrstuhl]

Well, I'm quite impressed by the pics done with Colors! for the iPhone. It's screen seems to be not that imprecise.

 

[fiveseven]

More powerful hardware 'under the hood' would be nice, but who knows what kind of stuff we'll have available when it comes to building Pandora2, best to wait until then.

As far as tablet mode goes, would an alternative be a screen that detaches somehow? I'm not sure how well this could be implemented, as any kind of slot would be subject to wear and tear, and wireless would require separate batteries + high bandwidth.

As an alternative to multitouch, it might be possible to put a camera on the front (also useful for video calls) to track gestures. I know this kind of technology is far from perfect at the moment, but it could be a much better alternative that won't put smudges all over the screen.

Edit: Corrected a grammatical error.

 

[benjiro]

Lets first get the Pandora 1 in the hands off the customers, before we start dreaming off a Pandora 2 already...

 

[cb88]

@Benjiro since when is anyone in this thread actually working on the pandora or how could the conversation slow down pandora delivery... seriously it won't Let us enjoy our daydreaming please

Personally I agree with Benjiro on the point that the Pandora will be around good while quite possible even until omap4 or omap5 (if omap4 is just CortexA9)

So instead if such a quick *upgrade* to the Pandora line how about a new line that really doesn't compete in the gaming/UMPC arena?

It should be very cheap less than $100 probably more like $50 (not everybody can afford a pandora but many would still invest in a device that is fully supported under warranty by Linux and can play their media)

I'm thinking something that looks like a scaled up sansa c200 + a capacitive touch screen and dual SDHC slots, FM + multi country DTV tuner. It should run Rockbox out of the box

I think I might just get a sansa c200 to put rockbox on since I probably wont have the money for a pandora untill the end of the summer (assuming i get an intership that pays well which are hard to come by)

 

[lulzfish]

I think a bigger internal memory would be good. The Wi-Fi and SD cards are good, but 1 or 2 gigs of flash storage would be better on the hypothetical Pandora.

I think if it just had more internal storage, a newer processor, and was cheaper, that would be great.

 

[Mr devil45]

What i want more than anything is a working ps2 emu. i know about pcsx2 and neutrino, but a pandora ps2 emu...i'm salivating

a sim card slot would allow it to be a phone and have mobile internet... and this is technology that could easily have been in pandora 1.

GPS as well would be awesome.

MORE MEMORY!!! i need only 512 mb to play guild wars!!!

screw multitouch and tablet mode in the ways you described. we could , however, make it more psp-like with a slide-out keyboard. multitouch could,however,be accomplished with a smart screen that uses magnets to tell if a stylus in nearby.

multiplayer!pandora vs pandora on simple games like c&C [in progress atm] would ownz.

no-one else on earth would want this but... i want a guitar amp controller for my peavey vypyr 75.

Oh yeah, and we should all petition those guys that wont let sdhc cards go past 32gb... without those assholes we could have 2TB + 2TB in our pandas.4TB of ps2 games,C&C , guitar amp stuff, guild wars, GPS, and P0RN!!!

finally.it needs to be able to fly."The Pandora ; Never Use a Plane Again, just don't fall off at 500mph!"

 

[Shadow of Chaos]

PS2 emulators would be a little way off, they arent so good on PC either.. TBH i think it is more down to the coders rather than the hardware not being powerful enough, that in itsself is a joke when you look at how much better graphically PC games are compared to ps2 and even better than ps3/360 now.

N64 will be easy for pandora, the big stepping stone after that would be dreamcast as that isnt far off PS2 graphical qualities anyway.