Pandora Questions And Answers

[higgylm]

Not likely. They're already practically giving it away. If HTC, Sharp, or Asus were making this device, it would probably retail for at least $599. Openpandora can get away with selling at much lower margins because it's such a tiny company.

What do you mean get away with selling at low margins because they are a small company? business size makes very little different to the price of a fairly unique product such as the pandora, And if it was being "Practically given away" craig would have registered as "not for profit organisation" that way markup would have been even lower as VAT wouldn't be paid. And as proven with the eeepc companies like asus wouldn't market a similar device at $599 because as mentioned above its ruffly the same price as the pandora, as for HTC well there in completely different market anyway. The Pandora project is a business and will turn profits.

 

[Squidge]

Fair enough, What the hell I'll get one if I can, anyone got an email to register my interest in a pre-order?.

I havn't got the newsletter email with the info.

Maybe visit http://openpandora.org/ ?

 

[Chip]

What do you mean get away with selling at low margins because they are a small company? business size makes very little different to the price of a fairly unique product such as the pandora

Large companies have thousands of employees to pay, advertising campains to finance, and physical buildings to maintain. They can't even consider developing a product that doesn't have a decent chance of millions in profits. The Pandora is a niche device. Even Asus couldn't sell nearly as many Pandoras as they sell eeePCs. In order to make up for low volume, they'd have to set high margins.

Openpandora on the other hand is a tiny outfit. Virtually no overhead compared to a Sharp or an Asus. All they have to pay for is the development and manufacture of the device itself, not all the other stuff that goes with being a big company. When you eliminate all the other stuff, you can cut your margins down and still make a couple bucks.

 

[anexanhume]

I had a question about the headphone jack in another thread that never got answered. Basically, I'm guessing that the click functionality of the headphones you can use on the iphone and ipod touch is a proprietary connection, correct? Basically, you couldn't do this on the pandora, even with appropriate drivers and headphones, because the physical 3.5mm jack is different. Is this correct?

 

[Chip]

I had a question about the headphone jack in another thread that never got answered. Basically, I'm guessing that the click functionality of the headphones you can use on the iphone and ipod touch is a proprietary connection, correct? Basically, you couldn't do this on the pandora, even with appropriate drivers and headphones, because the physical 3.5mm jack is different. Is this correct?

I don't have click-phones to check, but there is a halfway decent chance they can work. The Pandora uses a standard 4-conductor socket - L+, R+, mic, common. If Apple is using a standard 4-conductor plug, then they're probably watching the mic ring for shorts (clicks). If the Apple software can do it, then we can too.

On the other hand, if Apple is using something silly (as they are prone to do) then there's probably nothing we can do.

 

[anexanhume]

I had a question about the headphone jack in another thread that never got answered. Basically, I'm guessing that the click functionality of the headphones you can use on the iphone and ipod touch is a proprietary connection, correct? Basically, you couldn't do this on the pandora, even with appropriate drivers and headphones, because the physical 3.5mm jack is different. Is this correct?

I don't have click-phones to check, but there is a halfway decent chance they can work. The Pandora uses a standard 4-conductor socket - L+, R+, mic, common. If Apple is using a standard 4-conductor plug, then they're probably watching the mic ring for shorts (clicks). If the Apple software can do it, then we can too.

On the other hand, if Apple is using something silly (as they are prone to do) then there's probably nothing we can do.

Ah, ok. I didn't know the standard jack had a mic ring. I thought it was just two channel audio plus ground (common).

Click functionality would be great for skipping,FF,shuffle etc. if the pandy is in your pocket and you don't want to get it out to change songs.

 

[scrag_10]

Yet another lurker revealed.
Yes and no will suffice, where applicable.

If you Open Pandora's box will your face melt off? (I know what my boot animation will be...)
If you connect a usb to 2 Pandora's which one is charging?

PC to Pandora multiplayer?

I imagine it is hard to find people to play multiplayer with. I think it would be neat if there were an app, that went to a central server, and listed all the games people were playing in and if they were full or not. It could work well with coin op games, you join their game and it is like putting a coin in, and you can play from where they are playing from. You could even download the game if you didn't have a copy. I imagine the code would need to be added to the emulators though, a plugin, or patch, or something. It would be good for all users of emulators, not just Pandora specific!

what is the difference between central server and server?

anyone think of this: Pandora as controller for toy/real robots/planes/cars?

Pandora as security camera's screen so you can check who is breaking in where ever you are?

I noticed there is a white Pandora and a black Pandora in the smilies, whats that mean?


Any one willing to share a 3d model of the logo? I use blender so, .obj files would do.

 

[Chip]

1. If you connect a usb to 2 Pandora's which one is charging?

2. PC to Pandora multiplayer?

3. I think it would be neat if there were an app, that went to a central server, and listed all the games people were playing in and if they were full or not.

4. what is the difference between central server and server?

5. anyone think of this: Pandora as controller for toy/real robots/planes/cars?

6. Pandora as security camera's screen so you can check who is breaking in where ever you are?

7. I noticed there is a white Pandora and a black Pandora in the smilies, whats that mean?

8. Any one willing to share a 3d model of the logo? I use blender so, .obj files would do.

1. The slave device will charge from the host.
2. Possible, dependent on software support.
3. One is under development. Check out TINXL.
4. A central server is a dedicated server. Any device can act as a server (depends on what you're serving) in a networking environment.
5. Someone has, not that the idea went anywhere.
6. Possible. The Pandora should (hopefully) handle streaming web video, so you could just set up your security camera as a webcam and view it online.
7. The white one was made before the final color had been decided.
8. I don't have it, but someone else may.

 

[higgylm]

What do you mean get away with selling at low margins because they are a small company? business size makes very little different to the price of a fairly unique product such as the pandora

Large companies have thousands of employees to pay, advertising campains to finance, and physical buildings to maintain. They can't even consider developing a product that doesn't have a decent chance of millions in profits. The Pandora is a niche device. Even Asus couldn't sell nearly as many Pandoras as they sell eeePCs. In order to make up for low volume, they'd have to set high margins.

Openpandora on the other hand is a tiny outfit. Virtually no overhead compared to a Sharp or an Asus. All they have to pay for is the development and manufacture of the device itself, not all the other stuff that goes with being a big company. When you eliminate all the other stuff, you can cut your margins down and still make a couple bucks.

Yes however these large overheads you talk about aren't just there for no reason, All more is spent on R&D and testing / marketing and support/warranties of the product so overall all the consumer gets a much higher quality product for the slightly increased margins.

And just to prove this Point an eeepc is sold every 6 seconds

http://eeepc.asus.com/global/news101812007.htm

I have no doubt that the pandora internal hardware and firmware will be up to scratch, its the shell i see a real issue in, Nintendo would have spent thousands on developing the DS shell but in some cases it still faltered. So you get what you pay for, pandora may be a bargain in your eyes but the quality isn't necessarily there

 

[crasherball]

hi,
ive got a some kind of offtopic-question:
the pandora-website said that:
QUOTE

The price is $329.99 / £199.99 (Inc VAT) / E249.99 (Inc VAT).
....
You can pay via US$, £GPB or Euro.



wouldnt it make much more sense if youd pay in $?

330 US Dollar (USD) = 230.554 Euro (EUR)


that way ull only pay 230€, instead of 250€

 

[ultm8]

i have a question is it possible to make andora1: to wiz multiplayer or pandora to psp multiplayer.

 

[plopperz]

Technically yes.
The developers would have to program it into their software, and I doubt they will.
EDIT: It's not possible for Pandora to Wiz, because the Wiz doesn't have WiFi or Bluetooth.

 

[RetiredAccount]

Hey everyone, i dont know much about linux (ive been attached to XP) and when you start the pandora, will it look like DOS, or will it have an actual OS that looks like Ubuntu or something. I am asking this because in the video of what to do with an MK0 board it looks like DOS.

 

[plopperz]

The Pandora will very likely ship with a GUI in some form or another.

That's not DOS by the way, it's Linux command line.

 

[RetiredAccount]

The Pandora will very likely ship with a GUI in some form or another.

That's not DOS by the way, it's Linux command line.

yeah - i know it wasnt DOS but i dont use linux so i didnt know what to call it. Thanks! :lol:

 

[ultm8]

I
have another queston I have 2 tv's in my car if I'm playing a racing arcade game can I possibly have a game running on each tv and the pandora at the same time for multiplayer purposes.

 

[Chip]

I have another queston I have 2 tv's in my car if I'm playing a racing arcade game can I possibly have a game running on each tv and the pandora at the same time for multiplayer purposes.

No. If the game was not particularly demanding, the Pandora could possibly run three instances of it. The problem is that you don't have a way to output two different video feeds at the same time. You could do one game externally over s-video and the other on the Pandora, but there is only one video out.

 

[Squidge]

hi,
ive got a some kind of offtopic-question:
the pandora-website said that:
QUOTE

The price is $329.99 / £199.99 (Inc VAT) / E249.99 (Inc VAT).
....
You can pay via US$, £GPB or Euro.

wouldnt it make much more sense if youd pay in $?

330 US Dollar (USD) = 230.554 Euro (EUR)

that way ull only pay 230€, instead of 250€


No, as stated above and on the website, the £ and E include VAT, the $ does not.

330 USD = 228.921 EUR, plus VAT = 268.982 EUR. Much cheaper to pay in EUR directly

 

[anexanhume]

Squidge,

I know that Super Mario RPG does not work on the gp2x. Does it work on your ported version to pandy? Is compatibility in general raised? (I know it was already very high).

 

[scrag_10]

can Java programs run on pandora? ( I think the answer is yes )
http://www.dklevine.com/general/software/tc1000/jarnal.htm this?