Pandora = Zaurus ?

[Jonttu]

Question now. Is the Pandora a games machine that happens to run Linux or is it a Linux mini laptop, like the Zaurus, that happens to do gaming well?
Help!

As much as I support the Pandora, I have to suggest the Zaurus Netwalker. It seems like you'd only want it for webmail, and typical internet use. If you wanted to play some classic console games, I'm sure there are a bunch of emulators out there for ARM Linux. The controls on the Zaurus aren't well suited for gaming however. Though, the Zaurus has a bigger screen which is a tad better for web viewing. The Zaurus is also a good bit more expensive, around 150 more. So what are you paying more for: A bigger screen 1024x600 vs Pandora's 800x480. Double the ram, not that it matters much (have more firefox tabs open?). 4GB flash rom storage vs Pandora's 512 (kind of convenient if you don't plan on buying any more storage). What your not getting: Probably the best gaming controls ever on a handheld. A gaming powerhouse in your pocket. An all-in-one device...almost. (cellular connectivity missing in both Pandora and the Netwalker) Portability, when the screen size increases, the portability decreases. Most importantly customer support from the creators of the device is merely one post away with the Pandora. So all-in-all it's your call.

 

[BackAssward]

Couldn't the Pandora become a phone using VOIP over wifi?

Sure, as soon as there is free wifi with the coverage of the cell network... good luck with that. I imagine if your house was burning down, relying on the Pandora to make that emergency call wouldn't be on the top of your list.

 

[kikeminchas]

There's already a Skype binary for ipod/iphone. I guess that wouldn't work out of the box or might present some legal issues but it's there.

 

[cobaltage]

Here's a "first impressions" post for Netwalker on Pocketables.com. Lots of nice pictures. My impression of it is that it's one of a slew of electronic dictionary-sized computers. Electronic dictionaries are popular in Japan, but the form factor has never really caught on in the U.S.

http://www.pocketables.net/2009/09/first-impressions-of-the-sharp-netwalker-pcz1.html

They also put a post up about the Pandora a few days ago, incidentally.

The Nokia Internet Tablet series has had VOIP for some time, and the VOIP in the N900 is supposed to be very nicely integrated. Is that a possible source of VOIP code?

 

[SNESFAN]

I thought it was a handheld gaming console with a free keyboard.

It depends on the angle you look at it

i like to think of it as a $300 stylus with a free handheld

 

[Tor]

Couldn't the Pandora become a phone using VOIP over wifi?

Sure, as soon as there is free wifi with the coverage of the cell network... good luck with that. I imagine if your house was burning down, relying on the Pandora to make that emergency call wouldn't be on the top of your list.

Right, but in this the Pandora isn't any different to a PC with VoIP. Better, because the Pandora can be carried around. I've used my N800 for Skype calls from many places in the world. It's not a certain thing that we'll ever get Skype running on the Pandora, but there are other (e.g. SIP) clients out there.

 

[x86Daddy]

This is why I pre-ordered a Pandora. I absolutely loved my Zaurus 5500, waited and waited for one of the new clamshell models to sport any kind of wireless, and when the Zaurus product line was discontinued, I bought an OQO. My OQO died and I almost bought an N810, hoping to get back to something like the Zaurus in terms of battery life and Linux support, and that's when I saw that the Pandora was getting very non-vapory. It is everything the Zaurus was, and a lot more, and still fits in a cargo pocket. I plan to attempt running OPIE on mine when it arrives.

 

[second exodous]

One thing that I like the Pandora for is storage, it has two full size SD slots. So many devices now only offer one micro SD, I see why they don't offer two but come on, on a device the size of the Netwalker you're telling me you couldn't squeeze a full size SD in there? You had to make it micro SD? All the professional grade cameras use full size SD, in fact I haven't seen a point and shoot that uses micro SD, so why have a micro SD slot? If you want a micro SD slot on a device that has a full SD slot just always have an adapter in the slot.

Putting two SD slots was just brilliant though, that makes it relatively cheap to have 32 GB of storage and you could still go 64 if you have the cash.

For storage I don't see a better device in the size category, or the Netwalker category either. 2 full SD slots is the deal breaker for anyone that wants to have lots of data. Or, you could swap pictures with someone who has a camera but no notebook is around.

 

[may88]

I thought it was a handheld gaming console with a free keyboard.

It depends on the angle you look at it

i like to think of it as a $300 stylus with a free handheld

It's a shame you have to buy the stylus.

 

[SNESFAN]

It's a shame you have to buy the stylus.

yea see.... that's the 'gotcha'

but I hear it's a pretty nice stylus

 

[hch]

I'm into mini computers, the smaller the better, so been using a Sharp Zaurus for some time but using expansion cards to add wifi etc plus the limited battery life compared to the Pandora I'm tempted to buy one.

Question now. Is the Pandora a games machine that happens to run Linux or is it a Linux mini laptop, like the Zaurus, that happens to do gaming well? I'm sure I would install some emulators on it but the main function would be email and chat on my person. (I hate my data in the cloud, much rather have it on me).

Spec wise it looks like the the Pandora is a Zaurus done well with gaming added for good measure.

Help!

it was close enough for me to preorder

anyways, situation has changed a bit in the last 1.2 years since preorders and there are now at least 2 alternatives i'd suggest you look into:

.) the shatp netwalker (as much a direct zaurus successor as possible)
.) the UMID M1 (and just emerging M2)

also if you seriously miss the swivel screen, you might be interested in the koshinja PA series.

the pandora however is the most compact machine of them all.

 

[noisome]

it was close enough for me to preorder

anyways, situation has changed a bit in the last 1.2 years since preorders and there are now at least 2 alternatives i'd suggest you look into:

.) the shatp netwalker (as much a direct zaurus successor as possible)
.) the UMID M1 (and just emerging M2)

also if you seriously miss the swivel screen, you might be interested in the koshinja PA series.

the pandora however is the most compact machine of them all.

Whenever the Pandora comes out, I believe it will be better than both for people with good eyes.

Its:
1. Lighter
2. Better looking.
3. Doesn't void warranty if you open the case.
4. Open to mod software.
5. So far, decent support from the community.
6. Costs less.
7. Game controls.
8. Fits in smaller pockets.
9. Did I mention better looking?

 

[torpor]

Made of Titanium, and 4cm thick, about the same width and height. no bezel. very nice little made-of-metal (or wood!) control surface.

 

[cobaltage]

I think the main difference is the x86 (Atom) CPU with Windows installed or the ARM Cortex A8 with Linux.

IMO, it boils down to just a few things.
1) Desktop OS's (i.e., Windows and OSX) don't scale well down to smaller screen sizes or to screen resolutions of 1024x600. UMPC optimizations for Windows have been slow to develop and haphazard -- even from MS, who pushed the whole concept forward. Most major software developers ignore the UMPC, as well they should. There is a small software development community around it though, with some good applications (e.g., ArtRage, Evernote, etc.).
2) The Atom CPU doesn't give enough of a power consumption advantage to justify the cut in processing power; it's really the low price that makes that whole market.
3) The GPU situation is similar to the CPU situation; only recently has the GPU been catching up to where it can really offset the anemic CPU. Some people want Pandora to output 1080p because the chipset can do that, apparently; the Atom platform isn't even there yet.
4) The reason Korean manufacturers go with Windows is that their entire infrastructure requires Windows and IE, for some obscure reason. That's why some of the UMPCs with the best performance are coming out of Korea -- e.g., Viliv.

There's a lot of power in a unified device platform and a software development community. The iPhone is a good example of that. The Pandora is an open-source alternative with similar features. One peculiarity of Pandora IMO is that it will be easy to have custom distros for specific functions, and to swap them out as needed. I think that offsets the disadvantages of an ARM architecture CPU, by allowing the user to have multiple, function specific OS's instead of one clunky OS that can theoretically do everything, but nothing very well (except browsing). With a UMPC, you're kind of a bottom feeder in an enormous food chain, in which your species represents 0.1% of the population.

Frankly, all of these devices are pretty cool. However, a device of this size, IMO, really needs its own, independent OS and software.

I keep up on UMPC devices at www.origamiportal.com (they have also been interested in Pandora btw).

 

[paulspiteri]

i don't think anyone mentioned that the netwalker doesn't have bluetooth! Bizarre considering you'd likely want to tether to your phone for connectivity. It does have wi-fi though.

 

[cbox]

The beauty of it is that it is whatever you want it to be =]

It is much like www.zombo.com, where the unobtainable is attainable.