Post picks and first impressions of your shiny new Pandora here!

[Blue Protoman]

Another online game on Pandora? Nice.

 

[meandu229]

will someone whom has there pandy see if this game will run. its a 2d mmorpg and could be my fovorite game if it works on pandora. it will be hard on the little screen but it isnt completely point and click. it called "Stendhal" http://stendhalgame.org/ it relies on a java runtime environment.

seems to work fine ran it created an account walked around the 1st room talked to the guy...

 

[DynaMight]

Finally!

Very small, sturdy design, terrible left rear button, some squeaky game buttons but everything else seems fine so far.

 

[Anihil8ion2199]

@Dynamight: Congratulations on getting yours, and nice pic! The plastic of the case looks like it has a nice feel to it...


If at all possible by anyone it would be nice to see a closeup video of buttons being pressed or nubs being moved to show the responsiveness and feedback from the buttons or nubs... Kind of a weird request I admit, but I just think it would be a pretty cool video.

 

[Blue Protoman]

That's a really good picture, and a really good unit. I almost thought it was a render.

 

[- Theo -]

...terrible left rear button...

You might want to read that thread. Easy steps to fix it yourself.


This is mine, playing Baldur's gate II

 

[Anihil8ion2199]

This is mine, playing Baldur's gate II

Cool! Which stylus is that? I prefer heavier weight styluses, is that one of them?

 

[- Theo -]

Cool! Which stylus is that? I prefer heavier weight styluses, is that one of them?

Oh it's just an old one I had laying around from an old Windows HTC phone from 5 years ago (that one)... I prefer the metallic styluses, that is the one I use for the DS as well

 

[sabrecheeky]

Well, I got mine Saturday and have had a few days with it (quick review!)...


Pros...

• Very solidly built. No problems with my case!
  
• Nubs are lovely. Make navigating the Xfce a breeze. Would never have considered using the second nub as mouse, but works great!
  
• Just like a full desktop. Used to Ubuntu with Gnome, and can do just about everything on the pandora as my main machine.
  
• Pandora Panic! Hopefully now that interest will start up again, we will see lots more original homebrew like this.
  
• Firefox and wireless works great. I have all the same plugins and setup as my main machine, feels right at home.
  
• Some wonderful emulators. Favourites so far being FUSE, MAME and SNES4x9P.
  
  

Cons (but really just nitpicking)...

• Documentation hidden in PNDs. I wish I could read the docs before I set up the card so I know where the necessary files and folders go!
  
• Feels a lot of bloatware in standard install. Would like a more clean start.
  
• Wish I could remove the sub menus from the game menu in the desktop. I'm sure there is a way...!
  
• LCD screen. Before my pandora, my Wiz was my favourite handheld, so was spoiled with that great LED screen. So the comparable lack of contrast and ghosting are noticeable, but the fantastic resolution makes up for it.
  
• 'A' button feels squishy compared to others, and 'L' button seems a bit stuck, but both work fine. Read other posts on these, but too scared to open the case.
  
• PS1 and N64 emulation still need some work, and I'm still holding out for P-UAE (please, please, please!)
  

Well worth the wait, and, all in all, hopeful for a bright pandora future!

 

[Anihil8ion2199]

Thanks for the review! If I remember correctly I think ED mentions in one of his videos how to remove sub menus...

 

[Alpha2]

I promised more impressions but I crapped away most of the day playing OpenBOR and Hu-Go but I had to take this photo because I've been wanting to for months.

Pardon my poor cellphone image quality, my room is apparently too dark for most cameras no matter what I do.


oh and here's a second one just because you can never have too many pictures of Pandora.

 

[Anihil8ion2199]

@ Alpha2: sweet pics! Love the Super Metroid!

 

[richiz]

• Documentation hidden in PNDs. I wish I could read the docs before I set up the card so I know where the necessary files and folders go!
  
• Feels a lot of bloatware in standard install. Would like a more clean start.
  
• Wish I could remove the sub menus from the game menu in the desktop. I'm sure there is a way...!
  
• LCD screen. Before my pandora, my Wiz was my favourite handheld, so was spoiled with that great LED screen. So the comparable lack of contrast and ghosting are noticeable, but the fantastic resolution makes up for it.
  
• 'A' button feels squishy compared to others, and 'L' button seems a bit stuck, but both work fine. Read other posts on these, but too scared to open the case.
  
• PS1 and N64 emulation still need some work, and I'm still holding out for P-UAE (please, please, please!)
  

Well worth the wait, and, all in all, hopeful for a bright pandora future!

The documentation hidden in the pnds drove me f**king mad.


Seconded on n64 and PSX emulation. Chrono cross runs a bit slow at 500 mhz and final fantasy 8 crashes when you get out of balamb gardens.


Although Resi 3 seems to (apart from a few minor slow downs) run at 100 percent on 500mhz so hopefully these issues will get ironed with the influx of pandoras going out.


Saying that super mario 64 feels as if it was made to be on the pandora! I've ran out of space on my mem card (using an 8gig one til my bigger one comes) so when it does I'll try to play a few psx and n64 games from start to finish and update the compatibility sheet

 

[Eridger]

Alpha2, those are the best images I have ever seen. I didn't know that electronics can be arranged to look cute.


By the way, is the contrast for the Pandora really strange, or is that just your camera?

 

[denli]

I got mine yesterday and I'm sorry to say:


The stylus is missing.


The case is cracked in the back.


The speakers doesn't seem to work (using head phones is ok).


The WiFi disconnects some times.


Midori webbrowser crashes alot.


The screen isn't very clear.


The brightness can't be turned down enough when bed surfing in the dark.


My DS stylus I use at the moment doesn't reach the right edge of the screen without touching the edge of the case which make it hard to press scrolling bars.


I didn't find an obvious way to configure the WIFI from within the minimenu.


The keychain doesn't seem to accept empty passwords so I can't enter my WLAN without providing a password to it everytime.


The lid has a small gap on the left front side when closed.


There is no default player for mp3


(easy to download, I know. But still).


So I'm feeling slightly disappointed at the moment.


Anyway, here are some pics from the unpacking.

And from the crack in the back.

 

[denli]

The keychain doesn't seem to accept empty passwords so I can't enter my WLAN without providing a password to it everytime.

Update to firmware RC1 45 provided an unsecure option

The speakers doesn't seem to work (using head phones is ok).

Don't know if it's related to the FW upgrade but the speakers work now.

 

[Alpha2]

Alpha2, those are the best images I have ever seen. I didn't know that electronics can be arranged to look cute.

By the way, is the contrast for the Pandora really strange, or is that just your camera?

As for the screen, it's just the cellphone camera most likely, it's not the fanciest of phones.

 

[Alpha2]

I got mine yesterday and I'm sorry to say:


The stylus is missing.


The case is cracked in the back.


The speakers doesn't seem to work (using head phones is ok).


The WiFi disconnects some times.


Midori webbrowser crashes alot.


The screen isn't very clear.


The brightness can't be turned down enough when bed surfing in the dark.


My DS stylus I use at the moment doesn't reach the right edge of the screen without touching the edge of the case which make it hard to press scrolling bars.


I didn't find an obvious way to configure the WIFI from within the minimenu.


The keychain doesn't seem to accept empty passwords so I can't enter my WLAN without providing a password to it everytime.


The lid has a small gap on the left front side when closed.


There is no default player for mp3


(easy to download, I know. But still).

The gap in the lid is well documented already, I dont think there's a single Pandora that doesnt have that. I've noticed sound not working on several games but assumed it more to be due to still evolving software with slight glitches that still need ironing out (the web browsers being some of the biggest offenders hence the crashes although I haven't crashed yet while browsing I can see how some sites might have issues). Havent tried it as a music player yet but it was my understanding that you had to install codecs after buying it because it couldnt ship with them for legal reasons let alone a default MP3 player.

 

[EvilDragon]

The case is cracked in the back.

Wow, that's an interesting crack


Haven't seen that one before. Doesn't look like it came from the screw, looks more like this came out of the moulding machine like that and shouldn't have made it to our place.

Midori webbrowser crashes alot.

Yes, that's due to an old version we have that also has troubles with WebKit.


The only way to properly update it is to switch to a newer Angström Version. DJWillis is working on it, but that takes time.


That will be the next BIG firmware update

The screen isn't very clear.

Interesting, how many different screen results people have.


Most love it because it's so clear and you think it isn't clear


Can you tell me a bit more?


Is it blurry?

The brightness can't be turned down enough when bed surfing in the dark.

Well... we can't go lower with the brightness. LEDs cant's be dimmed to any brightness, so there is a limit.

My DS stylus I use at the moment doesn't reach the right edge of the screen without touching the edge of the case which make it hard to press scrolling bars.

Have you calibrated the touchscreen?


Don't forget: You need to restart after calibration.

I didn't find an obvious way to configure the WIFI from within the minimenu.

Not yet possible, someone needs to code a GUI for that.


Does anyone know if there is a network manager GUI that you can use for that?


XFCE uses a plugin for the network manager, but maybe there's a GUI as well?

The lid has a small gap on the left front side when closed.

Sadly, that's a problem in the mould that needs to be fixed.

There is no default player for mp3


(easy to download, I know. But still).

We can't include one due to licensing issues.


MP3 needs to be licensed if you use it on a commercial device.


The user can legally install it, but we can't as a company.

Update to firmware RC1 45 provided an unsecure option


Don't know if it's related to the FW upgrade but the speakers work now.

Both should've worked with the old FW already... maybe you had a bad flash.


Sounds like that to me.


Glad it works now

 

[denli]

Wow, that's an interesting crack


Haven't seen that one before. Doesn't look like it came from the screw,

Actually, it does origin from the hole. It just doesn't show in the picture.

Interesting, how many different screen results people have.
Most love it because it's so clear and you think it isn't clear


Can you tell me a bit more?


Is it blurry?

My impression actually shifts with the amount of souranding light.


In comparison, my iPhone 3GS is always "clear".

Well... we can't go lower with the brightness. LEDs cant's be dimmed to any brightness, so there is a limit.

I have no problem dimming my iPhone to tollerabla levels.

We can't include one due to licensing issues.
MP3 needs to be licensed if you use it on a commercial device.


The user can legally install it, but we can't as a company.

Sounds like a disclaimer in the Quick Start Guide booklet would be in order.


Nowadays, multimedia is expected to work out of the box on any fairly advanced device.