Reality Check - Shipping Date

[CCmachined]

With all the recent updates, what can we expect?

Personally I think the test device, mold creation, stability testing, mass production and then shipping as well as software (OS) testing will take longer than June or July. August maybe?

I know this is an awkward topic, but it needs an answer. I'm just tired of the constant "2 months from now, now" left right and center.

Before you tell me "these kinds of projects take time" etc etc I know and respect that. I just want an answer. We all do.

 

[Izolo]

I hope it isn't outdated by it's release.

For all we know point five on the checklist hasn't even started yet.

"Create mould of final case (can be done once the case fits, takes 30 - 35 days)"

 

[CCmachined]

"

It hasn't. It can only begin once the test device is certified OK, which hasn't been ticked off.

Let's see. Allow ~2 weeks for stability testing, then 1 week for the first mass produced Pandoras to be tested. Earliest date possible (unlikely) would be 5th July. If the test device was completed testing today (17th may).

First pandora. And add shipping time to that. Please someone tell me I've missed something out that'll speed things up a little?

 

[danielliu88888]

* Build a test device and check if everything is okay
I'll assume MWeston is checking if everything is okay with the clear prototype.

* Create mould of final case (can be done once the case fits, takes 30 - 35 days)
This probably hasn't started yet, I hope they start soon and get it done before june ends.

* CE / FCC testing (can be done once the prototype case is here)
I believe CE testing is already done, FCC needs the final product. one week slowdown for us US customers.

* Stability testing (this will be fun)
I have no idea.

* Mass Production
A month at least

* Test the boards
There's the possibility something will go wrong here...

* SHIP THEM!
oh dear... this will take a while.

 

[christo930]

testing will take longer than June or July. August maybe?

I know this is an awkward topic, but it needs an answer. I'm just tired of the constant "2 months from now, now" left right and center.

Before you tell me "these kinds of projects take time" etc etc I know and respect that. I just want an answer. We all do.

I said this last year and it upset a lot of people, but...
I don't think they are going to rush to release it during the summer. Most people are busy with other shit during the summer and that is why almost nothing happens during the summer in the video game industry or even computers. The fall is probably more realistic. Judging by the openpandora front page postings there is still some work to be done. September seems like a good estimate. I know people don't want to hear it, but I am quite sure these guys want everything to be RIGHT and not piss off the customers with shoddy hardware or lousy assembly or anything and there really is no point in rushing. The technology is pretty advanced and isn't going to be outdated by early fall/late summer. The real question is how fast will subsequent orders take.

Chris

 

[Vorporeal]

I'm pretty sure they've said at some point that they could start making the mold for the case before the final OK was given, as only one piece of the case was being changed from the last prototype to these, and they were saying that they could start making the mold for the unchanged pieces and then just send over the design for the final piece. If this is true, the testing/creating concurrence could speed things up greatly.

 

[javaJake]

September!? If the Pandora didn't ship by August, and they didn't have the only "useful" Linux hand-held available, I'd be canceling my order.

 

[marshal]

With all the recent updates, what can we expect?

Personally I think the test device, mold creation, stability testing, mass production and then shipping as well as software (OS"] testing will take longer than June or July. August maybe?

I know this is an awkward topic, but it needs an answer. I'm just tired of the constant "2 months from now, now" left right and center.

Before you tell me "these kinds of projects take time" etc etc I know and respect that. I just want an answer. We all do.

I said this last year and it upset a lot of people, but...
I don't think they are going to rush to release it during the summer. Most people are busy with other shit during the summer and that is why almost nothing happens during the summer in the video game industry or even computers. The fall is probably more realistic. Judging by the openpandora front page postings there is still some work to be done. September seems like a good estimate. I know people don't want to hear it, but I am quite sure these guys want everything to be RIGHT and not piss off the customers with shoddy hardware or lousy assembly or anything and there really is no point in rushing. The technology is pretty advanced and isn't going to be outdated by early fall/late summer. The real question is how fast will subsequent orders take.

Chris[/quote]I hope if will be done before fall... I know they want to get the job done perfectly and to some extent I prefer them doing so... But let's face it, 4000 pre-order already paid for. People have been waiting for a long time already, they can't afford to push it back forever.

and... there actually have been some good progress recently

Still I have to say I am puzzled about how they always come up with optimistic estimate. At most 500 units finished for end of May... I just don't see that happening. I think they have to be more careful on how they communicate.

 

[jlepley]

I think that if they knew, they'd tell us. They've gotten their release dates wrong before, as they are not some giant corporation running on a deadline. There are tons of hoops to jump through. Anyways, I'd rather they do it right than they do it right now. Just my two cents.

 

[craigix]

The moulds are the main thing we are waiting on now.

 

[Dunny]

The moulds are the main thing we are waiting on now.

But have they been started?

D.

 

[Prophet]

It's not smart to ask for definite dates with this sort of project. There are too many variables and just a small but talented dev group.

Honestly, just concentrate on other things until one day you hear Pandora is finally done. That's what I'm doing. The Wiz is out now for example, and will probably become a nice homebrew platform in the coming months.

 

[atomicthumbs]

The moulds are the main thing we are waiting on now.

But have they been started?

D.

"waiting" implies that they are waiting for completion; i.e. they have started

 

[God Ginrai]

It's not smart to ask for definite dates with this sort of project. There are too many variables and just a small but talented dev group.

Honestly, just concentrate on other things until one day you hear Pandora is finally done. That's what I'm doing. The Wiz is out now for example, and will probably become a nice homebrew platform in the coming months.

I agree. It's fine to talk about the Pandora, but as soon as you feel yourself wondering about when it's released, I suggest taking a break from the forums and doing something else for a while.

So the Wiz is finally out? Cool. I plan to possibly get one of those about a year down the road if I have the money and there isn't something else that has caught my eye. I believe in supporting GPH with this handheld, it seems nice, and the more people working on Homebrew handhelds, the better for us consumers.

-God Ginrai

 

[Gautama]

If and if so when was the mould started, Craig?

 

[cobaltage]

I don't see how the Pandora can be outdated by the time its released. I think the idea of that is a bit strange, considering that one of its purposes is to play games that were released years to decades ago.

There won't be a breakthrough CPU that will provide a substantially better computational power to power usage ratio in the next year from what it looks like. The hardware that is in the Pandora was already capable of running certain emulators with great FPS even without GPU optimization. And probably no one has been secretly designing a similar device with built in gaming controls and analog pads.

I want to get the Pandora as much as anyone, but even if it comes out Q3 or Q4 this year, it won't be outdated, IMO.

 

[Izolo]

I don't see how the Pandora can be outdated by the time its released. I think the idea of that is a bit strange, considering that one of its purposes is to play games that were released years to decades ago.

There won't be a breakthrough CPU that will provide a substantially better computational power to power usage ratio in the next year from what it looks like. The hardware that is in the Pandora was already capable of running certain emulators with great FPS even without GPU optimization. And probably no one has been secretly designing a similar device with built in gaming controls and analog pads.

I want to get the Pandora as much as anyone, but even if it comes out Q3 or Q4 this year, it won't be outdated, IMO.

I was thinking along the lines of the rumored PSP 2. It's reasonable to think that it might be more powerful than the Pandora, and if a homebrew scene were to emerge...

 

[jlepley]

I don't see how the Pandora can be outdated by the time its released. I think the idea of that is a bit strange, considering that one of its purposes is to play games that were released years to decades ago.

There won't be a breakthrough CPU that will provide a substantially better computational power to power usage ratio in the next year from what it looks like. The hardware that is in the Pandora was already capable of running certain emulators with great FPS even without GPU optimization. And probably no one has been secretly designing a similar device with built in gaming controls and analog pads.

I want to get the Pandora as much as anyone, but even if it comes out Q3 or Q4 this year, it won't be outdated, IMO.

I was thinking along the lines of the rumored PSP 2. It's reasonable to think that it might be more powerful than the Pandora, and if a homebrew scene were to emerge...

Maybe, I doubt it, but it probably won't have anywhere near the Pandora's functionality, such as the keyboard, and the easy programming. With the Pandora, you don't have to worry about firmware updates when working on homebrew, either.

 

[MDave]

I don't know about you guys, but that's great news that they are waiting for the moulds. That means that the final prototype checks out OK, and they have began the final moulds for the Pandora! That is, if the moulds they are waiting for are indeed the case moulds

 

[gruso]

^ Assuming they've actually been ordered, agreed. It's the last major milestone.

I was thinking along the lines of the rumored PSP 2. It's reasonable to think that it might be more powerful than the Pandora, and if a homebrew scene were to emerge...
If the latest rumours are true, the PSP2 will be a fairly modest update in the same way the DSi was. ie. better specs, new features, but the same screen resolution and control scheme. No matter what they do, by the time the PSP2 homebrew scene warms up, Pandora's will already be light years ahead. I've said it many times; Pandora's strength is this community, not the number of megahertz.