Release Date - On Track ?

[Dutch_Cap]

No one is helping to fund the project outside the people you know to be involved.

I liked the GP2X Value pack box and something like that would be nice, but we are not going to spend a lot of money making a fancy box that money is better spent elsewhere It will just come with a manual, pandora, cd and power supply.

I suggest making the box all white, with the word "PANDORA" on the front in big black letters.

 

[Holokauston]

Dutch_Cap >> Simple, nice and cheap idea, I like it

EDIT: and goes well with the name

 

[plopperz]

Great idea, Simple and to the point

 

[craigix]

Hi!

Surely by now, some prototypes must exist... How long is it before we get updated media, real shots instead of everchanging renders ?

There are some pictures of the cases but early case prototypes always look bad, better to wait for the real thing, there is a video on youtube of the pandora pcb with the lcd connected booting... we will post a few more videos like that soon.

 

[JakeK]

Unfortunately there will be a delay after the first 3000 units but we hope 3000 will be enough to keep most of you happy while we set up production for more!

Cheers, well I will just have to try and be in that first 3000 . Could there be any change from the first batch to the second batch?

 

[DDd]

Hello,

Is there a developer portal/program? How does one become a developer for this platform? What are the associated costs and support fees.

I tried to find out this info on the openpandora website but i saw no developer section.

Thank you!

 

[Chip]

Hello,

Is there a developer portal/program? How does one become a developer for this platform? What are the associated costs and support fees.

I tried to find out this info on the openpandora website but i saw no developer section.

Thank you!

There is no official "program". There are no costs or fees. Pandora runs on open source software using free libraries. Anybody with the ability to program is welcome to do so. More detailed info / tutorials will be produced once Pandora is actually available and we have a chance to write them. For now there are links to hardware / software information and utilities on the wiki.

 

[JerryG20]

It's already been pushed back 1-2 months since the first projected release date to June/July. I wouldn't be surprised if it gets pushed back even more...

No it hasn't, and that's a dishonest remark to say the least. April/may has always been the release date for the developer versions, with june/july for the first commercial release of 3,000 units.

Sofar the developers have been right on track.

Are you sure? I recall the current release dates being a month or two later than the projected ones. I recall the first projected release date for the dev version to be March. I know I'm not the only one that is aware of the initial projected release date of March for the dev version (I think it was May for the commercial one at the time). At the VERY least March was mentioned by MWeston or Craigix. You talk so absolutely ("that's a dishonest remark to the say the least," "April/May has ALWAYS been the release date, etc."); isn't there a chance that you might have missed the March quote?

I am not trying to be dishonest here, and I have no intentions to be dishonest (I plan to buy a Pandora and fully support the project). Note that I am not knocking them for delays or anything. These things happen and should be expected and shouldn't be cause for concern or reason not to buy Pandora.

 

[DDd]

Chip,

Thank you for your reply. I would like to know how to obtain the dev kit, hence the developer portal question, how do I order dev kits?

I have OpenGL ES 2.0 software ready to run, but no chip to run it on, i have been using PowerVR SDK and AMD's Emulator and Shader creation tool, and would like to test and start profiling and optimizing to the silicon.

 

[Chip]

Chip,

Thank you for your reply. I would like to know how to obtain the dev kit, hence the developer portal question, how do I order dev kits?

The first of the dev kits are shipping now to known GP2X developers. I believe they will be taking open orders for dev boards starting next month.

Do you mind if I ask what sort of project you have in mind?

EDIT: Nevermind. I just saw your post in the dev forum.

 

[DDd]

The first of the dev kits are shipping now to known GP2X developers. I believe they will be taking open orders for dev boards starting next month.

Do you mind if I ask what sort of project you have in mind?

EDIT: Nevermind. I just saw your post in the dev forum.

Thank you for your help.

Is it possible to subscribe to an announcement mailing list or get some kind of alert once the dev kits become available to a wider range of developers? basically what i am asking ** Is there a way to get me one of these as quick as possible ** Edit: I don't need the finished product (case) just the board and screen.

In my former employer i had access to dev boards that featured OGL 2.x silicon, but now I am back in college, and looking for a cheap dev kit. The one from TI is quite expensive for a hobbyst/indie, as is bSquare, and doing one from scratch (dev board not console like you guys are going) is allot of work for me right now, i haven't done any hardware assembly in a long time, last projects i did was with ATMEL rocket telemetry stuff, and assembled a HYDRA Game Development Kit for xmas... so "This is our most desperate hour. Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi; you're my only hope. "

 

[Tobriand]

Sofar the developers have been right on track.

Are you sure? I recall the current release dates being a month or two later than the projected ones. I recall the first projected release date for the dev version to be March. I know I'm not the only one that is aware of the initial projected release date of March for the dev version (I think it was May for the commercial one at the time). At the VERY least March was mentioned by MWeston or Craigix. You talk so absolutely ("that's a dishonest remark to the say the least," "April/May has ALWAYS been the release date, etc."); isn't there a chance that you might have missed the March quote?


I'm pretty certain the map of announcements went something like this:

1) New Ultra "GP2x" announced! Probably release time: Christmas if everything comes off, but more likely February.

2) Dissatisfaction over the chosen SoC; Jadon steps in and suddenly the OMAP3530 (pretty much the most powerful ARM-based chip currently on the market) becomes available. Release date pushed back to "Spring 2008". Until the website goes up, this is the most official announcement any of us had and at this point, I and a few others, predicted that March, but more likely April, would be the likely dates, the rationale behind this being that February had already been mentioned, and Craig had said that a change in SoC at that stage would delay the project "by a couple of months".

3) The website goes up, mentioning March/April, but in very conditional terms. No-one seriously expects the March part of that to hold water, but April seems possible. This is fairly quickly (I think after two or three weeks) updated to April/May.

4) The final iteration replaces April/May with April/May for the developer version, and June/July for everyone else. Always the plan, I believe, but not fully announced.

This would indicate that at most, they've been delayed by a month, although I'd guess a couple of weeks is more likely. However, seeing as before the April/May and June/July notices, the website was fairly noncommittal as to how likely those dates were, that's not too surprising. And at no point have they said "It'll be done by such and such" firmly, and then changed their date. I think.

 

[OrR]

The budget is not all that limited, the prototyping was done in the USA and was pretty expensive compared to China, as i've said i'm writing up the story of all this which will be posted soonish. Once i've cut it down from 50 pages in to like... 4.

You need to write an autobiography some day... B)

 

[Alex.]

The budget is not all that limited, the prototyping was done in the USA and was pretty expensive compared to China, as i've said i'm writing up the story of all this which will be posted soonish. Once i've cut it down from 50 pages in to like... 4.

You need to write an autobiography some day... B)

Didn't Epicenter promise to write a lengthy article on Craig at some point? :lol:

 

[Squidge]

Is it possible to subscribe to an announcement mailing list or get some kind of alert once the dev kits become available to a wider range of developers? basically what i am asking ** Is there a way to get me one of these as quick as possible ** Edit: I don't need the finished product (case) just the board and screen.

You have a couple of options for dev kits:
1) Buy a OMAP 3530 EVM (~$1500)
2) Buy a beagle board (~$150, not available yet)
3) Buy a Logic MDK (~$875, not available yet)
4) Buy a Pandora (~$330, not available yet)

Hmmm, ok, you currently have no options unless your willing to spend $1500. If not, then you'll have to wait for one of the others to be available.

 

[craigix]

I am still waiting for his tabloid attack on me. Maybe it will show up when his sensational 2D shoot em up does.

We have some real pandoras (without cases) working now. Some of you have seen the videos of the LCD tests. Before we allow the 100 dev orders to happen we *must* make sure these boards are working 100% so if we have to we will delay the ordering.

We don't want to do a GPH and release unfinished hardware.

However so far everything is going well, it's a really exciting time here, the power of this thing reminds me of the Amiga dropping in to the C64 and ZX Spectrum world!

 

[atomicthumbs]

*gets mouse finger, reload every 5 seconds, and caffiene ready*

 

[GaidinTS]

I am still waiting for his tabloid attack on me. Maybe it will show up when his sensational 2D shoot em up does.

We have some real pandoras (without cases) working now. Some of you have seen the videos of the LCD tests. Before we allow the 100 dev orders to happen we *must* make sure these boards are working 100% so if we have to we will delay the ordering.

We don't want to do a GPH and release unfinished hardware.

However so far everything is going well, it's a really exciting time here, the power of this thing reminds me of the Amiga dropping in to the C64 and ZX Spectrum world!

I'm sure it doesn't get said enough, but I know I appreciate you taking the time to put out these little updates every now and then. Every little piece of info gets me more and more excited.

 

[Arialia]

I am still waiting for his tabloid attack on me. Maybe it will show up when his sensational 2D shoot em up does.

We have some real pandoras (without cases) working now. Some of you have seen the videos of the LCD tests. Before we allow the 100 dev orders to happen we *must* make sure these boards are working 100% so if we have to we will delay the ordering.

We don't want to do a GPH and release unfinished hardware.

However so far everything is going well, it's a really exciting time here, the power of this thing reminds me of the Amiga dropping in to the C64 and ZX Spectrum world!

Yes i think we are too excited about the Pandora Craig

Argh i hate you : i can't see your video "Gamegear emu on Pandora" only first picture

Please post a good public video about abilities of Pandora (i know is difficult also to make a good video )

 

[D.C.]

Is it possible to subscribe to an announcement mailing list or get some kind of alert once the dev kits become available to a wider range of developers? basically what i am asking ** Is there a way to get me one of these as quick as possible ** Edit: I don't need the finished product (case) just the board and screen.

You have a couple of options for dev kits:
1) Buy a OMAP 3530 EVM (~$1500)
2) Buy a beagle board (~$150, not available yet)
3) Buy a Logic MDK (~$875, not available yet)
4) Buy a Pandora (~$330, not available yet)

Hmmm, ok, you currently have no options unless your willing to spend $1500. If not, then you'll have to wait for one of the others to be available.


I've heard about the beagle board before, although I don't know any specifics. What are the actual differences between that board and the one being used for the Pandora?