Some Quick Sneak Peeks

[danielliu88888]

or we could ditch all the previous ideas and go with tiny, magnetic clip-on screws that light up, glow in the dark, rap, and do homework.

 

[-Tj-]

Looks great, can't wait!

 

[S-r-ex]

Even better, why don't we use a hydraulic system that rises and splits the lid over the middle and the battery rises by itself allowing you to simply grab it. When you insert it back, it'll fold back into place and the lid closes by itself. All you need to do is to command "sudo open battery" or something like that and the process happens automated, and of course, the Pandora enters hibernation before the battery is ejected, allowing you to easily resume whatever you were doing. Shutdown option is also available. All to make it as expensive as possible! Additional add-ons includes a robot that replaces the battery for you, truly lowering required calorie consumption to zero!

 

[Shaun199three]

I like the clips as well.

The clips have one weak point and that is it can break with too much fiddling.

Screw have 3 weak points.
1) The groove for the screw gets warn out.
... Not very likely, but still a possibility, especially if you are going to fiddle with it alot.
2) You drop that tiny screw and can't find it.
... I don't know about you guys, but I've dropped and lost plenty of tiny screws before.
3) Carrying a tool for that screw.
... If you intend to use the Pandora on a plane, good luck bringing a screw driver type of tool aboard.
... If we go with Phawx's suggestion of using the back end of the stylus, that would make the stylus proprietary. Not something we want, well, not something I want. And if you lose that stylus...

But wouldn't screws be alot easier to replace and there also wouldn't really be any need to open the case anyway.

 

[Tor]

The (single) clip on my N800 battery cover is of metal.. it doesn't seem to want to break anytime soon.

 

[Bosbeetle]

Well since we probably almost never need to open the battery cover Im fine with it. If it is the same as remote control covers it is still fine since they only break after a lot of battery changes.

 

[-Tj-]

I'm sure if screws were used they wouldn't be opened and closed very often, but I've stripped many a thread on plastic cases from over-tightening. Personally, I'd rather have a lid that can be easily replaced if the clip breaks than a screw thread that needs the whole bottom case to be replaced or repaired. Also, I like the idea that I don't need a tool to replace the battery if necessary. Just my 2¢.

So, theoretically, lets say I want to add a second pair of trigger buttons. Where exactly could they go? Space looks a bit sparse..

http://www.gp32x.de/board/index.php?/topic/49536-wrist-strap-case-expansion/page__view__findpost__p__754897

But seriously, I'm a little at a loss as to where you would put the extra buttons. It's been said that there are solder pads for L2 and R2, but as to where you'd put them. There seems to be *just* enough room above L and R buttons, but it looks tricky to fit anything usable in there.

 

[latiosu]

So, theoretically, lets say I want to add a second pair of trigger buttons. Where exactly could they go? Space looks a bit sparse..

Why? Can't you just map the extra L/R buttons to the keyboard keys above the D-Pad and the XYAB?

 

[bzar]

So, theoretically, lets say I want to add a second pair of trigger buttons. Where exactly could they go? Space looks a bit sparse..

Why? Can't you just map the extra L/R buttons to the keyboard keys above the D-Pad and the XYAB?

I think it would look funny to keep your index fingers before the screen pushing the buttons mapped to L2/R2, while your middle fingers would be behind it pushing L1/R1

Or were you suggesting that those buttons will only be needed in situations where you can let go of the dpad or ABXY? No, really, I don't mind not having them, but that solution only seems to work on rare occasions.

 

[RajTakhar]

hey

It looks good and should at least keep all those moaning about the mould creation time quite - well for a few days

great job rendering ED

 

[openthebox]

But wouldn't screws be alot easier to replace ...

True.

... there also wouldn't really be any need to open the case anyway.

If that is the case, then we shouldn't worry about the clips breaking in the first place.

 

[droneb]

its not the clips im happy for, its the clip holder and clip shapings that will let the pandora easily make tons of addons

but that should go into this thread

http://www.gp32x.de/board/index.php?/topic/49536-wrist-strap-case-expansion/page__st__45

PD: Posted an Ugly photo showing the concept. (srry useless at digital arts

 

[Monk]

the IDEAL from my POV would be a combination of clips and screws (or at least screw holes) so that if one wants it firmly fixed in place - voila, screws! If one prefers to be able to ship the battery out in a second, ommit the screws and rely on just the clips.

That seems like a really good idea, and I think I've seen it somewhere before... Ah, that's how my Tablet PC was set up. It had a traditional latch for the battery, but there was also a security screw that overrode the latch in case you REALLY didn't want to risk dropping the battery out.

I'm a bit dissapointed now that I didn't come up with that idea first

But on the other hand, I'm still as pleased as punch that ED's (IMHO reasonably pretty) renders show that even at this late stage, the team are STILL taking heed of the lessons they are learning during this process and tweaking the design. Dedication? They may just have redefined the word.

 

[renegadechic]

actually on this ver of the lid, it will be much more easy to atach LR2 btns, plus a Panda Batt on steroids (a stack of panda batts? or the big 18000mAh bad boy)

and i see tons of mods much more easy and more safe, since the batt can be easily unplgued and plugged onto a external addon like a HD

the former slide model wouldnt allow to atach addons so easy so im happy for the change

yes i was thinking this. in fact, i daresay that either the OP guys could design an L2 R2 extra battery usb hub add on themselves more easily like this, or they could at least sell extra L and R buttons and switches, along with extra battery covers, and facilitate some home made mods.

 

[SirAileron]

In my own personal experience, I'd say moving to the clip design was a good idea. Every single slide cover I've had, on remotes or otherwise, have come completely loose and fall off as if lubricated by hot butter. I've only ever had one clip break/wear down on me, and that was easily solved with the use of super-glue to both put the piece back on, and to add a fraction of a millimeter of thickness, which made the clip the strongest, best clip I've ever had.

They're just so much simpler to fix and improve on, with so little material. (The cover that broke was on my Game Boy Advance, by the way, and now that sucker is the most secure thing ever.)

 

[droneb]

In my own personal experience, I'd say moving to the clip design was a good idea. Every single slide cover I've had, on remotes or otherwise, have come completely loose and fall off as if lubricated by hot butter. I've only ever had one clip break/wear down on me, and that was easily solved with the use of super-glue to both put the piece back on, and to add a fraction of a millimeter of thickness, which made the clip the strongest, best clip I've ever had.

They're just so much simpler to fix and improve on, with so little material. (The cover that broke was on my Game Boy Advance, by the way, and now that sucker is the most secure thing ever.)

didnt you glue it stuck did ya? XD jusst joking

well, nowadays clips are pretty strong and good Q. the clip i broke was my Vanilla Old GB and the stupid lid got lost so no way to glue it back.

the funny thing is that theres lots of pp that broke these former clip models and they endend up with teh tape em up option.

as long as the panda doesnt require High Precision Superglue and Tape Surgery it will be all okey.

 

[Grench]

I like them. The key mat, the new battery door and the lanyard or wrist strap hole.

If you have a chance, move the lighting on the case back shot to above instead of under - I would like to see the ports.

I have a vision of a 5mm hump-backed pandora battery cover with a tape-like USB cable connecting into the host port, 3 external USB ports and internal slots for four more SDHC cards - USB driven.

Would require the guts of a 7 port powered USB hub, tapping DC from the main battery and a molded door. If there were some way to get from the battery compartment to an interal USB header - that would be better, but from what I can tell, there isn't one to spare.

Just mod ideas... Wishing we had assembled units instead of renders.

 

[droneb]

I like them. The key mat, the new battery door and the lanyard or wrist strap hole.

If you have a chance, move the lighting on the case back shot to above instead of under - I would like to see the ports.

I have a vision of a 5mm hump-backed pandora battery cover with a tape-like USB cable connecting into the host port, 3 external USB ports and internal slots for four more SDHC cards - USB driven.

Would require the guts of a 7 port powered USB hub, tapping DC from the main battery and a molded door. If there were some way to get from the battery compartment to an interal USB header - that would be better, but from what I can tell, there isn't one to spare.

Just mod ideas... Wishing we had assembled units instead of renders.

http://www.gp32x.de/board/index.php?/topic/49536-wrist-strap-case-expansion/page__st__45

just talking bout it there

 

[ashdjones]

Most annoying clip breakage for me was my Gizmondo - combination of thin plastic and taking the battery out after every use (something you really have to do as it runs itself flat even while powered off).

Please tell me there'll be replacements available?

 

[Monk]

Most annoying clip breakage for me was my Gizmondo - combination of thin plastic and taking the battery out after every use (something you really have to do as it runs itself flat even while powered off).

Please tell me there'll be replacements available?

OpenPandora have fewer than 4,000 customer orders for Pandoras.
OpenPandora have ordered 10,000 cases from the manufacturer.

There are likely to be a few spare parts available, if needed.