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What? Keyboard thread? DO IT!
What about this discussion? The pro and cons of the Pyra v/s the Pandora?
pandorabetterthanpyra.jpg
 
There are currently two things that’s make the Pandora better than the Pyra:
The Software Library
And the fact that my Pandora is actually in my Pocket whyle my Pyra ditnt exist yet..
 
Pyra wins, hands down. I won't bother convincing you.
I think that once you get yours you will see some things that are different.
Let's see:
  • Pyra takes longer to charge *(tbh that is better for the battery)
  • Function key is on the other side of the keyboard / ackward enter location (not function anymore)
  • Your fingers press backspace from time to time instead of the game buttons. Or shift instead of enter.
  • Quickly hibernate it while not opening the clamshell? (because not yet optimized like the Pandora for low power?)
  • songskip lock for music? (careful with sidebuttons)
  • relearn layout / muscle memory (mostly for blindtyping)
  • Heavier than the Pandora, laying on your back with the Pyra held up gives you sore arms
  • Might have a pocket where the Pandora fits... but not the Pyra...
  • More power.. but you do basically listen to music and emulate NES / C64 / ZX games, for which even the Pandora is overpowered
  • Watching a movie sideways with a headphone... and tugging your cable flips the Pyra (because headphone jack on the backside, not front)
  • connecting the headphone at night without light nor screen. (on the pandora, you could reflect light from the screen) ( - unless transparant case! ;) )
  • cramped backside. I imagine some trouble getting everything connected at once.
  • Not able to take a break while compiling because it compiles too fast.
  • If you leave your Pyra unsupervised It will develop consciousness and demand high speed internet and a camera.
  • Different positioning of the audio makes it sound "different"
DISCLAIMER
* Complaints are fictional as I never touched a Pyra before. The above list is for comedic purposes only. The Turbo encabulator has not been recalibrated before use. No Pandas have been harmed while producing this list.
 
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I'm mainly hoping for a better video and browsing experience.
Though I love my Pandora for many things, those two, (along with the non-lit keyboard) are for me it's short comings justifying the purchase of the Pyra.
The differences I will have to get used to I guess. Time and usage will tell which will be better for what in the beginning but in due time I'm sure the Pyra will get used and the Pandora will eat dust. Sad really... :-/
 
I do love how cherished many of the Pandoras are. Do feel that I missed the boat with it.

After too many years with a 'smart' phone, I've recently migrated to an old classic Blackberry (the keyboard is the best I've used so far on a handheld device). It has reminded me that it is possible to 'touch type', albeit with two thumbs, and that both that and an actual mouse pointer is a far more satisfying experience than pawing and smearing a sheet of glass.

If you add to the physical bonuses, open source software (and perhaps my beloved, riced i3), then it's geek heaven.

So, the Pyra will be such a unique device for me; I've got no serious comparison for it. So excited :)
 
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I'd add "networking" to that list too... my WiFi was pretty naff
I might have gotten lucky. I get between 250 and 350 kbps download on internal Wi-Fi now. If I remember correctly some patch by Notaz some time ago really speed things up.
5 MB in a few seconds, it's decent enough but yes, my 802.11n USB stick is way faster but it also eats a lot of battery compared to the internal Wi-Fi.
Having the Pyra set up with a sim card as an always on/connected device will be great I think. I hope the battery will cope.
 
Bit off topic, but I'm idly curious about the potential for ruggedising the Pyra; i.e. applying a conformal coating to (parts of) the PCBs, and/or using an aluminium case (believe there was a cancelled project for the Pandora for one)
 
Bit off topic, but I'm idly curious about the potential for ruggedising the Pyra; i.e. applying a conformal coating to (parts of) the PCBs, and/or using an aluminium case (believe there was a cancelled project for the Pandora for one)
That was the main reason I wanted a metal case. It wouldn't help with the internals, but it's a start.
 
In all of this discussion I can't help but wonder about the hinge. Its such an overlooked part of the experience but the Pandora has a terrible hinge (IMO) and I know the pyra uses the same component. But maybe with this case there will be enough friction that we dont get the floppy screen.

Just more FUD to throw on the pile.
 
In all of this discussion I can't help but wonder about the hinge. Its such an overlooked part of the experience but the Pandora has a terrible hinge (IMO) and I know the pyra uses the same component. But maybe with this case there will be enough friction that we dont get the floppy screen.

Just more FUD to throw on the pile.

I have an old case on my Prototype.
Some days ago I applied a mate anti glare display protection.
I still can open up the hinge 90° and use my fingernail/stylus comfortable with he touchscreen.
The screen stays in place. On a flat wooden surface I'd rather move my Pyra than to move the screen.
I opened and closed it quite a bit and it's still fine.

That's why I don't worry much.
When I'll visit ED I might get a new case. I'll see if it's worse but I doubt it.
 
True, but it may be worth mentioning that the unicode chacacters known as ring above and that of degree symbol aren't actually the same glyph. In my 8x8 terminal font, the degree symbol looks to be a 4x4 circle in upper center, while ring above is a 4x3 cicle even higher in the line and slghtly more to the left. I doubt there are many countries keyboards that actually contain a degree symbol in the default keymap.

I use the "United States Unicode Extended 2" layout from http://keyboards.jargon-file.org/ which loads up each key with extra modifier combinations.

UniExt2AltGr.jpg

UniExt1ShftAltGr.jpg
 
This is so well done! Color matching, lining everything up, fonts, everything!
Well, I did not fix the neck. And the Pandora and Pyra look like plush... The font I used is "Work Sans", which indeed looks a lot like the original. I think it was a 30 mins job total.
 
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