Target customers?

[Binky]

When thinking about the new website/publicity etc, does anyone know weather there are a significant number of people out there who might buy a pandora, but don't know about it?


Are we just talking about people who already know of it, and just need telling that the software has improved and they're in stock (in 2 months time, of course!)


...or reminding that playing all those old games is just $500 away?

 

[Phelsumania]

I truelly believe there has to be a massive market for this devise, i mean any true hardcore gamer would give there right hand, for this piece of kit and then when you throw in an awsome community full of top notch developers you have to be on for a winner. also the pandora must be the only devise out there with that true wow factor, the possibilitys off what could be achieved are endless. every person which has even just looked at my pandora has instantly fallen in love with it. As soon as the productions moved to germany and there is a reliable production of these. they will be flying off the shelf like hot cakes, this appeals to everyone i recogn i could find a practical use for one of these bad boys for every individual whatever there main use and needs would be.


Anyyone who has had any imput into the pandora no matter how small, thats from ED all the way down to a noob making there first community post i think i actually love you all. Great work guys

 

[diligentcircle]

Well, there's classic games fans, of course.


Actually, that could be a great source of advertisement, too. Send a Pandora to Classic Games Revisited or Classic Game Room and get them to review it.

 

[andmaz]

Current issue is that the OS needs to be significantly more user friendly - showing emulators running draws alot of attention but most are then put off by what is involved getting them running.


I find the Pandora very easy to use and I am no developer so it does have quite a large target audience but I would probably say at the moment it is less than the GP2x/ GP32.


Niche product with a high price tag is probably where it should stay at least until Pandora 2.


As a side note I would just like to say that the build quality is very good - just bought an Xperia play from O2 for £150 and the build quality of that is not that good in comparison - feels flimsy due to the slide out joypad.

 

[hedwards]

Once they get production up and reliably so, then is the time to start advertising, as it stands I think there are plenty of people subscribed to the mailing lists to fill any orders needed to get things moving.

 

[Binky]

Once they get production up and reliably so, then is the time to start advertising, as it stands I think there are plenty of people subscribed to the mailing lists to fill any orders needed to get things moving.

But as Christmas & new year will probably reduce the overall time spent on these forums (relatives etc) maybe we should start thinking/planing now?


Can't do any harm, anyway.

 

[bagmouse7]

The Pandora should try to be the official platform of Retro Gamer Magazine.


Check it out:


http://www.retrogamer.net/

 

[Binky]

How would that work out?


The magazine encourages readers to buy Pandoras


And in return the magazine improves because you can get a few ROM downloads with each Mag. and actually play the game being reviewed?


Or something?


I'm sure they won't promote the panda with out something in return.


But don't overload ED with another business proposition just yet!

 

[fusion_power]

Current issue is that the OS needs to be significantly more user friendly - showing emulators running draws alot of attention but most are then put off by what is involved getting them running.


I find the Pandora very easy to use and I am no developer so it does have quite a large target audience but I would probably say at the moment it is less than the GP2x/ GP32.


Niche product with a high price tag is probably where it should stay at least until Pandora 2.

I watch an documentation about Apple right now and it makes me think. THere was one reason how Apple went from 0 to hero, they went away from a complicated and complex geek toy like the Apple 1 was to a really userfriendly, simple Device like the 1. Macintosh.


I really start to believe that you don't make money with an complicated geek niche product. You also have to make it open for average users, non linux experts and people that just want to use the device without any complex tech knowlege.


Well, the Pandora indeed needs even more userfriendlyness then it sureley starts to have at the moment. The PND System has potential but it needs more Software that really follows the Standards, more Software in the Repo and easy to read guides for a quick instant access to the World of Pandora.


The Pandora OS also could need some polish here and there, it should fit more to the Device itself. Stuff like screen matching Windows and Multi Language Support are essential.


I hope I don't sound like Steve Jobs now. h34r:

 

[Nardella]

easy to read guides for a quick instant access to the World of Pandora.

No, a user should be able to do just about anything he wants without a guide.

 

[Binky]

I see Apple's strategy as, the public know what they want, we tell them different.


I see OpenPandora's as We know what we want, and we actually make it a reality.


Pretty much opposite


We have the challenge of being a niche geeky toy and a user-freindly retrogameotron at the same time


-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-


Yeh, people don't like pawing over instructions, the pandora does everything, and everything should be intuitive

 

[DaMummy]

please dont dumb down the pandora to make the iCrowd happy

 

[Phelsumania]

I watch an documentation about Apple right now and it makes me think. TH ere was one reason how Apple went from 0 to hero, they went away from a complicated and complex geek toy like the Apple 1 was to a really userfriendly, simple Device like the 1. Macintosh.


I really start to believe that you don't make money with an complicated geek niche product. You also have to make it open for average users, non linux experts and people that just want to use the device without any complex tech knowlege

Couldnt/doesnt the panda do both with a full desk top style GUi for those who have abit more computer litteracy and a very simple console style GUI for the more basic user. Also with the PND store now on the pandora itself how could it be made any more noob friendly? surely its already simple enough to click download in the PND store and bam everythings good to go on the majority of the apps.

 

[fusion_power]

Yes, that's the great thing, Pandora can serve the geek and the non geek and there is no reason to change this. The Linux Fan still can use the Desktop and torture the Terminal with command lines till it melts, or whatever he wants.


The Pandora Player type uses the Mini Menu just like he knows from GP2X or WIZ and so on.


But both, the Desktop and the Mini Menu still can be improved and should. I don't want a iPandora or anything like this but a little bit of polishing here and there does not hurt.


Apple showed us that even a average Product can be a success when it just look good. And the Pandora itself is already much better than an "average product" so there is alot of potential still inside. We just have to pull it out a little bit more. ^^

 

[diligentcircle]

I wouldn't say the OS of the Pandora itself is complicated. Actually, the only real problem, I'd say, is the initial setup. But that was before PNDstore was included in the NAND, so that's probably a lot better now. All that's needed now is for PNDstore to actually show information about the stuff in the repo... and maybe auto-creation of certain directories? I remember reading something about that.

 

[gruso]

I wouldn't say the OS of the Pandora itself is complicated. Actually, the only real problem, I'd say, is the initial setup. But that was before PNDstore was included in the NAND, so that's probably a lot better now. All that's needed now is for PNDstore to actually show information about the stuff in the repo... and maybe auto-creation of certain directories? I remember reading something about that.

These are definitely the two key points which would make the Pandora more user friendly. A good looking 'appstore' that launches from the desktop, and a utility to auto-configure new SD cards. (This largely hinges on reliable wifi working out of the box of course...)


No need to compromise Pandora's geek integrity or hide The Linux from people. Just a couple of simple applications that even power users would find handy.


Having said that, it's been steadily on this path since release. Each hotfix has added crucial improvements. Now, instead of talking about how good it would be to have some of local repo client, we're dreaming up ways to improve the one in the firmware. I haven't caught any conversations about auto-configuring SD cards, but I'm sure they've been had. If someone whipped up a script, ED would probably include it in the firmware.

 

[DaMummy]

you create pandora folder in root, create apps, desktop, & menu folders in pandora folder, you place pnd's into desktop if you want them on desktop, menu if you want them on menu, apps if you want them in both. If you cannot follow these instructions, they make iPhones. You want a good appstore? Download panorama, click on app you want, select in which of the 3 folder you want said folder, and each time you load up panorama, it checks for any updates to any of your apps, one click and they're being updates. How/why do we possibly dumb this down any further? If you can't figure out how to take out an SD card, and you forcefully pull it out with pliers, you need to kill yourself, that's all there is to it

 

[gruso]

you create pandora folder in root, create apps, desktop, & menu folders in pandora folder, you place pnd's into desktop if you want them on desktop, menu if you want them on menu, apps if you want them in both. If you cannot follow these instructions, they make iPhones. You want a good appstore? Download panorama, click on app you want, select in which of the 3 folder you want said folder, and each time you load up panorama, it checks for any updates to any of your apps, one click and they're being updates. How/why do we possibly dumb this down any further? If you can't figure out how to take out an SD card, and you forcefully pull it out with pliers, you need to kill yourself, that's all there is to it

If you want our community to come across as a bunch of aggressive dicks, this is a good post.

 

[diligentcircle]

you create pandora folder in root, create apps, desktop, & menu folders in pandora folder, you place pnd's into desktop if you want them on desktop, menu if you want them on menu, apps if you want them in both. If you cannot follow these instructions, they make iPhones. You want a good appstore? Download panorama, click on app you want, select in which of the 3 folder you want said folder, and each time you load up panorama, it checks for any updates to any of your apps, one click and they're being updates. How/why do we possibly dumb this down any further? If you can't figure out how to take out an SD card, and you forcefully pull it out with pliers, you need to kill yourself, that's all there is to it

What are you talking about? What I'm suggesting is akin to how just about EVERY Linux OS's package manager works. It's not unreasonable at all.

 

[DaMummy]

If you want our community to come across as a bunch of aggressive dicks, this is a good post.

well, craig appears to be leaving, somebody has to step up to the task

What are you talking about? What I'm suggesting is akin to how just about EVERY Linux OS's package manager works. It's not unreasonable at all.

sorry, it was more a reply to gruso's post