Unnecesary Keyboard

[WolfSpider]

So, what else would they do with all that space on the base of the device? Add 3 more analog nubs?

Come on please don't get mad at me, a nice redesing... maybe something like the psp-3000? IDK

That would probably make a 1-2 year delay.

 

[lulzfish]

The Pandora is a PC, not a gaming-only device. It needs a keyboard.

 

[trooper]

*sigh*

My sentiment exactly.

Trooper

 

[WizardStan]

no prob, make your wonderfull device compatible with some external kbrd and voila!

Big problem: then it's no longer portable. And it becomes exactly like devices that already exist.
We people don't want the Pandora to not have a keyboard, otherwise we would have gotten one of the many devices that already exists that suit that purpose. Some people actually have gotten a different device, but they're still looking forward to the Pandora because it has a physical keyboard.
If you do not want a keyboard, then it isn't for you. Start investigating some of the many other offerings of ARM Linux based handheld devices.
Getting rid of the keyboard will not increase it's market, but decrease it, because it is suddenly in direct competition with many other devices. With both keyboard and game controls, it is in a class all its own that suits a specific niche, a niche you are clearly not part of. This is not elitist thinking, it's honesty that some people like apples, and some people like oranges. Stop trying to make my orange an apple.
(See what I did there?)

 

[lucidchaos]

Maybe the OP has a point. Perhaps PCs don't need a keyboard and instead a second touchscreen.

Excuse me while I toss this keyboard in the trash and promptly hack a joojoo to replace it.

Edit: thia thing rockas and looks reallyh cool but it can
't type worth z a damn...

-Sent from my JooJoo Keyboard

 

[WizardStan]

it will not sell very well among "normal" users, btw idk if the intentions of the pandora is to sell to everybody or just to a selected few... but the pandora is def a powerful device that can even beat those crappy PSPs and NDSs.

They lack the big name support to ever hope to compete with Sony, Nintendo, or Microsoft. If they sell 20'000, they've done quite well. They sold 4000(ish) a year and a half ago, and most of those are still holding on, or have been replaced by others that are interested, without having actually released anything yet. I can reasonably say they will have no trouble getting 20000 sold.

 

[sefsermak]

I am not trying to convince anybody to change your fruits, obviously they wont come and say "look, a noob told us to get rid of the kbrd, so lets delay the pandora 2 years and redesing it!"... but maybe a cool idea for a "Pandora Slim" LOL

 

[Prometheus]

IDK

btw idk

IDK

Generally, it's considered good practice to research an item before making suggestions as to whether it ought to be changed.

 

[CokeCanNinja]

Here's an idea, how about we gang-slap this noob?

 

[gruso]

Here's an idea, how about we gang-slap this noob?

Now now, it's not like he's asked for PS2 emulation.

 

[atomicthumbs]

 it just looks like an weir-ugly divice like that NGage thing.

oh no you don't

 

[rabidpoobear]

Here's an idea, how about we gang-slap this noob?

Now now, it's not like he's asked for PS2 emulation.

Hahaha who would be noob enough to do ....
Oh, wait. h34r:

 

[VRAndy]

Anyway, the reason it DOES have a keyboard is exactly what you just outlined : Its competitors DON'T.

Easy.

Sure. 95% of customers probably want a slimmer device without a keyboard. But Pandora doesn't really have a shot at capturing those customers.

Without a massive many-million dollar (pound?) advertising budget the only people Pandora can reach are the people who aren't satisfied with the big players and are actively looking for something different.


Take me personally as an example, If I didn't want a keyboard I probably would have bought either a PSP or an iTouch and said "Eh. Close enough." The only reason I even know that Pandora exists, is because I wasn't happy with those choices and started searching the Internet for devices that I would like. I wanted a gaming device, that ran linux, was pocketable[sup]*[/sup], and had a usable keyboard. I knew that such a device wouldn't be super-popular, so probably no one would make one. Imagine my surprise when I found Pandora.

(When I was searching for the Device Of My Dreams, I didn't really imagine analog nubs, but I can see now that they're gonna be pretty cool.)


* Some people would argue that Pandora is not pocketable, but I regularly pocket an original DS, so I think I'll be fine with Pandora's pocketability.

 

[chole]

Count me in as one of the people who would NOT have ordered if there weren't a keyboard. I specifically plunked down the money because it's a small, full-featured touchscreen computer which can fit in my pocket without danger to the screen. Clamshell, touchscreen, keyboard, networking, easy to dev on, enough in the specs department that I could basically use it instead of my much more power hungry home PC most of the time. Other devices that can fill that role are either much more expensive, very limited in the memory department, or larger than my pockets tend to be.

All that gaming stuff is sort of a nice but unnecessary bonus. They kind of more fill the role for me as extra buttons to make up for missing keyboard keys (like that plan to map one of the shoulder buttons to the "Compose" key).

Also, holy crap, I've tried typing on iPhone and Android virtual keyboards. Unappealing.

 

[VRAndy]

Also, holy crap, I've tried typing on iPhone and Android virtual keyboards. Unappealing.

The iPhone has a very nice touch-screen keyboard. Best I've ever used. But it still can't compete with a physical keyboard because with an on-screen keyboard you have to be staring at your fingers whenever you use it. Typing on a keyboard you can feel, even thumb-typing, is an eyes-up exercise once you get used to it.

 

[rabidpoobear]

Yeah, virtual keyboards pretty much suck. next time you type on your PC keyboard, notice how your fingers glide over the keys to keep track of where you are. There is no such reference when using a touchscreen keyboard. I could type a thousand-page document with no typos on a PC keyboard - I can instinctively feel when I make a typo even if I can't see the text on the screen. also, once you learn where the keys are, you can -touch-type- so you can actually watch the words appearing and make sure there aren't any typos rather than having to watch your fingers to make sure you don't miss keys.
I can even touch-type on my cell phone keyboard.


TO be honest I'm a bit worried the Pandora keyboard is a little too wide. There's a point of diminishing returns as far as key size / keyboard width when thumb typing, and I think the Pandora may have passed it a bit. but I'm still optimistic.

 

[Alpha2]

What the heck? has the LOL files spilled over into the regular forums?

 

[VRAndy]

TO be honest I'm a bit worried the Pandora keyboard is a little too wide. There's a point of diminishing returns as far as key size / keyboard width when thumb typing, and I think the Pandora may have passed it a bit. but I'm still optimistic.

This is a serious concern for all of you people with small hands.

( You know what they say about guys with small hands ... )

 

[Lorkile]

While I find it unlikely I would enjoy it for typing, I could see enjoying a PSP Go styled Pandora for casual multimedia use (videos, web browsing, music) but doubt the loss of the keyboard would shrink the system comparably (at least not without costing a good deal of battery life).

 

[Wolenber]

You're all fools, you don't remove the keyboard for less size, you remove the keyboard so you can have a second battery.