What about Open Hardware ?


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Open Hardware is the key of Arduino's success, and I'm sure there's more devices to come that will change the electronic world, like arduino does.


So what about release Pandora2 as Open Hardware ?


I think Open Hardware is the way to spread the world and touch a lot more customers, and you ?
 
Nice idea, other example is the Makerbot/RepRap.


But the Pandora is to complex and to expensive to develope, so of a Chinese company see the Plans they can put them together for half the price and OP is dead...


But it would be cool when the Pandora becomes Open Hardware when the P2 is announced officially.
 
Nice idea, other example is the Makerbot/RepRap.


But the Pandora is to complex and to expensive to develope, so of a Chinese company see the Plans they can put them together for half the price and OP is dead...


But it would be cool when the Pandora becomes Open Hardware when the P2 is announced officially.

Would it really be that bad if a Chinese company would make a cheap knockoff? Most of us are loyal to the OPT and/or don't trust the quality of a cheap knockoff, but for those of us who are tight on cash, it could be a nice alternative (better than not being able to afford it at all). Sure, it would cost the OPT some sales, but then again they get a larger overall user base which could lead to more software devs.
 
Look at the history, steam engines, electricity, IBM PC compatible, and so much more, all those technologies where somehow "open" so anybody can clone and improve.


The point is that make it open hardware will not kill the concept, Apple, Samsung and Co will not jump on the concept, it's too much sacrifice on patents for such big monsters, but little local human size companies who cares of there customers can join the movement and contribute to improve the concept.


Just imagine, you got a litlle bizz that makes plastic things (with 3D printers ?), you can customized/improve and make cases for Pandora, what's wrong with that ?


OP had already a good experience, they'll keep the leader status.


If P2 is modular, make it open can only make it better.


(sorry for my english)
 
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The steam engine has been around for about 2000 years in some forms, commercially viable for 300, well before the concept of cloning for profit really took hold. Tesla owned several patents with respect to electricity which were effectively stolen. The PC compatible era was driven by clean room reverse engineering.


In short: none of those three examples were "open" designs meant to be cloned and improved, they became widely used only after they were taken and used without permission by other companies.
 
What about semi-opening the hardware, in a way that can be used for complex mods, but requires lots of work to create a functioning unit.


For example, make the case designs and the positions of all external connectors / IO devices (as well as the identity of all the chips driving them) open.


Do not make the other components, or how they are lain out, accessible without an NDA and good reason.


This would provide information required for interesting mods, even companies making new PCBs for the same case or vice-versa.


Making a clone device would require advanced reverse-engineering, or recreating large chunks of design from scratch


Nobody will put much money or effort into cloning a pandora...I think
 
But the Pandora is to complex and to expensive to develope, so of a Chinese company see the Plans they can put them together for half the price and OP is dead...
No, the Chinese can't. That's the reason, why iControlpad 1+2 (and if it happens, also the Pandora 2) are built in Europe now. Chinese Companies don't even get the P1 Cases right or have propper quality control. ;)
 
It may well be open, but not exactly like you expect.


The design and planned modular nature requires it to be open to a huge extent.


If those modules are open is rather up to the makers.
 
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How much effort would building a pandora clone be worth?


If it takes 6 months solid work to create a production-line for P2s, using open-sourced designs, I doubt anyone would try it?
 
It may well be open, but not exactly like you expect.


The design and planned modular nature requires it to be open to a huge extent.


If those modules are open is rather up to the makers.

I wonder Craigix, if open hardwares are used in P2, and P2 is modular; would this allow those Chinese factories make cheap knock-offs with ease?


If they can just buy a few parts or counterfeit them and put them in psv or wiiu cases and claim those to be as good as the expensive P2. We won't stand a chance!
 
Is the nerdy pocket gaming linux PC market big enough to attract serious clones?


Lame clones are no problem, and if we can persuade other companies to make P2-compatible modules, thats good.
 
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