So uh...feel free to close this thread if it's already been asked, but after all the dust has settled on the Pyra's development, advertisement, sales, etc., do you have any specific plans for your next product idea? Aside from future daughter boards and providing replacement parts for the Pyra of course.
I ask, because I was wondering if there's any possibility, for perhaps a side project or something, if you and your team can create a brand new PocketCHIP case/DIP/enclosure/whatever-NTC-calls-the-PocketCHIP based on the Pandora and Pyra design. I recently got my PocketCHIP, and while it's awesome, I can't help but think (and these were my thoughts before release as well) that it would way more awesome if it looked and operated just like a Pandora. Especially since you can hardly call the PocketCHIP pocketable, considering it's a bit bigger than the DMG Gameboy and rivals the Pandora in thickness. Plus the keyboard and arrows keys just aren't as suited for Pico-8 gaming as I had hoped. They're usable, but again, something like the Pandora would be amazing.
I say CHIP specifically as it is much more plug-and-play than most other maker boards out there (CHIP literally just plugs into the PocketCHIP), and the specs are similar to the 1 GHz Pandora, what with the single-core 1 GHz ARM Cortex A8 processor and 512 MB of RAM. You could probably just use the same screen that the PocketCHIP uses, and the same battery as well. Could also use parts that you ordered for the Pandora and Pyra such as the nubs, dpad, stylus, buttons, microSD slot, speakers (or use something cheaper), and hinges. The CHIP already has a microUSB port for charging and OTG, a 3.5 mm jack for headphones and composite out, and a USB-A port built in so you wouldn't need to worry about adding those as well.
I understand that any kind of product development is going to take a ton of time and resources, and that you'd have order anything you don't already have, pay for molds for the case, and also pay for software development to support your built-in keyboard, game controls, etc. in the CHIP/PocketCHIP firmware (perhaps maybe a GUI Switch feature similar to the Pandora to switch between the PocketCHIP UI and XFCE?); anything that's not already provided by CHIP and PocketCHIP and in the end this wouldn't be 100% your own product (well the enclosure would be, just not the computer part). Perhaps you could use Kickstarter for funds, instead of developing it out of pocket?
Still, I only ask because you and your team are modern-day wizards and I do think something like this can be a popular product for your store considering all the PocketCHIP orders out there and the amount of people trying to find workarounds for the less-than-stellar parts of PocketCHIP's design. You could even name it weird names such as the PandaCHIP or PyraCHIP DeLite and sell it as an alternative to the now-gone 1 GHz Pandora or a lite alternative to the Pyra.
Well anyway, if you managed to read through the entire thing without getting bored or annoyed, I thank you very much for your time. If you did get bored or annoyed, I thank you anyway and apologize for wasting your time.
I ask, because I was wondering if there's any possibility, for perhaps a side project or something, if you and your team can create a brand new PocketCHIP case/DIP/enclosure/whatever-NTC-calls-the-PocketCHIP based on the Pandora and Pyra design. I recently got my PocketCHIP, and while it's awesome, I can't help but think (and these were my thoughts before release as well) that it would way more awesome if it looked and operated just like a Pandora. Especially since you can hardly call the PocketCHIP pocketable, considering it's a bit bigger than the DMG Gameboy and rivals the Pandora in thickness. Plus the keyboard and arrows keys just aren't as suited for Pico-8 gaming as I had hoped. They're usable, but again, something like the Pandora would be amazing.
I say CHIP specifically as it is much more plug-and-play than most other maker boards out there (CHIP literally just plugs into the PocketCHIP), and the specs are similar to the 1 GHz Pandora, what with the single-core 1 GHz ARM Cortex A8 processor and 512 MB of RAM. You could probably just use the same screen that the PocketCHIP uses, and the same battery as well. Could also use parts that you ordered for the Pandora and Pyra such as the nubs, dpad, stylus, buttons, microSD slot, speakers (or use something cheaper), and hinges. The CHIP already has a microUSB port for charging and OTG, a 3.5 mm jack for headphones and composite out, and a USB-A port built in so you wouldn't need to worry about adding those as well.
I understand that any kind of product development is going to take a ton of time and resources, and that you'd have order anything you don't already have, pay for molds for the case, and also pay for software development to support your built-in keyboard, game controls, etc. in the CHIP/PocketCHIP firmware (perhaps maybe a GUI Switch feature similar to the Pandora to switch between the PocketCHIP UI and XFCE?); anything that's not already provided by CHIP and PocketCHIP and in the end this wouldn't be 100% your own product (well the enclosure would be, just not the computer part). Perhaps you could use Kickstarter for funds, instead of developing it out of pocket?
Still, I only ask because you and your team are modern-day wizards and I do think something like this can be a popular product for your store considering all the PocketCHIP orders out there and the amount of people trying to find workarounds for the less-than-stellar parts of PocketCHIP's design. You could even name it weird names such as the PandaCHIP or PyraCHIP DeLite and sell it as an alternative to the now-gone 1 GHz Pandora or a lite alternative to the Pyra.
Well anyway, if you managed to read through the entire thing without getting bored or annoyed, I thank you very much for your time. If you did get bored or annoyed, I thank you anyway and apologize for wasting your time.
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