Windows Based Next Gen Pandora?


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oblivioner

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I know it's a long shot since Pandora isn't released yet, but if Pandora is successful, wouldn't you like a Windows based Pandora? In a year or two, pocketable 10 hour battery, Windows based umpcs with enough cpu and gpu power for some modern games to be playable will be possible. Pandora is the ONLY umpc with gaming in mind, and no one can deny that there are hundreds of awesome games only playable with Windows, so Pandora would have a market advantage by then if it succeeds.
So in a year or two, if Pandora is successful and technology is right, would you consider a Windows Pandora?
 
Ummm... Have you not been following? No offense but First of all this is supposed be the best "OPEN SOURCE" handheld device. Second, Windows would never allow it. And even if they did the software would cost almost twice as much as the device. And even more against that idea, is that it would piss off most of the potential buyers, including me. If you want a windows portable so bad, get Window Mobile.
 
oblivioner said:
I know it's a long shot since Pandora isn't released yet, but if Pandora is successful, wouldn't you like a Windows based Pandora? In a year or two, pocketable 10 hour battery, Windows based umpcs with enough cpu and gpu power for some modern games to be playable will be possible. Pandora is the ONLY umpc with gaming in mind, and no one can deny that there are hundreds of awesome games only playable with Windows, so Pandora would have a market advantage by then if it succeeds.
So in a year or two, if Pandora is successful and technology is right, would you consider a Windows Pandora?
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The pandora is built around a specific chipset, that isn't windows compatible (well, you could probably make Windows CE run on it...)

In other words the devs would need to completely re-engineer everything.
 
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:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

No.

The only windows this has a shot of running is WinCE (so named for what you do when you see it.) Since they haved named it "Windows Mobile", catchy what?

The reason it has 10 hour life is because it runs a different sort of processor than a windows computer, one that manages its power about 10 times as effectively for the work it performs (feel free to clarify/correct me here).

This extra electricity is used to run 3D accelerators and video decoding accelerators that themselves are very energy friendly, and also reside on the same chip with the ARM. The "windows" processor (x86) needs a bunch of friends that use much more power, a whole lot of power. That is why a double large battery only lasts 4 hours tops when the laptop isn't really doing much of anything.

I agree it would be "neato" if the technology exists, but to face facts we won't be there for another 3-4 years, if then (ARM development won't stand still while x86 gets better.)
 
"Windows" is so ambigous, which do you mean?

You can run Windows CE/Mobile on the Pandora if you don't mind writing your own drivers.

I remember someone porting Windows CE to the GP32 :) (But of course they couldn't share it, else they would have got sued)

If you meant Windows XP, then there's no chance. Maybe this kind of thing is more up your street?
 
Just to clarify, you probably want windows because you want games or applications that run on an x86 processor. We will not be getting a 10 hour battery processor anytime soon for x86.

Windows could be on the Pandora, but the programs wouldn't work so it wouldn't make much sense.
 
Who the hell uses windows for anything thatn DirectX games that dont run in WINE?

I don't even let my parents run windows anymore I told them their license expired and it would cost 200 bux to get a new copy. It's a lie but it's to protect them so I'm ok with it.
 
You're wrong about battery performance on a windows xp based umpc and 3d gpu.

Atom Z5xx is apparently going to give 6-7 hours battery life on umpcs like wibrain I1 running windows on standard battery. ( http://www.umpcportal.com/2008/07/wibrain-...d-umpc-details/ ) The Gpu is poulsbo based in the gma500 is not a great 3d hardware but should get some 3d games working about 3 or 4 years old.

I mean, in 2 months we're getting windows xp based umpcs with 6-7 hours of battery life and basic 3d gaming support (older Wibrain B1 has some nice pc gaming performance, so I1 should be at least performing a bit better). Thus it's not impossible at all that in 1 or 2 years you can create a Windows XP Pandora with 10 battery life, nice 3d performance and pocket sized.

I have to insist, I'm talking on a next-gen Pandora, not the current one, in one or two years, not now.
 
IceBerg303 said:
Who the hell uses windows for anything thatn DirectX games that dont run in WINE?
Click to expand...
I use windows for all tasks, as it's easier to just use one OS, than to constantly swap back and forth between OSs. I do this simply because a large number of apps I use don't work (or don't have replacements) under Linux.
 
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WinCE could be good on Pandora but it is not free and have a cost.

But maybe why not ? If somebody want to do that and sell it , i am agree, but how many people want buy it ?

I prefer support of Java and Flash : much of pretty little games and application are written in Java or Flash
 
If you want a small windows PC that fits in your (large) pocket get an oQo !...

http://www.oqo.com/intl/

I bought one of these this year, regularly play Half-Life , Red Alert II on it and many other games.

Very cool machines just pricey !
 
x86 cpus are very inefficient and don't belong in a handheld. If you could get 10h battery time with an x86 (which you can't, not even with a via nano), you'd have 20-25h if it were ARM. The best way to test this is with the new instant-on linux in some dells (i don't know if those are out yet). They have a tiny ARM computer in them for the linux and the battery lasts much longer than normally.
 
psj3809 said:
If you want a small windows PC that fits in your (large) pocket get an oQo !...

http://www.oqo.com/intl/

I bought one of these this year, regularly play Half-Life , Red Alert II on it and many other games.

Very cool machines just pricey !



I know about oqo, but it's not designed for gaming. It doesn't have dpad or proper gaming buttons, uses a nipple as mouse interface which is terrible for fps and wasd keys are not very usable, also about 2h battery life, and no touch screen. Also gets quite hot when running 3d intensive games. Great machine for office tasks though.
Click to expand...
 
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(someone did not think very clearly about how powerful and optimized linux would be on this thing)
 
oblivioner said:
I know it's a long shot since Pandora isn't released yet, but if Pandora is successful, wouldn't you like a Windows based Pandora? In a year or two, pocketable 10 hour battery, Windows based umpcs with enough cpu and gpu power for some modern games to be playable will be possible.

I postulated the possibility of a similar device about 6 months back, and met a lot of resistance to the idea. I'd like to think the relative success of Atom in the netbook and UMPC markets in the last few months supports my theory of x86 as a viable handheld processor. There are already near Pandora-sized devices running on Atom, and there are smaller and more efficient chips in the works.

Sometime in the next few years, somebody will make an x86-based handheld with gaming controls. It probably won't be the Pandora team, but it will happen. Considering that nearly all of the money to be made in the PC gaming market is Windows-based, it's a no-brainer.


IceBerg303 said:
Who the hell uses windows for anything thatn DirectX games that dont run in WINE?
Click to expand...
Between 90% and 95% of all client computers in the world, depending on who you ask.
Click to expand...
 
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