OpenPandora -Ultra portability without sacrificing capability
22 replies, posted
[b] Ever wanted to emulate on the go, without needed some homebrewed PSP? Well now you can! With OpenPandora! [/b]
[quote]OpenPandora is designed to be a handheld game console with high-end PDA capabilities, but may also be run as a low-power full-featured Linux desktop. The system by default comes with a Linux O based on Ångström. Users can install and run their own desktop environment if they choose. Users may even install other Linux distributions like Ubuntu or Gentoo themselves. One of Pandora's major intended uses is for homebrew gaming and for the emulation of older computer systems and video game consoles, which is possible through efficient use of the resources made available by the Texas Instruments OMAP 3530 SoC. The Pandora developers have already shown working emulators for Dreamcast, PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Amiga, SNES, Atari Jaguar and Sega Mega Drive software, and the Pandora is thought by its developers to have the potential to emulate most if not all machines older than the Dreamcast. The device is also intended for use as a portable media playback device with a storage capacity of up to 128 GB of data (64GB SDXC cards) across two SD memory card slots. [/quote]
Basically, "OpenPandora", or "The Pandora" is a handheld gaming device with a look similar to that of a Nintendo 3DS, but with a full QWERTY keyboard, dual analog nubs, a directional pad, and a Playstation styled buttons system. The screen is touchscreen, but not capacitive. While the OpenPandora is essentially a mini-computer system running Linux, its main function is to play a wide variety of Emulators for older games. However, if you're looking for ROMs to play on this system, don't look through their forums, as the server is hosted in Germany, which restricts direct linking to ROMs.
As of now, the OpenPandora is manufactured in small batches, and thus, you'll never see it in a store. The only way to obtain one being to order it from the site itself, linked below. You'll also need roughly $500 or 440 EUR of ready cash to purchase one.
[b] Specifications [/b]
ARM® Cortex™-A8 600Mhz+ CPU running Linux
430-MHz TMS320C64x+™ DSP Core
PowerVR SGX OpenGL 2.0 ES compliant 3D hardware
800x480 4.3" 16.7 million colours touchscreen LCD
Wifi 802.11b/g, Bluetooth & High Speed USB 2.0 Host
Dual SDHC card slots & SVideo TV output
Dual Analogue and Digital gaming controls
43 button QWERTY and numeric keypad
Around 10+ Hours battery life (yes, really!)
[quote]It is fast enough to emulate many other systems, run a full desktop, access the internet via FireFox and play games such as Quake3.
However, it is not as big as a netbook. Believe it or not, it will fit in your pocket. It's a bit bigger than the Nintendo DS.
The screen is an impressive 800*480 resolution LCD and the battery life is a sensational 10+ hours.
But the most interesting part is probably that it isn't designed by a large company, it was designed by the suggestions and requests of hundreds of people on the gp32x forums. Over several months those suggestions were fine tuned in to what you see today, a completely new open source handheld. [/quote]
[b] Media [/b]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2CA0UE6yRQ&feature=channel_video_title[/media]
I recommend watching the entire thing.
And Finally, here is where you go to buy it: [url]http://openpandora.org/[/url]
Take a look at the forums as well, for some news and updates.
[b] Advanced Specifications [/b]
Texas Instruments OMAP3530 system-on-chip with ARM Cortex-A8 at 600 MHz
256MB DDR-333 SDRAM
512MB NAND flash memory
IVA2+ audio and video processor (based on the TMS320C64x+ DSP Core at 430 MHz) using Texas Instruments' DaVinci technology
ARM Cortex-A8 superscalar microprocessor core
PowerVR SGX 530 (110 MHz) OpenGL ES 2.0 compliant 3D hardware
Integrated Wi-Fi 802.11b/g
Integrated Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR (3Mbit/s) (Class 2, +4dBm)
800×480 resolution touchscreen LCD, 4.3" widescreen, 16.7 million colors (300 cd/m2 brightness, 450:1 contrast ratio)
Dual analog nubs; 15mm diameter, concave, 2.5mm travel from centre
Gamepad controls with 2 shoulder buttons
Dual SDHC card slots (currently supporting up to 32GB of storage each, supports SDIO)
Headphone output up to 150 mW/channel into 16 ohms, 99 dB SNR
TV output (composite and S-Video)
Internal microphone plus ability to connect external microphone through headset
43 button QWERTY and numeric keypad
USB 2.0 OTG port (480Mb/s) with capability to charge the Pandora
USB 2.0 host port (480Mb/s) capable of providing standard 500 mA current to attached devices
Externally accessible UART for hardware hacking and debugging
Brick prevention with integrated bootloader for safe code experimentation
Runs the Linux kernel (2.6.x)
4200 mAh rechargeable lithium polymer battery
Estimated 8.5–10+ hour battery life for games, 10+ hour battery life for video and general applications, and theoretically 100+ hours for music playback (with backlight off and maximum power management)
Dimensions: 140×83×27mm (314 ml) (5.51×3.27×1.06 in)
Mass: 320 g (0.739 lbs)
[b] You can also order the case parts separately to build your own Linux handheld device[/b]
I'd love one, but 440€
[QUOTE=nikomo;31117292]I'd love one, but 440€[/QUOTE]
Price is a killer, but it isn't made by a large corporation who sell at a loss, and make up for it via expensive apps, games, accessories, or subscriptions, so the price is acceptable in terms of "Am I getting ripped off".
Problem is you can get a unlocked Android smartphone that's just-as or even more powerful for the price they want for it.
Only pros to get a Openpandora, is actual buttons, joysticks and D-bad, not to mention better battery time.
[QUOTE=Van-man;31117583]Problem is you can get a unlocked Android smartphone that's just-as or even more powerful for the price they want for it.
Only pros to get a Openpandora, is actual buttons, joysticks and D-bad, not to mention better battery time.[/QUOTE]
For me, the battery time, and the actual buttons, make it a selling point for me. I just don't have $500 laying around to spend on it. If it were, say, half that price, I would definitely buy it.
Aye, no way an Android device could beat this thing, ever.
I'd love one with a 3G+GPS+Bluetooth add-on module though. That would be beastly.
I just wish I had the money.
I have well over $500 USD but at that price I'd just buy a netbook and a game controller.
[QUOTE=nikomo;31118322]Aye, no way an Android device could beat this thing, ever.
I'd love one with a 3G+GPS+Bluetooth add-on module though. That would be beastly.
I just wish I had the money.[/QUOTE]
Thing is, the shit ton of people who pay out the ass for iPads could save money and purchase this instead, and get a much better purchase in terms of enjoyment.
[editline]14th July 2011[/editline]
[QUOTE=Protocol7;31118832]I have well over $500 USD but at that price I'd just buy a netbook and a game controller.[/QUOTE]
Can't really play a netbook while walking around a mall, or during other activities. I think the main purpose of the Pandora, is its portability. The selling point is how much better it is than every handheld gaming device ever made.
OpenPandora has been nothing but hype and disappointment since its inception. If you want one, expect to wait. Not weeks, not months, but years. They've had countless problems with their manufacturers, and the heads of the project are immensely naive.
They've recently discovered WiFi problems (they just hadn't tested it), and had to scrap their current manufacturer and go for a new one. Any time they get close to doing something, they always have another excuse.
Don't take me wrong, I don't think it's a scam. But right now it's vaporware, and I don't expect them to ship reliably and constantly any time soon.
[QUOTE=gparent;31125690]OpenPandora has been nothing but hype and disappointment since its inception. If you want one, expect to wait. Not weeks, not months, but years. They've had countless problems with their manufacturers, and the heads of the project are immensely naive.
They've recently discovered WiFi problems (they just hadn't tested it), and had to scrap their current manufacturer and go for a new one. Any time they get close to doing something, they always have another excuse.
Don't take me wrong, I don't think it's a scam. But right now it's vaporware, and I don't expect them to ship reliably and constantly any time soon.[/QUOTE]
Honestly though, for a small group of buddies with some spare time and money, this is a great achievement. Of course there are going to be kinks, but we just need to wait it out. This isn't some huge company with thousands of resources, both financially and human. From what I've seen, it looks, works, and does fine for its history.
why buy a 500$ something with a qwerty keyboard for emulating games when you can buy a 150$ psp for emulating games
i dont see the point right now, maybe i'll wait til it's 250$ or such
[QUOTE=wlzshroom;31127210]why buy a 500$ something with a qwerty keyboard for emulating games when you can buy a 150$ psp for emulating games
i dont see the point right now, maybe i'll wait til it's 250$ or such[/QUOTE]
Linux.
I wonder if it is possible to install Android on this thing
[QUOTE=midlet_guy;31128392]I wonder if it is possible to install Android on this thing[/QUOTE]
This video's over a year old, before the thing was even being sold, but it'll do.
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbFSv7lYuGg[/media]
[QUOTE=Loriborn;31125883]Honestly though, for a small group of buddies with some spare time and money, this is a great achievement. Of course there are going to be kinks, but we just need to wait it out. This isn't some huge company with thousands of resources, both financially and human. From what I've seen, it looks, works, and does fine for its history.[/QUOTE]
I'm just saying, buying a small laptop or a netbook will probably be a better purchase. And you won't have to wait years for a bunch of inexperienced guys to fool around and get buttfucked by their manufacturers.
(Unless you're looking for the portable aspect, in which case I suggest just a phone)
Problem being that a laptop or a netbook can't provide you with a 600MHz ARM-processor, a touch screen, the amount of portability this gives and 10 hours of battery life.
[QUOTE=nikomo;31131733]Problem being that a laptop or a netbook can't provide you with a 600MHz ARM-processor, a touch screen, the amount of portability this gives and 10 hours of battery life.[/QUOTE]
And neither can they, for the most part.
[QUOTE=gparent;31135936]And neither can they, for the most part.[/QUOTE]
Watch the Ashens video.
And I'll settle for even 6 hours if I'm doing something like sniffing network traffic while playing with an SNES emulator.
Hell, I'd settle for 4.
I can't get over 2 and a half hours with my current laptop.
So this thing costs more than my phone and has all round lower specs than my phone? An android phone's battery lasts quite a considerable amount of time if you turn the modem off too. £300 for some buttons ok. I'll stick with snesoid I think.
I haven't seen an Android phone with a full QWERTY-keyboard, 2 SD card slots, USB host and OTG and video-out that can run Årmströng.
If you're not interested, alt-W.
[QUOTE=Catdaemon;31136185]So this thing costs more than my phone and has all round lower specs than my phone? An android phone's battery lasts quite a considerable amount of time if you turn the modem off too. £300 for some buttons ok. I'll stick with snesoid I think.[/QUOTE]
[url]http://icontrolpad.com/[/url]
Batterypack, phone holder AND bluetooth key/joy-pad.
And the holders can be customized to fit most smartphones
And the list of supported software on various platforms (including Android and iOS)
[url]http://boards.openpandora.org/index.php?/topic/4424-official-links-to-all-supporting-apps/page__pid__78062#entry78062[/url]
Costs around $69.99 / £43.42 / E48.99 before shipping.
Seems like a helluva better deal combined with a decent smartphone, compared to the OpenPandora.
Just noticed the irony in the last link, since it's a link to a thread on the OpenPandora forum.
Damn, I'd get one but I don't have 50€
this thing was actually a good deal when it was announced but years of delays have put their hardware significantly behind what i would expect for the price at this point
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