2009 "Year of the Pandora"

Avatar image for aspiringandy
AspiringAndy

337

Forum Posts

5346

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 4

#1  Edited By AspiringAndy

A new open source Linux powered console has a release date for September the 30th.
This new console is said to be around the size of the DS but, It is by far the most powerful handheld in the world both in terms of raw CPU power and 3D graphics capability.

  • 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
  • 10+ Hours battery life

The console is said to be the spritual successor to the GamePark 32 and the GP2X.
The pandora is said to be priced $330 US or £199.

But the question is, is another console really needed in the already "Crowded" market. Also will people in the economic downturn be willing to buy this console that is backed by a company that no-one has ever heard of.



Avatar image for sathingtonwaltz
SathingtonWaltz

2167

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 2

#2  Edited By SathingtonWaltz

I certainly won't pay much attention to it.

Avatar image for keyhunter
keyhunter

3208

Forum Posts

248

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 3

#3  Edited By keyhunter

I'd rather spend a thousand bucks on a good portable device than 300 on some 1998 technology.

Avatar image for thebeast
thebeast

1920

Forum Posts

13373

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 7

#4  Edited By thebeast

It's just another enthusiast/developers toy in the same vein as the GP2X - definitely not intended to be a mainstream handheld competitor, and certainly won't be - it belongs in its own market.

Specs are impressive - I'd love to get my hands on one of these to have a play with!
Avatar image for aspiringandy
AspiringAndy

337

Forum Posts

5346

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 4

#5  Edited By AspiringAndy

Apparently you will be able to buy this in local stores.
Keyword: Apparently

Avatar image for deactivated-58efb53e06a03
deactivated-58efb53e06a03

1365

Forum Posts

3153

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 2

User Lists: 1

How many analog sticks?

Avatar image for captainscarleg
CaptainScarLeg

1354

Forum Posts

20826

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 16

#7  Edited By CaptainScarLeg
Avatar image for smugdarkloser
SmugDarkLoser

5040

Forum Posts

114

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 0

#8  Edited By SmugDarkLoser
AspiringAndy said:
.
The pandora is said to be priced $330 US or £199.




"

fail!
seriously, who's going to pay $330 for a portable when the best consoles this generation are priced at $200/300 and $400?
Handhelds should cost $120 at most. Games $30 (unless they're a big production like Crisis Core or GOW)
Avatar image for captainscarleg
CaptainScarLeg

1354

Forum Posts

20826

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 16

#9  Edited By CaptainScarLeg

It's not really competing with the DS and PSP, it's mainly a homebrew system, you pay for it and then download games and emulators for it. It might get a few retail games, but nothing like the DS and PSP.

And it's not really that expensive when you look at all the stuff packed into that thing.

Avatar image for creamygoodness
CreamyGoodness

1229

Forum Posts

356

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 3

User Lists: 1

#10  Edited By CreamyGoodness

thats right bitch, this handheld was just branded

No Caption Provided
Avatar image for captainscarleg
CaptainScarLeg

1354

Forum Posts

20826

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 16

#11  Edited By CaptainScarLeg

Just incase anyone was wondering what the resolution on the screen is like, I made a few comparison images. The Pandora has high resolution for a handheld.

Comparison 1
Comparison 2

I would love to see how giant bomb runs on it (the Pandora has proper firefox).

Avatar image for biggerbomb
BiggerBomb

7011

Forum Posts

-1

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 4

#12  Edited By BiggerBomb
CreamyGoodness said:
"thats right bitch, this handheld was just branded
No Caption Provided
"

Couldn't have said it better myself.
Avatar image for blackwaterco
BlackWaterCO

1685

Forum Posts

-1

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 5

User Lists: 3

#13  Edited By BlackWaterCO

A little too soon

Avatar image for jayge_
Jayge_

10269

Forum Posts

2045

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 3

#14  Edited By Jayge_
SmugDarkLoser said:
"AspiringAndy said:
.
The pandora is said to be priced $330 US or £199.




"

fail!
seriously, who's going to pay $330 for a portable when the best consoles this generation are priced at $200/300 and $400?
Handhelds should cost $120 at most. Games $30 (unless they're a big production like Crisis Core or GOW)"
The Pandora isn't really a portable, it's more of a homebrew development device for hardcore emulators and app developers. Think of it more as a retail-available devkit than a weird-ass EEEPC-PSP-DS hybrid.

That said, I doubt this thing will sell more than a couple of thousand units. Appeal seems incredibly limited. It just seems stupid to me.
Avatar image for rhcpfan24
RHCPfan24

8663

Forum Posts

22301

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 16

User Lists: 8

#15  Edited By RHCPfan24

I don't see the appeal, but as Jayge said, it isn't meant for the masses. Whoever wants it, have fun...just count me out.

Avatar image for shadow
Shadow

5360

Forum Posts

1463

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 2

User Lists: 5

#16  Edited By Shadow

pfft.  I thought you were talking about pandora.com.  If so, you would have a point.  What you're talking about though?  That's insignificant in comparison.

Avatar image for aspiringandy
AspiringAndy

337

Forum Posts

5346

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 4

#17  Edited By AspiringAndy

Pandora.com is a online radio website.
What is so great about that.

Avatar image for red
Red

6146

Forum Posts

598

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 5

User Lists: 11

#18  Edited By Red

I sense Gizmondo.

Avatar image for penguindust
penguindust

13129

Forum Posts

22

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 3

#19  Edited By penguindust
Red said:
"I sense Gizmondo."
But will the story of the "Pandora" ever get as convoluted and (dare, I say) fun as this?
No Caption Provided
Avatar image for shadow
Shadow

5360

Forum Posts

1463

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 2

User Lists: 5

#20  Edited By Shadow
AspiringAndy said:
"Pandora.com is a online radio website.
What is so great about that.
"
because it's awesome
Avatar image for big_weasel
BiG_Weasel

566

Forum Posts

33

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 2

User Lists: 8

#21  Edited By BiG_Weasel

I'm glad to see this happening. Sure, it may fail, but it's a step in the right direction for open source. Heck, look at Android- its gaining acceptance, and could lead to more open source hardware outlets. The opportunity is ripe right now for this type of thing, when the big companies are laying people off, being branded as out of touch, etc. I like the whole concept of "by the people, for the people"