Pandora almost ready for launch

[Midna]

The supergaming device The Pandora, which is almost ready for launch. The protoptype is made, the final case is being ordered on monday, and the OS is being tweaked to perfection.

For more info on this fantastic device, visit the homepage or the unofficial blog, which is, well, unofficial, but more frequently updated. While you're at it, check out the devs youtube channels.

Homepage

Unofficial Blog

EvilDragon1717's Youtube channel

Michael Weston's Youtube channel

 

[mikagami]

How you can call it a "DS on steroids" is beyond me.

 

[Narin]

From their official wiki, they are basically stating that the Pandora is incapable of emulating newer gen systems like the Nintendo DS, PS2, etc. So you will be able to emulate the classics with Pandora like some PS1 games, SNES, NES, etc but no newer things like PSP or Nintendo DS and such.

 

[hdofu]

looks more like a ti voyage 200 on steroids

 

[Pizzaroo]

I'd buy it if it could emulated dreamcast, but I doubt it.

EDIT: anyone know if this is worth getting over a GP2X Wiz?

 

[Mangofett]

At that price tag, I'd rather buy a netbook... When it was first announced it was impressive, but now... not so much, something like the 900HA will kick its ass with actual computer games, although I guess size makes a huge difference. XD

Yep... got the 900HA, it plays things like Halo 1, World of Warcraft, Half Life 2, pretty well. $330.

Though while you can hold the 900HA in your hands, its not exactly handheld. So I can see where the appeal for Pandora can occur.

 

[chrisman01]

From their official wiki, they are basically stating that the Pandora is incapable of emulating newer gen systems like the Nintendo DS, PS2, etc. So you will be able to emulate the classics with Pandora like some PS1 games, SNES, NES, etc but no newer things like PSP or Nintendo DS and such.

leave it to Narin to bring up emulation

 

[Midna]

I'd say it's a pretty darn fine system. It isn't eye candy, but the power for size angle is impressive. Also, look at some of the videos. It IS a DS on steroids.

Edit:

At that price tag, I'd rather buy a netbook... When it was first announced it was impressive, but now... not so much, something like the 900HA will kick its ass with actual computer games, although I guess size makes a huge difference. XD

I want a supergaming handheld, I don't want a small PC. (Though admittedly, the latest Eee PC is quite impressive.)

 

[Beware]

If you want a powerful, tiny netbook for games and such, you would be completely crazy to not mention the Raon Digital Everun Note. Yes, it's in a higher price bracket, but it has an AMD dual core processor (1.3 GHz) and an ATI discreet graphics card.

 

[Awdofgum]

On January 19, 2009, The lead developer explained that taking pre-orders is a necessity because that while money had already been raised to purchase the parts for the initial production run, the manufacturing costs had not been covered by their initial investment. Additionally, because of unspecified problems with their bank, they could no longer accept credit card orders and remaining orders had to be paid by check or bank wire transfers.[6] After numerous delays, manufacturing is now estimated to occur in March of 2009, but April has been mentioned as a possibility.

Wondering About Delays?


All these delays are going to lose customers over this console. Soon they'll be delaying updates and we all know how angry users can get when they aren't getting updates.

 

[Midna]

If you want a powerful, tiny netbook for games and such, you would be completely crazy to not mention the Raon Digital Everun Note. Yes, it's in a higher price bracket, but it has an AMD dual core processor (1.3 GHz) and an ATI discreet graphics card.

The processor on the latest Eee PC is 1.6 and $330

 

[xxRAG3]

Emulator List

Here is a list of systems for which emulators are available on the Pandora (it may not be complete as new software is being released regularly). This doesn't take into account how complete the emulators are, merely that they exist. For performance data, look at the compatibility database.
Arcade

Final Burn for Pandora

MAME4ALL
Atari Jaguar

T2K for Pandora
Nintendo SNES

PandaSNES
Sega Genesis/Megadrive

PicoDrive
Sony Playstation

PSX4Pandora
Amiga

UAE4ALL
MS-DOS

DOSBox

Alright, but not amazing

However this is quite a spectacle
http://archive.openpandora.org/cgi-bin/cfiles.cgi
Maybe i should get this.

 

[Midna]

Emulator List

Here is a list of systems for which emulators are available on the Pandora (it may not be complete as new software is being released regularly). This doesn't take into account how complete the emulators are, merely that they exist. For performance data, look at the compatibility database.
Arcade

Final Burn for Pandora

MAME4ALL
Atari Jaguar

T2K for Pandora
Nintendo SNES

PandaSNES
Sega Genesis/Megadrive

PicoDrive
Sony Playstation

PSX4Pandora
Amiga

UAE4ALL
MS-DOS

DOSBox

Alright, but not amazing

However this is quite a spectacle
http://archive.openpandora.org/cgi-bin/cfiles.cgi
Maybe i should get this.

It is amazing considering that the system isn't out yet.

Edit: Did I miss something? That link just looks like the start of a pandora database. It doesn't really have anything in it...

 

[Mangofett]

If you want a powerful, tiny netbook for games and such, you would be completely crazy to not mention the Raon Digital Everun Note. Yes, it's in a higher price bracket, but it has an AMD dual core processor (1.3 GHz) and an ATI discreet graphics card.

The processor on the latest Eee PC is 1.6 and $330

Not to mention battery life on the Raon Digital sucks, and the CPU is locked to 800mhz on battery mode.

 

[Trippy]

Well it is bigger and uglier then a ds and also a lot more powerful.
Was thinking of getting one but all these delays make me think the first batch will be buggy.

 

[Midna]

PS. The Sony netbooks I was referring to was the P Series: http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores...ategoryId=16154

Back to the original topic, when was the Pandora first announced? I remember when I first read about it, my eyes sorta popped out and I wanted it real bad, but considering the fact that I think this is an overpriced piece of junk right now, it makes me wonder... how long was it?

I believe "overpriced piece of junk" would be a matter of opinion, and in mine, an overstatement. The thing is ugly, but name all the other dual analog SNES padded gaming handhelds with full keyboards that can run office and a variety of emulators. Got anything? Me neither. Granted it is overpriced and a little bit ugly, but I am in need of something exactly like this.

Also, don't bring up the small keyboard, because this thing does bluetooth, so I could just pull out a folding bluetooth keyboard to type on in the built in office app.

Edit: Also, didn't someone say something about $330 for this thing making it an "overpriced piece of junk". WELL, someone also just pulled up the page for the 900 usd sony netbook. Hmm...

While I'm talking about the P series, I'd just like to mention that it has and I quote: "Up to 4 hours standard power" Reminds me of the sega game gear personally. May I also add that the Sony P has a 1.33ghz processor vs the EeePC's 1.6.

 

[DarkSpace]

It feels like it's over hyped. At that cost I could think of a few other ways to spend it.

 

[Lumstar]

Not overpriced, in technical terms. This is a powerful handheld meant for serious customers.

It isn't supposed to have a mass market price.

 

[Maedhros]

I'd buy two DS's or one PSP over this.

 

[fateastray]

The OP called the Pandora a 'super gaming device', although the youtube video of the machine only showed some Genesis games being emulated...What makes this thing so awesome to pick it over a psp or ds?