RSSOpen source gaming console Pandora shows up on video
By Tim Conneally | Published January 30, 2009, 4:55 PM
A video of a working prototype of the open-source gaming handheld Pandora, nearly complete in its fabricated case, has emerged. The device has been in the later stages of development since late last year.
Pandora is like the mutant offspring of a Fujitsu Lifebook u2010 and a Nintendo DS with mitochondrial DNA from the Sony PSP. It is powered by a Texas Instruments OMAP3 system on a chip and Linux-based OS and has been regarded as a sort of abandonware, open source, and PC gaming console-slash-PDA-slash-portable media player. Perhaps it would be best described as a GP2x with a keyboard and touchscreen.
The 65 nm OMAP 3430 is based around the ARM Cortex A8 core, and includes Imagination Technology's PowerVR SGX graphics chip. It supports OpenGL ES 2.0 and Shader Model 3.0. Additionally, it can play 1280 x 720 video, and can support up to XGA display resolution. It is the same system on a chip that Nokia pledged to support with its 3G Internet tablets last year.
Pre-orders began to be accepted on openpandora.org in October, and today, the first prototype complete with fabricated case was unveiled in a humble YouTube demo.
The device has no official release date as of yet, and the initial 3,000 pre-ordered units cost $329 each.
With a Linux-based OS, I'm not so certain that I would be too quick to call it a "gaming handheld". Linux hasn't historically been the environment of choice for game developers. Time will tell though (as if Linux hasn't had enough time already).
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|lol, what is that, a low powered netbook with integrated game pad that is hard as hell to use? I agree, fail..
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|Before coming to any conclusion, might wanna do some research.
http://pandorawiki.org/FAQ
What is Pandora?
Pandora is a pocket-sized gaming PC. It is a gaming platform, a UMPC, a PMP, a MID, and many more trendy acronyms as well.
Do you really expect it to compete with the PSP / DS / eeePC / etc?
No, we don't. Pandora is very different than anything currently available. It is designed to serve a niche market of hobbyists and retro/indie gamers.
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|Interesting. Looks like it comes with quite extensive connectivity options, WiFi, Bluetooth and so on, for around 200€+. I have to wait and see how it performs, but im already imagining playing classics like Sam and Max or Day of the Tentacle on this thing. Perhaps even some sort of "remote" for HTPC... who knows. Its open source, so its interesting to see how it will work out in the end.
Anyways, this device is hardly comparable to notebooks or current handheld consoles.
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|It looks pretty dorky. I wouldn't want to bring that in public.
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|$329? Umm..I can get almost get a netbook with XP for that. I smell ultrafail.
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|It is still a prototype...after it sells a good number of units to the first buyers (who have to have it) the price will come down. Jeez.
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