307: Pandora's Box

[Douglas Heaven]

Pandora's Box

It takes a village to raise a child, and in the case of the Pandora, it takes a community - a friendly, supportive, and above all patient community - to create an ambitious handheld gaming device.

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[nexekho]

I was once interested in this thing, but then the first Eee came out and I went for that because I knew that'd at least exist within the next year

Two years later, this thing still isn't in the hands of the majority of people who bought it. The iPhone and Android phones flatten it in most ways. The CPU is now old. The GPU is now old.

Would've set the world afire if they could have got it out while it was at least slightly relevant.

 

[PeePantz]

I'm somewhat interested in this, but I feel like my $500 purchase would burn me in the end. I see a small niche market for it and not much more. Also, there has been 0 marketing for obvious reasons which will ultimately lead to it's demise. My beloved Dreamcast has made me cautious.

 

[nexekho]

Oh yeah, I forgot how expensive it is too. Again far more expensive than its smartphone competitors. I understand it's more expensive to make things in small runs, but it's just far too much.

 

[Sabrestar]

I've been wanting one of these ever since I first heard about them. I'm their target market.

I don't have a smartphone, because I can't afford a data plan, don't need one, and quite frankly don't want one. It's not necessary for me. I hardly ever play my DS, and when I do it's mostly a Genesis or Atari emulator. I want the ideal emulation system that I can carry anywhere, because that's what I play.

Maybe I'm a small target market, but I'm still getting one when I can scrounge up $500 of extra money. For me, I'd get more use out of this than an iPad, for the same money. No-brainer, as far as I'm concerned. Just wish I could afford one.

 

[JonnWood]

I want one, just because I need something a bit more reliable than my DS's homebrew text editor, but I can't justify the price to myself.

No emu, just writing, Colors!, and a decent browser.

 

[vxicepickxv]

I love the concept of this thing, at least now that I finally hear about it for the first time. Of course, I don't need one, so I'm not going to try to.

 

[AbstractStream]

Whoa. I was interested until I heard about the price. Maybe when I do gather up the money though.

 

[Sebenko]

http://www.youtube.com/user/ashens#p/a/u/1/x2CA0UE6yRQ

It's too expensive for me though, even if it is a fantastic device.

 

[Tharticus]

I heard about Pandora and my oh my, does it deliver to a niche market.

Way better than I suppose an iPad.

 

[srpilha]

really, the price is what makes it impossible, imho.

for that money, why not buy a good netbook, or even a decent laptop, put some Linux on it and go?

 

[Dana22]

For less then a quarter of its price one could buy second hand PSP and enjoy emulation of old-school systems as well.

 

[Serving UpSmiles]

Wow it costs more than a HD tele. I'm interested, see if it keeps me interested until the NGP comes out.

 

[KrazyKain]

It IS expensive... but I put in the overtime and bought it... worth every single penny.

 

[Realitycrash]

I really wanted one, but..500 bucks? Seriously? I can buy a decent laptop for 400, twice the size but about the same weight, and play modern games on it too.

 

[Smerf]

i would buy it in an instant if it wasnt for the price

 

[whaleswiththumbs]

I can remember laying in my bed as a little kid, wishing the portable CD player i had hidden from my sister i was listening to was a little computer so i could lay there at night and play games my parents had just made me get off. I think i just found my childhood dream.

Now to find $500

 

[Croaker42]

That really is an outstanding little device. I don't think its 500$ outstanding...... I mean I have a netbook for about that price and it can do some fairly awsome things. (May end up loading a different OS on it.) I think if they halfed the price it could atleast contend in the handheld market. Not as simple as the DS but will sell unlike some other handhelds.