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Pandora (console)
Encyclopedia
The Pandora is a handheld game console
designed to take advantage of existing open source software and to be a target for homebrew development
. It is developed by OpenPandora, which is made up of former distributors and community members of the GP32
and GP2X
handhelds.
When announcing the system, the designers of Pandora stated that it would be more powerful than any handheld video game console
that had yet existed. It includes several features that no handheld game consoles have previously had, making it a cross between a handheld game console and a subnotebook
.
and GP2X
systems (from Gamepark and Gamepark Holdings
respectively) were flawed. The Pandora was designed based on ideas and suggestions contributed by GP32X forum members, with the goal of creating the ultimate open source handheld device. The final case and keymat design was made by DaveC, who was known on the forums for custom hardware modifications.
The release of the console had been delayed many times. Originally it was estimated by the developers that the console would be released in 2007. OpenPandora began taking pre-orders for one batch of 4000 devices on September 30, 2008 but numerous launch dates were missed.
OpenPandora began shipping to customers on May 21, 2010, but as of late 2011 many customers on the preorder list still report not receiving one. On 27 January 2011 OpenPandora claimed to offer units for immediate delivery at a higher price than the customers on the preorder list were promised, but it is unclear how many actually shipped. On August 23, 2011 OpenPandora announced it would shift its production to Germany and that the device would be delayed again.
The Pandora 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
OS
based on Ångström
.
The interface is custom themed to fit the small form factor and touchscreen, analogue joystick, and keyboard-based inputs available. 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.
The Pandora uses standard libraries such as OpenGL ES
and SDL
which are freely available, allowing anyone who wishes the ability to develop for the system. Many developers from the GP2x community have publicly stated that they will be developing applications for the new system.
The Pandora is compatible with Debian
packages built for the ARM architecture
using APT
. A Git
repository offers the latest kernel source.
Lists on the community-maintained Pandora Wiki keep track of new software releases. Most, but not all, Pandora software is uploaded to either the Pandora Apps, the Pandora File Archive or Pandora Repo websites. The Pandora File Archive existed first and is run by Michael Mrozek. Pandora Apps was launched by Craig Rothwell in May 2010, and is designed for viewing on the Pandora's smaller screen resolution.
The Pandora Repo (yet unnamed) was developed by a member the community with help from the community. Its use has been adopted quickly as it tends to have the latest software releases first; The reason being it makes things really easy for the developer as it doesn't require him/her to enter any details about the application, these are automatically acquired from the application itself.
The Pandora Repo is also the first that uses the community created REPO specifications which allows native clients to get applications from the pandora repo without actually visiting the website (much akin to Synaptic (software) or App Store (iOS)).
s using OMAP3500 series processors include OSWALD developed by Oregon State University students for computer science education, Beagle Board
, IGEPv2
, Touch Book
, and Gumstix
Overo series. The Gizmondo 2 was to be a potential commercial competitor of the Pandora, but the Gizmondo 2 was cancelled.
Handheld game console
A handheld game console is a lightweight, portable electronic device with a built-in screen, game controls and speakers. Handheld game consoles are run on machines of small size allowing people to carry them and play them at any time or place...
designed to take advantage of existing open source software and to be a target for homebrew development
Homebrew (video games)
Homebrew is a term frequently applied to video games or other software produced by consumers to target proprietary hardware platforms not typically user-programmable or that use proprietary storage methods...
. It is developed by OpenPandora, which is made up of former distributors and community members of the GP32
GP32
The GP32 is a handheld game console developed by the Korean company Game Park. It was released on November 23, 2001, in South Korea only.- Overview :The GP32 is based on a 133 MHz ARM CPU and 8 MB of RAM...
and GP2X
GP2X
The GP2X is an open-source, Linux-based handheld video game console and portable media player developed by South Korean company GamePark Holdings. It was released on November 10, 2005, in South Korea only....
handhelds.
When announcing the system, the designers of Pandora stated that it would be more powerful than any handheld video game console
Video game console
A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game...
that had yet existed. It includes several features that no handheld game consoles have previously had, making it a cross between a handheld game console and a subnotebook
Subnotebook
A subnotebook is a class of laptop computers that are smaller and lighter than a typical laptop....
.
History
Development of the Pandora began when Craig Rothwell, Fatih Kilic, Michael Mrozek and (later) Michael Weston teamed up and planned a portable system that would excel in the areas where they thought the GP32GP32
The GP32 is a handheld game console developed by the Korean company Game Park. It was released on November 23, 2001, in South Korea only.- Overview :The GP32 is based on a 133 MHz ARM CPU and 8 MB of RAM...
and GP2X
GP2X
The GP2X is an open-source, Linux-based handheld video game console and portable media player developed by South Korean company GamePark Holdings. It was released on November 10, 2005, in South Korea only....
systems (from Gamepark and Gamepark Holdings
GamePark Holdings
GPH, formerly known as GamePark Holdings, is a South Korean company responsible for creating the GP2X that was founded by former employees of the game maker GamePark in 2005.-History:...
respectively) were flawed. The Pandora was designed based on ideas and suggestions contributed by GP32X forum members, with the goal of creating the ultimate open source handheld device. The final case and keymat design was made by DaveC, who was known on the forums for custom hardware modifications.
The release of the console had been delayed many times. Originally it was estimated by the developers that the console would be released in 2007. OpenPandora began taking pre-orders for one batch of 4000 devices on September 30, 2008 but numerous launch dates were missed.
OpenPandora began shipping to customers on May 21, 2010, but as of late 2011 many customers on the preorder list still report not receiving one. On 27 January 2011 OpenPandora claimed to offer units for immediate delivery at a higher price than the customers on the preorder list were promised, but it is unclear how many actually shipped. On August 23, 2011 OpenPandora announced it would shift its production to Germany and that the device would be delayed again.
Overview
Personal digital assistant
A personal digital assistant , also known as a palmtop computer, or personal data assistant, is a mobile device that functions as a personal information manager. Current PDAs often have the ability to connect to the Internet...
capabilities, but may also be run as a low-power full-featured Linux desktop. The system by default comes with a Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
OS
Operating system
An operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...
based on Ångström
Ångström distribution
The Ångström distribution is a Linux distribution for a variety of embedded devices. The distribution is the result of a unification of developers from the OpenZaurus, OpenEmbedded, and OpenSIMpad projects...
.
The interface is custom themed to fit the small form factor and touchscreen, analogue joystick, and keyboard-based inputs available. Users can install and run their own desktop environment if they choose. Users may even install other Linux distributions like Ubuntu
Ubuntu (operating system)
Ubuntu is a computer operating system based on the Debian Linux distribution and distributed as free and open source software. It is named after the Southern African philosophy of Ubuntu...
or Gentoo
Gentoo Linux
Gentoo Linux is a computer operating system built on top of the Linux kernel and based on the Portage package management system. It is distributed as free and open source software. Unlike a conventional software distribution, the user compiles the source code locally according to their chosen...
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
Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments Inc. , widely known as TI, is an American company based in Dallas, Texas, United States, which develops and commercializes semiconductor and computer technology...
OMAP 3530 SoC
System-on-a-chip
A system on a chip or system on chip is an integrated circuit that integrates all components of a computer or other electronic system into a single chip. It may contain digital, analog, mixed-signal, and often radio-frequency functions—all on a single chip substrate...
. The Pandora developers have already shown working emulators for Dreamcast, PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
, Nintendo 64
Nintendo 64
The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
, Amiga
Amiga
The Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...
, SNES
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
, Atari Jaguar
Atari Jaguar
The Atari Jaguar is a video game console that was released by Atari Corporation in 1993. It was the last to be marketed under the Atari brand until the release of the Atari Flashback in 2004. It was designed to surpass the Mega Drive/Genesis, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and the Panasonic...
and Sega Mega Drive
Sega Mega Drive
The Sega Genesis is a fourth-generation video game console developed and produced by Sega. It was originally released in Japan in 1988 as , then in North America in 1989 as Sega Genesis, and in Europe, Australia and other PAL regions in 1990 as Mega Drive. The reason for the two names is that...
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.
The Pandora uses standard libraries such as OpenGL ES
OpenGL ES
OpenGL for Embedded Systems is a subset of the OpenGL 3D graphics application programming interface designed for embedded systems such as mobile phones, PDAs, and video game consoles. OpenGL ES is managed by the not-for-profit technology consortium, the Khronos Group, Inc.- Versions :Several...
and SDL
Simple DirectMedia Layer
Simple DirectMedia Layer is a cross-platform, free and open source multimedia library written in C that presents a simple interface to various platforms' graphics, sound, and input devices....
which are freely available, allowing anyone who wishes the ability to develop for the system. Many developers from the GP2x community have publicly stated that they will be developing applications for the new system.
The Pandora is compatible with Debian
Debian
Debian is a computer operating system composed of software packages released as free and open source software primarily under the GNU General Public License along with other free software licenses. Debian GNU/Linux, which includes the GNU OS tools and Linux kernel, is a popular and influential...
packages built for the ARM architecture
ARM architecture
ARM is a 32-bit reduced instruction set computer instruction set architecture developed by ARM Holdings. It was named the Advanced RISC Machine, and before that, the Acorn RISC Machine. The ARM architecture is the most widely used 32-bit ISA in numbers produced...
using APT
Advanced Packaging Tool
The Advanced Packaging Tool, or APT, is a free user interface that works with core libraries to handle the installation and removal of software on the Debian GNU/Linux distribution and its variants...
. A Git
Git (software)
Git is a distributed revision control system with an emphasis on speed. Git was initially designed and developed by Linus Torvalds for Linux kernel development. Every Git working directory is a full-fledged repository with complete history and full revision tracking capabilities, not dependent on...
repository offers the latest kernel source.
Lists on the community-maintained Pandora Wiki keep track of new software releases. Most, but not all, Pandora software is uploaded to either the Pandora Apps, the Pandora File Archive or Pandora Repo websites. The Pandora File Archive existed first and is run by Michael Mrozek. Pandora Apps was launched by Craig Rothwell in May 2010, and is designed for viewing on the Pandora's smaller screen resolution.
The Pandora Repo (yet unnamed) was developed by a member the community with help from the community. Its use has been adopted quickly as it tends to have the latest software releases first; The reason being it makes things really easy for the developer as it doesn't require him/her to enter any details about the application, these are automatically acquired from the application itself.
The Pandora Repo is also the first that uses the community created REPO specifications which allows native clients to get applications from the pandora repo without actually visiting the website (much akin to Synaptic (software) or App Store (iOS)).
Technical specifications
- 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 InstrumentsTexas InstrumentsTexas Instruments Inc. , widely known as TI, is an American company based in Dallas, Texas, United States, which develops and commercializes semiconductor and computer technology...
' DaVinciTexas Instruments DaVinciThe Texas Instruments DaVinci Technology combines TI's offering of digital signal processing chips, software, tools and support for developing a broad spectrum of optimized digital video end equipments...
technology - ARMARM architectureARM is a 32-bit reduced instruction set computer instruction set architecture developed by ARM Holdings. It was named the Advanced RISC Machine, and before that, the Acorn RISC Machine. The ARM architecture is the most widely used 32-bit ISA in numbers produced...
Cortex-A8 superscalar microprocessor core - PowerVR SGX 530 (110 MHz) OpenGL ES 2.0 compliant 3D hardware
- Integrated Wi-FiWi-FiWi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
802.11b/g - Integrated BluetoothBluetoothBluetooth is a proprietary open wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances from fixed and mobile devices, creating personal area networks with high levels of security...
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 OTGUSB On-The-GoUSB On-The-Go, often abbreviated USB OTG, is a specification that allows USB devices such as digital audio players or mobile phones to act as a host allowing a USB Flash Drive, mouse, or keyboard to be attached.- Architecture :...
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 UARTUniversal asynchronous receiver/transmitterA universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter, abbreviated UART , is a type of "asynchronous receiver/transmitter", a piece of computer hardware that translates data between parallel and serial forms. UARTs are commonly used in conjunction with communication standards such as EIA RS-232, RS-422 or...
for hardware hacking and debugging - Brick prevention with integrated bootloader for safe code experimentation
- Runs the Linux kernelLinux kernelThe Linux kernel is an operating system kernel used by the Linux family of Unix-like operating systems. It is one of the most prominent examples of free and open source software....
(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)
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