Pandora

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The Pandora.

Overview

The Pandora is a unique combination of gaming console and pocket computer.

It is the spiritual successor to other handheld consoles such as the GP32 and GP2X. There is currently no other device that has dedicated gaming controls, two analog nubs and a QWERTY keyboard.

It was developed as a gaming device not just to run games made just for it (see Games) but also to emulate older systems. From home consoles like the Atari 2600, NES, SNES, Sega Master System, Sega Genesis and Neo Geo to handheld consoles like the Game Gear, Game Boy (and color/advance) to traditional arcade cabinet games. It can also emulate entire computer systems, from the Commodore 64 and Amiga to old Apple Macintosh computers and a PC with DOS.

The Pandora can do all of this because it is a tiny computer running a custom distribution of Linux based on The Ångström Distribution. Because it runs Linux, the Pandora isn't just a console but a complete desktop computer with access to tens of thousands of Linux programs.

From classic gaming, listening to music, watching movies, program development and surfing the web to just reading and writing texts, the Pandora has a lot to offer.

More information can be found in our FAQ.

A Pandora can be ordered from one of the links on the Pandora Website.

Specifications

A render of the Pandora.

Core Hardware

Note: With the new production line in Germany, 256MB RAM modules have become unavailable in the recent time frame. All new Pandoras being/have been produced contain now contain a 512MB RAM module.

• Texas Instruments OMAP3530 system-on-chip (SoC): [1] [2] Specifications can be found at this link: [3]

• PowerVR SGX GPU (OpenGL ES 2.0, several million polygons per second). OpenGL ES demonstrated: [4]

• 256MB (Ciruitco model) or 512MB (Germany Model) DDR SDRAM in consumer units (early developer units had 128MB).

• Real-time clock (RTC) built in, to keep track of time: [5]

• 512MB internal flash memory (NAND) for consumer Pandoras (early developer boards had 256MB).

• Is "unbrickable", thanks to a ROM bootloader.

• Dimensions: 140 x 83 x 27 mm (See Size Comparisons).

• Mass: 320g [6] (0.739 lbs).

Display

• 4.3-inch (93.6 x 56.2 mm), 800x480 widescreen (5:3), touchscreen TFT-LCD. [7]

• Brightness: 300 cd/m², Contrast ratio: 450:1, Response time: tr+tf=30ms. [8]

• TV-out included in hardware, A/V-OUT Port (similar in appearance to a large USB OTG port) has Composite and S-Video outputs and 3.5mm headphone output and microphone input.
  • Separate TV-out signals, picture-in-picture capabilities. [9]

• Powerful 2D and 3D hardware acceleration, see above. [10]

Sound

• Has a high-quality audio DAC and an ADC.

• A pair of stereo speakers are built into the sides of the display.

• Volume Control Wheel.

• Built-in microphone. [11]

Input

• Buttons, keyboard, microphone, and touchscreen. [12]

• Directional pad (D-pad). [13]

• Two real, custom-designed, plastic analog nubs.

• QWERTY keyboard (cellphone-like, but larger). [14]

Connectivity

• 802.11b/g (Wi-Fi) included.

• Integrated Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR (3Mbps). [15]

• USB
  • Fully powered (500 mA) standard-A USB host port.
  • USB OTG mini-AB port.
  • You can use anything that has the appropriate drivers. [16] Some devices need to first go through a powered USB hub.

• RS-232 included, but a level converter is needed for the UART. [17]

• Two SDIO-capable SDHC/SDXC slots.

Power

• Lithium-polymer battery, ~4000mAh.

• Up to 10-14 hours battery life under reasonable load, 8.5 hours under max CPU load, ~17 hours playing music with the display off (source) (up to 100 hours claimed to be possible with further optimization [18])

• Can charge through an AC adapter or USB. [19]

• Advanced power management capabilities: only need to set a max clock speed; when the CPU is not doing anything it automatically HALTs and does nothing to save power. [20]

• Suspend to RAM or suspend to disk functionality is being developed. This will give longer battery life and faster start up. See Power modes.

Pictures

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  Rendering

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  Size

More Information

• Pandora history