Pandora prototype "demoed" -- screen turns on

For scale, the Pandora crew set up a semi-working unit next to a Nintendo DS and flipped the switch. As you'll see, the demo isn't too impressive, but there's clearly some promise here. Video after the break -- be prepared for the usual two minute preamble where nothing really happens.

[Thanks, Andri and Atomicthumbs]

[Tom @ May 11th 2008 2:15PM]

Ohh, so a working got it?
Good working screen! Looks fine without one!
What!!! With no deal to be traded i must announce that i finally understand without!!
I cant see my open eyes being open to another place for this stereo!!

[zomg0t @ May 11th 2008 2:30PM]

I know, huh?

[Reader @ May 11th 2008 8:01PM]

Google translator didn't work as well as you seemed to hope.

[Das @ May 11th 2008 8:40PM]

Lets play guess the source language

I'm thinking Japanese.

[Ewoks FTW @ May 11th 2008 10:03PM]

I concur!

[slyd3z @ May 12th 2008 1:13PM]

English, let me show you it.

[T-Rex @ May 13th 2008 10:15PM]

Ho, Tom. It can not be more of my mind than how you see. Cat is really on that. My eyes look backward and brain can see that I see. Hand up to the moon, weedhopper.

[OddyOh @ May 13th 2008 12:14PM]

Is this one of those Spam poems?

Pandora looks awesome, can't wait!

[atomicthumbs @ May 11th 2008 2:15PM]

The dream has been realized!

I suppose that the two-minute preamble is to prove to people that no, this thing is not the size of an EEE PC or a mini laptop.

Also, in the finla revision the lid will be more smoothed; the entire thing will be streamlined and less thick.

[rv @ May 11th 2008 3:09PM]

BUT WILL IT PLAY PORN???

[atomicthumbs @ May 11th 2008 3:35PM]

rv: yes.

[rv @ May 11th 2008 4:52PM]

EXCELLENT!!!!

[XIYL @ May 12th 2008 9:24AM]

lolz

[Lippy @ May 11th 2008 2:18PM]

When you're looking at it, just remember it's just a prototype at the moment. This will be a well polished machine, more shiny and not so "jaggedy" when it comes out as seen in this video. In terms of power; there's only one thing to say about this; it's going to be a beast!

[rallyprox @ May 11th 2008 2:31PM]

Why is it sitting on top of a dell laptop?

[bertbusdriver @ May 11th 2008 2:33PM]

for size comparison?

[rallyprox @ May 11th 2008 2:35PM]

The DS should be sufficient for size comparison though, but perhaps you are correct.

[Jordan @ May 11th 2008 2:43PM]

Perhaps...
*Thoughtful expression*

[atomicthumbs @ May 11th 2008 2:46PM]

Probably for size comparison. It's MWeston's laptop.

[vdogg89 @ May 11th 2008 4:44PM]

maybe because he felt like putting it ontop of a laptop?

[Abuzar @ May 11th 2008 8:15PM]

I find this video shallow and pedantic!

[eKalb @ May 12th 2008 4:22PM]

oh Reginald... I disagree!!!

[Tony @ May 11th 2008 2:47PM]

I hear tripods are cheap nowadays; put the camera on a stool or something at least.

[stefan @ May 11th 2008 3:55PM]

and what's with the lighting?

I figure that somewhere in youtubes usage policy it states that all videos must be shot by spastic coffeine junkies with dusty/scratched cellphone cams and no more than 25 watts of lighting in a dark room.

[Ewoks FTW @ May 11th 2008 10:05PM]

hmm, I have never heard of coffeine... is that when the amount of caffeine in your coffee exceeds the amount of liquid in your drink?

[overflow @ May 12th 2008 8:07AM]

@ stefan
you did forget the line where it states "it HAS to be out of focus"

[metal @ May 11th 2008 2:54PM]

have you ever played this game called mad libs? just curious

[Ewoks FTW @ May 11th 2008 10:06PM]

More importantly, who hasn't played Madlibs?

[JLTate @ May 12th 2008 3:41AM]

Pronoun have never verbed noun before.

[Podaman @ May 12th 2008 10:07AM]

The tall man entered the nice building to visit a very nice man. “Sit down, Mr. Smith. Can I interest you in any good catfood?”

[Dan @ May 11th 2008 3:25PM]

Am I not the first person that saw the headline and thought it was a portable Pandora internet radio client?

[stefan @ May 11th 2008 3:56PM]

no, you're not not the only one.

[ChrisMizzleInfo @ May 11th 2008 5:21PM]

No, i thought that too,
but this is far more satisfying news

[Benson @ May 11th 2008 6:58PM]

OK, so you three are the only ones.

Am I the only one that thought it was gonna open a box, and we'd all be in trouble?

[eKalb @ May 12th 2008 4:23PM]

I was hoping for all 3 at the same time!

[KRiS..! @ May 11th 2008 3:38PM]

But will it blend? (6)

[atomicthumbs @ May 11th 2008 4:11PM]

If you blend this I will come to your home and steal your eyeballs

[Ewoks FTW @ May 11th 2008 10:07PM]

No, but I'm quite certain YOU will.....

[Ian @ May 11th 2008 4:15PM]

FFVII Anyone?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7sx8CrVLW8

Drooool

[Ayrkain @ May 11th 2008 5:16PM]

Looks like there's some glitchiness on the name input screen.

[gz @ May 11th 2008 4:32PM]

Lovely screen, huge compared to the DS there. This machine is looking pretty damn amazing... those vids of the PS1 emulator running fullspeed on an unoptimized port even before release are mindblowing. The devs say it will have all kinds of upscaling and filtering options to make it look much better than the PSP's emu - drooling at 2xSDHC for storage!

[greg @ May 11th 2008 5:16PM]

yea, i'm getting pretty excited about the pandora. I wonder if it will be possible to hook up an external keyboard. Then I could bring that bad boy to class and type up my notes as well. Although, the screen might be too small for that...

[Benson @ May 11th 2008 7:00PM]

Definitely will be able to; and the Nokia N800 has the same size screen.

I use my N800 (with a BT keyboard) for that purpose. It works fine for me; I put the little screen right in front of me, between my arms, and the keyboard farther away, and it works fine.

[GuardianZX9 @ May 11th 2008 5:23PM]

what is the background music?

[the Dude @ May 11th 2008 6:51PM]

The background music is a track called "Muscle Cars" by Mylo from the album Destroy Rock & Roll

[Ian @ May 11th 2008 5:29PM]

The official site has lots of info on this amazing bit of kit:

http://openpandora.org/

As does the forum:

http://www.gp32x.com/board/index.php?showforum=61

I am am in no way affiliated with this project, I am just a keen observer with £200 burning a hole in my pocket.

That and a box of Playstation games in the garage I couldn't sell at a car boot years ago :-) boy am I glad they didn't.

[Vault @ May 11th 2008 5:46PM]

I thought it was the Pandora radio station on the DS. I'm crushed.

[Benson @ May 11th 2008 7:02PM]

No, but it could be Pandora radio on the Pandora...

[Artie Lange @ May 11th 2008 6:59PM]

Anyone know the music playing in that clip?

[Bender @ May 12th 2008 3:04AM]

Yep, that's Mylo, from the 2004 album 'Destroy Rock & Roll'.

Track that's on the album is called 'muscle cars', but that has some basic lyrics to it. Same music tho.