Near-final Pandora handheld gets user reviewed, shown playing Super Mario 64
By Darren Murph 
posted December 22nd 2009 7:44AM
posted December 22nd 2009 7:44AM
posted December 22nd 2009 7:44AM
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Cant wait :)
Mario looks a little fat. I wonder if there's an option to pay attention to aspect ratio
I've always wondered why they decided to go with a 16:9 widescreen display if the main purpose of the device is to emulate 4:3 consoles.
Horizontally-stretched displays always look like shit, which is why I hate console emulation on the PSP (or deal with black columns).
@Elranzer
easy, for widescreen video and better program and internet usage. its great if you dont have to keep scrolling left and rightand dont have to have massive black space at the top and bottom of the movies you are watching.
@Elranzer Are you that HUGE XBOX troll from Digg? You've even got the same avater
@Elranzer The display is already as tall as the form factor will allow. A 4:3 display would offer no more screen real estate for 4:3 content, and LESS space overall. A 16:9 display allows for better video and general computing by using as much space as possible for the display. Only a fool would prefer to have a smaller display just so there were no "black bars" on 4:3 content.
Welp.. if this is legit, looks like my PSP (FINALLY!) can just go back to playing PSP games. I've been waiting for a real emulation machine, PSP wasn't cutting it, but I needed something for the what.. 2 years I've been waiting for this?
@Level 5
PSP wasn't cutting it? The only thing it doesn't do are N64 games.
@(Unverified) which is probably his point.
@(Unverified) I thought the PSP could emulate the N64. As for the speed or quality, I doubt either are any good.
@(Unverified) PSP has done N64 for years.
I kind of don't get the point of the Pandora handheld.
It seems cool and all, but what can it do that a modded PSP hasn't been able to do for years now? (well besides deal with Sony's BS)
@Hazdaz well, since this emulator is the basis for the n64 for iphone emulator by zodtt, and through testing is confirmed to run faster already than daedelus on the PSP, it is more than likely to run even better on the pandora so really, what the pandora will be able to make n64 emulation on a handheld actually playable. not to mention the progress being made in the dreamcast emulator for the pandora, which the PSP definitely wont be able to compare to. actually wasnt someone making a PSP emulator for the pandora? no idea how well that will work though.
@Hazdaz
The Pandora also functions as a small Linux system with full Firefox, Abiword, etc.
@musicalwds : Indeed, the Pandora is not only a handheld gaming console, it is a very small computer with a full keyboard.
@thewild
OK, well those are some nice reasons why to get an Pandora handheld over a PSP... but from what I have been able to find online, the Pandora has been in "development stage" for quite some time with no actual shipping units yet.
:(
@Hazdaz
They get closer and closer each day. It's been quite a roller coaster of sorts for the followers.
@Hazdaz
The short answer to "What can it do that a modded PSP can't?": TONS
The longer answer:
Touchscreen. Physical Keyboard.
Full Speed (not partial speed) SNES emulation.
Hi-Res PSX emulation.
Hi-Res Full Speed N64.
Potential Dreamcast emulation (this one's up for debate, but more likely to happen in a playable form on the Pandora than on the PSP).
And the list goes on. Yes a modded PSP is a versatile beast, but the Pandora is without question a good deal more powerful and able to do MUCH more, faster and more authentically than a PSP can/will.
@illuminerdi It can already emulate the Dreamcast pretty well.
@illuminerdi "Touchscreen. Physical Keyboard.
Full Speed (not partial speed) SNES emulation.
Hi-Res PSX emulation. "
PSP does those.
*Keyboard via pikey on infra-red enabled PSPs
@Hazdaz
"what can it do that a modded PSP hasn't been able to do for years now?"
Have a second analog nub built in correctly from the start. I'm sold on that alone.
Nintendo lawsuit incoming in 3... 2... 1...
@mistwolf I guess that's why Craig started with "I own this game", eh? ;)
@mistwolf i dont see how they could enforce it. are they going to sue the iphone for the same emulator? the emulator wont be sold with the device anyway
@renegadechic
it's not the emulator, it's the game
@JeremyBenthem
good job he said he owned a copy of the game, eh
@mistwolf
I really hope they won't sue (and doubt they would considering how versatile GP32x sounds).
FYI Nintendo along with a few dozen other companies, recently sued over R4 chips: http://www.gamepro.com/article/news/212608/nintendo-capcom-sue-to-stop-ds-piracy-in-japan/
@mistwolf as long as the emulators use none of nintendo's actually code, they can be packaged with the system. Haven't you seen all the emulators on the android market?
@Keni : The emulators aren't going to be shipped with the system anyway.
@salasq can anybody prove that there is an actual federal law that states "if you own a video game, you are allowed to download its illegal counterpart" ?
I always believed that to be true because I saw it all over the web but a few years back it was pointed out to me that it's just a urban myth. I mean, come on, where's the accountability basis for such a law and who's not going to say that they own the game, and when the cops come a-knocking, just say they left it at their grandparent's house ....in another country
@yyandrew No clue, I rip my roms myself. As for federal laws - not in US, hence no idea. Note that Craig is across the pond as well.
@renegadechic
it's a common misconception that that makes it legal, the situation still remains iffy, especially with a game like this which is still in production on other platforms
They got my preorder. Havinig MAME, SNES, NES, Sega, Genesis, N64, GBA all in my pocket is going to be awesome. And being able to play any video without having to convert it is a huge plus.
What year is this? I should be playing mario 64 on my watch.
@tylersmyler, well, you can put a strap on Pandora and put it on your wrist, so you will be able to play Mario64 on your watch...
@tylersmyler
You wear a watch? What year do you live in?
@solo99
He's Dick Tracy. He can live in whatever goddamn year he wants.
@tylersmyler
The Pandora watch comes standard with the latest Ford hovercar
Something came to my mind. I'd want this to have a removable part of it. As in, able to remove the pad (Buttons, d-pad etc) all in one removable thing. So you can replace it with a Keyboard. Or back to gamepad. So you can switch out between different control schemes. Say for Sega or Nintendo or Playstation or a Keyboard or even another screen for a Virtual Keyboard or for Reading. Bah, I know its stupid.
Oh, and Android.
@Teslanaut Sorry, I was watching Dollhouse and then saw this and melded them together. I hate you FOX. Don't make it go away.
@Teslanaut
that wouldn't work without it becoming really thick since the guts of it are in the lower part.
Simply beautiful!
What I really would like to see is some sort of 'Pandora Mini', because I really wouldn't need WiFi, Bluetooth, a touchscreen, QWERTY, 2nd SD-slot & USB Host in a handheld gaming device.
Throw out these things, make it therefor cheaper and maybe change the form factor and I will buy one :)
@shellshock Get a Wiz.
@Tokiopop
Well, but the Wiz doesn't have the power the pandora has (-> N64 / PS1 emulation)
@shellshock
Actually, the PS1 emulation on the WiZ is coming along nicely. Some games work fine without sound. They're still working on it, though.
The N64 will never work on WiZ because, frankly, there aren't enough controls on a WiZ to play N64 games. It may handle the CPU requirements, but it will never handle the control needs.
My problem with Pandora is price. Yes, it's nifty and seems to handle these ten-year-old games quite well, but is it worth over $300 to play old games? No. Not when a Dingoo is $90 and a WiZ is $180 and both can be ordered and delivered today. Not when a PSP Pandora battery can be purchased for $6 and a magic memory card can be made for free.
No, these aren't as versatile as the Pandora may be, but the price difference isn't proportionate to the gain. There aren't enough N64 games to make me need to spend twice to three times as much on the Pandora.
PS1 games? PSP.
N64 games? PSP.
Everything else from Atari 2600 to GBA and SNES? WiZ or Dingoo.
You could buy a modded PSP and a Dingoo together, and you'll still not have spent as much as the Pandora costs on its own.
And you'll be playing today instead of "when it's finished".
I'm not against the Pandora. I wish them luck and hope it's awesome; I just think the price doesn't justify the uses for the device. Not unless it really handles EVERYTHING perfectly and doesn't have any technical or warranty issues.
There are going to be people who spent over $300 for the Pandora who will end up with a defective device and a long wait for a replacement... if the warranty ideal is even honored.
You're taking some strangers' word for it, and that's what makes the Pandora really intimidating.
it's already obsolete
@htd wanna add a why and how to that?
@renegadechic
Check their avatar.
i cant believe i preordered this already... when it ships i'll feel like i got it for free XD