Pyra the successor to the OpenPandora device is now available to pre-order and it certainly sounds interesting.
I've never really looked into it before or heard much about it until multiple people emailed it in, so I am happy to cover it in case anyone else missed it too.
No, this isn't some Linux smartphone or tablet, but a full mini-computer that runs a proper Debian Linux distribution.
It might be an interesting low-end gaming device as it has shoulder buttons, little pads and ABXY buttons too.
You can see a preview of the device below:
The case uses simple screws, so you are able to freely open it open and tinker and swap things out if you fancy modding it. They say that you will be able to swap-out the initial CPU-board with new ones when they become available, so it does have the ability to be upgraded.
The included 6000mAh battery is pretty good for such a unit, certainly longer-lasting than what comes with most laptops, but as always it will depend on use.
One thing that I find really awesome if that it has fully configurable RGB-LEDs for notifications!
It even has a backlit keyboard, very slick.
My only issue with it, is that it's a little on the ugly side don't you think?
Find out more on the official Pyra website. You can pre-order one here. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
I've never really looked into it before or heard much about it until multiple people emailed it in, so I am happy to cover it in case anyone else missed it too.
No, this isn't some Linux smartphone or tablet, but a full mini-computer that runs a proper Debian Linux distribution.
It might be an interesting low-end gaming device as it has shoulder buttons, little pads and ABXY buttons too.
You can see a preview of the device below:
The case uses simple screws, so you are able to freely open it open and tinker and swap things out if you fancy modding it. They say that you will be able to swap-out the initial CPU-board with new ones when they become available, so it does have the ability to be upgraded.
The included 6000mAh battery is pretty good for such a unit, certainly longer-lasting than what comes with most laptops, but as always it will depend on use.
One thing that I find really awesome if that it has fully configurable RGB-LEDs for notifications!
It even has a backlit keyboard, very slick.
My only issue with it, is that it's a little on the ugly side don't you think?
Find out more on the official Pyra website. You can pre-order one here. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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The red ones displayed on Dragonbox look nicer than the transparent one, in my humble opinion.
Still, after the troubles they've been having with the components for the Pandora, I'm hoping that the Pyra will get enough orders to give them a leg up in their dealings with their suppliers.
Still, after the troubles they've been having with the components for the Pandora, I'm hoping that the Pyra will get enough orders to give them a leg up in their dealings with their suppliers.
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My first thought - wow, that's pricey.
Then I started looking at what's actually on offer... oh man, if this had a working telephony stack, *this* is close to what I want for a phone. I miss my old HTC Dream / T-Mobile G1 with the hardware keyboard. I really really wanted a Nokia N900, but by the time there was a carrier here that ran those frequencies, it was woefully out of date.
This is now actually kind of intriguing, not even as a gaming thing with those controls (though that's a plus!), but just... pair this with a Bluetooth headset, get basic telephony working, then everything else is just straight up Debian? That sounds awesome. :D
Then I started looking at what's actually on offer... oh man, if this had a working telephony stack, *this* is close to what I want for a phone. I miss my old HTC Dream / T-Mobile G1 with the hardware keyboard. I really really wanted a Nokia N900, but by the time there was a carrier here that ran those frequencies, it was woefully out of date.
This is now actually kind of intriguing, not even as a gaming thing with those controls (though that's a plus!), but just... pair this with a Bluetooth headset, get basic telephony working, then everything else is just straight up Debian? That sounds awesome. :D
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Even if it powerful enough to run games, what exactly could you run on it? A few open-source games maybe. Gaming on ARM CPU on Linux is so niche that it's not even quantifiable. A low power i386 CPU would have made this way more useful.
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The prices in the article are wrong. They are the down payment prices. More will need to be paid to actually purchase a unit:-
Versions and final prices of the Pyra:
ALL versions have the same technical specs like CPU, LCD, storage, WLAN, etc. You can check those specs below.
The Mobile Edition adds mobile internet (3G/4G), GPS as well as additional sensors (Altometer, Hygrometer, Barometer, Compass).
There are two versions of the Pyra Mobile Edition, one supporting the US-Frequencies and one supporting the EU (and mostly worldwide) frequencies.
* Pyra Standard Edition, 2GB RAM: 500 EUR without VAT (=595 EUR incl. VAT)
* Pyra Standard Edition, 4GB RAM: 529,41 EUR without VAT (=630 EUR incl. VAT)
* Pyra Mobile Edition, 2GB RAM: 600 EUR without VAT (=714 EUR incl. VAT)
* Pyra Mobile Edition, 4GB RAM: 626,05 EUR without VAT (=745 EUR incl. VAT)
if you buy 2 or more Pyras, you will receive a 5% discount for the final payment.
Versions and final prices of the Pyra:
ALL versions have the same technical specs like CPU, LCD, storage, WLAN, etc. You can check those specs below.
The Mobile Edition adds mobile internet (3G/4G), GPS as well as additional sensors (Altometer, Hygrometer, Barometer, Compass).
There are two versions of the Pyra Mobile Edition, one supporting the US-Frequencies and one supporting the EU (and mostly worldwide) frequencies.
* Pyra Standard Edition, 2GB RAM: 500 EUR without VAT (=595 EUR incl. VAT)
* Pyra Standard Edition, 4GB RAM: 529,41 EUR without VAT (=630 EUR incl. VAT)
* Pyra Mobile Edition, 2GB RAM: 600 EUR without VAT (=714 EUR incl. VAT)
* Pyra Mobile Edition, 4GB RAM: 626,05 EUR without VAT (=745 EUR incl. VAT)
if you buy 2 or more Pyras, you will receive a 5% discount for the final payment.
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thelimeydragon May 25, 2016
The clear case is just prototype casing.
I have a Pandora.. used to use it a lot but then stopped going on longer journeys where I used to use it and so no longer use it.
I would like a Pyra but.. I just don't have much of a use for it.
I have a Pandora.. used to use it a lot but then stopped going on longer journeys where I used to use it and so no longer use it.
I would like a Pyra but.. I just don't have much of a use for it.
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thelimeydragon May 25, 2016
Quoting: LinasEven if it powerful enough to run games, what exactly could you run on it? A few open-source games maybe. Gaming on ARM CPU on Linux is so niche that it's not even quantifiable. A low power i386 CPU would have made this way more useful.
The Pandora/Pyra are mostly used for emulation... all the common stuff, NES,PS1,MegaDrive,N64,DS etc then all the computers C64,Amiga,ZX Spectrum. Then you have the whole SCUMMVM library and the ResidualVM library. Also had an amazing battery life.. mine could last 10 hours with average use before needing to be recharged. Also being a mini-PC had all the abilities that Linux can do.
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Mountain Man May 25, 2016
Put Steam on this bad boy and use it for in home streaming! Of course the small display size could be a problem. You won't be playing a game like Hearts of Iron IV on it, that's for certain, but action games like Dying Light or Tomb Raider might be possibly. I wonder if you could use the Stream Controller with it?
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GustyGhost May 25, 2016
Quoting: LinasEven if it powerful enough to run games, what exactly could you run on it? A few open-source games maybe. Gaming on ARM CPU on Linux is so niche that it's not even quantifiable. A low power i386 CPU would have made this way more useful.
There are plenty of made-for-ARM games out there though I'm not sure the difficulty involved or the likelyhood of any of those getting ported to true Linux. I agree with you that an x86 would have been better but it's a shame that gaming in general is so tied to what is essentially the "Microsoft Windows of the hardware world". I wish x86 wasn't so patent encumbered. I am also keeping a very close eye on RISC-V.
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This is something I just want because its a cool gadget.
I cant really see myself use this little pc for anything really.
And the display looks a bit to small, but maybe its just the picture, touch screen is handy tho.
But on the other hand, I never hade mutch intresst in a raspberry pi, and I think the pi is more "useful" and can be more fun.
Still I respect the project and idea, and I hope they do well ^^.
I cant really see myself use this little pc for anything really.
And the display looks a bit to small, but maybe its just the picture, touch screen is handy tho.
But on the other hand, I never hade mutch intresst in a raspberry pi, and I think the pi is more "useful" and can be more fun.
Still I respect the project and idea, and I hope they do well ^^.
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ElectricPrism May 25, 2016
So a "gaming device" that showcases LibreOffice, Terminal and GIMP - someone needs to talk to their marketing person about proper marketing.
So about ~$700 for a device which probably plays little more than NES, SNES, N64, PSX and maybe one or two GameCube roms.
The practicality and logic of creating this device completely baffles me.
So about ~$700 for a device which probably plays little more than NES, SNES, N64, PSX and maybe one or two GameCube roms.
The practicality and logic of creating this device completely baffles me.
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