Pandora Open-Source Handheld Now Available for Pre-Orders

OpenPandora.org is now taking pre-orders for its open-source handheld. The designers of the Pandora set out to create a gaming device, but it also will contain a keyboard and can used as a laptop... a laptop roughly the size of a Nintendo DS.

This product was designed based on the input of thousands of forum users with one goal in mind: to make the ultimate open source handheld device.

It will have an 600+ MHz ARM Cortex A8 processor running Linux, media co-processor, and 128 MB of RAM. For storage it will include two SDHC card slots. It is expected to be able to handle Firefox 3 or Quake III with ease.

The Pandora will use a clamshell shape, with an 800-by-480-pixel display and a 43-button QWERTY and numeric keyboard. It will also have dual Analogue and Digital gaming controls.

To handle networking, this handheld will include Wi-Fi 802.11b/g, Bluetooth, and USB 2.0 Host.

The creators of this device are promising very long battery life: over ten hours.

Pricing and Availability

OpenPandora.org is take pre-orders for the Pandora now  through Sunday, but will stop after that so the device can go into production.

Over 2,000 have already been ordered, and the original plan was to stop at 3,000, but they are committing to making devices to meet all the orders placed this weekend. After that the Pandora won't go on sale again until next year.

This handheld sells for $330, around £199 (inc VAT), and Euro 212 (Ex. VAT).

Visit GBX.com to order.