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Pandora handheld gaming device first impressions incredibly favourable

Not long now until we can throw Pandora’s box open

Pandora handheld gaming device first impressions incredibly favourable
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It seems like a lifetime since we first reported on the announcement of the open source Pandora handheld project: since then the machine’s release has been beset by all manner of issues and has missed several tentative 'deadlines' over the past year or so.

Of course, the fact that the team behind the console isn’t a massive multinational corporation but rather a small group of enthusiasts who have full-time jobs in addition to this little undertaking doesn’t help matters, but the good news is that the Pandora’s troubled genesis is about to come to an end.

The final parts are moving around the globe as we speak, with the next step being the assembly and shipping process.

In the meantime, Pandora community member x68000 has paid a visit to the UK headquarters to sample a finished Pandora unit and the good news is that the wait is almost certainly going to have been worth it.

The enigmatic x68000 has posted his impressions online and heaps praise on the device, commending everything from the build quality to the ultra-responsive D-pad (which he says feels like the one seen on the Saturn console - if you’ve ever experienced Sega’s 32-bit machine then that news should cause a massive, Cheshire cat-style grin to appear on your face).

He finishes up by stating: “In my eyes, the Pandora is everything the GP2X should have been and a whole lot more.” Encouraging words indeed.

The first batch of Pandora units is expected any time now and rest assured we’ll be putting the handheld through its paces as soon as possible. In the meantime you might want to register your interest over at the official site because chances are the second batch of consoles is going to sell out pretty swiftly.

Pandorapress
Damien  McFerran
Damien McFerran
Damien's mum hoped he would grow out of playing silly video games and gain respectable employment. Perhaps become a teacher or a scientist, that kind of thing. Needless to say she now weeps openly whenever anyone asks how her son's getting on these days.