First batch: None blacker
March 3, 2010Silkscreening looks to be off the table for the first batch. Over to MWeston, who doesn’t mince words:
These cases will not have a silkscreen as that would push delivery out into April and even then Craig worried they would screw it up and stiff us with the cases. The problem is the mold company outsources the work and so they all have to be packaged up carefully, sent to this other company, printed, repackaged carefully and sent back to the mold company to be shipped to Craig with everything else. It could cause as much as another month of delays with the way we should trust them.
I built a unit using a silk screened case and I really liked it but the truth is, 10 minutes after using it, the silkscreen is forgotten and you don’t even notice it anymore. The way you normally hold it in the 170 degree open position means you can’t see any of it anyway. The LEDs are also color coded so maybe that helps too. The sticker under the battery with serial number and model number also has all the voltage and current details for the unit so in a way, not having that on the back is covered. I don’t know if any of this is comforting but it’s an unfortunate result of a product that can’t afford more delays.
(MWeston)
Edit: If anyone is unclear about what all this silkscreening is, here is an example.
Would have liked a “First Batch” logo, but then again not having the silkscreening says it anyway.
I actually prefer nothing written on them over “First Batch” being on them anywhere. It makes it sound like a donuts instead of a kick ass piece of technology.
Please… no silkscreening on the first batch.. I like the concept of a completely black “vader” style unit.. no more delays… I don’t need a reference as to what the ports are.. I can handle it without! It will look better all black. If you silkscreen later, thats fine.. I agree.. no silkscreening.
Indeed unfortunate, but there is truth in “10 minutes after using it, the silkscreen is forgotten and you don’t even notice it anymore.”
I am fine with that, but it won’t be as “awesome” to show to others.
I don’t know anyone who has ever said “WOW! Look at that silkscreen! Isn’t that amazing?!!!!!!!”
But maybe people you know are easily entertained.
It adds to the full experience, even if it is just by a tadbit.
A user interface succeeds when it isn’t noticed.
The same morons that complain about how “ugly” some netbooks are, or the entire “PC modding crowd”, or anyone who thinks “unboxing” videos are worth ANYTHING.
It’s good that we just get are units ASAP! Silkscreen, differant colors, mod cases can all be produced and or purchased at a later date. I agree that shipping at this point is most important, and that the unit functions as it should! The silkscreen would be nice, but not a deal breaker! Not shipping at this point is a deal breaker! Let’s just deal and move on!
Man, it seems that updates these days just make me regret preordering my Pandora more and more. :/
Yeah, sure are hard times for early adopters. If it comforts you, second batch will also be paid by pre-order.
Doesn’t bother me!
No Problem!
Bring it on now!
Black is the new silk. And I like black! =)
dosent bother me
I personally thought the original silkscreen photos were aweful. I would’ve rubbed it off immediately. This saves me so much time! Bring on the sleek inky blackness.
Suits me fine.
One day, when there are hundreds of thousands or millions of Pandoras abound in the wilderness *fingerscrossed*, this will rather be a batch of honour than a detriment.
I’ll probably put stickers on my pandora, anyhow.
FUUUUUUUUUU
For an idiot who doesn’t know how to google; what is “silkscreening”?
nobody to answer this?
Ok no expert here, but silkscreening is printing the text and logo’s on the case, the lights and port icons for instance. But 95% of the (first batch) pandora users won’t need them anyway.
I for one am glad, i always rub off all of the silkscreening once one item gets a bit rubbed off, and that’s usually pretty quickly.
I’m pretty disappointed. In my opinion silk screening would make the pandora much sexier. I’d be really glad if there’d be an opportunity to buy a good silk screened case later (for some dollars) and replace it. But I can understand that the developers and many orderers (is that a word?) want the pandora to be shipped as soon as possible.
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=silkscreen+printing
I’m guessing, from the various odd results, that it’s about art on the case? I thought that would be an embossed sort of thing.
I think the logo on the lid is embossed, yes. Silkscreening would have been the process by which the various ports, lights, and controls along the front and back edges were labelled with white text. Fortunately this has nothing to do with the keyboard, which is made through a different process.
^ All correct.
arent you supposed to add the pandora logo star icon to tell everyone that its nice correct info?
H’m i do like a black silkscreening on a black background…
I think I am OK with it, it may not look quite as professional but somewhat cooler. The only thing not immediately obvious are the shoulder LEDs and those will not be hard to figure out.
Plus I love black and being a heavy metal fan the title, which perhaps should be “None More Black”, is not lost on me
Oh damn, I’ve been outmetalled! You are indeed correct.
Fine lets move on – but please get the WiFi working
Yes! No silk-screening. Awesome.
BLACKER THAN THE BLACKEST BLACK TIMES INFINITY!!!!
I have to see I kinda prefer non silk screened. To me, it’s sleeker looking, and shows you were a First Batcher
Thank god. I hated it.
“It’s the wild colour scheme that freaks me. I mean, when you try an’ operate one of these weird black controls which are labelled in black on a black background, a small black light lights up black to tell you you’ve done it. What is this? Some kind of intergalactic hyper-hearse? ” coool
Yeah, let’s leave the keys black as well, just as long as there is a heart of gold I’ll be happy.
Wow, 27 comments and no bitching it must be a record
You missed Richard’s comment above… Personally, I’m not bothered either way. I guess silk screening would look a little more professional, but screw it, I’m sure I’ll barely notice the difference, and it’s nice to have a distinctive feature of the first batch of a device. Like how the early US Sega Genesises (see, silly America, wouldn’t Megadrives have been a better plural term?) have labelling on them boasting their “High-Definition Graphics” hehe… Emergency, halt production!!! I demand my Pandora cases be embossed with “High-Definition Graphics”!!!
How about the Devs throw in some stickers for labeling the case?
Every user might stick thos labes at the pandora if he wish or leave it … so everyone would be happy. Those like myself which are unable to remember those function why this color thingy led is blinking and those who are smart enough to remember.
I second this:
http://www.gp32x.com/board/index.php?/topic/52316-when-the-pandora-cums/page__view__findpost__p__823180
Uh huh. Look, all the cheering is starting to sound very cult-ish. Whatever the shortcut, whatever the hack, provided we get told they will deliver in Two Months(tm), everyone falls over themselves to say how good it is they made said decision.
Frankly, I think this is a Bad Thing. Not an end-of-the-world Bad Thing, but it sure as hell isn’t good. I can already see the forum posts asking “where X plug is” and “which LED is that?”… and this not only from newbies/trolls. Personally, I like to know what these things are without having to read a manual as well.
I get the feeling that if they said they were going to rub air-freshener into the keyboard to disguise a bad smell from the Chinese choice of rubber – everyone would cheer instead of wondering what happens two days later when the scent of the air-freshener wears off. One shouldn’t cheer Bad Things just because Worse Things exist.
> “Uh huh. Look, all the cheering is starting to sound very cult-ish.”
That’s pretty insulting man. Is it so hard to believe that people (so far) are generally happy about this? It’s ok to feel one way or the other without insulting the folk who differ.
No it is not hard to believe people are happy about this. That does not in any way negate my viewpoint, in fact, it supports it.
A feature that was promised (and one assumes factored into the initial cost) is removed. It is a minor feature, but it’s removal is in no way positive… at best it is a neutral change.
Yet everyone is CHEERING about it. Given the reaction to other news, this is “cultish” behaviour. Like Mac fans listening to Steve Jobs or loyal religious followers to their prophet – all news is good news regardless of actual content.
I apologise if you are offended by it, but I call it like I see it. I’m still on the list to get my device, but I don’t need to pretend it is mana from heaven simply because it’s been wandering the desert for 40 years.
I’m not really seeing universal cheering. Had a quick scan of all comments and it breaks up roughly like this:
- Seriously pissed: 3
- Would have preferred it: 8
- Indifferent, just ship: 5
- Prefer it without: 9
It’s more positive than I expected it would be when I posted it. But on the whole it’s a good spread of opinions, all valid including yours.
Across all replies, yes, but how many AFTER I posted? I look two posts up from my original and see “Wow, 27 comments and no bitching it must be a record”. And when you compare those against the change to those for it – the language is tilted toward “Yay, whatever gets us the device”.
Either way – I’m not in this for the flamewar… just marvelling at the positive group-think that has pervaded the Pandora community regardless of the issue at hand.
I think the thing is that a lot of people didn’t see the point of it and/or the look of it.
Also I don’t think the pandora’s audience really needs to know that the 3.5mm jack socket is in fact for headphones and not a toaster.
I will agree with you that had this come up 6 months ago it probably wouldn’t have got the same reaction. But given that it is so close to completion people are happy that they don’t have another delay for something they don’t really care about
Aha! Pandora is sure to be a cult system (in the cult film sense, of course)
This is one of the best decisions that have come down from the Pandora team! The team now knows that the masses want their Pandora units now and that any delay in silk screening is not acceptable
I hope to get high off the Chinese recycled new plastic smell. If we’re lucky they’re going to use the carcinogenic plastic, but oh, that new car plastic smell is literally to die for!
Personally, I’d much prefer to have the silkscreen, so I’m glad that I won’t be getting the first batch. I can understand that some people prefer with, and some without. The issue is that anyone getting the 1st batch won’t have a choice in the matter. I presume someone getting a later batch with silk-screening could rub it off if they were seriously offended by it.
Well if the cases are being made in a run of 10000 at one go i wonder?
Will the whole lot be sent to the UK Ore just a bit more then 4000.
If the whole lot is being sent then the second Batch may also be without silkscreen.
Stickers!
I would ask if the OP team has considered a stick-on label thing. I think this would be very easy (and inexpensive) to have clear labels with white lettering the same as the silk screening would have done. If there’s enough flat surface area…maybe not so much on the front but for the LEDs or a label on the bottom of the unit, etc, other laptop type people have stickers on the bottom.
As long at the dimensions were doable somehow, maybe include these in the OP box as an option to put on or leave off, since some people seem to like that idea…
Even the possibility that if a good image file was made available, people could find their own clear stickers (or not clear) and print labels in blue/red/yellow/hot pink and cut them to fit…
This wouldn’t be my first choice but I agree I’d rather have have my pandora instead of waiting for more delays…but options would make me happier if it can be done on the side.
I don’t think it’s a bad idea, but sourcing them this late in the game would be tough, I think. I’d no doubt end up rubbing them off, either accidentally or deliberately.
Besides, who wouldn’t like a Pandora with a touch of silent and deadly Ninja stealth?
Or DIY:
http://www.beldecal.com/laser_paper.html
http://www.mat.uc.pt/~pedro/ncientificos/artigos/make-delcals.html
http://www.pulsarprofx.com/decalpro/Vertical/3_LIBRARY/3d_Other_Decal_Types/Types_of_Decals.html
I kinda like the last one there for the water decals, EXCEPT I really doubt water or a spray-on protection thing is going on my pandora after waiting a year and a half…
Avery has *CLEAR* printable labels, and also has templates you can download and edit in word, print to your liking…they have this one (below) and another larger size, either way print what you want and trim to fit with a exacto/utility knife.
The more I think about this, I am leaning towards trying it, label anything I decide I want labelled and leave the rest black…
From their site:
They’re perfect for labeling all sorts of surfaces including metal, plastic and brightly colored paper using the free templates from avery.com. The labels are designed to stick and stay put and virtually disappear when applied for that custom-printed look. Watch your professional-looking labels emerge from your laser or inkjet printer and consider your wish for no-fuss labeling fulfilled.
http://tinyurl.com/ygunl5t
or the long version
http://www.avery.com/avery/en_us/Products/Labels/Identification-Labels/Glossy-Clear-Multip.-Label-30-up-25-sheets_06560.htm?N=4294967289%204294965710%204294965480&Ns=Rank|0||Product%20Number|1&refchannel=593759baa4c2a110VgnVCM1000002118140aRCRD
Except for the fact that printers can’t print white, and the Pandora is black. so most colors won’t show up well…
I didn’t say white, I figured it’d be fairly obvious if something like blue or red was too dark you can always do a contrasting colors that might show better, it’d be worth a test…if it doesn’t work out they have white labels too, or you can make a white cutout to go behind it or something
Many people in previous threads were saying “don’t do the silkscreening” because they didn’t like the look of it. I think it will look fine just plain black, it’s a console mostly for hackers and retro-gamers, we don’t need a little label to tell us where the usb port is. OP should consider scrapping the silkscreening on all batches not just the first batch, and going with plain unadorned black, that seems to be what most people would prefer.
Yes, totally agree. Also, I’m sure the silk-screening would start wearing away after use and look even crappier.
Nope they won’t look crappier but will have received character over time.
I think the unlabelled LEDs will be the only aspect that bothers me at first. But most of them will become obvious as you power up, insert SDs etc. Wifi & Bluetooth will be less obvious until they’re activated.
Quick, memorise them now! http://pandorapress.net/files/2010/01/silk_screen.jpg
I’ve got to print that. Too much information at once, very confusing. Why didn’t they make it look like PSP?
Because the PSP screen is a scratch magnet (unprotected), and there’s no room for a keyboard. I don’t know, seems kind of obvious to me. :/
Maybe OP should print up some small white stick-on decals and send it to those who want them. It would also make for a real authentic made-in-China feel.
Just put the photo in the Pandora and you can look it up at any time.Maybe someone can make a funny looking picture
Why not just make that picture your Pandora wallpaper?
Ah, my eyes, my eyes! Gruso, what were you thinking???
I would have liked some silkscreening, if only for the cryptic LEDs. Everything else is pretty self-explanatory, IMO.
On the other hand, I suppose I’m not concerned enough about it to wait for the second batch. I’m sure I’ll grow to like the pure black edition Pandora eventually.
What concerns me more is the attitude that this development is fine because the Pandora is “for hackers and people who don’t want/need simplicity and clarity”. I can’t complain about these (elitists?) too much, because they’re the kind folks who code software and fix bugs, but don’t exclude those of us who just want a nice portable game console that isn’t tied down by DRM, etc. Please?
A fine decision. Nothing finer than pure black for us ninjas.
The lights will be easy to get used to. Aren’t 4 free/unsilkscreened for modding anyway?
Maybe Pandora2 should incorporate recessed labeling to satisfy both crowds.
ok by me! I like stealth pandora
So we waited for over one and a half year and can’t wait a single month more? Eh what the hell, I’ll guess I wouldn’t recognize the difference anyways…
yay! I like the all black look more
Aw.
OK, we are dogs, they are Pavlov. Test works. Now, bring us our Pandoras!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Pavlov
Seriously, most of us don’t care about silkcreening, because of circumstances. Anyway, it could be easy to determine about silkscreening or not: We got order numbers & mail adresses, just every customer has to be asked “Do you want to wait for 2 months more because of finishing the case?” And voila: we got our few thousands at 1st batch, and let fancy schmancy to rest of population.
I’ve just got an idea: why not make the keymat all black too and call the device “Das Pandora”?
ROFL I sign this. I insist on this!
Yeah, this will be cool – like Hotblack Desiato’s spaceship!
Yeah just…I just don’t want Pandora connected to death support system (dead delivery system?)
Fine with me, no problem, just leave that picture online
So much time down the line and we get this, a beta product.
It’s getting more and more evident just how screwed up the whole Pandora development process has been. And not because of delays, but because of the handling of information which has not been truthful and straight-forward with the initial pre-orderers. I would say the team lied on many occasions if I had proof. I don’t but I am getting increasingly convince they did.
No, having no silkscreen is not ok in my book, I could remove it if I liked all black, but no silkscreen makes for a near-final product. By that I mean not polished, not final.
If they had at least made a discount and/or gave Us something to make up for it…
Are you one of those people that labels everything in their house (e.g. toaster – push down to toast, light switch – on/off, door – open/close, lightbulb – on when lit/off when not lit, book – to open cover, rotate 180 degrees counterclockwise)?
The reality is that many people feel that the silk-screening would make it look less polished. And it will still look great a year from now instead of having partially-worn-off silk-screened labels.
Don’t mind, think it would look better without it anyway. Sometimes it can make it look cheap, especially if it’s misalligned.
So just beacuse it can be done wrong we have to settle for less?
How about doing it right, doing it nice, aligned and durable?
That is what makes a product.
This sounds like not doing facets to a diamond just because it can be cut wrong.
I had higher expectations of the Pandora Team
many had higher expectations, many said they were being realistic, whichever way that was 18 months ago. now i want the thing to turn on and work so i can get on and do something with it.
electronic devices no matter how advanced for the time or unique or pretty only have a certain shelf life. these delays have eaten enough into this already and thats before we start to talk about new devices and their potential to fragment the community and its developers.
Oh come on, there is nothing equally good for retrogaming on the horizon. It’ll be a while until Cortex A9 and Tegra 2 take off and Nokia-Intel releases MeeGoo n900-like devices.
Shelf life? This is for dirt-rich people. Hardware should serve until it falls apart and even then there’s a ductape.
i dont know how far your horizon stretches but mine is 6 months before i can see another 12-18 months. i wouldnt be so bold as to say there will be nothing that comes close within the next 2 years just as we shouldnt have been so bold to expect the pandora within 2 (as it turns out).
but anyhoo roll on the 22nd
Count me in the “no silk screening is cool” camp. It’ll make it stand out a bit more. Of course I wanted one of the prototype cases. I’m strange like that.
For those of you who can’t recognize a USB plug from a headphone socket well, there’s always this solution: http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/hobbyist.web.gif
C’mon guys keep some perspective!
W00t! Silkscreening sucked big time.
Yeah, ‘Unique Individual #1′ is right! No silk-screening! Woo-hoo!
Yes, I too would have to agree with Unique Individuals #1 and #2 (no relation).
I’m not sure I fully agree with you … oh, come on, who am I fooling? Of course I do!
*laugh* Satire win.
For those of you that think that no silk-screening somehow diminishes the professionalism, quality, completeness, or polish of the Pandora, take a look around. You’d be surprised how many professional products don’t explicitly label everything. For example, the Nokia N900: no labels on the audio/video output jack, USB OTD/power jack, zoom in/out buttons, sleep button, microphone, speaker, infrared jack, LED, or microSD slot.
Will call it the pandora Model-T
comes in every color as long as its black
I am one of those people were everything in my workshop is labeled, but I still think the pandora looks better witout the silk screen.
Maybe they’ll take the hint and redesign the silkscreen to something that the end user might actually like. That’s not meant to be an insult. Just another hint.
I think it will be cool to be all black, the tech in me likes it that way I knows where and what things are for. The friends that are also semi interested will understand and the hardware and usage will get them interested in the next batch (possibly have extras such as lables and decent ship date).
I would rather have it in the next “couple of months”, then throw in more complications and time for something that does not change the functionality.
It might be even better without silkscreen, we’ll see but doesn’t matter anyhow. Cause I gave my order today and I’m on the hype train too! Yuppi
Hmm actually more than 2 hours has passed since my order and still my pandora isn’t in may hands! Darn! ehehe
I guess I might be murdered by the ones who’s been waiting for 2 years