Pandora Classic Review

October 15, 2018


The Pandora Classic is a handheld linux computer designed with gaming in mind, but capable of doing anything imaginable with linux. It is a bit dated and slow by today's standards, but a successor (the Pyra) is in development. I got mine off eBay for $137.50 with a broken shoulder button and a pretty borked software setup, which was easily remedied with a little soldering and a clean OS install.

Specs are as follows:

Processor: ARM Cortex-A8 CPU @ 600 MHz
Operating System: Custom edition of Ångström Linux
Graphics: PowerVR SGX530 @ 110 MHz
Memory: 256 MiB DDR-333 SDRAM
Display: 800×480 resolution touchscreen LCD, 4.3" widescreen
Dimensions (W x D x H): 5.523 in × 3.287 in × 1.152 in
Storage: 512 MB NAND flash memory
Dual SDHC card slots
Battery: 4000 mAh rechargeable lithium polymer battery
Keyboard: 43 button QWERTY and numeric keypad
I/O Ports: USB 2.0 high-speed port (480 Mbit/s)
Externally accessible UART
Headphone output
TV output
WiFi IEEE 802.11 b/g
Bluetooth Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR


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A useful config tweak for me to get bluetooth music working with my car was to edit /etc/asound.conf 
pcm.!default {
    type     bluetooth
}

Edit 12/11/2018: Wikipedia lists a 4200 mAh battery, but both of mine and the pandorawiki list 4000 mAh.

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