Pandora

The Pandora isn’t the first open source handheld to come out but it maybe the coolest. Mainly because it isn’t so much a handheld gaming console but a mixture of that and an UMPC. It uses a Linux derivative as it’s OS, an offshoot od Ångström to be precise. While it features a bunch of PDA type features and a firefox browser the system was designed for homebrewing. Well that’s what the creators say but we all know the thing was designed to run emulators. Apparently the developers have already shown working emulators for Dreamcast, PlayStation, Amiga, Super NES, Atari Jaguar and Sega Mega Drive software on the device and have a Nintendo 64 one in the works. It’s got Wi-Fi, bluetooth, TV output and a whole bunch of other features. Since it isn’t made by a large corporation there isn’t a lot of these hanging around. In fact it really isn’t out yet (they only made 4000 in their first batch) but production is said to be at the “so close that they can smell it” stage.