How Legal Is The Pandora?

[Aninhumer]

Hell, if it were easier to rip DS and GBA games, I'd do it for those systems as well.

There's an app you can run on a GBA flashcart to dump a DS game.
IIRC there's also one for Slot 1 flashcarts that sends the game over WiFi to your computer.

 

[GizmoTheGreen]

there is also a slot1 solution that dumps your gba games iirc.

you can also use a gba with a gba link cable to printerport cable that you solder yourself, with no$gba emulator.

 

[second exodous]

. . . Example, asshole riaa equiv in Canada managed to lobby so we pay a levy on all media (blank cd and hard drives say) since we are all Assumed to be pirates and not do real work. . .

Where does the tax money go? There is no way they can be fair and divide the money between every single recored label that is represented there. Does the money just go to the Canadian version of the RIAA to take people to court?

Also, for every $0.99 you pay on this tax you should be able to copy one song, you paid for it, it's your governments job to make sure that tax gets to the songs owner.

 

[WizardStan]

Also, for every $0.99 you pay on this tax you should be able to copy one song, you paid for it, it's your governments job to make sure that tax gets to the songs owner.

Actually they did. Since we pay a levy on blank CDs to cover downloaded music, we aren't not allowed to download MP3s. This is likely to change shortly, unfortunately.
And it's not a tax, it's a flat fee levied by the recording industry. The recording industry is then responsible for dishing out the money. I'm almost positive it is not done fairly.

 

[darkblu]

barely legal pandoras here.

 

[second exodous]

barely legal pandoras here.

Hey, that's pretty good, the Pandora appears on the second page of google images. Hopefully it moves up to page one when it's released.

 

[stephen0205]

if u go to images and just type pandora its at the bottom left on the first page

 

[Grench]

it`s a gaming computer

Just to clarify - it is a general use hand held computer with controls suitable for gaming.

This sucker can do a lot more than play pong.

 

[valhalla]

Hmmm, i wonder. If you allready pay a levy on those media, is it actually amoral? the way i see it you are only doing something that you have allready paid for... But i bet the law makers will disagree

here in italy we have a similar levy, but if you pirate something that isn't italian mainstream music you can be quite sure that it's authors won't get any money for it, so it is still amoral to me.

 

[valhalla]

I'm sorry, but that is a bunch of bull, second exodus. You are entitled a single back up copy of anything you own, and you may not have both copies in use at the same time. Sharing the copies is illegal, whether it's online or with your BFFFFFFL.

Actually, the single backup copy and the use limits come from many software licenses, not from copyright law: in the fair use legislature there is no hard limit on the number of backup copies (or anything else), and usage of the works is never restricted by the law, it's the software producers that force you to accept additional restrictions in exchange for the permission to get the software from them.

 

[God Ginrai]

it`s a gaming computer

Just to clarify - it is a general use hand held computer with controls suitable for gaming.

This sucker can do a lot more than play pong.

... Gaming computers tend to be the most powered up computers out there, so that they can handle the newest and greatest games, meaning they can easily handle anything general use. I'm pretty sure that if you were to actually term the Pandora as a "computer" that the correct term would in fact be a gaming computer.

-God Ginrai

 

[Dimacus]

Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), unless authorized by the owners of copyright in the sound recording or the owner of copyright in a computer program (including any tape, disk, or other medium embodying such program), and in the case of a sound recording in the musical works embodied therein, neither the owner of a particular phonorecord nor any person in possession of a particular copy of a computer program (including any tape, disk, or other medium embodying such program), may, for the purposes of direct or indirect commercial advantage, dispose of, or authorize the disposal of, the possession of that phonorecord or computer program (including any tape, disk, or other medium embodying such program) by rental, lease, or lending, or by any other act or practice in the nature of rental, lease, or lending. Nothing in the preceding sentence shall apply to the rental, lease, or lending of a phonorecord for nonprofit purposes by a nonprofit library or nonprofit educational institution. The transfer of possession of a lawfully made copy of a computer program by a nonprofit educational institution to another nonprofit educational institution or to faculty, staff, and students does not constitute rental, lease, or lending for direct or indirect commercial purposes under this subsection.

Doesn't that means that as long as the purpose is not directly or indirectly commercial, it's legal?
And wouldn't that mean that a friend, to whom you lent a CD (as an example) is completely within his rights when creating a copy, as long as he didn't have any intentions of gaining a commercial advantage from doing this?

Now, I realize it can't be this simple, I just don't see how that could prevent the example I used, unless the word 'commercial' is interchangeable with the word 'economical' in this case or I have misread or misunderstood the text.

 

[craigix]

If the terms and conditions of broadcasted films and TV shows are to be followed you can't actually record them on to tape/dvd/hdd.

What is the legal situation there?

 

[Loonie]

Are we going to have to smuggle our Pandoras over the border, through a maze of secret tunnels?

 

[tristan.clark]

Are we going to have to smuggle our Pandoras over the border, through a maze of secret tunnels?

That's why it fits in your pocket.

 

[Grench]

it`s a gaming computer

Just to clarify - it is a general use hand held computer with controls suitable for gaming.

This sucker can do a lot more than play pong.

... Gaming computers tend to be the most powered up computers out there, so that they can handle the newest and greatest games, meaning they can easily handle anything general use. I'm pretty sure that if you were to actually term the Pandora as a "computer" that the correct term would in fact be a gaming computer.

-God Ginrai

It's just words, but frankly there isn't much else to do on this board until the thing actually comes out. So we may as well argue about it.

When I see the term 'gaming computer' tied to a hand held device I think of the Atari Lynx, the DS, PSP, etc... - a computing device that is purposely crippled and limited to a specific set of functions.

I don't see the Pandora device that way. I see it as a general use hand held computer - that has great controls suitable for gaming.

To classify it - maybe look at what it can compete with. Yes, it can do what the hand held gaming computers do. It can also do what the hand held netbook and MID devices can do. Take a look on the dynamism site under notebooks-handheld. The UMID has a similar form factor and hardware set, but the controls are an ergonomic nightmare for gaming.

The Pandora will be great for emulators and games built for it - it could also be great for watching movies on the train, surfing the web, PIM functions, connecting a BT keyboard and a TV for writing a novel, showing pics of the kids to the talkative woman next to you on the plane, checking emails, performing remote takeover of a desktop PC or server for maintenance or monitoring, loading Wikipedia to an SD card so that you can settle a bar bet, connecting to a BT GPS for navigation, viewing the vacation pictures on, transferring data from one SD card to the other, watching a football game while camping by using an ATSC USB tuner, connecting to a USB to OBDII adapter for automotive diagnostics, a WiFi to bluetooth bridge to connect your old work laptop without BT to your cell phone's BT in an inefficient but functional tether, connecting to a digital camera adapted to a telescope for multi-exposure image overlays for comet spotting, keeping the kids occupied in a waiting room watching Shrek, as a mobile recording/mixer station by using a USB to XLR adapter, a translation engine for speaking to someone not from 'round here, a currency converter, as an emergency light source when you're stranded in a high rise during a blackout, a central control computer for your USB Christmas light display board, home automation controller, super green web server for your home weather station with built in UPS, etc...

Yes, a lot of the above require applications, drivers and adapters that are not built yet. But the Pandora isn't limited from doing any of them.

It will be great for games. It isn't just a gaming computer though.

 

[Gary13579]

Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), unless authorized by the owners of copyright in the sound recording or the owner of copyright in a computer program (including any tape, disk, or other medium embodying such program), and in the case of a sound recording in the musical works embodied therein, neither the owner of a particular phonorecord nor any person in possession of a particular copy of a computer program (including any tape, disk, or other medium embodying such program), may, for the purposes of direct or indirect commercial advantage, dispose of, or authorize the disposal of, the possession of that phonorecord or computer program (including any tape, disk, or other medium embodying such program) by rental, lease, or lending, or by any other act or practice in the nature of rental, lease, or lending. Nothing in the preceding sentence shall apply to the rental, lease, or lending of a phonorecord for nonprofit purposes by a nonprofit library or nonprofit educational institution. The transfer of possession of a lawfully made copy of a computer program by a nonprofit educational institution to another nonprofit educational institution or to faculty, staff, and students does not constitute rental, lease, or lending for direct or indirect commercial purposes under this subsection.

Doesn't that means that as long as the purpose is not directly or indirectly commercial, it's legal?
And wouldn't that mean that a friend, to whom you lent a CD (as an example) is completely within his rights when creating a copy, as long as he didn't have any intentions of gaining a commercial advantage from doing this?

Now, I realize it can't be this simple, I just don't see how that could prevent the example I used, unless the word 'commercial' is interchangeable with the word 'economical' in this case or I have misread or misunderstood the text.

Yup, I realized this a bit ago, I copy pasted the wrong portion of the copyright act. The quote above is actually referring to renting out music and PC games. To make things even more complicated, you're allowed to rent out video games that require the use of third party hardware (eg, a PS1 game) as well as movies, but not music or PC games.

Regardless, the copyright act pretty much blatantly says piracy isn't allowed. It doesn't have a "best friends forever" clause. I'm just too busy to find it.

 

[Gary13579]

If the terms and conditions of broadcasted films and TV shows are to be followed you can't actually record them on to tape/dvd/hdd.

What is the legal situation there?

Completely dependent on country obviously, but in the US you are allowed to record it for personal use only, regardless of what the copyright owners say in the program. I believe lending, giving, or letting anyone else watch it is copyright violation.

 

[Aninhumer]

... Gaming computers tend to be the most powered up computers out there, so that they can handle the newest and greatest games, meaning they can easily handle anything general use. I'm pretty sure that if you were to actually term the Pandora as a "computer" that the correct term would in fact be a gaming computer.

-God Ginrai

It's just words, but frankly there isn't much else to do on this board until the thing actually comes out. So we may as well argue about it.

When I see the term 'gaming computer' tied to a hand held device I think of the Atari Lynx, the DS, PSP, etc... - a computing device that is purposely crippled and limited to a specific set of functions.

I don't see the Pandora device that way. I see it as a general use hand held computer - that has great controls suitable for gaming.

...

It will be great for games. It isn't just a gaming computer though.

It is indeed just words.

I would call Atari Lynx, DS, PSP etc consoles, not computers.
The Pandora is a computer, and it is also designed to play games well, hence a "gaming computer".

 

[God Ginrai]

When I see the term 'gaming computer' tied to a hand held device I think of the Atari Lynx, the DS, PSP, etc... - a computing device that is purposely crippled and limited to a specific set of functions.

That's what I use the word "commercial" for. It basically says it's made by the big name companies, which right now means it will be purposely crippled, which I don't see this changing anytime soon in the future.

... Gaming computers tend to be the most powered up computers out there, so that they can handle the newest and greatest games, meaning they can easily handle anything general use. I'm pretty sure that if you were to actually term the Pandora as a "computer" that the correct term would in fact be a gaming computer.

-God Ginrai

It's just words, but frankly there isn't much else to do on this board until the thing actually comes out. So we may as well argue about it.

When I see the term 'gaming computer' tied to a hand held device I think of the Atari Lynx, the DS, PSP, etc... - a computing device that is purposely crippled and limited to a specific set of functions.

I don't see the Pandora device that way. I see it as a general use hand held computer - that has great controls suitable for gaming.

...

It will be great for games. It isn't just a gaming computer though.

It is indeed just words.

I would call Atari Lynx, DS, PSP etc consoles, not computers.
The Pandora is a computer, and it is also designed to play games well, hence a "gaming computer".

I would call those consoles as well.

I actually specifically chose my wording on my previous post to note that I would say gaming computer "if" we were going to call it a computer. Pretty much all devices are computers now, so I see it as pointless terming it as one. I rather see the Pandora as a gaming/homebrew/open(pick the one you like) handheld. By calling it a handheld, this means that it is a pocketable device, which it is. Also, any of the terms gaming, homebrew, and open describe main facets of the Pandoras intended purpose, and will suit it for classification. This does by no means, however, mean that it can not do other things. Just because I call it a gaming handheld, for example, it does not mean that it is impossible to run a word processor on it. These terms reflect part of what it can do, however they do not limit its abilities.

-God Ginrai