I Have A Few Questions :)

[Sploshi]

I'm about to buy a Pandora (I think), but before I do I'd just like to ask some questions
I could trawl through the forums to find the answers but I would like to buy one before the pre-order sells out, and this is probably the quickest way to get some answers

I was just wondering whether or not it can currently support flash or java?
Not a biggie, I just don't see it mentioned so was wondering whether or not it could.

Also, if I buy a Pandora now, is it likely that there will be a "new model" out later?
Or is it likely that updates will mostly be software rather than hardware, and can be downloaded?

And lastly, is it possible that the Pandora could run '.exe's? I'm guessing not because of the Linux based OS, but I thought that it might be possible because there are plenty of other emulators for it and Mac can run Windows programs and vice versa.

Thanks for your help

 

[hedwards]

I'm about to buy a Pandora (I think), but before I do I'd just like to ask some questions
I could trawl through the forums to find the answers but I would like to buy one before the pre-order sells out, and this is probably the quickest way to get some answers

I was just wondering whether or not it can currently support flash or java?
Not a biggie, I just don't see it mentioned so was wondering whether or not it could.

Also, if I buy a Pandora now, is it likely that there will be a "new model" out later?
Or is it likely that updates will mostly be software rather than hardware, and can be downloaded?

And lastly, is it possible that the Pandora could run '.exe's? I'm guessing not because of the Linux based OS, but I thought that it might be possible because there are plenty of other emulators for it and Mac can run Windows programs and vice versa.

Thanks for your help

Flash is not currently available, but it sounds like TI wants it for the platform, so it's definitely possible. All updates for this are almost certainly going to be software based. There is presently no official talk of a Pandora 2, so if that happens it's going to be a long, long time.

.exes aren't going to run unless they're small enough to be emulated via something like dos box. Certainly nothing that requires a recent processor.

 

[OrR]

Flash: Not currently. We might be able to steal one of the new smartphone Flash plugins, though.
Java: Shouldn't be a problem.

The next hardware revision is probably still quite some time away. The Pandora is very capable so waiting for a newer model isn't something I'd recommend. There will be a lot of software updates to add functionality, you can bet on that. The only thing a new model might bring to the table is even more speed or maybe fuctions that can only be added in hardware.

Running .exe files made for Windows will generally not be possible. A Mac nowadays is just a normal x86 PC sold under a weird name, that's why it runs Windows as well. The Pandora has an ARM CPU so the only option to run Windows software is through emulation, for example Dosbox. Don't expect to run any remotely recent software, though...

 

[Sploshi]

Okay, thank you

And Java? I'm guessing that's a no-go too right?

EDIT: I posted this before I read the second reply, my bad.


EDIT2: This might be a dumb question, but how does the Pandora connect to the internet? Does it require you to be within range of a wireless network? I was just wondering because I know some phones etc can connect to the internet anywhere.

 

[Prometheus]

Not a dumb question at all.

To connect to the internet, you need to be within range of a wireless network, although it should also be possible to use one of those "MiFi" pocket-sized routers that some mobile telephone companies currently offer (these are actually 3G devices in the form of a device that you can connect to via WiFi), and some 3G USB sticks are also known to work if you happen to have one of those (the ones currently known to be compatible are listed here).

 

[Sploshi]

So does that mean if I bought a "MiFi" router or a 3G dongle I could connect to the internet on the Pandora wherever I was?

On the "3" store they seem to sell them on Pay Monthly and Pay As You Go plans.

However, they also seem to be available on Amazon, if I bought, for example, a "MiFi" router of Amazon could I use it without it charging me for the internet?

 

[Prometheus]

No, those types of router, like the USB devices, require a SIM Card, so having a contract or pay-as-you-go setup is a necessity - unfortunately, there aren't any free lunches as far as mobile internet goes.

 

[Sploshi]

Ah right, I suppose that makes sense.

I'll just have to hope that my school doesn't have any protection for their WiFi ;D
Although I have a sneaking suspicion I tried to connect once with my DS and they did

 

[Prometheus]

Tsk, taking a DS to school! You kids nowadays!

Gracious, when I were a young'un, we weren't allowed to take stuff to school, and we didn't even have dial-up internet readily affordable to the public, never mind anything free of wires! And we all learned on BBC Model B microcomputers when they would let us, and tried to use colloquial speech (and occasionally swear-words :lol: ) that couldn't be understood in text-adventure games when it was raining outside!

... Now where was I? Oh yeah. Get off my lawn.

Ok, seriously, I'm not sure what country you're in (although going on your mention of the company 3, I'll hazard a guess that you're British ), but a fair amount of places do offer free WiFi hotspots - I know many train stations do, and many roadside service stations offer them, as well as the Little Chef restaurant chain. McDonalds also offers them in a number of locations globally, as well, I'm told.

 

[Sploshi]

Ahaha :')

And yes, I'm English
And yeah I see the WiFi Hotspot signs quite often if I'm honest so it's pretty easy access, unless I'm like traveling somewhere or something... or in school

I might consider getting the MiFi router but I don't think I'd use it enough to get my money's worth haha.

Can I ask another question?

I know this probably belongs in the Developers Corner, but it's only really a quick question and I don't want to clutter the forums and make a new topic

I used to do quite a bit of programming a year or two ago, but I stopped (can't quite remember why). I really want to get back into it, and the Pandora seems like as good an opportunity as any to start coding again. However, when I used to program I used to use Game Maker, which had it's own programming language, but this isn't like.. a 'proper' language (like C++, Delphi etc). I've found out that you can program for the Pandora in OpenGL, and I was wondering if there were any other languages PNDs can be programmed in?

 

[Prometheus]

I might consider getting the MiFi router but I don't think I'd use it enough to get my money's worth haha.

I have the same predicament myself. That's why I don't own one. :lol:

Can I ask another question?

I know this probably belongs in the Developers Corner, but it's only really a quick question and I don't want to clutter the forums and make a new topic

This is the right place for it - Developers' Corner tends to be for posts about actual projects.

I used to do quite a bit of programming a year or two ago, but I stopped (can't quite remember why). I really want to get back into it, and the Pandora seems like as good an opportunity as any to start coding again. However, when I used to program I used to use Game Maker, which had it's own programming language, but this isn't like.. a 'proper' language (like C++, Delphi etc). I've found out that you can program for the Pandora in OpenGL, and I was wondering if there were any other languages PNDs can be programmed in?

I gather that OpenGL isn't a programming language - it's a graphics library. What we have is OpenGL ES, anyway (this is a "cut down" version of the standard, so to speak, which is intended for mobile devices).

I'm not a coder myself, so my understanding of this topic is limited, but anything you can compile for ARM should do the trick. There's also stuff like Python, which I've often seen recommended.

 

[hedwards]

I gather that OpenGL isn't a programming language - it's a graphics library. What we have is OpenGL ES, anyway (this is a "cut down" version of the standard, so to speak, which is intended for mobile devices).

I'm not a coder myself, so my understanding of this topic is limited, but anything you can compile for ARM should do the trick. There's also stuff like Python, which I've often seen recommended.

OpenGL is an API, sort of like DirectX and Glide. There are a few graphics libraries out there that support it, but OpenGL itself is just an API that hardware is supposed to speak.

 

[Sploshi]

Ah okay I understand that about OpenGL now

So my question now is:

Is there a particular programming language anyone would recommend as being maybe the easiest/most functional/flexible etc?

 

[typs lik dis]

pythons kind of easy

 

[vadsamoht]

Ah okay I understand that about OpenGL now

So my question now is:

Is there a particular programming language anyone would recommend as being maybe the easiest/most functional/flexible etc?

Easiest, non redundant language is accepted to be Python. Most functional of the common languages is C++, and flexibility is a whole can of worms that isn't worth opening up.

Just go with whatever takes your fancy, although if this is your first language, I'd stick to either C++, Python, or Java, simply due to the multitude of resources.

 

[Sploshi]

Hmm I think I'll go with C++
Unless it ends up being too hard

Thanks for all the help guys