Working Accessories And Current Applications ?


Metabrowse

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So things are coming along nicely and as far as it goes I'm more and more concerned about the Pandora.

Thing is I have tried an iPhone 3GS in a shop lately and WAW it's something cool (though fairly expensive, but).

You may remember I was looking for a GPS solution in feature addition to the Pandora.
Now I'm pretty sure I will need a new GSM as well (mine is slowly dying as well as my camera numeric but I don't rely on smartphone for that even if it's always handy).

So I went to a shop and someone show me the iPhone 3GS compass with Google Map and I was ecstatic!
There is also a microphone with Google talk working greatly.
I also see the Motorola Droid with a real azerty keyboard (I'm not qwerty) and Adobe Flash 10.1 working (so true web site display and lots of additional apps).

This is very important for me (I'm not only buying a geek gadget I recall) :

I need to buy accessories like Bluetooth GPS, SD Cards, Webcam/microphone micro-USB and a new GSM so it's a bit costly and cumbersome for the trip I'm currently planning. I'm thinking about resume all this by a simple Motorola Miletstone or the iPhone 3GS, no cables, no new GSM anymore, things working for sure, people out there know that device and there is no linux bug (to resolve with command shell and complicating stuff) or waiting desperately that someone port this or fix that for too long.

That's why I hope at least one official Pandora developer could tell me what to expect with such accessories features and if I will ever be able to use the Google Map application, gtalk, adobe Flash 10.1 or if it's too risky to bet that for around August ?

Thanks a lot :)
 
Metabrowse said:
That's why I hope at least one official Pandora developer could tell me what to expect with such accessories features and if I will ever be able to use the Google Map application, gtalk, adobe Flash 10.1 or if it's too risky to bet that for around August ?
I could answer your questions, as I'm sure a lot of others could, complete with evidence from demo boards, other posts, and simple logical conclusions, but I'm not official so I won't bother wasting your time.
 
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Regarding adobe flash, your probably have to ask adobe :) (or try to run Androind on a pandora.) google maps on a browser yes.. But a native google maps? That's up to google.

I can't answer officially, but those products aren't up to the pandora guys.

Jeff

edit: there are possibilities of course.. Getting official flash lib fromanother device, a gnu flash system matures, official flash support, running android, arm ubuntu maybe gets it, etc and so on.
 
skeezix said:
edit: there are possibilities of course.. Getting official flash lib fromanother device, a gnu flash system matures, official flash support, running android, arm ubuntu maybe gets it, etc and so on.

This is probably too far above my Linux skills but I follow you on the idea.
I'm really not that good with Linux I follow step by step command lines from various official forum with Ubuntu Xubuntu and distro in order to get every hardware working but I always encounter various problems over time that need a lot of time to fix. I don't want to loose too much time with my Pandora since it doesn't seems to be the cases with other UMPC or Smartphone.

WizardStan said:
I could answer your questions, as I'm sure a lot of others could, complete with evidence from demo boards, other posts, and simple logical conclusions, but I'm not official so I won't bother wasting your time.
Of course anyone can give his opinion about this, after all I post in a public manner in order to not annoying developers with emails but I really hope to get some words from people who already work with prototypes and already try different things with accessories or renowned applications.
Like I said to Skeezix I really don't know much about generic GPS or Webcam Drivers or if it's really practical to use google map from a browser(I don't think so). Same thing for google talk from a browser with bluetooth Webcam/microphone or USB. It's hard for me to tell so I thought it would be the same for someone who doesn't have any Pandora yet.

This is exactly the kind of video I would love to see for the moment.
I'm not too concerned about emulation right now.

Thanks
 
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Any bluetooth device will work with the pandora. Same with Webcam, microphone, GPS etc. as long as they're usb and linux supported (many are).

Actually, google maps works rather well in browsers, nothing like google earth, but its decent for directions and such.

Edit: Google talk is supported in Pidgin, so no worries there either.
 
Willrandship said:
Any bluetooth device will work with the pandora. Same with Webcam, microphone, GPS etc. as long as they're usb and linux supported (many are).
But even if that Linux is ARM based ? Doesn't that make any differences ?
Actually, google maps works rather well in browsers, nothing like google earth, but its decent for directions and such.
I suppose I would need to use something else in order to get at least a turn by turn GPS experiment with the Pandora.
Edit: Google talk is supported in Pidgin, so no worries there either.
That's nice. Does that mean audio conference too ?
 
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Metabrowse said:
Willrandship said:
Any bluetooth device will work with the pandora. Same with Webcam, microphone, GPS etc. as long as they're usb and linux supported (many are).
But even if that Linux is ARM based ? Doesn't that make any differences ?
Bluetooth devices mostly conform to a set of standard protocols, so as long as the bluetooth chip works, any device will.

For USB, as long as the drivers are open source (most of them) there's no reason they can't be recompiled for ARM.
There are a few things that use x86 binary blobs, but they're few and far between, and not usually available by default.
If it works with a standard install of Ubuntu (for example) it can most likely be made to work on the Pandora.
 
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Actuly ,i wanted to know if theres a full list of currently ported software
for the Pandora and software thats labeled as being ported ,not games or emulators
but actual software for the light desktop that will ship with the Pandora but
i also want to know of the status of the Pandora port of Ubuntu.

I imagine that even with say Ubuntu ported ,all the programs that you may
wish to use would also need to be ported over to work ? like my fav media player
or chat app for Ubuntu.

So really i want to know if there is some wiki or database for progress on Pandora
ubuntu and also what is planned to be ported to Angstrom Pandora.
 
Thankyou Prometheus ,iv been looking for that on the pandora wiki
but i must be blind ,looks great weehee ,again thanks.
 
No problem. :D (Reading that page again has gotten me excited about the Pandora's potential, yet again. :lol: )
 
I'm not sure why no one has said this yet:

GET THE IPHONE OR THE DROID.

We all want to grow our community but if you see the iPhone and you think "WAH WAH WEE WAH, very nice, king of the castle, king of the castle" and not "hmm, I can't develop on it without paying Apple $100, it costs $600 and it's pretty useless without a data plan of $30 a month, I can't multitask, and I have no freedom to do the things I want to do.. if a feature doesn't exist in the OS I have no ability to change it (see the missing copy+paste functionality for 1.5 years, on Pandora that would be fixed in about 5 hrs.)" then you should get one of these devices.

Seriously.

There's nothing wrong with being the person who is okay with the mainstream stuff.

Here's a personal example: I buy expensive audio stuff. Not as expensive as some, but I've got a pair of $400 headphones sitting next to me right now... Even still, when someone says "hey what headphones do I get" I either say "if your price is around $60 get Grados, if it's less get PX-100's, and if it's really low then just get some cheap walmart ear-buds" or I explain to them what I consider the price/performance ratio to be in headphones and where they are most likely to be happiest with a bang-for-the-buck scenario. I don't say "OMG Get the SENNHEISER HD-650's, it's the ONLY way to listen to music" or something bogus like that.

In this case I REALLY think you'd be happy with another device. I don't think Pandora covers your needs well. turn-by-turn navigation likely will never be as good on Pandora as it will be on the 3G or the Droid. The biggest reason is that we can't just load slippy maps from the net because we don't have internet connections in the car on the Pandora. I'm looking into developing some navigation software but it will either require a lot of storage space, or will be quite slow, or will never get done (or maybe it will be awesome, but you shouldn't bet on it.) Using a webcam with the Pandora will never be as small/easy as a cellphone camera. People will never see your device and recognize it and have that instant bond (unless you run into a hardcore geek / pandora user or they all of a sudden get uber-popular). And you won't have nearly as many iFart applications on Pandora either.

When it boils down to it, Pandora's a device for people who already have phones and just need a cool-ass gaming system that can do a whole lot of flexible things. If you don't want to do the things that Pandora's better at than the iPhone, don't get a Pandora. You'll regret it, and so will we. We want people who will go forth and spout the Pandora gospel to all who will listen! And all I anticipate for you is buyer's remorse.

I could be way off the mark. I dunno.
 
Yeah, of course but I'm more concern about the UMPC abilities.
And that why I'm asking this because it's not stated anywhere that something will ever work.
I'm not able to port things myself and asking someone to do it for me put me in a weak position.
Unfortunately I don't have the time to learn how to do everything with Linux before my Trip (even if I would like to).

I used to have a GPS before (until someone stole it) and I was able to put custom Softwares and map inside a simple 1Go SD card.
I was using IGo Amigo, imagine there is a professional software like this but available for ARM under Linux.
Will the Bluetooth GPS (50€) will work with that "ported" software ?
How do you want me to guess that !?

I still need to see if OpenSource GPS software are good and do have updated maps, because I know that porting closed Source professional software is not possible.

By the way the Motorola is multitask, you can develop for free on it. I know it's not the case with the iPhone but my priorities has changed since I'm waiting for so long. But it's really a question of budget.

Sorry if I offend you with my comparisons, I now it's not very fair toward the Pandora team but I really need to be sure with what I'm doing here.
 
I just try http://www.openstreetmap.org/
but the map are nearly empty, sometimes there is only 10 or 20 roads for a town of 30.000 citizen.
Not very reliable, or maybe I did something wrong !?

Navit do have an experimental driver for Garmin IMG maps.
TangoGPS is using openstreetmap, openaerial and maps-for-free.

I will ask the authors if there is solutions for others reliable map sources and see wich open source GPS softwares is best to be ported first (then ask gently someone to ^^).

[EDIT]
This is also interesting :
http://code.google.com/p/ogmaps/
http://www.mgmaps.com/ does Java VM is available for Pandora ?? Probably not :(
 
Just get the Droid... you'll have a gps, it's free to develop apps for it, it has a camera AND it's a phone.
Moreover, it's certified that all these functions will be working out of the box.
 
fearofshorts said:
Just really quickly,
the Pandora has a mic.
Too many people are forgetting this.

I wasn't really sure of that.
Thanks to clarify the situation :)
One thing I won't necessary have to add via Bluetooth.

So as Pigdin support webcam and voice (with Gtalk/Gmail/XMPP) I suppose I will be able to use that features on the Pandora ?

I will consider a cheap GPS device if there is nothing available for turn by turn navigation on the Pandora.
 
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The pandora :
  • has a mike
  • is able to make voice chat via pidgin
  • will be able, if someone port/make a navigation soft, to get turn by turn nav with a bluetooth GPS module
  • is a great playing machine ...
BUT in your place, I'll still get a Moto Droid (or another droid phone with a keyboard) because it :
  • is a phone
  • is a gps
  • has 3G connection
  • has a mike
  • probably have a gtalk voice chat with Nimbuzz
  • can be bought with an azerty hardware keyboard
and you can make apps for it without paying anything.

(then, later, get a pandora, because it'll be a great handheld console :) )
 
KodeIn said:
  • will be able, if someone port/make a navigation soft, to get turn by turn nav with a bluetooth GPS module
I've already ported Navit to my BeagleBoard, all that needs to happen to make it run on the Pandora is fix up the screen resolution a bit (and package it into a PND file).
It works really well for finding city center and points of interest, but needs a bit of work finding actual addresses.
 
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rabidpoobear said:
When it boils down to it, Pandora's a device for people who already have phones and just need a cool-ass gaming system that can do a whole lot of flexible things. If you don't want to do the things that Pandora's better at than the iPhone, don't get a Pandora. You'll regret it, and so will we. We want people who will go forth and spout the Pandora gospel to all who will listen! And all I anticipate for you is buyer's remorse.

I could be way off the mark. I dunno.

Not at all, in my opinion. In fact, I think that was all very well said. Good of you to speak to what's best for each user, rather than to our tribal identity as Pandorites.
 
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