PS3 doing Java – Sexy, and almost there

The promise of what I have been investigating is that Java applications can be run directly inside the normal PS3 GUI, as well as other Blu-Ray players, without requiring any kind of hacks on behalf of the end user. It may not be the ultimate base for writing applications, but it should not be too hard to port applications, games and so on from other J2ME applications that exist for mobile phones and so on. Shoutcast player or Opera Mini on PS3 anyone?

This is a summary of developing Java applications on PS3 and Blu-Ray, in hope that someone else will pick up the loose ends.

Setting up a BD-J development environment sucks!

I’ve recently looked at how one can set up a Blu-ray development environment for developing Java apps on a PS3.
The HDCookBook project seems like a good starting place, since you need alot of files to surround your BD-J Java apps when on the disk. Fine enough, but expect some hassle of changing file names if you want to put them on a memorystick.
Next step, run ant for compiling the project… You need to download “BDJ.jar”. You can find it AFTER INSTALLING NERO ON WINDOWS. Aaargh. Three hours later, we’ve found our bdj.jar.
Java ME SDK? It requires you to register at Sun… Ok, done that. Next step, Install sun_java_me_sdk-3_0-ea-win.exe on Windows. I HAVE A MAC!!! AHRG! Who needs multi-platform portable javacode when you can distribute it as .exe files!?

Do they even want people to develop on their platform? This is not inviting! And stop the stupid Ant stuff. Maven is the only way of distributing sourcecode and knowledge that works.