Well, here's an update.
I've opened my Mabeee, and so far, the results have been pretty mixed.
So the good news is, it connects to my phone, and I downloaded an APK for the Mabeee controller app, that fortunately is all in English, so no translations required
Better still, with my new Oppo phone, it works flawlessly, no trouble at all!
Right, I think I'm finally at the bottom of all this [I hope].
So, here's the deal - The MB-3003WB appears to be a newer version [odd given it's got a lower model number, but stick with me here]. The one I have been sent, and I assume this is why it was cheaper, is the older MB-3005-WB1. Compatibility wise, the 3005 ONLY works with PCs running Windows 10 Creators Update or later - It does not specify compatibility with Windows 11, which is what my PC runs.
However, NOVARS [the makers of the Mabeee] have clearly intended the 3003 to be an update that uses somewhat less proprietary connection software, and has compatibility with Scratch 3.0 as opposed to the now obsolete 1.4, as the 3003 uses ScratchLink [same as LEGO Mindstorms et al.] to connect with Scratch rather than Mabeee Desktop EX - So, while it is possible for a Win11 PC to install and run Desktop EX and detect a 3005 Mabeee, it cannot communicate with it. I can assume this is something to do with the jump from Win10 to Win11 making communication impossible, but without obtaining a 3003 and testing, I cannot be certain.
So, the bottom line appears to be that if we want PC connectivity for Mabeee, to use the 3003 - The 3003 is also Win10 compatible, so is evidently the better model as it has a wider range of compatibility. Both versions are Mac compatible also but check out those specs before you buy - I use Windows exclusively and can't say I have enough knowledge of Mac to give advice there.
So, in conclusion, I reccomend the 3005 if you run Win10 and don't plan to upgrade to Win11, or want a cheaper Mabeee that ONLY works with Android otherwise. If you want the full Mabeee experience, buy the 3003, which is what I will be doing later this month in my next Japanese order [I will only buy one for now, again just in case there are compatibility issues].
I created a document with links to BOTH models of Mabeee, the APKs for the Android apps, and instructions for using the Mabeee based on my own experiences [The manual is NOT avaliable in English unless you use Google Translate's 'scan' function], and so as far as I know my writeup is the closest thing to a clear English manual with no translation errors, although I may have missed some details so I won't claim it's perfect
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XOGR...ue&sd=true
Have fun!
I've opened my Mabeee, and so far, the results have been pretty mixed.
So the good news is, it connects to my phone, and I downloaded an APK for the Mabeee controller app, that fortunately is all in English, so no translations required
Better still, with my new Oppo phone, it works flawlessly, no trouble at all!Right, I think I'm finally at the bottom of all this [I hope].
So, here's the deal - The MB-3003WB appears to be a newer version [odd given it's got a lower model number, but stick with me here]. The one I have been sent, and I assume this is why it was cheaper, is the older MB-3005-WB1. Compatibility wise, the 3005 ONLY works with PCs running Windows 10 Creators Update or later - It does not specify compatibility with Windows 11, which is what my PC runs.
However, NOVARS [the makers of the Mabeee] have clearly intended the 3003 to be an update that uses somewhat less proprietary connection software, and has compatibility with Scratch 3.0 as opposed to the now obsolete 1.4, as the 3003 uses ScratchLink [same as LEGO Mindstorms et al.] to connect with Scratch rather than Mabeee Desktop EX - So, while it is possible for a Win11 PC to install and run Desktop EX and detect a 3005 Mabeee, it cannot communicate with it. I can assume this is something to do with the jump from Win10 to Win11 making communication impossible, but without obtaining a 3003 and testing, I cannot be certain.
So, the bottom line appears to be that if we want PC connectivity for Mabeee, to use the 3003 - The 3003 is also Win10 compatible, so is evidently the better model as it has a wider range of compatibility. Both versions are Mac compatible also but check out those specs before you buy - I use Windows exclusively and can't say I have enough knowledge of Mac to give advice there.
So, in conclusion, I reccomend the 3005 if you run Win10 and don't plan to upgrade to Win11, or want a cheaper Mabeee that ONLY works with Android otherwise. If you want the full Mabeee experience, buy the 3003, which is what I will be doing later this month in my next Japanese order [I will only buy one for now, again just in case there are compatibility issues].
I created a document with links to BOTH models of Mabeee, the APKs for the Android apps, and instructions for using the Mabeee based on my own experiences [The manual is NOT avaliable in English unless you use Google Translate's 'scan' function], and so as far as I know my writeup is the closest thing to a clear English manual with no translation errors, although I may have missed some details so I won't claim it's perfect
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XOGR...ue&sd=true
Have fun!
Been building Plarail worlds since 2001; Building when I can in 2023 