Open Source means that you never have to wait for any company to release software in a rigid fashion. We are talking about the Nokia N900 and the Maemo platform.

There is no Google Maps for Maemo so far and we are doubtful if Google will even make one as they are concentrating on Android.  So here is a Browser based Google maps application for Maemo which has come from the Maemo Community. Its got almost everything even Google Latitude

Its basically the mobile version of Google Maps on Steroids.

Its got Directions, Layers , Latitude , MyLocation using GPS , Search and even traffic information

Do you notice the little red and yellow areas in the map below apart from the abundance of green ?

The steps which will get you Google Maps on the N900 with GPS

Grab maemo-geolocation v1.1.3-1 by Oleg Romashin which is a MicroB GeoLocation provider extension means your phone will get your GPS location within the browser using the phone’s GPS receiver

Visit http://www.google.com/maps/m on your N900 to use an Almost perfect google maps on your N900

Yodude from HoFo took this to the next level by adding Zoom Controls using some html

Grab this code which contains a pair of html files and you will see the + – zoom controls on the right

This is not a perfect solution as there are some limitations.  The maps are fixed and don’t expand to other areas if you drag on the screen like on other platforms.

This is a limitation of the mobile version of Google Maps . Hope that someone finds a workaround to get the desktop version of Google Maps to work fine this extension as its not working fine now.

A Native app would be cool but for now something is better than nothing.

via HoFo

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The Nokia N900 just got a firmware update to version 55.1 or PR1.1. The changelog for the update has been posted on  the Maemo Wiki and we are still counting the changes this update brings.

Its raining firmware updates from Nokia once again . The N900 which got a minor firmware update(version 44.1) few days back is now getting a HUGE firmware update which is around 89.5 MB. This update bears the version number 51.1 and is also known as a PR 1.1 update. Check out the screenshots for the details. If you don’t get a prompt about the update. Head over to the Application manager and click on the updates icon.

You will see a Maemo5 item in the list of updates available. This is all over the air (OTA) with no need for a PC or NSU.  But to get this update you must have the version 44.1 firmware installed on your phone.

We recommend you to take a backup before installing the update. Also make sure you have sufficient amount of charge left or connect the phone to a charger.

Since the update is huge is size even OTA , use a Wi-Fi connection .

We will post the Changelog soon.

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After a recent firmware release to v44.1 firmware, Nokia has now finally opened its door for the Maemo Platform, more specifically Nokia N900.

Therefore from now on, whenever you click on any Ovi Store icon, bookmark or shortcut on your N900 desktop, you are now taken to a smart Ovi Store interface tailor made for N900 where lots of Apps, Games, Utilities, Video Clips etc have already been made available. This Ovi Store for Maemo also features a collection of Wallpapers and Themes to personalise your N900.

Here is a Video Demo of the newly launched Ovi Store on the Nokia N900, by The Nokia Blog. Do Check it out.

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The Nokia N900 got a minor firmware update yesterday to version 44.1 Here is the changelog for the update.

• Performance Fixes
• New icons in Application Manager
• Application Manager remembers the position prior to app installation( it used to go to the top on refresh before)
• Red Pill mode does not work.
• OVI Catalogue has been added to list of repositories
• FM Transmitter Fixes

Some  more changes as reported in this thread

• kernel contains one fix, which is allowing HAM to trigger ubifs to higher compression level for the SSU update.
• browser contains one fix, which is browser UA string to say that it’s pr1.0.1 device.
• GTK contains one fix, which is dropping the icon cache support.
• application manager contains 37 fixes, mostly related to SSU stability
• And a bit related to the new look of the app grid.

And here are the packages which got updated.

updated package list(shortened):
mafw-iradio-source-bookmarks
microb-engine-settings
hildon-application-manager
kernel
tablet-browser-controls
hildon-theme-variant
clockd-settings
rtcom-accounts-sip
operator-wizard-settings-overide
maemon-wlan-network-settings
apt-transport-ttps
maemo 5
theme-default-settings
libcityinfo-settings
maemo-customer-logo
hildon-welcome-settings
extra-application-shortcuts
kernel-modules
osso-startup-wizard-settings
tvout-settings
apt
tablet-browser-bookmarks
libgtk2.0bin
hildon-desktop-applet-settings
preinstalled-contacts-variant
modest-provider-data
kernel-flasher
hildon-input-method-data
hildon-theme-alpha
osso-rss-reader-feeds
rtcom-accounts-xmpp
hildon-desktop-background-settings
maemo-ringtones
icd2-settings
maemo-icons

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I just connected my N900 to my PC and checked for updates via Nokia software updater and was surprised to find a new firmware update for the device. The update is version 1.2009.44.1 and has been tested select members of the maemo community for a few weeks nowWhile the download and update is still going on will post the changelog once the update is done.

While I would love a major update. Users in the Maemo talk are describing this a minor update.

WARNING :  Using NSU might erase all your data(mainly settings,apps ) Wait for OTA update to appear in your app manager if you don’t want to loose data.

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The Nokia N900 mobile device belongs to the Nokia Internet Tablet family. This device includes all the features of mobile functionality and connectivity that is found on all the modern cellphones, sometimes termed as PDA. Nokia N900 also includes a kick ass browser which has full flash support. Coming to specifications, this device has a 3.5 inch touch-sensitive screen, 800×480 pixels display, TI OMAP 3430: ARM Cortex-A8 600 MHz processor and so on.

While iPhone 3GS on the other hand, is an improved version of iPhone mobile from Apple. It features iPhone OS which is proprietary of Apple.iPhone 3GS also has a 3.5 inch screen, but that is multitouch enabled. It has OMAP 600 MHz CPU, 480×320 pixels display and so on.

But when we start comparing the size of both devices, iPhone 3GS has dimensions of 115.5×62.1×12.3 mm, where as N900, when expanded with full QWERTY keyboard has dimensions 110.9 × 59.8 × 18 mm. As we have stated in our previous comparison, that in terms of size comparison if you are comfortable with a keypad, both the devices are a tie in size, but if we leave out the keypad iPhone 3GS is sleek as it is without a keypad.

At FoneArena , we have previously covered the  full specification and details about Apple iPhone 3GS vs Nokia N900.

Here is a video of size comparison of Apple iPhone 3GS vs Nokia N900:

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Mark from NokiaBlog has some great comparison pictures of the Nokia N900 and the Google Nexus One. He ordered the google phone online and it was delivered to him the next day- incredible isn’t it ?

He was blown away by the display on the Nexus One mainly for the size and he feels that it’s more pocketable than the Nokia N900 mainly due to the thickness.  But he feels that the virtual keyboard on the nexus one was not perfect and he needs the hardware keypad like on the N900.

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Well , the iPhone UI really innovative . But the N900 is innovative too. And it actually beats the iPhone in terms of usability according to this finding

Peter-Paul Koch is a mobile platform strategist, consultant, and trainer in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. He concentrates on Web technologies, mobile websites, and W3C Widgets.

Paul handed over some phones to a friend to see what he was comfortable with.

Here are the phones which were tested : Nokia N97, Samsung M1, HTC Touch Pro (Windows Mobile), SonyEricsson W960i, Nokia E71, BlackBerry 9500, HTC Pioneer (Android), LG M900, Nokia N900, iPhone.

Conclusion from the test

He was extremely careful to note that he did so only because he felt that the hardware keyboard and zoom button were most conductive to his personal goal of accessing and working with his online banking site. He could imagine that the iPhone would be better suited for other purposes.

This confirms my hunch that Nokia is on the right track with the Maemo platform. The next Maemo phone, I think, will be something to watch.

To my surprise he ranked Windows Mobile above Android. Although he liked Android, it did not entirely deliver on its promises as far as B. was concerned. Windows Mobile promised less, but delivered.

Via MIR

http://www.quirksmode.org/blog/archives/2010/01/a_basic_usabili.html Similar Posts:

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The Nokia N900 is powered by a ARM Cortex-A8 processor and has OpenGL ES 2.0 graphics acceleration support . Till now we have seen the Bounce Demo and Quake 3 Arena on this Maemo Powered device which demonstrate the capabilities of this device. But here is a surprise from IndiaGames with Home Run Baseball for the Maemo Platform.  We have an exclusive preview of the game for all you Maemo fans !

Watch the video of the game after the cut

The game has 3 modes 10 Out Rule , Pass N Play and  Rapidfire.In 10 Out  rule you are expected to go on a Home run hitting spree.

The Pass N Play works like a 2 player game where player 1 and Player 2 take turns to smash the ball into the crowds.

In Rapidfire an automatic ball pitcher bombards you with balls in quick succession.You how to face 10 pitches in 20 seconds,oh  man ! that was tough.

Controls are very simple. Just the screen -- touch and swipe. No Keyboard advanced controls. You can play the game without opening the slider.The game uses the Ice 3D engine which has been developed by Indiagames to be used as a common rendering engine across various platforms such as iPhone , Maemo , Android , Symbian etc.

This is not a full fledged baseball game but Home Run Baseball. You can surely kill sometime in the Subway.The game should be available for download on the Nokia OVI Store for Maemo which is expected to go live sometime this month.  We expect the game to be free for download atleast initially .

Would be cool if Maemo got the T20 cricket game also !  What do you think about this game ?

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