Peter-Paul Koch, writing on the QuirksBlog, shares the results of a usability test comparing 10 different phones. What's most interesting is that the user in question might be considered the 'average' user rather than a tech-influencer (as is typical in online media). Consequently many of the observations offer insight into what matters in the real world compared to rarefied atmosphere of the 'media bubble'. Read on for more.

Ahead of an official availability announcement it seems that the mobile site version of the Ovi Store (store.ovi.mobi) is operational on N900's running the recently released firmware update (1.2009.44.1). A number of application and games are currently available for download. Content is installed via the Application manager, which is automatically launched when you tap a 'Download' button on the store. Read on for further details and screenshots.

A minor firmware update for the Nokia N900 is now available. The update contains only minor changes. However it does include enablers that makes the device ready for its first major firmware update (PR 1.1). PR 1.1 is expected to fix a number of bugs and add a number of features including improved portrait mode support in select applications.

I want to take a little break away from the major Nokia X6 review I'm doing just now to directly address one of the issues that I'm seeing in the comments both of the X6 review and in other products that are reviewed both here on AAS and on other tech sites: the use of third party software to compensate for a manufacturer's omissions.

If you're one of the many people who spend their days on Facebook, you might be interested to know that we here at All About Maemo have finally opened our own Facebook page. Become a fan and you'll see all the latest AAM news as part of your FB live feed.

What happens when you get challenged to break an unbreakable phone on the floor of CES in Las Vegas? Well Dan Simmons from the BBC's Click team managed to do what every one of us has secretly tried to do, and break the phone. The out-take is now online at BBC News.

Another tutorial video aimed at people new to the N900, this time showing how to launch several applications at once and switch between them. See below for the embedded video.

We've now put our first videos onto All About Maemo's YouTube channel, which you can also see embedded below. If you want to see AAM's videos as soon as they appear on the internet, head on over to the channel page and click on the "Subscribe" button.

This page contains all of All About Maemo's tutorials on how to use the Nokia N900 smartphone. Click on a link to see the relevant tutorial.

You can usually trust James Whatley to have his head screwed on more or less straight when it comes to assessing the merits of various phones and smartphones - I suspect even more go through his hands than through mine.... Anyway, he's written up his judging process for The Really Mobile Project 'Phone of the year' and.... I think you'll be surprised. And then you'll go "Well, yes, I see his point". Interesting stuff, though my phone of the year is the less mass market Nokia N97 mini - it's just a shame this came in so late in 2009...