OS2008 Feature Upgrade: reflash your tablet (for the last time?)

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2008-06-24 10:22 UTC by Quim Gil

Nokia has published the OS2008 Feature Upgrade for the N810 and N800 Internet Tablets. This release is based on Maemo 4.1 (codename Diablo) and provides the Seamless Software Update feature.

Users still need to reflash the device in order to install this release. Further OS updates will be made available over-the-air, without needing to reflash. Now users will get automatic notifications in the home screen about the availability of OS updates or single applications, including those installed from third parties. This works only over WLAN connections. It is still possible to check for updates manually from the Application manager.

This release brings a new open source email application based on Modest and the tinymail framework. Users will find a simplified account setup and presets for various service providers. Another major improvement is the introduction to Chinese character rendering support in Email, Browser and RSS feed reader. There are numerous issues fixed all over the operating system including updated openssl. Smaller improvements have also been introduced to several areas such improved browser panning performance.

For more details check the tables comparing packages and changes between this release and the latest OS2008 update.

Comments:

J R
Karma: 14

Could the old e-mail program be made available as an optional downnload? I am getting fed up with the new prograam (i.e. Modest) BUGS!! It sometimes tells me one of my account details are wrong (sometimes it doesn't!!). Right hand window resizes on each startup. I have no way of selectively deleting e-mails from the server... list goes on... Can the old e-mail program be made available to download ??

2008-06-29 06:32 UTC
Dave B
Karma: 85

To Richard, I have been around PDAs for some time, having updated both Palm and BB alike. I am not of the same opinion- it does not require a whole lot of technical know-how to update your handheld. Complaining about a desktop application being required in order to update your portable device, sure it may be a valid complaint 20 years from now, but it is hardly a hefty task.

Why not just complain about having to own a desktop computer to get on the internet? Now think closely on this, because you probably wouldn't have heard of the Nokia tablet if you weren't using a desktop system in the first place. Complain about having to use a PC to configure your router or broadband modem too- they require updates, heck so do motherboards. Why can't they just update themselves without turning them on?

Apple is supposed to be some great magical innovator, yet their iPhoney requires a desktop system to update the firmware. How dare they!

I'm not clear on what is so much "work" with install software. It isn't a daunting task to perform an Uninstall of Windows applications, least not BB-based handheld code downloads. I keep several on my computer at one time and can remove them any time with a few clicks- no manual cleanup necessary.

What was a PITA back in the day was Inhellisink software for synchronizing your PDA over the cable. Its integration/conduits for office software and PDAs kept many a tech employed.

I welcome the improvements in the Diablo release, the self-updating OS with notifications. Evolution is key in this game as the field is growing and the fans are less qualified. Nokia is working in the right direction with the input and feedback of those who are more qualified.

I am neither a developer nor a coder- I already get too little sleep, but some is better than none!

2008-06-28 16:21 UTC

I like this "new" feauture, but i still wonder, when i am gonna have java on my nokia n800, not talking about jalimo or some alike VM,

2008-06-28 05:01 UTC
Sanjeev Visvanatha
Karma: 662

Thanks for this update, Nokia. The update process was flawless for me, including restoring my apps. This device has become a real pocket linux computer over time! Hats off to you for continuing to improve it. I beleive the SSU will make this device appealing to more mainstream users, well done.

2008-06-26 13:53 UTC
J R
Karma: 14

Regarding getting the chinook extras; the easiest way is to install one of them from os2008 download page; say maemo recorder from here: http://maemo.org/downloads/product/OS2008/maemo-recorder/ This will then add chinook extras repo. to your applications catalougue.(it asks you first if you want to add the new catalogue; and you say yes).

2008-06-26 05:34 UTC
Active Matrix
Karma: 5

Hi Guys,

Could someone kindly tell me how to go about adding in the Application Catalogue for the Chinook Extras? - I've upgraded to 4.1 and have been very disappointed to find that basically none of the applications which I previously used are available for download anymore!

b Nik mentioned this worked for him, so I'm keen to try also!

Thanks in advance guys! Noobie

2008-06-25 22:56 UTC

While the 810 may be intriguing for developers and coders, I purchased it as a step up in screen size and functionality from smaller hand-held devices.

There are many issues with the 810 for an average user like myself - the keyboard is frustrating; the touch stylus accuracy is questionable; the unit weighs too much; etc. So my 810 is on my 'almost but not quite' list.

As for the idea of installing an 'install app' on a desktop machine to update the 810, any one who has been through that scenario with Palm, Windows Mobile or the Blackberry is likely to never want to do it again after they finally manage to uninstall and clean up after the install software.

I'd like to suggest that the install of the new 810 software be configured so it can be copied to an SD card and installed from the card to the 810.

While generally undocumented, this is easily done with many mobile devices.

So until skype and video are in the same word group the idea of flashing and having to reconfigure my 810 settings using desktop install software has no appeal at all.

2008-06-25 20:43 UTC
J R
Karma: 14

Just a note about the extras repo. If user loads the Chinook extras repo. into the application manager in Diablo, it seems to work. I successfully installed UKMP, Maemo-mapper and Mplayer this way. In fact I have almost all my applications working again now. Feedback on the Diablo itself: generally looks very good. Modest took a bit of configuring!! The default setting for NTL smpt was wrong! I will raise a bug ticket.

2008-06-25 15:52 UTC
Quim Gil
Karma: 2288

Thanks for the feedback!

  • Bugs and enhancement requests to the Modest component will be handled just as they were handled previously in the beta period.

  • Problems with third party applications are related to the fact that the Maemo community has decided to implement a better proces to handle the maemo.org extras repository, with the objective of guarantee to end users that applications in extras install properly and don't come with any problems of missing dependencies etc. That was disturbing for most users until Chinook, but it won't happen in Diablo. The bootstrapping process got a bit of delay but the apps will appear again in extras and this time you will be certain that they install flawlessly. More at https://wiki.maemo.org/Diablo_extras_repository_proposal

  • This release is multilingual. German is supported just like the rest of main languages official in the countries where the N800/N810 are sold.

2008-06-25 10:41 UTC
weckman
Karma: 8

Being new to the world of maemo through my N810 I wonder if this is a multilingual release or just English? I would be in need of a German version but there is no word on the supported/included languages anywhere! Any ideas? Thanks!

2008-06-25 02:08 UTC
lauren roberts
Karma: 57

install a new image for my tablet only to have all my apps removed and not restored from the backup ... what genius at nokia thought this one up??!!??

i'll wait til i can actually do anything useful with it before i update again

meanwhile back at the previous version download site...

2008-06-25 01:45 UTC
Andrew Bilsbury
Karma: 68

So far so good with the new update. It seems much faster and works better with multi-tasking.

Question: What do we do with reported bugs for Modest that were not addressed while in beta? Specifically Bug 2922 - https://bugs.maemo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=2922 thanks

2008-06-24 17:36 UTC

This is a great improvement, congratulations!

2008-06-24 16:33 UTC
Quim Gil
Karma: 2288

Nokia didn't invent apt-get, nor open source email applications (or Chinese language). This is true. There are not many devices fitting in your pocket supporting full system upgrades without reflashing, but devices running Maemo 4.1 do now. This is also true, and worth mentioning in an announcement.

About the "fun", if you find any bug or missing feature please go to http://bugs.maemo.org and explain in detail your expected outcome. Thank you!

2008-06-24 13:28 UTC
t z
Karma: 205

Anyone know if they enabled Mac partitions?

Did they update all the developer and sdk trees so that I can compile everything in scratchbox after following the directions exactly? Or when is that going to happen.

2008-06-24 12:21 UTC
L D
Karma: 20

Yaay, Nokia has invented something that was in most of Linux distros for years...

2008-06-24 12:00 UTC

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