Planet Maemo: category "feed:87e3a112f9819bd4923836c83459e7c0"

SPB TV released for Nokia N900 and Maemo 5

Wed, 29 Dec 2010 08:04:14 +0000

I have been so happy with my Nokia N8 (and Windows Phone 7 device) that I forgot about my Nokia N900. I just received the news that SPB TV is now available for the Maemo platform so I pulled out my N900, charged it up, and installed the new software. It also gave me a chance to update other pieces of software and discover the N900 really is a fantastic piece of work.

SPB TV is the first streaming TV application I have seen for Maemo and with the integrated kickstand on the device it does give you a nice viewing option. SPB TV is available on virtually all of the mobile platforms now and offers some decent content for free. There are actually now more than 150 channels from over 20 countries. SPB Software reported that there are more than 2 million users as well.

As listed in their press release, the main features of SPB TV for Maemo include:

Full Screen TV player with picture-in-picture mode
Unique TV browser with fast channel launching and switching
A wide selection of public live TV channels
Integrated TV Guide with a list of current and upcoming TV shows
On-screen control panel
Video quality switcher
Advanced Video Codec support

Most of the stations are foreign stations, but I do enjoy the Christian stations and a couple that have football and rugby coverage. Have you tried out SPB TV and if so, what do you think of it?

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Getting webOS games on your N900 is not for the faint of heart

Fri, 29 Oct 2010 02:52:58 +0000

So the other day I posted that the Nokia N900 was able to run webOS games as shown in the video on Engadget. A reader, Kumar, submitted a comment to my post that linked to his installation guide that gives you step-by-step instructions for getting your N900 up and running. Be aware though that this process is not for the faint of heart and I haven’t personally gotten around to doing it myself yet.

I bought several games when I had a Palm webOS device and I need to check to see if there is anyway to install those games on my N900 since I technically “own” the licenses to them and am not using them at the moment.

Have any of you tried this out yet? Thanks a million to Kumar for posting the instructions and sharing them with everyone.

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MeeGo 1.1 for Nokia N900 now available

Thu, 28 Oct 2010 13:20:59 +0000

It looks like it is time to put my SIM back into my N900 and start messing around with the device again. I just uploaded it to the PR1.3 firmware and that went well. We now see that MeeGo 1.1 for the N900 is available so you can dual boot your N900 and check it out.

It seems this process still requires some developer skills, but we will keep an eye out for a process to share with you all. If you find out how we can do it fairly easily, then please share with the group. So now it seems you can dual boot into MeeGo or play webOS games, isn’t it great to have a Nokia N900?

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Look at this, the N900 can run Palm webOS games!

Tue, 26 Oct 2010 05:47:47 +0000

I just saw the below video over on Engadget and am pretty amazed at how well the games are running. I purchased about 20 games for my Palm Pre Plus, but no longer own it and cannot use any of those games. The Engadget post shows webOS games running on the N900 and it sounds as if some enterprising developers made it work with some kind of Preenv utility. I am not sure what was done to make this happen and would love for there to be some way for us to purchase and install games on our N900 devices.

I would like to see Dungeon Hunter and H.A.W.X. on my N900. If you could play webOS games on your N900, which ones would you like to try?

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Nokia N900 PR1.3 rolling out now

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 14:06:35 +0000

I just read over on The Handheld Blog that PR1.3 for the Nokia N900 is rolling out across different regions right now. This will bring the firmware up to v20.2010.36-2 and is available over the air. I don’t have my N900 with me at the moment so I cannot confirm if it is available in the US yet, but will try when I get home tonight.

I understand the new firmware has some bug fixes, stability improvements, and support for Nokia’s Ovi Suite. It is also supposed to aid developers in dual booting their devices into MeeGo. It is doubtful that any MeeGo hardware will be coming out this year so this should give enterprising users the capability to try out MeeGo for themselves on the N900 and it is something I will be looking into on my N900 soon.

After I get my Nokia N900 updated I will look around and see if I can find any other specific updates and if an official changelog is posted I will include that as well.

7 0

Will the N900 see MeeGo in PR1.3?

Thu, 14 Oct 2010 06:11:31 +0000

I LOVE my Nokia N900 and it is saying a lot for a device if it stays in my collection for a full year or longer and I have now had the N900 for just about a year. I was disappointed to hear it wouldn’t get Maemo 6 or MeeGo, but according to a post on FoneArena the N900 may get support for dual booting Maemo and MeeGo with a PR 1.3 update in November. I don’t know if this is just someone dreaming of the best scenario for N900 owners or what, but if it happens that will make me very happy. I will probably end up getting the N9 or whatever MeeGo device comes out, but if I can try MeeGo on my N900 first that would be fantastic.

5 2

Firefox 4 beta for Maemo available with Firefox Sync and Awesome Screen

Fri, 08 Oct 2010 00:18:40 +0000

Even though I am testing out the Nokia N8 and using it almost exclusively with my T-Mobile SIM I still find my Maemo 5 Nokia N900 to be an excellent device. The service integration and web browser are awesome and today we hear that Firefox 4 beta for mobile is now available to download and install on the N900 and Android devices. This latest release is designed to increase performance and responsiveness, which is always a good thing.

You will find that Firefox Sync is included to sync browsing history, bookmarks, tabs, passwords and form-fill data so you can have a consistent experience between your PC/Mac and mobile phone. I have personally gone on to using Chrome as my preferred web browser, but still will have to try out this latest beta on my N900.

The Awesome Screen is supported in this release too. Have any readers installed it and tried it out yet?

7 1

2-day special: JoikuSpot Premium available for EUR5

Wed, 29 Sep 2010 14:46:38 +0000

I have talked before about using JoikuSpot on both my S60 and Maemo devices and it is one of the first apps I recommend you install on your devices. JoikuSpot turns your Nokia device into a WiFi hotspot and while there is a free Lite version, the full Premium version has no closed ports or other limitations. I received an email this morning that you can buy the Premium version for only EUR5 ($6.80) today and tomorrow.

Android 2.2 has this capability integrated into the device and I sure wish Nokia would also do this with the Symbian and MeeGo platforms moving forward. Unlike carrier locked devices though, at least you can easily add this with an inexpensive and effective application.

5 2

Improve your Nokia N900 camera experience with two beta apps

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 19:11:40 +0000

OK, since news is a bit slow as we approach Nokia World (you do know I will be there, right?) it is a good time to see what is cooking over at Nokia Beta Labs. We are at the tail end of the summer here in Washington State and I am finding that mobile phone photos are not turning out very well with all of the background light. I just read on the Nokia Beta Labs blog that there two new applications for the Nokia N900 that look to take the camera to the next level. The HDR Capture application is designed for those situations when you are taking a photo with an open window with light behind the subject. The Lowlight Assistant is designed to help in situations when there is light, but not enough to give you a good photo.

Check out the samples and more details on the Nokia Beta Labs site. You can then sign into your Nokia account and download the apps.

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First impressions of Sygic Mobile Maps 10 for Maemo

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 13:36:30 +0000

A couple of days ago I mentioned that Sygic sent out an email letting us all know Mobile Maps 10 was available as a free upgrade to N900 owners. I went on a short camping trip and wasn’t able to test out the latest version until last night, but shot the video embedded below and took the screenshots you see below in the image gallery. I am going to do some more extensive testing over the next couple of weeks and will post a review here when I finish checking it out. Here are some initial thoughts on my experiences, along with the video of the program in action.

What is improved?

Even though I have only spent a few hours with Sygic Mobile Maps 10 for Maemo I can tell you already that it is much improved over version 9 that I found wasn’t very useful at all. Here are the following improvements found in Mobile Maps 10:

A new and better look and feel with default full screen mode.
Online services for speed traps, traffic (not yet enabled), and incident reports.
Navigation to addresses stored in your contacts database.
Improved finger scrolling support.
Updated maps with more detail.
Auto & instant rotate between portrait and landscape.

Initial experiences

As you can see in my video, I was sitting in the back seat with my Nokia N900 (in default configuration mode) held between my knees and the N900 seemed to secure a GPS signal within a minute. This time Sygic tracked my position accurately where the last time it kept jumping around on the screen and couldn’t seem to find my actual location.

The user interface was quite fluid and it was easy to navigate around the software. I jumped to Navigate to… and entered an address down in Seattle and then a couple seconds later the route was calculated and shown. You can select your country and the voice you want to use for navigation. You can change settings to customize your experience, including how you want the main navigation panel to appear as you drive around. Other settings include 2D/3D toggle, dynamic control settings, day/night control, sounds, online settings, online services, advanced settings (similar to what we say in Sygic Mobile Maps 9), planning preferences, toll charge settings, language and voice selector, and more.

There are some extra utilities in the application, including a world clock, calculator, unit converter, and weather.

The one issue I seem to be having issues with is the selection of POIs as you drive. For example, as I am riding along and see a POI appear I tapped on it, but was just taken to the first settings menu. I would think that tapping on the POI would tell me what that location is and give me the option to choose to navigate directly to it or call the location. You can go back to the navigation setup and choose a POI in the area, but this requires several steps and I was thinking of something easier to find an interim stop.

Mobile Maps 10 is a free update for Mobile Maps 9 owns or EUR49.99 for new buyers. I will post a more detailed written walk through the application as I take a few more trips with it. In the meantime, if you have any questions please post them below and I will try to answer them all in my review.

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Sygic releases Mobile Maps 10 for the Nokia N900

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 16:14:05 +0000

I previously wrote up my first impressions of Sygic Mobile Maps 9 for the N900 and covered most of my thoughts in the 13 minute video. I found the application to be decent, but could not recommend it for EUR49.99 based on the fact that it kept jumping around the map, required too many button presses to navigate around, and did not seem to be quite ready for primetime. I was going to follow-up with a full review, but did not find the software useful enough to do so. Thus, I was pleased to receive an email this morning that Sygic just released Mobile Maps 10 for the Nokia N900 and I will be taking a closer look at it over the next few days with a full review coming here so you can decide if it is now worth the

According to the email I received Mobile Maps 10 for the N900 includes the following:

The app has new look and feel.
While all maps and content are stored on the phone, we added online sharing of speed traps or road incident locations and within few weeks also real-time traffic.
Navigation to addresses stored in phone’s Contacts is available.
Scrolling through menus, lists and map zooming supports touchscreen gestures so that no buttons are needed when using Mobile Maps.
Recent state or country is stored automatically, new destination entry is easier and non-relevant cities from various states will not pop up. If you want to pick a destination from a country other than the one you used the last time, just tap Back button on the keyboard to display the list of all available countries.
Maps have also received an upgrade. Now with more detail, safer and easier navigation.

There is a detailed upgrade process for those with Mobile Maps 9 that includes a few manual tasks that are just fine with us geeks who like to tinker, but may be a bit of an issue for newbies. The download for US maps and the application was 1.28GB so it took quite some time to download the update. Make sure to follow the directions specifically to complete the upgrade process.

I will post some quick first thoughts here with an update after I get the huge download to finish up and get the update installed. Nokia did upgrade the Ovi Maps client for the N900 in the last firmware update, but you still cannot get offline maps with Ovi Maps so this is one area where Sygic Mobile Maps 10 is better for sure.

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Enhance your N900 emulator game experience with the Game Gripper

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 14:16:44 +0000

Now that I am back to using my Nokia N900 much more I was excited to read the news on Engadget this morning that the Game Gripper is now available for pre-ordering for the Nokia N900. I just ordered one with an extra set of buttons for my N900 since I have my N900 loaded with SNES and ColecoVision games.

I grew up with the ColecoVision as one of my first gaming system and still vividly remember when my brother and I stayed up most all of that Christmas night playing games. I now have Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jr, Zaxxon, Frogger, Galaxian, Pitfall, and Star Wars loaded on my N900. I also was a big fan of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and have Donkey Kong Country, Pitfall, and more loaded with this emulator. Emulator games play very well on the Nokia N900 and as an old-timer I am really loving it as a gaming system. With the Game Gripper I should be able to enjoy the games even more.

Do you enjoy playing emulated games on your Nokia N900 too? If so, what are your favorite games?

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Review: Documents To Go for the Nokia N900

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 08:08:42 +0000

As I mentioned last week one of the pieces of software that I have been waiting to see released for the N900 is an Office editor and creator. I actually am a bit surprised that DataViz launched this software for such a small Maemo 5 community when the larger Palm webOS community has been clamoring for something from DataViz or Quickoffice for quite some time. The Nokia N900 is a good fit for such software due to the QWERTY keyboard, large display, Bluetooth keyboard support, and TV out capability, but I am not sure how many copies they will sell at $29.99. If you purchaed their Viewer Edition, version 1.0, then the upgrade to Premium is free so that is worth the $10 you paid for the Viewer. You do get 30 days to test it out and if Office editing and creation is essential to your work then the $29.99 price may not be much of a concern and it certainly wasn’t back in the days before the iPhone forced software prices to drop like a rock.

Documents To Go for Maemo 5 currently supports viewing, editing, and creation of Word and Excel files with support for PowerPoint editing and creation under development. PowerPoint support will be released as a free update to DTG Premium Edition owners.

Key features

I use Documents To Go on my iPad and Google Android devices and so I was pleased to see a very familiar interface and icon/menu system here on the N900. Check out my video below for a walk through the software to go along with my written feedback on the software.

As stated on the DataViz website, the key features of Documents To Go for Maemo 5 include:

View, Edit & Create Word 97-2010 files (.doc / .docx)
View, Edit & Create Excel 97-2010 files (.xls / .xlsx)
View PowerPoint files
Keep original formatting thanks to InTact Technology
Mult-level zoom support
Live embedded hyperlink support
Interact with Table of Contents and web hyperlinks in your files.
Password protection of files

Installation and initial setup

The first thing you need to make sure of is that your Nokia N900 is upgraded to the latest version 1.2 Maemo 5 operating system. The install file is sized at about 9 MB and there is currently no desktop companion software for synchronization. After installation, you then will see Word To Go, Sheet To Go, and Slideshow To Go icons on your N900 launcher screen. There is no global, centralized Documents To Go application on Maemo, which I think would be nice to have. After you tap on Word or Sheet To Go you are walked through a registration process with the options to Buy Now (takes you to their website), enter activation code (if you already purchased), or continue with the 30-day full version trial. After you enter your registration code for one of the products, it is applied to the database across the others so you only need to enter it once.

You will then land at a page (the file browser) with buttons to Open a document or create a New document. You can also tap the top central menu and see options for clearing recent files, about, settings, and activate features. The only thing here in these settings is to determine what format new files will be created in, either MS Office 97-2004 and XP or MS Office 2007-2008. You can top Open to browse for a supported file or tap New to create a new one.

Supported file types include the following:

Word 97, 2000, X, XP, 2003, 2007, 2010 for Windows
Word 98, 2001, 2004, 2008 for Macintosh
Excel 97, 2000, X, XP, 2003, 2007, 2010 for Windows
Excel 98, 2001, 2004, 2008 for Macintosh
Text (.txt)

You can use the Slideshow To Go module to view PowerPoint presentations and they do look good on the N900 display. There is currently no editing capability here though. You can use the TV out capability of the N900 to present on the road.

Using Documents To Go for Maemo 5

I am going to break this section down into the three modules of Documents To Go and include the available menus and options in the software. Much of the functionality in the first module applies to the others and I will not repeat myself for each section below. I also tested out the InTact Technology and from my experiences so far all of my special formatting (headings, logos, etc.) stayed just as they were on the original document even when transferring via a USB drive connection. You can also email documents directly from within the application, as you will see.

Word To Go After tapping the New button you will see a blank white page with your cursor at the top left of the first line. There is no support for portrait orientation, which is fine since the keyboard works in landscape mode and the landscape display is optimal for Office document editing and creation. You will see the menu options and software functions along the bottom of the display. Moving from left to right along the bottom, we see nine icons for document control, editing, and more. Tapping the first five icons opens up a submenu with icons or selector boxes appearing above these icons. The first one is for saving the document, the second is for character formatting (bold, italic, underline), the third for paragraph formatting (left, center, right, and justified), the fourth is for text color selection, the fifth is for indent right or left, the sixth is for zoom levels (50%, 100%, and 200%), the seventh is to find and replace text, the eighth is to email the document, and the last one on the right is to toggle full screen on and off. You can also use the volume button to zoom in and out in Documents To Go.

You can also tap the top center toolbar and see options for formatting (character and paragraph), Go to, Properties, About, and Help. Character formatting includes font (4 available by default), size, bold, italic, underline, text color, and highlight color. Paragraph formatting is the same as the icon with left, center, right, and justified. The Go To options include top, middle, and center.

Word To Go works well, especially with the dedicated Ctrl button on the N900 giving you easy access to copy and paste functionality right from the keyboard. The arrow keys work just fine, but using a program like this does make me miss having a Tab button. If you try to leave the document without saving then you are given the option to save or close without saving.

Sheet To Go Starting a new spreadsheet in Sheet To Go takes you to a blank spreadsheet on Sheet 1. By default you are zoomed into 50% with options to jump to 100%, 150%, and 200%. 50% is a bit difficult to work with, but it lets you see columns from A to Q and rows from 1 to 35 by default. Similar to Word To Go there are icons along the bottom to format and navigate the application. There are eight icons in Sheet To Go, including save, text formatting, cell formatting, number formatting, zoom slider, find/replace, email, and full screen toggle. Cell formatting options include font selector (3 fonts), font size, bold, italic, underline, text color, cell color, and alignment (general, left, center, and right). Number formatting includes category (general, number, currency, date, time, percentage, scientific, and text).

Since this is a spreadsheet with calculations you will want to spend time working in the cell formatting area. After tapping in a cell you then tap in the top cell input box and will see a red x, green check, and fx icon. Tapping fx pops up the function category selector from ten possible categories. Tapping on a column pops up a menu for fit, hide, unhide, insert, and delete. Tapping on a row pops up a menu for hide, unhide, insert, and delete. You can press and hold shift and then use the arrow keys to select multiple cells, rows, or columns in the spreadsheet. Up in the top right you can tap the visible button to jump to other sheets or edit sheets (insert, rename, and delete). You can also tap the cell name in the upper left to quickly jump to another cell.

There is no chart creation capability in Sheet To Go and I couldn’t figure out how to link cells between sheets. There are a ton of functions available and the software does cover just about everything you would do on your phone with Excel.

Slideshow To Go DataViz stated that PowerPoint slideshow editing and creation will eventually be coming to Documents To Go, but for now it is only available for viewing slideshows. After opening up a PPT or PPS file you see a few controls on the bottom for find, email, arrow forward or arrow back, and jump to a slide. There is also a full screen toggle over in the bottom right corner. Tapping the top center toolbar gives you buttons to view slides, outline, and notes. You can also see options to open a slideshow, save a copy, view the slideshow properties, and view the software version.

When you jump into full screen mode you will see large navigation arrows on the left and right side of the slides. Slideshow To Go can be valuable for reviewing slideshows and preparing yourself to present on the go.

Conclusion

DataViz Documents To Go is a functional application that brings Word and Excel creation and editing to the Nokia N900. It is as powerful as most other mobile Office applications on other platforms and knowing DataViz they will add functionality to make it even better. Their InTact Technology does a great job of maintaining your original document formatting too.

Ratings (out of 5)

Features: 4
Stability: 5
Speed and performance: 5
Ease of use: 4.5

Overall: 4.5/5

Pros

Native Word and Excel appear as intended
Fast and responsive
Easy to understand and use control icons/li>
Stable

Cons

Higher priced application

6 0

It’s here! DataViz brings Office editing and creation to the N900

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 15:02:37 +0000

Back in May DataViz told us that Documents To Go Premium would be coming to the Nokia N900 after the 1.2 update. On May 26th, the 1.2 update was released, but all I heard from DataViz was the sound of crickets and I worried that they dropped this project since Maemo 5 was a dead end for the Nokia N900. I am very pleased to now inform you that Documents To Go Premium Edition for Nokia Maemo 5 is now available for the N900. The software costs $29.99 and if you want to know all about it, then stay tuned here for a full review tomorrow.

I have Documents To Go on my Google Android and iPad devices and find it to be one of the best ever Office suites and this software will have me using my N900 more now. With this software you can view, edit, and create Microsoft Word and Excel documents and spreadsheets right on your N900. According to the website, key features include:

Native Word and Excel File Editing, including Office 2007 and 2010 files.
Password Protection
Quick Keyboard Shortcuts
InTact technology to retain original formatting
Multi-level zoom
Live hyperlink support
PowerPoint Support Coming Soon (Support for editing Microsoft PowerPoint files will be available as a free update once available.)

Customers who have already purchased Documents To Go Viewer Edition v 1 for Maemo will receive a FREE upgrade to Premium Edition. A 30-day, fully functional free trial is available for download via a pre-loaded download link on the Nokia N900 and also via Ovi Store. For those who interested in a view-only solution, Documents To Go Viewer Edition will remain available for $9.99.

UPDATE: I installed and started using DTG for Maemo, but didn’t get a chance to finish up my review so stay tuned for it. I did walk through the upgrade process, which is not really straightforward for everyone and seems to involve interacting with their website. Here is what worked for me:

Log into www.dataviz.com with your registration number and last name, then select ‘my account’. Next to your product, your free upgrade hyperlink will be available. All users that purchased version 1.0 of the Viewer will receive the Premium Edition free of charge. After going through this you should be able to enter your registration number and activation code to unlock the Premium Edition.

6 0

Want a Nokia N900 or E72 for $1? Keep an eye on the golden egg

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 15:08:33 +0000

I know I am ruining my own chances at a fantastic offer, but wanted to let you all know about the cool Nokia Newegg.com promotion where you have the chance to pick up a Nokia N900 or E72 for just $1. There are special Newgg.com-Nokia banner ads with a yellow egg and the two devices, found on a couple of sites mentioned on the WOMWorld site, and when that egg flashes if you are the first to click through then you can get this deal. This is for North American Nokia fans only.

Feel free to click the egg above when it is flashing and if you do happen to stumble upon this over the next month please let us know. I understand there will be 20 such offers over the next month so some people are going to get a fantastic deal on one of these devices.

1 7

Google Android 2.2 shown running on a Nokia N900

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 17:23:26 +0000

I’ve been using the Nokia E73 Mode as my primary T-Mobile device for the last couple of weeks and as awesome as the N900 is I am finding the utility and ease-of-use of the E73 Mode to be more compelling at the moment. If you are bored with your N900, then you should check out this Android Central post that shows Google Android Froyo 2.2 running on the N900. There are definitely limitations with the build at the moment, but it is pretty slick it runs as well as it does.

I wonder if the issues with the SD card mounting have to do with the fact that there is an integrated flash drive on the N900 since I have seen issue with apps on the HTC Incredible (one of the only Android phones with an integrated flash drive). I am pleased enough with the N900 and Maemo while also having my own Sprint HTC EVO 4G that I do not plan to attempt this port. Any readers try this out? Keep in mind, I am NOT recommending it and just thought it was pretty cool that it is possible.

7 0

Nokia N8 to be last Symbian-powered Nseries, MeeGo moving forward

Fri, 25 Jun 2010 14:39:43 +0000

There has been a lot of people writing in the press that the N8 is the end of Symbian and other such nonsense. Last Fall Nokia made it clear that future high end devices were going to be powered by Maemo (now MeeGo) so the fact that the Nseries lines is going this way is clearly no surprise to anyone. I think people may be a bit disappointed that the upcoming N8, that hasn’t even been released yet, has a visible end of life. As someone who bought and enjoys using the Nokia N900, I am a bit hesitant to get the N8 since if looks to be following the same pattern. Then again, I switch phones so often that this shouldn’t really matter. Others though do not switch this much and thanks to webOS, Android, and the iPhone people have come to expect their smartphones to be upgradeable for at least the 2 year contract cycle. We have not seen any news that the N8 will be upgradeable to MeeGo so this concerns people who were considering paying for this new flagship device.

We also have not seen much in the way of what MeeGo really means and I am not completely sold that Nokia is all in with this either. Nokia has changed their mind and it seems tough to sell to developers what the path forward is with changes and inconsistencies in your strategy. Rafe assembled an excellent article over on All About Maemo that lays it all out.

10 1

Nokia N900 update 1.2 now available in the US

Wed, 26 May 2010 15:27:56 +0000

I mentioned yesterday that the 1.2 update was rolling out in the UK for the Nokia N900, but that I was leaving on vacation so I didn’t think I would get it. I am leaving in a couple of hours, but saw the update appear on my N900 so I couldn’t resist updating my device. I did get a low memory available error, but simply turned off all my application catalogs (except for Nokia), restarted, and the update was applied. I like to live dangerously and did not create a backup first, as prompted, and just went for it with the update. It took about 10 minutes in total time to update my Nokia N900, but my device is now update and reads Version 10.2010.19-1.002.

I have only spent a couple of minutes with it, but have the following quick thoughts for you:

The custom positioning is not just for the first application screen, but all of your apps appear on the page and there is no longer a More apps 2nd screen. Everything appears on one, but I have not seen anyway to create folders for further organization.
The Ovi Maps interface and functionality is MUCH IMPROVED! I like the easy view toggle, much better directions setup interface, walking and driving directions entry screen, and more. I plan to test this out a lot more when I return. We now need offline Ovi Maps support so I can take my N900 when I leave the country.
I cannot figure out how to switch to portrait mode in the browser since rotating the display does not seem to do it.

What do you like in the update?

7 0

Nokia N900 1.2 update rolling out soon, is it enough?

Tue, 25 May 2010 18:02:05 +0000

Great, just as I am getting ready to leave town for over a week on a cruise with my wonderful wife of 17 years Nokia goes and decides to release the N900 version 1.2 firmware update. The update is rolling out in the UK today and starts globally tomorrow. Unfortunately, I will not be able to provide you all with an in-depth walk through the update until after I return next week. In the meantime, let’s take a look at what you can expect.

New games will be released, including Jurassic 3D, Rollercoaster, Angry Birds level pack, and more. These games will show up in the Ovi Store after Thursday, 27 May.

You will also see some improvements in the communication systems. You will be able to accept or decline meeting invitations. Facebook IM chat will be included, along with some kind of video calling capability (not sure what client is being used here) via Skype as Jason tested out and confirmed. Portrait web browsing is included. There is also an Ovi Maps update and I sure hope it gives us a MUCH improved experience because it is quite lame at the moment.

Thankfully, you will also find the ability to customize the first level of the menu system icons.

Several of these updates are things we have been able to do with kludgy fixes so it is nice to see a single update incorporate these capabilities.

Here is my list of things I want to see improved in the N900 and I have no idea if this update will address any of them as details still are not fully revealed:

Improved email client that more closely matches other smartphones
Ability to send text messages in portrait mode with the on-screen keyboard
Ability to organize application icons/shortcuts into folders

Are you happy to see this update? What is the biggest feature you were looking forward to? What else would you like to see before Nokia abandons Maemo and switches to Meego?

6 0

Review: OtterBox Commuter Series for Nokia N900

Tue, 25 May 2010 14:51:53 +0000

I just mentioned the Nokia N900 Commuter Series OtterBox case a couple of weeks ago and the great folks at OtterBox sent along a sample for me to check out since they know I am such a fan of my Nokia N900. The Nokia N900 Commuter Series case looked attractive on their site, but after it arrived and I placed my N900 inside I have to say it may be one of the best cases ever made by OtterBox for a phone or PDA.

Package and contents

The OtterBox Commuter Series for Nokia N900 comes in a clear plastic package with OtterBox labeling and details on a cardboard piece sandwiched between two plastic pieces. Thankfully, OtterBox doesn’t require you to have Ginsu knives and a degree in plastics to get the case open and the two halves separate quite easily. Inside the plastic packaging you will find two halves to the case, a screen protector, lens cleaning cloth, installation card, and screen protector instructions. I did not use or try out the screen protector because I already have BodyGuardZ protector on my display and did not want to remove it for this review.

Installation

You will find two pieces that form this case and it is clear which piece is for the bottom and which piece is for the top. The bottom/back piece is the most substantial and has integrated silicone rubber plugs for the microUSB port and the 3.5mm headset jack to protect these openings from dust. I liked seeing the substantial silicone rubber piece along most of the top/right side with protrusions to control volume, toggle the power button, and control the camera capture button. There is even an opening next to the camera capture button for the IR port (I never use this though). You will find additional openings on the left/top and right/bottom sides for the stereo speakers, lock switch, microphone and stylus silo. There is no compromise really on any of the ports or openings with your N900 in this case. The keyboard is also fully accessible and the case just adds a couple millimeters around the edges.

Flipping around to the back you will see the OtterBox name on the lower portion with an opening around the camera lens that matches up perfectly. There is a notch out of the case so you can easily flip up the N900 kickstand too. You will find your N900 leans back a bit more on the kickstand in the case due to the added thickness of the case shell, but this viewing angle is still great for watching movie content. There is no impact at all on camera functionality when the case is on the N900.

The top piece is quite small and simply clips onto the display with small plastic tabs on the top/right side. I found that these hold the case on very well and experienced no movement or shifting of the case. This top piece adds a border around the display with an opening for the Nokia name and gives a bit of depth to the front display. With the touchscreen part of the display well inside the bezel you will find it has no impact on the touchscreen capability or functionality of the display.

The screen protector is a self-adhering piece of plastic that cover the entire front display on the device with a notch for the Nokia name and opening for the headset speaker. I mentioned I did not use it, but will apply it if my BodyGuardZ wears out since it appears to fit well and looks easy to install (I have used these same type on other devices before).

Every day usage and conclusions

I didn’t think I would actually keep my N900 in the case after the review, but I have to honestly say that it adds very little bulk to the N900 (already a rather chunky device) and my device has not left the case since it arrived. It offers a fair amount of protection and peace of mind knowing that my N900 can probably do better with a slip or fall from my hand while in the case. This is NOT a waterproof case and is designed to protect against bumps and shocks. I found no negative impact on the usability of my device and see no reason it will ever leave the case.

The OtterBox Commuter Series for Nokia N900 is available now in black for $34.95. If you are someone like me who spends time out in the field (shipyard in my case) or moves around a lot with their devices you might like to know that your device is protected from minor drops and bumps while also giving it a cool look and more substantial feel.

Ratings (out of 5)

Design and Function: 5
Fit and Finish: 5
Aesthetics: 4.5
Ease of Use/installation: 5

Overall: 5/5

Pros

Adds good protection to the N900 rugged corners and back covered well
Attractive and well constructed case
Fully accessibile ports and hardware buttons
Rubber covers for open ports to keep out dust

Cons

Bit bulky, but that is more a case of the N900 being chunky

7 0