Tag Archive

How would you change Nokia’s N900?

Maemo 5 didn’t stand on its own for long before being mashed together with Intel’s Moblin, but Nokia’s N900 still stands as one of the best handhelds for web browsing. It’s hardly the world-beater that Nokia (may have) hoped it to be, but that’s not because the internals aren’t impressive. We’re guessing that only a handful of you made the effort to fork over wads of cash in order to pick an unlocked version up, but if you did, you no doubt have some opinions post-purchase. Is the display living up to your expectations? Are you and Maemo getting along alright? How’s that keyboard? We’re eager to know how you’d tweak the N900 if you had the keys to the design kingdom, and with MeeGo already being announced, we’re forbidding you from suggesting the obvious. Or you can, but we’ll be plugging our ears, closing our eyes and humming annoyingly.

Filed under: Cellphones

How would you change Nokia’s N900? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Mar 2010 22:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia N900 gets new firmware, new games coming too (video)

If your N900 is in need of a little more excitement, this post is for you. First up is word of a new firmware release (3.2010.02-8 (PR 1.1.1)), 16.2MB worth of apparently minor changes along with a slew of new regions, the inclusion of which may mean good things for those who haven’t been granted to this smartphone yet. If that’s not enough for you, at MWC Nokia is showing off some new apps for the handset, the most notable being a couple of 3D games that look a wee bit simplistic in terms of gameplay but don’t disappoint in terms of graphics. No word on when exactly these will be hitting Ovi Store — well, nothing more specific than “soon.” Video after the break (of the games, not the firmware update).

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading Nokia N900 gets new firmware, new games coming too (video)

Nokia N900 gets new firmware, new games coming too (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 07:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PlayStation 3 controller used for N900 gaming (video)

Is the N900 the most hacker-friendly phone ever created? All sources are pointing to “yes.” Just two short months ago, we saw one determined code monkey turn his N900 into a PS3 controller; today, we’re looking at someone who did the exact opposite. If you’ve memorized the Debian source code and aren’t afraid to dabble in the wild and murky world of N900 modding, you too can one day use a spare SIXAXIS controller in order to dictate gameplay on your Nokia handset. All the instructions you need are there in the source link, and for everyone else just looking to have a watch from the sidelines, hop on past the break and mash play.

Continue reading PlayStation 3 controller used for N900 gaming (video)

PlayStation 3 controller used for N900 gaming (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 13 Feb 2010 10:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mac OS X 10.3 installed on Nokia N900 via PearPC, barely usable for impatient geeks

Curious folks around the world enjoy a bit of hackintosh every now and then (although once is enough for many), but no geek has successfully ventured as far as Toni Nikkanen of Finland, who became the first person to run OS X on a phone — the Nokia N900. As you can see in the video after the break, Toni’s hack relies on PearPC — a PowerPC emulator — to install good ol’ OS X 10.3 (Panther), but the mammoth sluggishness means it’s far from usable. Still, if you can spare 90 minutes for each boot-up plus plenty more for the snail-paced cursor, then head to the source to learn from Herra Nikkanen.

[Thanks, Matija]

Continue reading Mac OS X 10.3 installed on Nokia N900 via PearPC, barely usable for impatient geeks

Mac OS X 10.3 installed on Nokia N900 via PearPC, barely usable for impatient geeks originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 31 Jan 2010 19:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Firefox for Mobile makes Maemo its first home

As if you needed any more evidence of the tech supremacy of your Nokia N900 or N810, here’s Firefox making its official mobile debut on the most righteous Maemo OS. Available for download right now, version 1.0 will come with a pretty sweet feature named Weave Sync, which harmonizes your bookmarks, tabs, history and passwords across devices, making for a seamless transition between your desktop computer and your mobile one. We reckon we could get used to that. Alas, Flash support is still somewhat shaky, and does not come enabled by default, though you’re free to flip the switch and ride the lightning as it were. We’re sure Mozilla will appreciate any crash reports you might want to throw its way as well. So come on already, download the darn thing and let us know if it improves on the already spectacular browsing experience of the N900.

[Thanks, Ross M.]

Firefox for Mobile makes Maemo its first home originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 30 Jan 2010 11:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Keepin’ it real fake, part CCLII: Nokia N900 commits S60 5th fraud

It’s not the first N900 KIRF we’ve seen but it’s definitely the truest fake physical reproduction of Nokia’s flagship “mobile computer” to date. Not necessarily a good thing since its the raw power and OS that makes the N900 such a compelling handset — not its looks. Nevertheless, the industrial design, port placements, and QWERTY layout of this “N900 Style” handset is a near exact physical knock-off of its Nokia inspiration. Critically absent is Maemo 5 riding an ARM Cortex A8 processor, 32GB of integrated storage, WiFi, 3G data radio, Carl Zeiss optics, and the peace of mind you get when purchasing a genuine Nokia handset. Besides, even with dual-SIM support, do you really want to spend $120 for a JAVA-built S60 5th-ish user experience on a 3.2-inch display pushing 240 x 320 pixels? Oh hell no. One more shot after the break if you’re feeling surly.

[Thanks, Drew]

Continue reading Keepin’ it real fake, part CCLII: Nokia N900 commits S60 5th fraud

Keepin’ it real fake, part CCLII: Nokia N900 commits S60 5th fraud originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Jan 2010 04:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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N900 turned into PS3 controller courtesy of BlueMaemo emulator

Should you be the sort of person who doesn’t mind fiddling around with alpha level software, you’ll definitely want to know about the BlueMaemo Bluetooth emulator. Available via the Extras-Devel repository on your N900, this app allows the device to mimic other Bluetooth gadgets, such as keyboards, mice, and yes indeedy, gaming controllers. Its developer Valério Domingos humbly points out that the purpose of connecting up to a PS3 is purely for menu navigation and easier text input, though we’ve no doubt a few hardcore Nokia loyalists will try using this in an action game to prove the N900’s superiority. You may follow Valério and his ongoing refinement of the app in the Maemo.org link below, or you can jump past the break to see the full controller layout and an instructional video on how to hook things up — it’s in Italian, but you should be able to grasp what’s going on senza problemi.

[Thanks, shellshock]

Continue reading N900 turned into PS3 controller courtesy of BlueMaemo emulator

N900 turned into PS3 controller courtesy of BlueMaemo emulator originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Dec 2009 08:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia N900 and the case of the best unboxing ever

[Thanks, Matija]

Continue reading Nokia N900 and the case of the best unboxing ever

Nokia N900 and the case of the best unboxing ever originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 Dec 2009 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia N900 coming to Vodafone UK in January 2010

Quick and dirty bit of news for you lovely subjects of the United Kingdom and independent spirits of Ireland: Vodafone’s online store is showing the much hailed N900 as an option, with handsets expected at some point next month. The Irish arm of the carrier had already admitted it’ll be offering the device, and we foresee the two launching the handset simultaneously early in the new year, with regrettably little competition from the other UK carriers. As Electric Pig reported when the N900 first started shipping, only O2 replied with a “not yet,” while Orange and T-Mobile were presumably too busy making out to respond.

[Thanks, Rock]

Nokia N900 coming to Vodafone UK in January 2010 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Dec 2009 06:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia N900 impressively demos WebGL 3D graphics

We’re not sure anyone out there needs any more proof that the Nokia N900 is powerhouse, but just in case you still had doubts, check this video of a WebGL-enabled Firefox build smoothly rendering some complex 3D models on Espoo’s “internet tablet with phone capabilities.” It’s pretty impressive stuff, especially considering WebGL is still being standardized and it hasn’t gotten beyond Firefox nightlies on the desktop yet. Check it after the break.

[Thanks, Jouni]

Continue reading Nokia N900 impressively demos WebGL 3D graphics

Nokia N900 impressively demos WebGL 3D graphics originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Dec 2009 01:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia N900 glitch leads to useful portrait mode, caught on video

File this under “it’s not a bug, it’s a feature” if true. According to Guyver at the maemo.org forums, some glitch in the OS caused his Nokia N900 to switch into portrait mode for everything, not just dialer and photo apps as previously allowed. We’d love to eliminate the need for two hands to run our favorite chunks of mobile software, but so far we haven’t been able to recreate his trick. Try it at home if you’d like by tilting the device to launch the phone app, then sliding up the screen and closing the app. Perhaps the gang at Espoo can turn this into a legit update — if they’re awesome people, of course. Video after the break.

Continue reading Nokia N900 glitch leads to useful portrait mode, caught on video

Filed under: Cellphones

Nokia N900 glitch leads to useful portrait mode, caught on video originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 Nov 2009 15:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia’s Maemo 5-equipped N900 on sale in America for $649

We’ve already given you a glimpse at the N900, but as of today, you Yanks in the crowd can wrap your own limber paws around Nokia’s hero device. Admittedly tailored for enthusiasts and developers to use while the company maneuvers Maemo into its product line, the N900 is now available through Nokia Flagship stores in New York and Chicago, the firm’s website and “various independent retailers and e-tailers.” A tidy sum of $649 (or $510 if you’re smart enough to check Amazon) nabs you an unlocked version with a 5 megapixel camera, 32GB of internal storage and a bombastic, Flash-lovin’ web browser. Ain’t no shame in lusting after one, but tell us earnestly — are you forking out nearly seven bills to bring one home?

Filed under: Cellphones

Nokia’s Maemo 5-equipped N900 on sale in America for $649 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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