Maemo Archive

  • Nokia N900 drops to $369, unlocked

    Nokia N900 drops to $369, unlocked

    Hard to believe but after all this time the N900 remains the most powerful handset in Nokia's vast collection of cellphones. No other Nokia handset even comes close and that won't change until Nokia launches the Symbian^3-powered N8 or the MeeGo-powered N9. So if you've got the dough and a certain inclination to write Python scripts on a Friday night, you might want to think about sliding $369 (down from $649 at launch or $479 currently at Nokia USA) Espoo's way for a crack at the ARM Cortex A8 slider. Sure, it's not the freshest face on the block, but the development community will certainly help eek-out every last bit of value for many months to come.

    P.S. Don't forget to apply the coupon code LL17PBSTFKZ440 to get the reduced price.

    Nokia N900 drops to $369, unlocked originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Jun 2010 09:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Nokia sells just 100,000 N900s after first five months: so? (updated: more like 5 weeks)

    Nokia sells just 100,000 N900s after first five months: so? (updated: more like 5 weeks)

    Look, the N900 might be sitting at the top of Nokia's handset pyramid in terms of capabilities, but as we've said all along, the N900 is not a mass-market device. Nokia's been very clear that the N900 was launched as a means to strengthen its Maemo development community (on the path to MeeGo we now know). And by all accounts, it's done just that while winning a rabid fanbase of nerds in the process. Nevertheless, Reuters uses Gartner's estimate of less than 100,000 units sold in the device's first five months as proof that Nokia can't mount a challenge to RIM and Apple. True the numbers are paltry compared to the 8.75 million iPhones Apple sold from January to March, but a more apt comparison might be the oft noted Nexus One sales that reached just 135k units moved after 74 days. Regardless, in its defense, Alberto Torres, head of Nokia's solutions business said that "Sales have substantially exceeded expectations." So yeah, Nokia has problems, but the N900 isn't wasn't one of them.

    Update: While Nokia doesn't normally give out detailed sales figures per device, we've just been told that more than 100,000 N900s sold in the first five weeks -- not months -- globally.

    Nokia sells just 100,000 N900s after first five months: so? (updated: more like 5 weeks) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 May 2010 05:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • MeeGo 1.0 for netbooks and N900 now available to download

    MeeGo 1.0 for netbooks and N900 now available to download

    You've seen it teased, and now it's time to shelve whatever you had planned for this evening (or morning, depending on your current coordinates) and slap the first bona fide 1.x MeeGo release onto whatever device you've got handy. As of right now, MeeGo v1.0 for Netbooks and v1.0 for Nokia N900 are available for download, with the former supporting Atom-based machines and the latter supporting... well, we'll let you take a stab there. The API that's being released includes Qt 4.6, and while the current SDK is tailored for netbooks, the next version -- slated to hit devs in June -- will support "touch-based devices, such as handsets and tablets." We're also told that v1.1 will be outed in October, with the development tree already being open. We're certainly digging the layout shown here at a glance, but why not give that source link a visit and find out how it suits you in real life? We heard Snooki totally digs it, too.

    [Thanks, Ernst]

    MeeGo 1.0 for netbooks and N900 now available to download originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 26 May 2010 18:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Nokia updates N900 to version 1.2 in UK, closes door on MeeGo

    Nokia updates N900 to version 1.2 in UK, closes door on MeeGo

    You've overclocked it and hacked it to run OS X and Android, now you can return your N900 to its native Maemo 5 OS with the launch of a version 1.2 software update. The V10.2010.19-1 bump now available in the UK (global on Wednesday) packs several enhancements including face-to-face video calling, improved Ovi Maps, and a better email experience with bundled Facebook IM Chat and the ability to accept or decline event invitations from the inbox. You'll also see a number of new games when the Ovi Store switches over on Thursday.

    And after much speculation, Nokia's also admitting that MeeGo will not be officially supported on the N900 once the Intel / Nokia OS is device ready. Nokia will continue to support the core Maemo OS, however, as demonstrated by today's update. Regardless, we're sure that the N900's active fan-base will deliver a MeeGo update outside of official channels, especially since the N900 is already being used as a platform for ARM-based MeeGo development.

    [Thanks, Pasu]

    Nokia updates N900 to version 1.2 in UK, closes door on MeeGo originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 May 2010 03:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Opera Mobile 10 lands on Maemo thanks to pro hobbyists

    Opera Mobile 10 lands on Maemo thanks to pro hobbyists

    What do you know, even professional coders like to develop things on the side. Opera's mobile dev team has been working on a "hobby project" to bring its browser to the Maemo-sporting Nokia N900 and N8x0 devices, and today sees the first fruit of that labor in the form of a "preview build" release. Fredrik Ohrn warns us that there might not ever be a final version, since this is being done just for fun -- and particularly in light of the MeeGo future that awaits the platform -- but for now it's yet another option for your versatile mini-computer. Click the source for the download.

    [Thanks, Jesus]

    Opera Mobile 10 lands on Maemo thanks to pro hobbyists originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 May 2010 08:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Moblin + Maemo + Linux Foundation = MeeGo

    Moblin + Maemo + Linux Foundation = MeeGo

    Intel's had their Moblin mobile Linux distribution for some time. Nokia's had their Maemo Linux distribution for awhile, too. Neither one really gained much traction in the development community. Along comes Google and everyone's like "OMG Android!!1" which must've really ticked off Intel and Nokia. In an effort to create a Linux distribution suited for new mobile devices -- not just phones -- Intel and Nokia are teaming up with the Linux Foundation to create MeeGo.

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  • Symbian goes open source, releases code to developers

    Symbian goes open source, releases code to developers

    After so many years of hoping and wishing, developers can start getting excited about coding for the Symbian platform. Sure, it’s taken a while and some might be looking forward to Maemo 6 later this year far more than a newer version of Symbian, but opening up the source code to the world’s largest operating [...]

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  • N900 turned into PS3 controller courtesy of BlueMaemo emulator

    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 coming to Vodafone UK in January 2010

    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 taking Ovi Store criticism to heart, planning revamped version to rival App Store

    Nokia taking Ovi Store criticism to heart, planning revamped version to rival App Store

    Not quite sure if you've noticed, but some pretty significant shifting is going on in the heart of Espoo. Just days after Nokia announced that it would be closing up its flagship shops in London, New York and Chicago, in flies this: a new Ovi Store is already in the works, and if all goes well, it'll be available for public use as early as next Spring. For those keeping tabs, that's right around a year after the (admittedly tumultuous) launch of the existing platform, which has yet to live up to the firm's own expectations according to George Linardos. In case you're wondering (and c'mon, you're wondering), Mr. Linardos is the head of products at Nokia's media group, and in speaking with the Financial Times, he confessed that the Ovi Store "had been outpaced by Apple." He also admitted that the chorus of complaints from end-users were driving the next version, noting that his company has "screens up in [their] offices running Twitter feeds [of gripes] all day long." In fact, he likened the act to "sitting there and getting punched in the face."

    As for the next go 'round, he's looking to take a "tortoise and hare" approach when it comes to competing with Apple, who he himself claims "radically changed" the world around us when the App Store was introduced. As it stands, George sees the Ovi Store as a "jambalaya" of services, with Ben Wood -- an analyst at CCS Insight -- proclaiming that "none of those [work] properly." In the future, Ben has confessed that Ovi needs "to get all their ducks lined up, including hardware, software and services." So, what exactly will said ducks look like early next year? We're told that new features will include "in-application payments, a redesigned user interface that makes apps easier to discover and faster operation," and beyond that, the outfit is also looking to toss in recommendations based on the app purchases of their friends. This is definitely stirring stuff to hear from someone deep within Nokia's lairs, and it certainly makes us all the more excited to see what the next generation will bring. Nothing like a little competition in the market place to really light a fire up under someone's posterior, right?

    Nokia taking Ovi Store criticism to heart, planning revamped version to rival App Store originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Dec 2009 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Nokia N900 teardown reveals smartphone semantics

    Nokia N900 teardown reveals smartphone semantics

    Until robots rule, we're still within our rights to do pretty much anything to our gadgets short of chucking them at the help. Still, some of you might want to look away as Nokia's promising flagship handset -- the Maemo powered N900 -- is stripped of its components and Finnish dignity to reveal its ARM Cortex-A8 CPU and PowerVR SGX 3D accelerator soul. Check the unofficial how-to video after the break. If you look real close you just might spot the difference between this "mobile computer" and a smartphone.

    Continue reading Nokia N900 teardown reveals smartphone semantics

    Nokia N900 teardown reveals smartphone semantics originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Nokia promises to take “Symbian user interface to a new level” in 2010, Maemo 6 in 2H

    Nokia promises to take “Symbian user interface to a new level” in 2010, Maemo 6 in 2H

    It's Nokia Capital Market Day again which means that the boys from Espoo are fawning over investors and giving them a reason to stick around in 2010. And you know what? It sure sounds promising for gadget nerds. Why the optimism? Easy: Nokia is hell-bent on redefining the user experience of its Symbian devices. To quote CEO, Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, "In 2010, we will drive user experience improvements, and the progress we make will take the Symbian user interface to a new level." To bolster this proclamation, the very first bullet point listed under Nokia's Devices and Services operational priorities is "improve our user experience" -- something that would thrill us to no end if it happens.

    The revamped Symbian UI is set to deliver on two "major product milestones" in the first and second halves of the year. Nokia will also deliver its first Maemo 6 "mobile computer" in the second half of 2010 flanked by a significantly increased proportion of "touch and/or QWERTY devices" in its smartphone portfolio. It's worth noting that all the discussion is around Symbian, just a single mention of Maemo and its "iconic user experience" in the forward looking press release. Developers will be happy to hear that Nokia will also continue to scale services geographically while continuing to enhance its developer tools like QT4.6 announced yesterday. Financially speaking, Nokia expects to see the erosion of its average selling price slowed compared to recent years. That's good as Nokia attempts to grow its margins. However, while Nokia expects mobile device volumes to be up approximately 10% in 2010 across the industry, it sees its own mobile device volume market share as flat in 2010, compared to 2009.

    Be clear on this though: our incredibly frustrating S60 5th user experience was by far the biggest complaint we had when reviewing Nokia's flagship N97 -- having the most bullet points on a list of features is not what it takes to lure consumers anymore (if ever). If Nokia can better the best in class experiences carved out by Apple, Palm, and HTC with its Sense UI then consumer mindshare, and our hearts, will follow.

    [Original image via Vladstudio]

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    Nokia promises to take "Symbian user interface to a new level" in 2010, Maemo 6 in 2H originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Dec 2009 07:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Nokia launching only one Maemo device in 2010?

    Nokia launching only one Maemo device in 2010?

    Better sit down Maemo fans. If you expected Nokia to just kick its waning S60 5th OS to the curb in 2010 after positive reaction to the Linux side of its dual-platform smartphone strategy, well, it ain't gonna happen. At least that's the word from a Reuters source with "direct knowledge of Nokia's product roadmap." Driving the point home is word from a Nokia spokesman who declined comment on future plans but did add, "We remain firmly committed to Symbian as our smartphone platform of choice." While this might sound like bad news to N900 enthusiasts given the vast number of handsets the company produces, keep in mind that Nokia's recent cuts in global R&D headcount (550 employees in total) was justified by Nokia's attempt to streamline operations to be in line with its "focused portfolio of future products." In other words, it sounds like we can expect less handsets from Espoo as they scale back the variety of models produced. And if anything can be learned from the boys in Cupertino: it only takes one handset to change the game.

    Nokia launching only one Maemo device in 2010? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Nov 2009 04:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Nokia N900 now shipping in the land of Ford freedom trucks

    Nokia N900 now shipping in the land of Ford freedom trucks

    Love to tinker and tweak your smartphone? Find running beta apps a challenge, not a burden? Then you'll be happy to hear that Nokia's N900 running Maemo 5 is now shipping in the US, a week later than the press release suggested. This Cortex-A8 phone with 32GB of on-board storage is ripe with potential and the perfect holiday gift for grandma as long as she's comfortable dropping into the X Terminal for the occasional "rm -R /home/user/.microfeed" command. It's still listed for $649 unlocked from Nokia direct though that price will be dropping soon enough.

    [Thanks, Alex]

    Nokia N900 now shipping in the land of Ford freedom trucks originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 07:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Nokia N900 drops to $480 on Amazon

    Nokia N900 drops to $480 on Amazon

    The N900's US retail price of $649 is a steep barrier to cross without the carrier subsidies negotiated in Europe. But what if we told you that Amazon has cut the price to $530 minus another $50 (after mail-in rebate) for a $480 take home price? Not bad for an unlocked ARM Cortex-A8 handset with excellent browser, 32GB of flash, 5 megapixel camera and an enthusiastic Maemo development community hellbent on making this the greatest device ever known to mankind. No, not by ship date (which is presumably any day now) but by 2012 if things go according to plan.

    [Thanks, Samuel]

    Nokia N900 drops to $480 on Amazon originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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