Nokia N900

podge018

Cheers, and I got the latest camera drivers so that's all good.

Couple more things, is it better to drop the undervolt number even less than 500, down to 200 say?

How can I play a video in the default media player in the background while web-browsing to see the advantages, as recommended on maemo.org, to test if you've overclocked enough.

OneWayBet

podge018 wrote: »

Cheers, and I got the latest camera drivers so that's all good.

Couple more things, is it better to drop the undervolt number even less than 500, down to 200 say?

How can I play a video in the default media player in the background while web-browsing to see the advantages, as recommended on maemo.org, to test if you've overclocked enough.

There is no advantage to dropping the min below 500 and the disadvantage is that it will be slower to respond until it ramps up. So people set the min to 500 and set the max to a value of their choosing. I find 850 is fine but you can go as high as you want to risk really but beware that you may brick it if you burn out your CPU from overclocking. Personally I've gone to 1000 but don't find the need to risk going higher.

Don't worry about playing video, if it doesn't crash it's fine but if you are going very high with clock speeds don't save the settings to default until you are confident it is stable. The risk is that you would set it too high and every time you reboot it would crash before you get to change it, this is why they say play some video to test it before saving but you can just use it normally and set it to default when you are happy with it.

podge018

A gentleman and a scholar, thank you.

Irish Gunner

Had to leave my n900 in for repair with Nokia and they gave me a brand new spanking new one. From the application manager is there something that you can add that gives you more applications to download. I only have the standard list but from memory I think there was a way of adding more ?

Thanks

LoGiE

You will probably have to install the hack to get your FM tranmitter working again. At least I did anyway when I got mine back from repair.

OneWayBet

Irish Gunner wrote: »

Had to leave my n900 in for repair with Nokia and they gave me a brand new spanking new one. From the application manager is there something that you can add that gives you more applications to download. I only have the standard list but from memory I think there was a way of adding more ?

Thanks

Presume you are missing the extras and extras-dev repositories http://www.nokian900applications.com/repositories-extras-extras-devel-and-extras-testing-for-nokia-n900/

Doubt.It

That's a good page because it has shortcuts you can click to install the repositories automatically. (If you browse it from your n900, of course...)

It should be mentioned though that you should only turn on the Extras one by default. This is the place for apps that have passed testing by the community and are considered reliable.

Extras-Testing, as the name suggests, contains stuff that is still undergoing testing so there's a danger that things are not going to work - or even cause you to have to reinstall Maemo all over again. So if you don't want to take chances keep Extras-Testing turned off until there's something specific you want to get. If you have it on, the phone will consider test versions of apps you have installed as updates and suggest you download them.

As for Extras-Devel, just don't go there!

OneWayBet

Doubt.It wrote: »

That's a good page because it has shortcuts you can click to install the repositories automatically. (If you browse it from your n900, of course...)

It should be mentioned though that you should only turn on the Extras one by default. This is the place for apps that have passed testing by the community and are considered reliable.

Extras-Testing, as the name suggests, contains stuff that is still undergoing testing so there's a danger that things are not going to work - or even cause you to have to reinstall Maemo all over again. So if you don't want to take chances keep Extras-Testing turned off until there's something specific you want to get. If you have it on, the phone will consider test versions of apps you have installed as updates and suggest you download them.

As for Extras-Devel, just don't go there!

That's a good point that I should have mentioned as there are dangers, having said that I've had Extras-Testing and Extras-Devel enabled for the over a year and never had a problem. One issue is that development builds will only be promoted to Testing and then to Extras if enough people "vote" for them, but given that most people don't bother signing on to maemo.org to vote for apps the whole process is effectively broken. I think the reality at this stage is that if you want to get regular updates to apps you might as well turn on the Dev stream. If you are risk averse then stick with the safer Extras-Testing or to be extra extra safe stick with only Extras

Irish Gunner

Now have another issue with this phone getting to be bit of a nuisance:mad:

It was working fine this morning and sent a text picked up the phone and the touchscreen was not working. Re booted and no joy cannot get into phone ? In London with work so have no access to texts or calls :mad: Looks like this phone is going back to Nokia for the 2nd time this year.

I was thinking of holding on to this phone but this could be the straw that breaks the camels back and pushes me to the Galaxy s 2 or HTC sensation.

Anyone else experience this issue before ?

OneWayBet

Irish Gunner wrote: »

Now have another issue with this phone getting to be bit of a nuisance:mad:

It was working fine this morning and sent a text picked up the phone and the touchscreen was not working. Re booted and no joy cannot get into phone ? In London with work so have no access to texts or calls :mad: Looks like this phone is going back to Nokia for the 2nd time this year.

I was thinking of holding on to this phone but this could be the straw that breaks the camels back and pushes me to the Galaxy s 2 or HTC sensation.

Anyone else experience this issue before ?

Sounds like it could be a fault but it would be worth trying each of the following:

1) Shutdown, remove battery temporarily and boot up.
2) Reflash

I've been lucky with mine as never had any faults and never even had to reflash despite even using Extras-Devel in anger and app development.

On the subject of S II vs Sensation, I've just bought the S II which should arrive in the post tomorrow. I got mine on eBay but I've also seen what look like good deals on adverts.ie if you're thinking of buying outright without a contract.

Alanstrainor

My N900 had a hissy fit with it's touch screen a few months ago at this stage. A few reboots, and taking the battery off and holding the power button seemed to sort it. I'm pretty sure a reflash happened too, although i can't remember exactly what the process was unfortunately!

I'm enjoying my Windows Phone 7 experience...my n900 hasn't been on in a couple of weeks. It's a bit annoying having such a great device just sitting there.

AH92

Hey guys im in a bit of dilemma here my n900 screen broke today as I let it drop by accident! No visible crack on the outside but the inside of the screen got punctured and now the screen has totally gone black with weird coloured lines on the right side. Can anyone recommend a decent place to get it repaired? I was looking into fonemenders but I heard horror stories about them from people on this forum! Thanks for reading.

Irish Gunner

Alanstrainor wrote: »

My N900 had a hissy fit with it's touch screen a few months ago at this stage. A few reboots, and taking the battery off and holding the power button seemed to sort it. I'm pretty sure a reflash happened too, although i can't remember exactly what the process was unfortunately!

I'm enjoying my Windows Phone 7 experience...my n900 hasn't been on in a couple of weeks. It's a bit annoying having such a great device just sitting there.

Left battery out for day rebooted and no joy.How did you work with the power button? Don't want to flash it as still under warranty.Have it close to 2 years and in that time sound on calls was low. Got a new phone from Nokia as replacement.Did not load any testing repository apps and now the touch screen gone?. In London for week so going back to Nokia when I get back

Doubt.It

AH92 wrote: »

Hey guys im in a bit of dilemma here my n900 screen broke today as I let it drop by accident! No visible crack on the outside but the inside of the screen got punctured and now the screen has totally gone black with weird coloured lines on the right side. Can anyone recommend a decent place to get it repaired? I was looking into fonemenders but I heard horror stories about them from people on this forum! Thanks for reading.

Well I was talking with the people at the Nokia repair shop in Galway (Eyre Square centre) about n900 repair and maintenance, and I think they said replacing the screen was €75. Less than I expected.

OneWayBet

Irish Gunner wrote: »

Left battery out for day rebooted and no joy.How did you work with the power button? Don't want to flash it as still under warranty.Have it close to 2 years and in that time sound on calls was low. Got a new phone from Nokia as replacement.Did not load any testing repository apps and now the touch screen gone?. In London for week so going back to Nokia when I get back

I doubt getting a replacement handset resets the warranty 'clock', but I believe the standard warranty by Nokia is 2 year EU-wide so make sure you get it in before that time is up!

OneWayBet

Doubt.It wrote: »

Well I was talking with the people at the Nokia repair shop in Galway (Eyre Square centre) about n900 repair and maintenance, and I think they said replacing the screen was €75. Less than I expected.

That's a very good price and I'm very surprised that the could possibly make any money out it when you factor in the part, staff handling time and repair workshop time. My only worry would be that you hand it in and get a call a week later saying there is a mainboard fault, worth a shot though I guess. A second hand replacement might cost about 150 euro and I guess you might get 50-70 euro or so for parts on eBay if you sell the old one, assuming it is faulty.

podge018

No matter how I set my min max kernel power, it reverts to 125, 850.

can anybody tell me the command to set it to 500, 900 so it will stay like that even after a reboot.

Doubt.It

The command quoted two pages back worked for me. How are you checking the speed? I thought that if you had Power Kernel installed the CPU would never fall back as far as 125 MHz.

OneWayBet wrote: »

That's a very good price and I'm very surprised that the could possibly make any money out it when you factor in the part, staff handling time and repair workshop time...

I couldn't swear that that included labour, it might have been just the price of the part. (I'd sooner fit it myself anyway.)

Actually I might as well elaborate on this. I was enquiring about a small light area on my screen. It shows up when the screen is bright and there's a white or light background. Not too distracting, but a bit annoying considering the quality of the screen otherwise. I didn't know if it was damage I had done myself or if it was a fault that might be covered by warranty, so I asked in the Nokia repair place.

They said it was neither - not damage, but not a fault that would be covered by warranty. I wasn't too satisfied with that answer...

Sparks

Now being released to developers (not yet available for sale):



They've renamed it the Nokia N950 (the N9 is some candybar formfactor N8 upgrade thing). And yes, it's running MeeGo.

Alanstrainor

Sparks wrote: »

Now being released to developers (not yet available for sale):



They've renamed it the Nokia N950 (the N9 is some candybar formfactor N8 upgrade thing). And yes, it's running MeeGo.

Hey Nokia, i'm a developer...promise! Gimme gimme gimme!

I want it, but at the same time i know i'd never use it as a "phone", it would always be a toy.

I went to windows phone 7 and i'm loving it. I miss the N900 browser though! Oh and I miss having 48GB of music on my device!

Doubt.It

Here's where you go to ask!

As many here will know by now, the N9 did end up being a real phone - the actual MeeGo model that is going on sale (though there's no date as yet, except "later this year").

It looks stunning. Blogging about it here.

However it makes me glad I chose the N900, because the N9 lacks the one thing I can't do without - a pressure-responsive screen. I need that to draw on screen with pen-type tools; finger drawing just isn't the same. It was about inevitable that they were going to go capacitive, but the sad side is that there will probably never be another screen like the N900's, the apotheosis of resistive technology.

*Takes off hat.*

Perhaps in the future there will be a Linux-based phone that uses a hybrid screen technology, like that on the HTC Flyer. I can live in hope.

OneWayBet

I wasn't sure if they were ever going to release it but given that they are clearly dumping the platform it is hard to see why anyone would cough up 600 euro or similar for a phone that might only receive the bare minimum of firmware hot fixes. I love the platform and really hoped it would make it mainstream but sadly Nokia didn't have the balls for a fight and I think their share price shows that fortune doesn't favour the fearful.

matrim

I agree with OneWayBet. I wouldn't buy this phone new like I did the N900. It looks nice and I'd consider it on the cheap but 600 euro for a phone that's effectively outdated on release. Pity I'm not available for development work at the moment or I'd apply for a development model and try to port webtexter and Extended Call Log

Alanstrainor

Yeah there is no way i'd buy this. I'd take one for free though! Haha

Dyr

Doubt.It wrote: »

Here's where you go to ask!


It looks stunning. Blogging about it here.

You mean the form factor? Cos the UI footage that I've seen on youtube is pretty ugly imo

smegheadz

don't know about you guys buy i've been following the tmo forums and there's been lots of speculation and disappointment and amazement.

from what i've looked up and read etc i'm getting it. simply because it's a step up from the n900 in that it's a full user experience out of box and there's updates to come with more features eg folders for sorting app's, fm tx/rx (has hardware but not software for it yet) still finding more pieces as the days tick by.

Don't think i could get rid of the n900 though, it's a 1 of a kind and so many times it's come in handy.

Edit:
it's easy to dismiss it and predict failure when you don't know about it or have used it. i suggest checking out gsmarena and engadgt hands on reviews (notorious for hating on nokia)

Alanstrainor

smegheadz wrote: »

it's easy to dismiss it and predict failure when you don't know about it or have used it. i suggest checking out gsmarena and engadgt hands on reviews (notorious for hating on nokia)

When nokia themselves have said that they are not going to support it, it's failed before it starts. It has really great hardware, with software/OS that's still not ready.

KrisW

It has really great hardware, with software/OS that's still not ready.

From the demos, though, N9 looks like a phone you with enough working functions (MMS, Chat, Facebook/Twitter, Video, Bluetooth, Notification, and an excellent browser) that you could give it to anyone, and that was certainly not true of Android at that stage of release. The browser on these phones (N900 and now N9) is so good you don't need many of the apps that just replicate existing websites.

N9 is an odd beast, but it's not entirely the dead-end you might think. Meego-Harmattan, the OS running this phone, is no longer going to be developed by Nokia. But... everything you see in those UI demos is not Meego-Harmattan at all - it's all application software, and most (if not all) of that software is written in Qt. Qt is used on Symbian too, so there is a pretty big pool of apps that will be ported - if only to give their developers an excuse to get an N9

There wasn't much wrong with Maemo as an OS.. it was the applications that needed work, and it looks like they got that work. It's just a shame that reworking things that were already okay (i.e. moving from Maemo to MeeGo) took so much effort.

Now, what chance that some of this software will come to N900?

Dyr

KrisW wrote: »

Now, what chance that some of this software will come to N900?

be more interesting maybe if this meego-harmattan-maemo OS was available for the N900

OneWayBet

I think the only thing that could save the device is to bundle Alien Dalvik with it, this would give some comfort to anyone who is thinking about buying it but afraid in case the platform turns out to be a total failure. If it can run Android apps then it could have a good future. It's hard to see it being a standalone commercially viable apps platform with the relatively tiny user base. There will always be open source developers but most people also want the option of commercial quality apps.