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]

[DrDr Posted Dec 3rd 2009 1:16AM]

Heres hoping palm is hard at working trying to get this on the Pre.

[ZeRoCo0L Posted Dec 3rd 2009 1:35AM]

@(Unverified)

Yea the Pre is underclocked and has the GPU and it seems nothing is taking advantage of it yet which is sad.

[Pdexter Posted Dec 3rd 2009 1:43AM]

@(Unverified) Thought Pre dosen't have hardware acceleration.

[Bender Bending Rodriguez Posted Dec 3rd 2009 1:57AM]

@(Unverified) I doubt we’ll ever see Fennec/Firefox for Mobile on the Pre. Perhaps a much later build of WebOS, but I wouldn’t hold your breath for that either.

A big reason is the current lack of number to support the port, the other is that the Pre’s WebOS is a browser with the already excellent WebKit engine. Current nighties of WebKit already support WebGL so it’s not unfathomable to expect this in a future WebOS upgrade, if not for the Pre then at least for a future WebOS build.

So far Fennec is slated Maemo, Symbian, Windows Mobile 6.0+ and Android.

PS: Mozilla is coming from far behind with BB OS, Android, WebOS and iPhone OS all supporting WebKit. I was afraid they wouldn’t have a chance but this gives me new hope that they have a chance to come back, especially if Nokia can reorganize itself and come back with a competitive offering.

[yulebellow Posted Dec 3rd 2009 1:18AM]

youtube strikes again

[dr0p Posted Dec 3rd 2009 1:23AM]

Definitely getting this device...

[Teslanaut Posted Dec 3rd 2009 1:25AM]

Glad to see this coming along. Hopefully it'll replace Flash with GPU accelerated video playing (I know Adobe is getting GPU acceleration soon) that the web browser can natively support without needing some sort of 3rd party plugin.

[mex Posted Dec 3rd 2009 1:27AM]

Yeah I think GPU is the next evolution for smartphones, I suspect it could be the upgrade for the next iPhone and most of the Androids

[Johnny Rockets Posted Dec 3rd 2009 1:33AM]

A positive N900 article? AND no fruit-phone mentions. What is this sorcery??

Can't wait for the full N900 review. Any ETA?

Man, I so wish I could go to a store and try it out.

[ww917352 Posted Dec 3rd 2009 2:13AM]

@Johnny Rockets Every article about N900 on engadget is positive! Either you are a troll or you don't know the difference between N97 and N900.

[majortom Posted Dec 3rd 2009 2:29AM]

@Johnny Rockets
just got an email from Amazon that states they expect to ship on the 10th or the 11th of this month. Yeah!

[Jakob Posted Dec 3rd 2009 3:09AM]

@Johnny Rockets There was a Espoo reference though..

[Mr w00t Posted Dec 3rd 2009 3:33AM]

@ww917352 No he is not a troll..
I watched a video from engadget that basically they were ridiculing the device in front of a crowd. The guy with the glasses forgot his name. The apple guy.

[PATRICKmcnicholl Posted Dec 3rd 2009 12:33PM]

Don't try to deny this. Apple did bring alot of changes to the smartphone market. The N900 would never have been made if the iphone wasn't, as with most other Smartphones today. Therefore it is only logical to compare the Original with one of the Newest/anticipated smartphones.

[Satz Posted Dec 3rd 2009 1:09PM]

@PATRICKmcnicholl
you have to either stupid or dumb , how do you conclude without iPhone no N900 ?? it comes from Nokia Maemo Tables, like 770 with..new software with the addition of phone features.

[theflew Posted Dec 3rd 2009 1:46PM]

@PATRICKmcnicholl

You do understand that maemo has been around since 2005 in the Nokia 770 and the N800 prior to the iPhone. It's been an evolution and in the end I expect maemo to be a lot deeper than the iPhone or Android.

[PATRICKmcnicholl Posted Dec 3rd 2009 3:24PM]

Wait, so are you guys saying that Nokia had the first phone with a capacitive touchscreen with gestures and touch friendly UI? OMG! Apple is a con! Nokia made multitouch! Guys, get real. I'm not talking about the operating system. Yes, we all have lots of things to hate about Apple, but get some sense and don't come out with such rubbish that this phone had a Capacitive and multitouch screen and UI and didn't borrow this concept off Apple. iPhone: First Capacitive touchscreen phone with multitouch and app store Nokia N900: Nokias answer to all of that. Therefore, it is right to compare them.

[Evolyptic Posted Dec 21st 2009 11:39PM]

@PATRICKmcnicholl Please don't confuse bring a technology mainstream to making the technology. Apple didn't make Multi-touch, and they didn't make Capacitive touch screens. I credit them for making a simplistic operating system, but as mentioned. Linux OSs had been on phones before Apple's. So, I don't see where they ripped off apple. This looks nothing like the bleak & simple OSM.

[LeJay Posted Dec 3rd 2009 1:34AM]

It's pretty cool they got it running (which seems to be the point of the video), but I'm not really that impressed with the performance given the hardware specs.

[ed Posted Dec 3rd 2009 1:42AM]

@LeJay
Notice how he said it is completely unoptimised for this device?

This sort of thing isn't even in beta, more like pre-pre-pre-alpha.

[LeJay Posted Dec 3rd 2009 1:50AM]

@ed
Notice how I point out I realize the point of the video is simply to show that it is up and running :).

[Sree Posted Dec 3rd 2009 1:41AM]

I am a tech geek and I approve this phone....

Nokia...yes you can...

Suck on this apple...

[TinWard Posted Dec 3rd 2009 8:11AM]

@Sree Yeah, suck on it Apple, nobody cares if Safari is the most standards compliant browser ever made, if it doesn't support WebGL and run all the millions of sites that have WebGL content like uh... well it doesn't matter 'cos it's a feature iphone doesn't have yet and it's on an unreleased phone. Sure it could be released in a simple software update but you weren't first... AHAHAHAHAHAH. Unless of course Apple officially release support first but still random Apple hatred in a thread not about them is good AHAHAHAHAAH.

[TinWard Posted Dec 3rd 2009 8:13AM]

Ah, my bad :P:

http://www.macrumors.com/2009/09/13/webgl-support-begins-to-arrive-in-webkit/

[skumancer Posted Dec 3rd 2009 3:54PM]

@Sree What does this have to do with apple? Why the hate?

[Sree Posted Dec 3rd 2009 4:39PM]

@skumancer

for the hype apple creates....I would expect a lot from it....and I don't want the company to tell me what to do....

and I am sick of the blind fan following to the iPhone.....there are many smart apple fans....but majority of them are iSheep....they become fan boys because they think owning an apple product is cool...

I bought the first iPhone 2g, used it for more than a year....then bought the 3g iPhone....and now an iPod touch....so I exactly know what I hate, what I like and why....unlike the fan boys...

I am sorry if you think I came out a little rude...

[Hovesko Posted Dec 3rd 2009 1:48AM]

WOW!!
I can't F-ing wait till this phone is shipped via Amazon

[Hydra Posted Dec 3rd 2009 2:03AM]

Needs att 3g radio, I will wait 2 months before buying a new phone, your move nokia

[Junzhi Posted Dec 3rd 2009 2:53AM]

@Hydra

Just curious but why don't you just switch carriers? I'd gladly switch to T-Mo if I could.. but sadly my contract is still not over. Not to mention T-Mobile actually offers plans free of contract. AT&T 3G is too bogged down by all the iPhones, and it seems that most manufacturers are not including AT&T bands just because they figure that if you're on AT&T you're probably just going to buy the iPhone, especially considering there don't seem to be any other good smartphones which are subsidized.

[katatonic Posted Dec 3rd 2009 2:54AM]

@Hydra

switch to t-mo. simple.

[Hydra Posted Dec 3rd 2009 3:45AM]

@Junzhi Can't switch to Tmobile, then I would have no phone service at all. Tmobile does not work in my area because they don't care enough about the 850mhz towers.

Sprint doesn't work here either, I have 2 choices

Att, or verizon , att does not offer 3g here, but the phone works, verizon the phone works and I get 3g speeds.

Problem is I need a sim slot, for when I travel overseas and would like to use 3g overseas, the places I go overseas have the same 3g specs as the att bands.

Plus, it would be nice If I could buy it in the even att ever gets 3g here

[Eternity Posted Dec 3rd 2009 6:13AM]

@Hydra
According to their last conference with shareholders they are only dropping 1 Maemo device next year as they are trying to focus on perfecting it and simplifying their device catalog. Good luck waiting for 3Q 2010.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/nokia-launching-only-one-maemo-device-in-2010/

[electrobrains Posted Dec 3rd 2009 8:30AM]

@Hydra
Wow, you want to get telephone-line-modem-level speeds in your home area for no reason other than being able to use the same phone on networks in Europe every once in a while? This when you clearly already have a GSM phone to do that with since you have AT&T...

[zephxiii Posted Dec 3rd 2009 8:42AM]

@katatonic Tmobile has no 3g and worse coverage, no thanks.

[outZider Posted Dec 3rd 2009 12:20PM]

@(Unverified) Uh, T-Mobile has a lot of 3G. Is it as widespread? No. Do you live near a city? At all? You're probably set, and it's anecdotally faster than AT&Ts.

[psylence Posted Dec 3rd 2009 2:06AM]

Finally a giant is waking up from its slumber!

[va jj Posted Dec 3rd 2009 2:13AM]

I'm a little teapot
Short and stout
Here is my handle
Here is my spout

When I get all steamed up
Hear me shout
"Tip me over
and pour me out!"

[SDreamer Posted Dec 3rd 2009 2:41AM]

Man, I'd want this just as an internet tablet. It looks perfect for it. I don't even want it as a phone, just as an awesome companion device. I think Nokia should spread this into Internet Tablets and beat Google to it.

[GGG Posted Dec 3rd 2009 5:23AM]

@SDreamer

a 10-inch maemo tablet with a 1280x720 px resolution would be awesome

[d4rk Posted Dec 3rd 2009 2:43AM]

Source articles:

http://blog.vlad1.com/2009/12/01/webgl-goes-mobile/
http://hacks.mozilla.org/2009/12/webgl-goes-mobile/

[katatonic Posted Dec 3rd 2009 2:49AM]

N900 DOES!

[katatonic Posted Dec 3rd 2009 2:50AM]

@katatonic
droid is now a vintage phone

[d0d0 Posted Dec 3rd 2009 5:19AM]

@katatonic

How so? Same CPU (though 50mhz underclocked) and GPU. Guess it's pretty much the same powerhouse, no?

[Abimbola Akanwo Posted Dec 3rd 2009 3:27AM]

Interesting...good to know...

[Mr w00t Posted Dec 3rd 2009 3:28AM]

I have been using Fennec, Firefox Mobile, on my N900 for quite some time. I know its still in development but the thing is kinda slow to start.
But after it does its a belssing to have Addons. I have installed adBlock and Mozilla Weave on it. Weave is a great for you not to be typing the damn urls. I would like to have Flashblock though.

Btw, I went to my in laws and connected the phone to their TV with TV out and they were stunned to find out that "phones can actually do that". Showed some youtubes and my pics in flickr.

[kenjiru Posted Dec 3rd 2009 3:33AM]

This is really nice.

[levilynned Posted Dec 3rd 2009 3:49AM]

Maybe this was the secret sauce ARM CORTEX was 'talking' about? wow, this is highly impressive. "The superscalar ARM processor delivers exceptional power and enables you to run all your applications quickly, smoothly, and simultaneously" It always sound good indeed.

Hopefully N900 will be embrace by users in this competitive techvironment: http://bit.ly/nokia-900-full-specs-details-best-or-worst

[Wesscoast Posted Dec 3rd 2009 3:56AM]

Yeah, but its made by Nokia.. so....

*vomit

[eka Posted Dec 3rd 2009 4:07AM]

Wish it comes with Android ... hehe...

[isotrex Posted Dec 3rd 2009 4:19AM]

I hope N900 will be available for Asia.
Looking forward on this device.