Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Nokia N900 rises from the grave, replaces robot's head]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/23/nokia-n900-replaces-bioloid-robots-head/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/23/nokia-n900-replaces-bioloid-robots-head/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/23/nokia-n900-replaces-bioloid-robots-head/#comments Image

Nokia's buried-but-beloved N900 smartphone has performed many parlor tricks in the past, but its latest role as a carbon-fiber swaddled cyborg cranium just might take the cake. Using the equally forsaken MeeGo Maemo OS, a roboticist by the name of Sascha hacked his way into the phone's three-axis controller and other components in order to bring his Bioloid creation to life. The smartphone's video streaming and remote access functions may also give this bipedal mech a leg-up on the last N900 robo we admired -- but we'll need to see some video of it all in action before we make that call. Meanwhile, let's just hope that this unholy union of rejected parts doesn't become self-aware and turn on the company that cast it away.

Nokia N900 rises from the grave, replaces robot's head originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Apr 2012 10:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bioloidbioloid premium robotBioloidPremiumRobotcellphonesdiykitslinuxMeeGomeego osMeegoOsN900NokiaNokia N900NokiaN900robotrobot kitsroboticsRobotKitsrobotssmartphonesmartphone robotsSmartphoneRobotsMon, 23 Apr 2012 10:17:00 EST<![CDATA[Belkin reveals Advance N900 DB router, keeps your MW3 marathon top priority with IntelliStream]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/08/belkin-reveals-advance-n900-db-router/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/08/belkin-reveals-advance-n900-db-router/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/08/belkin-reveals-advance-n900-db-router/#comments
Belkin has added another wireless networking kit to it's N-series lineup here at CES. The company has announced its Advance N900 DB, a dual band WiFi router capable of 450Mbps speeds per band. Featuring six MultiBeam antennas, the tech makes watching Hulu Plus from your basement much easier and looks to cut down on those pesky dead spots. Also outfitted with IntelliStream, the device automatically prioritizes video and gaming streams and houses a 600MHz multi-thread processor that multitasks across all networked devices. For connected storage or wireless printers, the N900 packs two USB 2.0 ports enabling access to those peripherals from workstations other than your desk. If you're looking to take the leap, the router will be available for pre-order this month and at retailers in April, setting you back two Benjamins. See the PR after the break for all the details.

Update: We snagged a quick hands-on with the device here at CES. Check out the gallery below and the video after the break.

Gallery: Belkin N900 hands-on

Continue reading Belkin reveals Advance N900 DB router, keeps your MW3 marathon top priority with IntelliStream

Belkin reveals Advance N900 DB router, keeps your MW3 marathon top priority with IntelliStream originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 08 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>802.11nAdvance N900 DBAdvanceN900DbBelkinBelkin Advance N900 DBBelkinAdvanceN900Dbcesces 2012Ces2012dual bandDualBandIntelliStreamMultiBeamn900N900 DBN900DbnetworknetworkingrouterUSBwifiwirelesswireless internetWirelessInternetSun, 08 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Nokia N900 gamepad hack dispenses with beauty, sidles up to sore thumbs (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/12/nokia-n900-gamepad-hack-dispenses-with-beauty-sidles-up-to-sore/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/12/nokia-n900-gamepad-hack-dispenses-with-beauty-sidles-up-to-sore/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/12/nokia-n900-gamepad-hack-dispenses-with-beauty-sidles-up-to-sore/#comments Know what's kicking and screaming its way into obsolescence? If you guessed the N900, pat yourself on the back with this hack. Nokia's internetting tablet that simply refuses to quit has already run the multi-purpose gamut, standing in as a brain scanner / replacement, OS dual-booter and Ice Cream Sandwich biter -- just to name a few. Now, a homebrew mod from Polish hacker Emeryth, has that soon-to-be retro QWERTY slider sporting a custom gamepad to make those long hours logged into video game emulation that much more thumb-friendly. The exposed overlay is based on an ATmega8A microcontroller and plugs directly into the device's USB port, giving gamers an eight button solution, plus a PSP-like analog stick. It's a handy, albeit ugly, add-on that'll help get your gaming heroes of old through well trodden enemy lines. Video demo lies in wait after the break.

Continue reading Nokia N900 gamepad hack dispenses with beauty, sidles up to sore thumbs (video)

Nokia N900 gamepad hack dispenses with beauty, sidles up to sore thumbs (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 23:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>controllerEmerythemulatorgamepadhackmobilepostcrossmodN900NokiaNokia N900NokiaN900video gamesVideoGamesMon, 12 Dec 2011 23:03:00 EST<![CDATA[N900 takes a bite out of Ice Cream Sandwich, suffers Android brain freeze (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/28/n900-takes-a-bite-out-of-ice-cream-sandwich-suffers-android-bra/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/28/n900-takes-a-bite-out-of-ice-cream-sandwich-suffers-android-bra/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/28/n900-takes-a-bite-out-of-ice-cream-sandwich-suffers-android-bra/#comments Espoo's freshly dug some graves for its operating systems past, but that doesn't mean the mobile underground's leaving its antiquated wares behind. A hacker going by the winsome moniker of Drunkdebugger has kept the NITDroid project chugging along on the N900 with a port of Android's latest 4.0 frosty delight. Fair warning -- this is an extremely early build and is even referenced as being "pre-pre-alpha," so don't expect the overhauled, pure Google experience to be running seamlessly. Still, it's a bright spot for Nokia fanboys and girls that simply refuse to make peace with the wireless days of old. Jump past the break to take a brief look at this buggy ROM force closing.

Continue reading N900 takes a bite out of Ice Cream Sandwich, suffers Android brain freeze (video)

N900 takes a bite out of Ice Cream Sandwich, suffers Android brain freeze (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 Nov 2011 22:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alpha buildalpha-protocolAlphaBuildAndroidAndroid 4.0android 4.0 ice cream sandwichAndroid4.0Android4.0IceCreamSandwichIce Cream SandwichIceCreamSandwichICSCmobilepostminiN900NITDroidNITDroid projectNitdroidProjectNokiaNokia N900NokiaN900ROMvideoMon, 28 Nov 2011 22:52:00 EST<![CDATA[Brain scanner app lets you show off your smarts on-the-go]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/16/brain-scanner-app-lets-you-show-off-your-smarts-on-the-go/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/16/brain-scanner-app-lets-you-show-off-your-smarts-on-the-go/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/16/brain-scanner-app-lets-you-show-off-your-smarts-on-the-go/#comments Forget learning how to open a champagne bottle with a saber, because this smartphone brain scanner probably has it beat for coolest party trick ever. After you pull out that 14-channel EEG headset you have lying around, all you need to do is attach the probes to your date's dome piece to measure his or her neural activity on your Nokia N900. The app then goes to work, taking binary data and reconstructing it on screen in 3D. The result? A new way to elimi-date Match.com candidates based on the real-time image of his or her melon. We can't promise it'll get you a second date, but we can give you a glimpse of the app in action after the break.

[Thanks, arek]

Continue reading Brain scanner app lets you show off your smarts on-the-go

Brain scanner app lets you show off your smarts on-the-go originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Sep 2011 07:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3Dappappsbrain scannerBrainScannerBrainWavesDepartment of Informatics and Mathematics ModellingDepartmentOfInformaticsAndMathematicsModellingDTUEEGElectroencephalogrammedicalmedicineMobile Informatics LabMobileInformaticsLabn900NokiaNokia N900NokiaN900QTsmartphoneFri, 16 Sep 2011 07:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Netgear's N900 dual-band router hits 900Mbps top speed, pats itself on the back]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/14/netgears-n900-dual-band-router-hits-900mbps-top-speed-pats-its/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/14/netgears-n900-dual-band-router-hits-900mbps-top-speed-pats-its/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/14/netgears-n900-dual-band-router-hits-900mbps-top-speed-pats-its/#comments Stopping just short of bundling its announcement with an "Eye of the Tiger" MP3, Netgear's rolling out the hyperbole carpet for its now available N900. Heralding it as "the most advanced wireless home router," the sleekly-designed $180 box packs six antennas for an extended WiFi range, and is capable of speeds up to 900Mbps -- that's with both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands delivering data at a full 450Mbps. Sure, TRENDnet's already called First! with its own 450Mbps concurrent dual-band device, but the real focus here is on the added extras. In addition to the two USB ports -- capable of 30% faster transfer rates -- Netgear's thrown in a suite of goodies, like its Genie network monitoring application, Live Parental Controls, printer sharing, video stream optimization, DLNA, gigabit wired ethernet, guest access, WPA and WPA2 security protocols, usage meter and, lastly, a shutoff timer. Clearly, this isn't your ordinary wireless router, and that's exactly the company's point. Click on past the break for the official presser.

Continue reading Netgear's N900 dual-band router hits 900Mbps top speed, pats itself on the back

Netgear's N900 dual-band router hits 900Mbps top speed, pats itself on the back originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Sep 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>450 mbps450Mbps450Mbps Router450mbpsRouter450mpbs802.11n900Mbps900Mbps router900mbpsRouterdual banddual band routerdual-band routerDual-bandRouterDualBandDualBandRouterethernetgigabit ethernetGigabitEthernetN900netgearNetgear N900NetgearN900WiFiWiFi routerWiFi RoutersWifiRouterWifiRoutersWed, 14 Sep 2011 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Mobile Miscellany: week of July 18, 2011]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/23/mobile-miscellany-week-of-july-18-2011/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/23/mobile-miscellany-week-of-july-18-2011/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/23/mobile-miscellany-week-of-july-18-2011/#comments Here's some of the other stuff that happened in the wide world of wireless for the week of July 18, 2011:
  • Images of the Samsung Admire for MetroPCS leaked. Also known as the SCH-R720, it may be the first device with Gingerbread on the prepaid carrier. It features a 3.5-inch HVGA display, 3G, 800MHz CPU, and 3.2 megapixel camera. [via UnwiredView]
  • Rogers introduced the HTC EVO 3D and LG Optimus 3D to its lineup, to be available sometime this summer. (thx Luke)
  • Speaking of Rogers, the Samsung Galaxy S Infuse 4G should be available on the Canadian carrier within the next few days, and will reportedly be yours for $150 with a three-year commitment. [via UnwiredView]
  • Spy shots of an unannounced Samsung Android device with Verizon branding, and full QWERTY keyboard were dug up (see the above image). Specs include Android 2.3.4 onboard and built-in 4G LTE connectivity. (thx Fayez) [via AndroidCentral]
  • The Nokia N900 was hacked, allowing you to boot up your choice of four operating systems: Maemo, Meego, NITDroid, and Kubuntu Mobile. [via LoveMyNokia]
  • The LG Optimus 3D appears to be popping up everywhere; it's currently available on Three UK. [via AndroidCentral]
  • A mystery device known as the HTC Hero 4G passed DLNA certification this week, causing speculation that this is the long-evasive and much-awaited HTC Kingdom. The phone's already passed through the FCC, which means we could see it show up on Sprint at any time. [via PhoneArena and PocketNow]
  • The Motorola Defy+ is rumored to be a mild refresh of the Defy, a popular Android device that came out last year. The new version would get a few minor boosts in specs and come in HSPA bands compatible with AT&T. [via TIMN]

Mobile Miscellany: week of July 18, 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 23 Jul 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3 uk3Uk4gandroidandroid 2.3android 2.3.4android gingerbreadAndroid2.3Android2.3.4AndroidGingerbreadattbelldefydlnahackedhacksherohero 4gHero4ghtchtc hero 4ghtc kingdomHtcHero4gHtcKingdomkingdomkubuntuleakleakslglg optimus 3dLgOptimus3dltemaemomeegometropcsmiscmiscellaneousmiscellanymmmobilemobile miscellanyMobileMiscellanymotorolamotorola defymotorola defy+MotorolaDefyMotorolaDefy+mysteryn900NITdroidnokianokia n900NokiaN900optimus 3dOptimus3dquad bootquad-bootQuadBootqwertyrogersrounduprumorrumorssamsungsamsung admiresamsung r720SamsungAdmireSamsungR720slidersprintt-mobiletelusthreethree ukThreeUkverizonverizon wirelessVerizonWirelessvzwwimaxSat, 23 Jul 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Is this Nokia's Lankku?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/20/is-this-nokias-lankku/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/20/is-this-nokias-lankku/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/20/is-this-nokias-lankku/#comments Well, hello there... beautiful? It's a bit hard to tell, you know, given that shroud of mystery that's veiling what appears to be Nokia's heretofore elusive Lankku. If you'll recall, the outfit's first consumer MeeGo handset (N9-00) was purportedly axed back in February, and now it seems that the successor is finally getting its time in the sun. We're told by an insider that the object shown here may or may not keep the N9-01 moniker when it ships to consumers. Moreover, it'll run MeeGo Harmattan, ship in Q3 to folks in Europe, boast a 960 x 540 screen resolution, include an 8 megapixel AF (read: not EDoF) shooter and sport a frame that's just marginally thicker than the iPhone 4 -- reportedly, anyway. We'd obviously take all of this with a grain of salt for now, but with Elop himself set to speak this week in Singapore at CommuicAsia, hopefully the outfit's CEO will be the one shedding more light on the situation. Needless to say, we'll keep you abreast of any related developments.

Update: Oh, and these certainly look an awful lot like the first leaked press shots of this thing.

Update 2: Looks like she was it! This, folks, did indeed turn out to be the N9!

Gallery: Nokia's Lankku (N9-01) leaked photos?

Is this Nokia's Lankku? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 20 Jun 2011 15:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>exclusiveHarmattanLankkuleakleakedmeegoMeeGo HarmattanMeegoHarmattann9n9 00n9 01n9-00n9-01N900N901nokianokia LankkuNokiaLankkurumorSearaywindows phone 7WindowsPhone7wp7Mon, 20 Jun 2011 15:23:00 EST<![CDATA[MeeGo 1.2 Developer Edition released for Nokia N900, wants to go where you go]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/24/meego-1-2-developer-edition-released-for-nokia-n900-wants-to-go/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/24/meego-1-2-developer-edition-released-for-nokia-n900-wants-to-go/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/24/meego-1-2-developer-edition-released-for-nokia-n900-wants-to-go/#comments Feeling a bit wily with your aging N900? If so, today at the MeeGo conference in San Francisco, MeeGo 1.2 Developer Edition was released just for you (and the attendees, of course). Although it's not a daily driver, intended more as a developmental snapshot, you stand to have a lot of fun by tinkering with this open source OS. If you're a programmer with some spare time, the news is even better: the group is currently focusing on improving the voice dialer, SMS, camera and WiFi experience. Unlike the general release of MeeGo 1.2, the Developer Edition is designed specifically for the N900. So, if you're suitably equipped and reasonably interested, grab that Nokia, push Android aside, and check the source for everything you'll need.

MeeGo 1.2 Developer Edition released for Nokia N900, wants to go where you go originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 May 2011 03:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Intelmeegomeego 1.2meego conferencemeego conference 2011Meego1.2MeegoConferenceMeegoConference2011mobilen900nokiaNokia N900NokiaN900open sourceOpenSourceoperating systemOperatingSystemosTue, 24 May 2011 03:23:00 EST<![CDATA[Firefox 4 beta 5 for mobile released, available on Android, N900, your computer]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/25/firefox-4-beta-5-for-mobile-released-available-on-android-n900/http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/25/firefox-4-beta-5-for-mobile-released-available-on-android-n900/http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/25/firefox-4-beta-5-for-mobile-released-available-on-android-n900/#comments
Tired of using the default browser on your smart phone to browse Engadget? Got a thing for Firefox? Great, 'cause Mozilla just pushed out the fifth beta of Firefox 4 for mobile. You might be familiar with the on-the-go version of Mozilla's creation, but if not, here's your chance to grab the latest (and probably) the most stable build to date. In addition to the Android and Maemo version, the company has released a Fennec build for use on Windows, OS X and Linux.

We tinkered with the OS X build of the browser on our Macbook Pro and although pages appear to render quickly, we can't quite figure out how to navigate backwards. You can pinch-to-zoom with the trackpad and scroll with the d-pad, but once you've loaded a page, it seems you need to be on a mobile device do any further navigation. Of course, as you'll see in the gallery below, the beta comes packed with the usual -- preferences, downloads, add-ons, bookmarks and Firefox Sync. If you want to give the software a whirl, hit the source link to grab the build of your choice.

Gallery: Firefox 4 beta 5 for mobile hands-on

Firefox 4 beta 5 for mobile released, available on Android, N900, your computer originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Feb 2011 10:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidbetabeta 4Beta4browserfirefoxfirefox betafirefox for mobilefirefox mobileFirefoxBetaFirefoxForMobileFirefoxMobilehands-onlinuxmac os xmac osxMacOsxmaemomozillan900nokiaos xOsXsmartphonewindowswindows 7Windows7windowsxpFri, 25 Feb 2011 10:09:00 EST<![CDATA[Myriad 'Alien Dalvik' runs Android apps on any phone... starting with MeeGo (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/08/myriad-alien-dalvik-runs-android-apps-on-any-phone-starting/http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/08/myriad-alien-dalvik-runs-android-apps-on-any-phone-starting/http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/08/myriad-alien-dalvik-runs-android-apps-on-any-phone-starting/#comments You know that N900 you keep around, just because. The one that's been hacked so many times you call it "leatherface?" Well, it's about to get a lot more flexible. Built upon the app quickening Dalvik Turbo, OHA member Myriad just announced Alien Dalvik with the promise of running "the majority" of unmodified Android apps on non-Android platforms "without compromising performance." A bold claim, no doubt. Myriad will be backing this up at Mobile World Congress starting next week with plans to release it later this year on MeeGo. But why wait until then? You can see it demonstrated right now running on a Nokia N900 in the video after the break (it's running Google Maps in the picture above). Hey Mr. Elop, you want to build, catalyze or join a competitive ecosystem? Maybe this is your solution.

Continue reading Myriad 'Alien Dalvik' runs Android apps on any phone... starting with MeeGo (video)

Myriad 'Alien Dalvik' runs Android apps on any phone... starting with MeeGo (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 Feb 2011 05:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alien dalvikAlienDalvikandroiddalvikdalvik turboDalvikTurboecosystemgooglemaemomeegomobile world congressmobile world congress 2011MobileWorldCongressMobileWorldCongress2011mwcmwc 2011Mwc2011n900stephen elopStephenElopvideoTue, 08 Feb 2011 05:27:00 EST<![CDATA[Nokia N900 mixed with Gingerbread, baked at 425 degrees for 16-18 minutes (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/26/nokia-n900-mixed-with-gingerbread-baked-at-425-degrees-for-16-1/http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/26/nokia-n900-mixed-with-gingerbread-baked-at-425-degrees-for-16-1/http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/26/nokia-n900-mixed-with-gingerbread-baked-at-425-degrees-for-16-1/#comments Running Android on the Nokia N900 has been an ongoing theme for the better part of the past year -- and with hardware designed from the ground up to be both hackable and high-end, we'd expect no less. Indeed, Android 2.3 is the latest victim of an N900 sneak attack, and impressively, core components like messaging already seem to be working -- likely thanks to the fact that hackers had already gotten pre-2.3 builds rock solid. What's even more impressive, though, is how smooth and generally non-janky everything seems to be -- smooth enough so that you might be able to do this as your daily driver if Maemo 5 is starting to wear thin for you. Nokia might not approve, but then again, we don't approve of the N9 still not being announced... so yeah, tit for tat, as it were.

Continue reading Nokia N900 mixed with Gingerbread, baked at 425 degrees for 16-18 minutes (video)

Nokia N900 mixed with Gingerbread, baked at 425 degrees for 16-18 minutes (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 26 Dec 2010 19:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.3Android2.3gingerbreadhackn900nokiaportvideoSun, 26 Dec 2010 19:02:00 EST<![CDATA[MeeGo v1.1 for handsets is out, let the N900 dual-booting begin (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/28/meego-v1-1-for-handsets-is-out-let-the-n900-dual-booting-begin/http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/28/meego-v1-1-for-handsets-is-out-let-the-n900-dual-booting-begin/http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/28/meego-v1-1-for-handsets-is-out-let-the-n900-dual-booting-begin/#comments Following hot on the heels of the PR 1.3 update for the N900 comes the official MeeGo v1.1 build for handsets with U-Boot support. For developers, or anyone who simply likes to hack around, that means that the Nokia N900 is now ready to dual-boot into your choice of Maemo or MeeGo environments. If that sounds like fun then boy do we have the image repository for you (Hint: it's in the source link below). We'll let everyone else know when the community has made the process idiot-proof. Until then, why not play an unmodified webOS game or catch a glimpse of the dual-boot process in action in the video after the break.

Continue reading MeeGo v1.1 for handsets is out, let the N900 dual-booting begin (video)

MeeGo v1.1 for handsets is out, let the N900 dual-booting begin (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Oct 2010 05:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dual bootDualBootintelmaemomeegon900nokiau-bootvideoThu, 28 Oct 2010 05:38:00 EST<![CDATA[N900 can run unmodified webOS games, what can your Linux-based phone do?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/26/n900-can-run-unmodified-webos-games-what-can-your-linux-based-p/http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/26/n900-can-run-unmodified-webos-games-what-can-your-linux-based-p/http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/26/n900-can-run-unmodified-webos-games-what-can-your-linux-based-p/#comments Ah, standards. Palm and Nokia know what we're talking about, which is why they support similar methods of developing native Linux apps, namely SDL 1.2. Add on the hardware similarities between the Palm Pre and the N900 (OMAP3430, PowerVR SGX, Open GL ES 2.0 support) and you have a beautiful recipe for cross-platform gaming. Some hardcore Maemo users have taken this to heart and released a new "Preenv" package for the N900 that allows the phone to run unmodified webOS games. Of course, you'll need to root your Pre to get at those games, and if you want to make a launch icon for the game on the N900 you'll have to root it as well. Still, this is exciting beyond the potential for playing Need for Speed on much-lauded Nokia hardware: with easy portability between platforms, there's all the more reason for a developer to be attracted to MeeGo and webOS in the future.

[Thanks, Andy D.]

N900 can run unmodified webOS games, what can your Linux-based phone do? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Oct 2010 00:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>linuxmaemomeegon900nokianokia n900NokiaN900open glOpenGlpalmpalm prePalmPrepresdlsdl 1.2Sdl1.2videowebosTue, 26 Oct 2010 00:56:00 EST<![CDATA[Nokia N900 firmware PR 1.3 goes live]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/25/nokia-n900-firmware-pr-1-3-goes-live/http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/25/nokia-n900-firmware-pr-1-3-goes-live/http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/25/nokia-n900-firmware-pr-1-3-goes-live/#comments The addition of support for the full Ovi Suite and "performance improvements" are the only two items listed in the Nokia N900's latest published firmware update, but there's a third item skulking around that Nokia seems less willing to talk about: "easy" (albeit experimental) MeeGo dual-boot support, as promised in a recent posting on MeeGo's official site. We suppose the capability isn't mentioned because Nokia has said on no uncertain terms that the use of MeeGo on the N900 is an unsupported configuration -- but seeing how the N900 has been a hacker's delight from day one, we fully expect hundreds of thousands of the machines to be happily booting up the new platform within a day or three of this firmware breaking loose. Have fun, folks!

Nokia N900 firmware PR 1.3 goes live originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Oct 2010 17:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>firmwaremaemomeegomobilen900nokiapr 1.3Pr1.3updateupgradeMon, 25 Oct 2010 17:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Nokia N900 will soon give users the option to dual-boot into MeeGo, experience the future]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/14/nokia-n900-gives-users-the-option-to-dual-boot-into-meego-exper/http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/14/nokia-n900-gives-users-the-option-to-dual-boot-into-meego-exper/http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/14/nokia-n900-gives-users-the-option-to-dual-boot-into-meego-exper/#comments Whatever else you might say about Nokia, the company knows how to keep a promise. Back in March, we were told there'd be a dual-boot solution for the N900, providing users of the Maemo 5 phone with a taste of the MeeGo life, and, even though it might have taken a while, that firmware is now on the precipice of becoming available. Mind you, there's quite a distance between offering users the option and supporting the dual-boot experience (which Nokia isn't doing), but given the choice between some MeeGo and complete NoGo, we know what we'd prefer. Hit the source to get fully educated while waiting on the dual-booting PR 1.3 update to drop.

Nokia N900 will soon give users the option to dual-boot into MeeGo, experience the future originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 Oct 2010 03:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dual-bootdual-boot supportDual-bootSupportfirmwarefirmware updateFirmwareUpdatemaemomeegon900nokianokia n900NokiaN900pr 1.3Pr1.3smartphonesoftwareupdateThu, 14 Oct 2010 03:06:00 EST<![CDATA[PS3 jailbreak adapted to Nokia N900, Palm Pre in wake of Australian ban (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/05/ps3-jailbreak-adapted-to-nokia-n900-palm-pre-in-wake-of-austral/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/05/ps3-jailbreak-adapted-to-nokia-n900-palm-pre-in-wake-of-austral/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/05/ps3-jailbreak-adapted-to-nokia-n900-palm-pre-in-wake-of-austral/#comments Two weeks ago you'd have to pay an Australian importer for a specialized USB key. Four days ago open-source software let you roll your own. Today, there's no need for any of that -- you can hack your PS3 with a tethered smartphone. Working closely with the PSGroove team, hacker Kakaroto adapted the same jailbreak to the Nokia N900, and the open-source community lost no time porting it to the Palm Pre as well. If the videos after the break are any indication, both versions work just as well as the original, and you too can get your game on with downloads and detailed instructions at the source links below.

Sadly, the aforementioned Australian importer OzModChips is a casualty of this little story, with all its shipments of the PS Jailbreak dongle seized (and the item subject to injunction) by an Australian court, but we suppose knowing its product has enabled the hardware hacking community thus might somewhat soften the blow.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading PS3 jailbreak adapted to Nokia N900, Palm Pre in wake of Australian ban (video)

PS3 jailbreak adapted to Nokia N900, Palm Pre in wake of Australian ban (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 05 Sep 2010 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>backupshackhackshomebrewjailbreakmodmodsN900NokiaNokia N900NokiaN900open sourceOpenSourceOzModChipsPalmPalm PrePalmPreplaystation 3Playstation3Preps jailbreakps3psgroovePsJailbreakSonyvideoSun, 05 Sep 2010 16:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Fennec (a.k.a. Firefox Mobile) goes alpha for Android and Nokia N900]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/27/fennec-a-k-a-firefox-mobile-goes-alpha-for-android-and-nokia/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/27/fennec-a-k-a-firefox-mobile-goes-alpha-for-android-and-nokia/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/27/fennec-a-k-a-firefox-mobile-goes-alpha-for-android-and-nokia/#comments
Well, it looks like you can finally get rid of that less-than-stable pre-alpha release of Fennec (a.k.a. Firefox Mobile) for Android -- Mozillla has just released the full alpha release for not only Android (2.0 and later), but the Nokia N900 as well. The big news with this release is an increase in "performance and responsiveness to user actions" (always a good thing), as well as two new features dubbed "Electrolysis" and "Layers," the former of which lets the browser interface run in a separate process from the one rendering web content, while the latter promises to "greatly improve performance in graphic intensive actions like scrolling, zooming, animations and video." You'll also get full support for add-ons, and Firefox Sync built into the browser to let you have a continuous experience as you move between devices. Hit up the link below for the download link, and for a quick video overview of what's in store.

Fennec (a.k.a. Firefox Mobile) goes alpha for Android and Nokia N900 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Aug 2010 15:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alphaandroidbrowserElectrolysisfennecfirefoxfirefox mobileFirefoxMobilelayersn900nokianokia n900NokiaN900web browserWebBrowserFri, 27 Aug 2010 15:56:00 EST<![CDATA[Fully-functional Android port for N900 threatens to beat N9 to market]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/27/fully-functional-android-port-for-n900-threatens-to-beat-n9-to-m/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/27/fully-functional-android-port-for-n900-threatens-to-beat-n9-to-m/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/27/fully-functional-android-port-for-n900-threatens-to-beat-n9-to-m/#comments The NITDroid project has been slogging along this year in an effort to get Android fully ported to Nokia's N900, and the progress has been promising so far -- but wouldn't it be nice if you could, you know, make calls? Looks like these guys are making some solid progress there with a new video showing both incoming and outgoing calls doing... well, something or another on the N900 side. Cellular data's coming along nicely, too, as you can see on the video after the break -- so here's the million-dollar question: when this is rock-solid and ready for prime time, are you jumping ship or sticking with Maemo?

Continue reading Fully-functional Android port for N900 threatens to beat N9 to market

Fully-functional Android port for N900 threatens to beat N9 to market originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Aug 2010 00:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidgooglehackn900nitdroidnokiaportvideoFri, 27 Aug 2010 00:12:00 EST<![CDATA[Nokia N900 does real-time face tracking for verification (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/23/nokia-n900-does-real-time-face-tracking-for-verification-video/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/23/nokia-n900-does-real-time-face-tracking-for-verification-video/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/23/nokia-n900-does-real-time-face-tracking-for-verification-video/#comments In a world where smartphone unlock patterns and PINs can be easily gleaned from display muck, and computer passwords can be deciphered from the telltale audible clicks of the keyboard, it's any wonder that research is funded for alternative identity verification schemes. One promising technology is face verification -- technology we've already seen implemented in webcams, laptops, and more recently, Microsoft's Kinect for Xbox 360. Where we haven't seen it broadly deployed is in the easy-to-lose smartphone, at least not with the level of sophistication achieved by the University of Manchester (UK). Using an N900, the research team developed a prototype that quickly locks and tracks 22 facial features in real time (even when upside down) using the Nokia's front-facing camera. The Active Appearance modeling technique was developed for the EU-funded Mobile Biometrics (MoBio) project as a means of using face verification to authenticate smartphone access to social media sites. Unfortunately, there's no mention of how long Manchester's face-verified login actually takes. Nevertheless, the video, apparently shot in a steam room full of hot man smudge, is worth a peep after the break.

Continue reading Nokia N900 does real-time face tracking for verification (video)

Nokia N900 does real-time face tracking for verification (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Aug 2010 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Active AppearanceActive Appearance ModelActiveAppearanceActiveAppearanceModelauthenticationauthorizationface verificationFaceVerificationfacial recognitionfacial recognition softwareFacialRecognitionFacialRecognitionSoftwaremaemomobile biometricsMobileBiometricsmobiomoodn900nokiaPhilip A. TresadernPhilip TresadernPhilipA.TresadernPhilipTresadernresearchUniversity of ManchesterUniversityOfManchesterverificationvideoMon, 23 Aug 2010 08:59:00 EST<![CDATA[Game Gripper makes grand entrance on Nokia's N900 (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/04/game-gripper-makes-grand-entrance-on-nokias-n900-video/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/04/game-gripper-makes-grand-entrance-on-nokias-n900-video/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/04/game-gripper-makes-grand-entrance-on-nokias-n900-video/#comments Say what you will about Nokia's strategy (or lack thereof), but there's no denying that the N900 is one capable gaming machine. Thus, it makes perfect sense for the blokes at Game Gripper to mold a controller specifically for that very handset, no? We've already spent a fair amount far too much time with our made-for-Droid edition, and if you're looking to boost your enjoyment level when playing NES ROMs, you can toss your pre-order in this very second. The company's offering the complete Game Gripper N900 for €14.95 ($20), or the button set alone for €3.95 ($5), with initial shipments expected in around a fortnight. Head on past the break for a taste of that aforementioned Mario action.

Continue reading Game Gripper makes grand entrance on Nokia's N900 (video)

Game Gripper makes grand entrance on Nokia's N900 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Aug 2010 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accessoryadd-oncontrolcontrollerGame GripperGameGrippergamingn900nokianokia n900NokiaN900peripheralpre-ordervideoWed, 04 Aug 2010 09:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Hacked N900 blazes through Froyo]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/hacked-n900-blazes-through-froyo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/hacked-n900-blazes-through-froyo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/27/hacked-n900-blazes-through-froyo/#comments While the various and sundry Android manufacturers are all scrambling (or casually strolling) toward official Android 2.2 updates for their manifold handsets, someone managed to get Google's Froyo running on the Nokia N900. Turns out, the two are a pretty great pair, with some super speedy browsing (like, really fast) and decent hardware support outside of an unfortunate lack of memory card support. Hit up the video after the break to see it in action, the browser starts kicking around the 4:45 mark.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading Hacked N900 blazes through Froyo

Hacked N900 blazes through Froyo originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 Jun 2010 05:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.2Android 2.2 FroyoAndroid2.2Android2.2Froyofroyohackn900nokianokia n900NokiaN900videoSun, 27 Jun 2010 05:07:00 EST<![CDATA[Nokia N900 drops to $369, unlocked]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/23/nokia-n900-drops-to-369-unlocked/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/23/nokia-n900-drops-to-369-unlocked/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/23/nokia-n900-drops-to-369-unlocked/#comments 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.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>armcortex a8cortex-a8CortexA8flagshipmaemomeegon900nokiapricesaleWed, 23 Jun 2010 09:34:00 EST<![CDATA[Nokia: pre-alpha release of MeeGo for handsets coming June 30th]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/22/nokia-pre-alpha-release-of-meego-for-handsets-coming-june-30th/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/22/nokia-pre-alpha-release-of-meego-for-handsets-coming-june-30th/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/22/nokia-pre-alpha-release-of-meego-for-handsets-coming-june-30th/#comments
We've already gotten an early peek at what's in store for MeeGo on handsets courtesy of some leaked UI guidelines, and it looks like folks now won't have to wait too much longer to try it out for themselves -- Nokia has confirmed that the pre-alpha release will be available on June 30th. That will be followed by the "fully productized" version sometime in October, which should also coincide with the release of some actual MeeGo-based handsets. No further details beyond that just yet, but N900 users should be the first to get a taste of a true MeeGo handset experience -- despite Nokia's lack of official support.

Nokia: pre-alpha release of MeeGo for handsets coming June 30th originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Jun 2010 16:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>meegomeego for handsetsmeego handsetMeegoForHandsetsMeegoHandsetn900nokiapre-alphaTue, 22 Jun 2010 16:24:00 EST<![CDATA[Nokia sells just 100,000 N900s after first five months: so? (updated: more like 5 weeks)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/nokia-sells-just-100-000-n900s-after-first-five-months-so/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/nokia-sells-just-100-000-n900s-after-first-five-months-so/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/nokia-sells-just-100-000-n900s-after-first-five-months-so/#comments 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.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gartnermaemomeegon900nokiasalesFri, 28 May 2010 05:37:00 EST<![CDATA[MeeGo 1.0 for netbooks and N900 now available to download]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/26/meego-1-0-for-netbooks-and-n900-now-available-to-download/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/26/meego-1-0-for-netbooks-and-n900-now-available-to-download/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/26/meego-1-0-for-netbooks-and-n900-now-available-to-download/#comments 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.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>APIavailableintelmaemoMeeGoMeeGo 1.0Meego1.0mobile OSMobileOsN900netbooknokianokia n900NokiaN900now availableNowAvailableoperating systemOperatingSystemOSreleaseSDKsoftwareWed, 26 May 2010 18:33:00 EST<![CDATA[Nokia updates N900 to version 1.2 in UK, closes door on MeeGo]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/25/nokia-updates-n900-to-version-1-2-in-uk-closes-door-on-meego/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/25/nokia-updates-n900-to-version-1-2-in-uk-closes-door-on-meego/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/25/nokia-updates-n900-to-version-1-2-in-uk-closes-door-on-meego/#comments 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.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1.2facebookfirmwaremaemomaemo 5Maemo5meegon900nokiaoviovi mapsovi storeOviMapsOviStoresoftwaresoftware updateSoftwareUpdateukTue, 25 May 2010 03:48:00 EST<![CDATA[Opera Mobile 10 lands on Maemo thanks to pro hobbyists]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/12/opera-mobile-10-lands-on-maemo-thanks-to-pro-hobbyists/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/12/opera-mobile-10-lands-on-maemo-thanks-to-pro-hobbyists/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/12/opera-mobile-10-lands-on-maemo-thanks-to-pro-hobbyists/#comments 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.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>browsermaemomobile browserMobileBrowsern900nokianokia n900NokiaN900operaopera mobileopera mobile 10OperaMobileOperaMobile10Wed, 12 May 2010 08:14:00 EST<![CDATA[Nokia N900 running Android 2.1, still rough around the edges]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/12/nokia-n900-running-android-2-1-still-rough-around-the-edges/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/12/nokia-n900-running-android-2-1-still-rough-around-the-edges/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/12/nokia-n900-running-android-2-1-still-rough-around-the-edges/#comments This wouldn't be the first time we've heard of Android being lovingly grafted onto Nokia's N900, but this looks to be the most proactive effort yet to get it functional enough for lay N900 users (read: us) to actually install. Eclair's now up and running on the device, complete with both keyboard and touchscreen support -- important fundamentals, we reckon -- and it looks like there's enough chatter on the subject going on over in Maemo's official forums to keep this ball rolling. Everything's being managed under the so-called NITDroid project that aims to get Android ready to roll on both the N900 and the N8x0 series of tablets, so feel free to chip in some advice if you like -- a functional radio stack would have to be high on the priority list, you can bet. Follow the break for a little video of brilliant hackery in action.

[Thanks, Nosa]

Continue reading Nokia N900 running Android 2.1, still rough around the edges

Nokia N900 running Android 2.1, still rough around the edges originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 May 2010 01:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.1Android2.1googlehackn800n810n8x0n900nokiaportvideoWed, 12 May 2010 01:59:00 EST<![CDATA[Firefox 1.1 beta for Maemo goes live]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/29/firefox-1-1-beta-for-maemo-goes-live/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/29/firefox-1-1-beta-for-maemo-goes-live/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/29/firefox-1-1-beta-for-maemo-goes-live/#comments The N900 already features one of the best pocket browsing experiences we've ever seen, but it looks to be getting a whole lot better today with the beta release of Firefox 1.1. Major new features include portrait browsing (awesome), form auto-complete, a context menu, volume key zoom, and -- this is pretty neat -- the capability to save pages straight to PDF, so it seems like the kind of thing you'll definitely want to download, even if it's not quite solid enough to earn gold build status. Oh, and if you don't have an N810 or N900 handy and you're amped to play around, you can download the little guy for Windows, Mac OS, or Linux, too.

Firefox 1.1 beta for Maemo goes live originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Apr 2010 20:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betabrowserfennecfirefoxfirefox 1.1firefox betafirefox beta 1.1Firefox1.1FirefoxBetaFirefoxBeta1.1maemomaemo 5Maemo5mobilemozillan900nokiaweb browserWebBrowserThu, 29 Apr 2010 20:18:00 EST<![CDATA[Google's Chromium project ported to N900]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/09/googles-chromium-project-ported-to-n900/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/09/googles-chromium-project-ported-to-n900/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/09/googles-chromium-project-ported-to-n900/#comments Web browsing fiends of the world already have enough reason to envy N900 owners on account of the built-in browser's excellence and the availability of an official Firefox release -- both with full Flash support -- but if that's enough, there's now another name-brand option in the works. Well, sort of. You see, Chromium for Maemo isn't an official port -- but the Maemo community is filled with tinkerers, and that has inevitably led to the availability of a hacked version of the Debian release that apparently works quite wonderfully on the N900 (yes, including Flash) with a 100 score on the elusive Acid test. It's said to be a little buggy at the moment, so hopefully that'll improve over time; you've got to download and install the package manually rather than going through a repo, but as an N900 owner, odds are pretty good that you're familiar with the tactic already. Perhaps Google wants to take this little project over?

[Thanks, Sp4mer]

Google's Chromium project ported to N900 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Apr 2010 11:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>browserchromechromiumgooglemaemomaemo 5Maemo5n900nokiaportwebweb browserWebBrowserFri, 09 Apr 2010 11:17:00 EST<![CDATA[Nokia N900 overclocked to 1GHz in bid to outrun obsolescence (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/05/nokia-n900-overclocked-to-1ghz-in-bid-to-outrun-obsolescence-vi/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/05/nokia-n900-overclocked-to-1ghz-in-bid-to-outrun-obsolescence-vi/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/05/nokia-n900-overclocked-to-1ghz-in-bid-to-outrun-obsolescence-vi/#comments Given all the Cortex A8 processor clock tweaking going on we admit to being just a little surprised to be reading the first overclocking reports on the eminently hackable N900 only now. Nevertheless, owners are seeing significant speed improvements after updating their stock 600MHz QWERTY sliders with recompiled kernels (no CPU voltage hacks required). Although speeds in excess of 1GHz have been tested (1,050MHz still boots), it looks like 900MHz is the maximum stable clock speed you can expect before the doors rattle off -- but that's only after a weekend of testing. If things continue to go well then you'll see tweaked kernels of various clock speeds released for download soon enough -- something that should keep the device humming right through the commercial launch of MeeGo whether Nokia likes it or not. Check the video after the break and then follow the latest developments in the maemo.org forums by hitting up the source link below.

Continue reading Nokia N900 overclocked to 1GHz in bid to outrun obsolescence (video)

Nokia N900 overclocked to 1GHz in bid to outrun obsolescence (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Apr 2010 04:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1ghz600mhzhackmaemomeegon900nokiaoverclockoverclockingvideoMon, 05 Apr 2010 04:22:00 EST<![CDATA[Nokia N900 Maemo / MeeGo dual boot 'will come at some point,' but not next firmware]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/27/nokia-n900-maemo-meego-dual-boot-will-come-at-some-point-bu/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/27/nokia-n900-maemo-meego-dual-boot-will-come-at-some-point-bu/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/27/nokia-n900-maemo-meego-dual-boot-will-come-at-some-point-bu/#comments Quim Gil of Nokia's Maemo team has dropped some knowledge on the folks chatting up the upcoming MeeGo release in the official Maemo forums, and it sounds like there are at least a couple critical points to be aware of for N900 owners and would-be ROM flashers when the first developer preview drops next week. To quote Gil, "nothing beautiful, stable or fully featured" will be a part of that initial release -- and to be more blunt about it, "99% of you don't want to install that release in your N900." The good news, though, is that Nokia seems to be aware of the importance of a dual-boot solution to MeeGo devs working with N900s in the long term, and Gil reports that a proper setup for that "will come at some point" -- it's just not on their short-term radar. We can totally understand that; we've no doubt there's still tons of reconciliation to manage between the legacy Maemo and Moblin ecosystems, and that's presumably priority one as they march toward a May release of what's being billed as a MeeGo 1.0 release.

Speculation had been building that the next cut of Maemo 5 -- PR1.2 -- might have MeeGo dual boot capability, but it's not to be. That said, PR1.2's still got plenty of tweaks that should be of interest to N900 owners, including a totally revamped landscape on-screen keyboard, onboard memory wipe capability (thank goodness), and an option to enable auto-rotation in the device's settings. The forums are all abuzz over both topics, naturally -- and since a proper PR1.2 release for N900 is still just a twinkle in Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo's eye, you may as well have a peek, right?

[Thanks, Akinwale]

Nokia N900 Maemo / MeeGo dual boot 'will come at some point,' but not next firmware originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 27 Mar 2010 01:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dual bootDualBootfirmwaremaemomeegon900nokiapr1.2updateupgradeSat, 27 Mar 2010 01:46:00 EST<![CDATA[Sygic Mobile Maps for Nokia N900 brings turn-by-turn to Maemo]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/21/sygic-mobile-maps-for-nokia-n900-brings-turn-by-turn-to-maemo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/21/sygic-mobile-maps-for-nokia-n900-brings-turn-by-turn-to-maemo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/21/sygic-mobile-maps-for-nokia-n900-brings-turn-by-turn-to-maemo/#comments
Nokia may still not have brought turn-by-turn navigation to Maemo with its own Ovi Maps, but N900 users can now get their fix courtesy of Sygic, which has just released a version of its Mobile Maps app for the device. Available only in Europe to start with, the app costs €60, and includes maps of both eastern and western Europe, along with the usual "millions" of points-of-interest, speed camera locations and speed limit warnings, and plenty of customization options (including support for multiple languages). No firm word on availability outside of Europe just yet, but Sygic does say that additional regions will be announced "gradually." Head on past the break for a quick demo video.

[Thanks, Brad C]

Continue reading Sygic Mobile Maps for Nokia N900 brings turn-by-turn to Maemo

Sygic Mobile Maps for Nokia N900 brings turn-by-turn to Maemo originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 21 Mar 2010 00:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gpsmaemomobile mapsMobileMapsn900navigationnokianokia n900NokiaN900sygicsygic mobile mapsSygicMobileMapsturn by turnTurnByTurnSun, 21 Mar 2010 00:33:00 EST<![CDATA[Niko, the N900-powered Lego robot, looks poised to take over Twitter (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/19/niko-the-n900-powered-lego-robot-looks-poised-to-take-over-twi/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/19/niko-the-n900-powered-lego-robot-looks-poised-to-take-over-twi/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/19/niko-the-n900-powered-lego-robot-looks-poised-to-take-over-twi/#commentsNiko, the N900-powered Lego robot, looks poised to take over Twitter (video) While we've seen no shortage of smartphone-powered robots in the past, the Nokia camp has been sadly under-represented. But, there's a new one coming to balance things out, a machine called Niko that has Lego Mindstorm NXT 2.0 components for a body and an N900 for a brain. The bot has been under construction for a few weeks but it has just made its YouTube debut with the short video posted after the break, showing it roving around and taking a photo whenever it bumps into something. When all systems are go and the machine is set free Niko will be posting messages and pictures to Twitter describing its every move in thrilling detail. We can't wait for it to start picking fights with @CourtneyLoveUK.

Continue reading Niko, the N900-powered Lego robot, looks poised to take over Twitter (video)

Niko, the N900-powered Lego robot, looks poised to take over Twitter (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Mar 2010 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>n900n900 pushN900Pushnikonokianokia n900NokiaN900robotsmartphonesmartphone robotSmartphoneRobottwitterFri, 19 Mar 2010 12:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Nokia: MeeGo "door is not closed" on N900]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/16/nokia-meego-door-is-not-closed-on-n900/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/16/nokia-meego-door-is-not-closed-on-n900/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/16/nokia-meego-door-is-not-closed-on-n900/#comments Now that we have clarity with regard to a Windows Phone 7 update on the HD2 (sorry, folks), let's move on to the next contentious platform: Nokia's N900 and MeeGo. As Nokia's only Cortex-A8 handset, there's plenty of hope that Nokia sees fit to upgrade the N900 to MeeGo once the unified Maemo and Moblin OS is ready for consumers. Hope all but crushed yesterday after CNET reported the following from an unnamed, but apparently official Nokia source:
"Maemo on Nokia N900 is not upgradeable to MeeGo."
We ran this past Ray Haddow, Senior Manager within Nokia Communications who took the quote back to the project team in Finland. According to Ray, the "the door is not closed" with regard to MeeGo on the N900 -- a final decision has not been made. This also echos the words of Valtteri Halla when he announced the MeeGo repository in early March. In response to questions at the time, this one-bodied half of the MeeGo Technical Steering Group had this to day:
"N900 is a natural tool for Nokia to drive MeeGo support for our designs and for the ARM CPU architecture in general. We want to have baseline HW that is powerful, easily available for anyone and form-factor stuff so that one HW works for most platform and application development needs.

That said, please do not take this yet as a commitment to fully productise MeeGo on N900. I am quite confident that we will end up having a really good developer distro for N900 already but committing to stabilise a consumer-grade MeeGo 1.0 (first half this year) for N900 is another story. That is a product business decision beyond my scope. Also, we do not yet know about MeeGo 1 release content. I am not yet sure if I would be personally ready to let my Maemo5 go for the first MeeGo release in my daily N900 use. Let's see."
So, looks like another long game of wait and see, eh?

Nokia: MeeGo "door is not closed" on N900 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Mar 2010 07:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>maemomeegomoblinn900ray haddowRayHaddowrumorupdateupgradeValtteri HallaValtteriHallaTue, 16 Mar 2010 07:19:00 EST<![CDATA[How would you change Nokia's N900? (update)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/12/how-would-you-change-nokias-n900/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/12/how-would-you-change-nokias-n900/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/12/how-would-you-change-nokias-n900/#comments
Update: Turns out Nokia's conducting a survey of their own. Tell them what you told us, and grease the wheels for better handsets down the road. [Thanks, Michael]

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.

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

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featurefeaturedfeaturesmaemomaemo 5Maemo5n900nokianokia n900NokiaN900smartphoneFri, 12 Mar 2010 22:47:00 EST<![CDATA[MeeGo repository going public later this month, coming to Nokia N900]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/04/meego-repository-going-public-later-this-month-coming-to-nokia/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/04/meego-repository-going-public-later-this-month-coming-to-nokia/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/04/meego-repository-going-public-later-this-month-coming-to-nokia/#comments Valtteri Halla -- Nokia employee and one-half of MeeGo's Technical Steering Group -- has blogged up a storm this week about the first baby steps that'll get the platform off the ground from its Moblin and Maemo roots, and from the sounds of things, we'll be able to get our first glimpse at it on production hardware before the month's out. Currently, the plan is to open up MeeGo's code repository to all comers "by the end of this month," targeting both Atom boards and the N900. Now, we certainly wouldn't say that MeeGo's decision to use the N900 as an early target device is indicative of an official upgrade down the line -- but this is particularly interesting in light of the fact that we've never gotten a commitment out of Nokia to bump its latest MID to Maemo 6. And besides, considering that the average N900 customer is a bit of a hacker in his or her own right, let's be honest: a code repository that supports the phone is just about as good as an official gold build anyhow.

MeeGo repository going public later this month, coming to Nokia N900 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atomcodeintelmaemomeegomoblinn900nokiarepositoryThu, 04 Mar 2010 19:12:00 EST<![CDATA[Nokia's Explore and Share concept uses super fast, mystery wireless]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/23/nokias-explore-and-share-tech-concept-uses-super-fast-mystery-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/23/nokias-explore-and-share-tech-concept-uses-super-fast-mystery-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/23/nokias-explore-and-share-tech-concept-uses-super-fast-mystery-w/#comments The Nokia Research Center has another tech tease that gives us a glimpse into one of our many possible mobile computing futures. The so-called, Explore and Share concept starts by placing an N900 onto a "writer" that's tethered to a PC at a retail store. At that point, the PC recognizes the handset and serves up a number of options to the purchaser. For the purposes of the demo, an unnamed Finn selects an album that downloads to the handset in less than 10 seconds. Less than 10 seconds, wirelessly! If we assume that the 18 track Bruce Springsteen album is somewhere between 100MB and 200MB then we're looking at a 10MBps to 20MBps transfer rate. Nokia doesn't admit to what tech it's using, referring to it only as "a new radio technology." It's certainly not NFC which tops out at 424kbps, or Bluetooth 3.0 + HS which tops out at 3MBps. It also negotiates much faster than WiFi (though that could just be editing trickery). It's closer to Wireless USB's real-world data rates of around 15MBps or TransferJet's 375Mbps effective throughput. Or as a long shot, maybe Bluetooth 4.0 which targets 60Mbps (theoretical) transfer rates. Regardless, it's fast so we have to agree with Nokia when it deadpans: "Sounds great. Doesn't. It." Check out the action after the break.

Continue reading Nokia's Explore and Share concept uses super fast, mystery wireless

Nokia's Explore and Share concept uses super fast, mystery wireless originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 07:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bluetoothconceptexplore and shareExploreAndSharemaemon900nfcnokianokia research centerNokiaResearchCenternrcprototypewirelessTue, 23 Feb 2010 07:06:00 EST<![CDATA[Nokia N900 gets new firmware, new games coming too (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/16/nokia-n900-gets-new-firmware-new-games-coming-too-video/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/16/nokia-n900-gets-new-firmware-new-games-coming-too-video/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/16/nokia-n900-gets-new-firmware-new-games-coming-too-video/#commentsNokia 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.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>firmwaremaemomwcmwc 2010Mwc2010n900nokianokia n900NokiaN900Tue, 16 Feb 2010 07:59:00 EST