NokiaN900
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ForcePhone from Nokia Research, HIIT sends positive vibes with a squeeze
Most device vibration technology is used as pure feedback -- either confirmation that you've pressed something or that you've come across an obstacle. If a prototype developed by Nokia Research and the Helsinki Institute of Information Technology ever translates to production, however, it'll be as much a part of personal phone conversations as a soft voice or a cheeky text message. The modified N900 attaches a resistor that responds to a squeeze at four different pressure levels, and doles that out during a traditional or Skype-based call as a vibration on the other end. As you'd imagine, the aim is to give family, friends and lovers the closest they'll get to a hug (or the occasional frustration) when the distance is just too great for an in-person visit. Don't hold your breath for an extra-lovable Lumia anytime soon: there's no mention of any near-term production plans, and any adoption would require a platform switch just to get started. But if we ever see "reach out and touch someone" become a lot more than a slogan, we'll know where it came from.
Nokia N900 rises from the grave, replaces robot's head
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 gamepad hack dispenses with beauty, sidles up to sore thumbs (video)
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.
N900 takes a bite out of Ice Cream Sandwich, suffers Android brain freeze (video)
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.
Brain scanner app lets you show off your smarts on-the-go
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]
Mobile Miscellany: week of July 18, 2011
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]
MeeGo 1.2 Developer Edition released for Nokia N900, wants to go where you go
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.
N900 can run unmodified webOS games, what can your Linux-based phone do?
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.]
Nokia N900 will soon give users the option to dual-boot into MeeGo, experience the future
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.
PS3 jailbreak adapted to Nokia N900, Palm Pre in wake of Australian ban (video)
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]
Fennec (a.k.a. Firefox Mobile) goes alpha for Android and Nokia N900
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.
Game Gripper makes grand entrance on Nokia's N900 (video)
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.
Firefox 1.1 hits Maemo in final form, featuring Add-ons, Save to PDF and more
Two months after an impressive beta, Mozilla's finalized its first full mobile browser for Maemo -- beating iPhone, Android and most assuredly Windows Mobile versions to the punch. Though it doesn't seem to have gained any new features in the interim, what it does bring to the table is sweet indeed: portrait browsing, auto-updating add-ons and the ability to magically convert webpages to PDF right on your phone. If you have a Nokia N900 or N810, do your device a favor and download it right now; if not, you'll find a handy guide to your burning jealousy at our more coverage link.
Hacked N900 blazes through Froyo
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]
MeeGo 1.0 for netbooks and N900 now available to download
You've seen it teased, and now it's time to shelve whatever you had planned for this evening (or morning, depending on your current coordinates) and slap the first bona fide 1.x MeeGo release onto whatever device you've got handy. As of right now, MeeGo v1.0 for Netbooks and v1.0 for Nokia N900 are available for download, with the former supporting Atom-based machines and the latter supporting... well, we'll let you take a stab there. The API that's being released includes Qt 4.6, and while the current SDK is tailored for netbooks, the next version -- slated to hit devs in June -- will support "touch-based devices, such as handsets and tablets." We're also told that v1.1 will be outed in October, with the development tree already being open. We're certainly digging the layout shown here at a glance, but why not give that source link a visit and find out how it suits you in real life? We heard Snooki totally digs it, too. [Thanks, Ernst]
Opera Mobile 10 lands on Maemo thanks to pro hobbyists
What do you know, even professional coders like to develop things on the side. Opera's mobile dev team has been working on a "hobby project" to bring its browser to the Maemo-sporting Nokia N900 and N8x0 devices, and today sees the first fruit of that labor in the form of a "preview build" release. Fredrik Ohrn warns us that there might not ever be a final version, since this is being done just for fun -- and particularly in light of the MeeGo future that awaits the platform -- but for now it's yet another option for your versatile mini-computer. Click the source for the download. [Thanks, Jesus]
Sygic Mobile Maps for Nokia N900 brings turn-by-turn to Maemo
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]
Niko, 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.
How would you change Nokia's N900? (update)
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.
Nokia N900 gets new firmware, new games coming too (video)
If your N900 is in need of a little more excitement, this post is for you. First up is word of a new firmware release (3.2010.02-8 (PR 1.1.1)), 16.2MB worth of apparently minor changes along with a slew of new regions, the inclusion of which may mean good things for those who haven't been granted to this smartphone yet. If that's not enough for you, at MWC Nokia is showing off some new apps for the handset, the most notable being a couple of 3D games that look a wee bit simplistic in terms of gameplay but don't disappoint in terms of graphics. No word on when exactly these will be hitting Ovi Store -- well, nothing more specific than "soon." Video after the break (of the games, not the firmware update). [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
