Maemo Linux OS for Nokia N900

[Edmund]

Maemo, the operating system for mobile devices made by Nokia, enjoyed for a short time a large media attention. The Finns had announced in high-end segment increased to that their OS to use smartphones - and an expert read from some the announcement of the end for Symbian already out. As justification for targeting another system was to hear from groups that Symbian had over the years was partly due to difficult and would mean the integration of new features, a (too) much effort.

But since then much has changed: the root system is apparently initially but the familiar Symbian - Maemo and, following the announcement at the Mobile World Congress 2010 is now referred to the Moblin system from Intel MeeGo merged. The temporary strong increase in attention Maemo was new, the system as such but not: Since the end of 2005, Maemo available, then in the first version 1.1. It was subsequently used on the (little known) Nokia Tablets, for example, in version 4 to the moderately attractive N810. The successor to N900 was then Maemo 5 features.

Features:

• Stability: Crashes, crashes are not only one computer at a horror - a mobile phone, you are simply a disaster
• Multi-tasking - how does an operating system with parallel work to
• Notifications
• Consistent operation of the GUI - as fast as I find my way to the UI
• Applications from third parties (and managing the like)

Nokia N900

Nokia itself speaks for the Maemo devices (N770, N800, N810, N900 and N810w) are not mobile phones, but Internet Tablets. The name sounds a bit corny, but it fits in some way. The N900 does not look like a mobile phone, but like a small tablet. It has a keyboard that is obtained by sliding the device and some other nice features that should not go unmentioned. I particularly like the camera, its 5 megapixels, dual LED flash and Carl Zeiss lens in good light makes great pictures with. A couple of examples. A radio transmitter. But every phone has said it, not transmitter receiver I say. You have to buy the iPhone accessories, the N900 from the house. More on that later. A Mozilla based browser that supports Flash 9.4. Not a must but a nice feature.

The only mobile device on which the current mobile Firefox is running. Possibility Bookmarks, Tabs, History and passwords to sync including. Plugins have already come out. Furthermore, the N900 has an infrared transmitter, which, in combination with the open system of cool things. A TV output and supports the H.264 codec. Micro USB with USB 2.0. 32GB internal memory, the N900, but is expandable with microSD cards. GPS and WLAN standard anyway. All details are there here. But hardware is not everything these days is the ultimate software. The Apple fanboys could about Mac OS X 10.3 install on the N900 , but is somewhat slow. For others it is Android and the in-house Maemo. Or both in dual boot.

Platform

The system is Linux based and uses this case a modified version of Debian distribution and the Gnome desktop, both popular in the Linux world projects. In the Maemo version 5 was compared to the previous version include the optimized touchscreen controlled surface and integrated (important for a real alternative in the segment of mobile operating systems) wireless connectivity. The N900's predecessor, for example, could thus only via VoIP calls, via wireless or Internet connection via Bluetooth interface.

Interface

Based on the Linux kernel and the Gnome desktop and Qt Maemo as Android Open Source. The difference is that it is much easier to remove items from the Nokia OS. Also, it does not need jailbreak to engage more deeply in the system. No one has to ask Apple for permission if he wants to develop the device for and there is a great community. Not as great as with Android, but it also has its advantages.

One thing I must emphasize again and again. I see the N900 and Maemo (yet) as a consumer phone. You can use it without problems for everyday and it runs as long as you only install apps stable, very stable, has a decent battery life and can do everything what you need as a normal user. However, when the price with Amazon a quite high. Will you use the device fully, one should engage in a little world Maemo does not shy away from the one time or another to use a command line if something does not work after few hours of research and experimentation.

Great, I also think the integration of Skype and other VoIP / IM services. In the N900 it is enough to register and have the contacts in the Contacts menu. Whether I'm online or not set, done. In the address book I can now choose whether I want to call someone over the phone or via Skype. I can also be called as usual on Skype and the phone rings normally. Of course I can also chat or send a message via Twitter to the person. This then requires much better already but a small extension, but shows that there are possibilities.

[Edmund]

App Structure

What I have always been annoyed at the Symbian devices, was the menu structure. While the iPhone only one level is where all Apps are and get on Android an area with all the apps and the possibility of individual on the home screen in Symbian are the apps hidden in a sub-sub-folder, and juggling with is in the Most cases consuming. Maemo has accepted in part. So there is the possibility of default app shortcuts to give the home screen and move freely. On the menu but they are difficult to reach and as with all Android chaotic in one area. Catorise takes the categories of Apps and sorts them into it. Thus, they are packed much clearer and you can navigate faster. One small disadvantage is that it slows down the installation process of apps a bit because the menu is then configured again and again.

Desktop

On the N900, four desktops available that can be fed with widgets. Programs running in separate windows that are displayed either full screen or with the status bar. Mandatory is the X to close the application. With one click in the blurred background leads back one step and replaced by the part of the OS, the need for a physical back key. The menus I feel personally as yet too crude to well-designed and Austria and clumsy. This concerns mainly the design and usability, which I believe is still too much oriented on the desktop.

The learning curve is still very steep - once you have understood the basic structure (desktop, task switcher, program menu) and learned how to click on the background, you find yourself very quickly. The menus are far consistently held that one soon learned patterns and can apply. For ease, indirectly bear the many OS-wide shortcuts for that one right from the start should keep in mind (as well as including the screwing movement with the pen for the zoom in the browser, which you definitely have to learn - this gesture is not intuitively).

Program Manager

The program manager can manage so-called program catalogs (software sources) that can be added as desired. Some catalogs are already trusted house preconfigured, so recommend, however, for the curious few other sources (e.g. devel Tools catalog). From these catalogs can then Packs Download. Thus, one example, when you first install Firefox for N900, if you want to add the catalog Mozilla asked. About these catalogs will also update the programs are distributed and where this happens is not nearly as pretty as other OS. Although we see what new version is available, what changes in the new version is included, but not to light.

The program manager can be in different categories, the packages / applications, browse by alphabet. User reviews, comments and rankings are entirely absent, giving the whole a very empty feeling. To what extent OVI Store will play a role here (buying and recommendations) can only guess so far. The number of available applications to keep clear as yet limited. However, one can find quite a bit unusual - openSSH, xterm, dropbear ssh client, or a lightttpd wiicontrol. It can be seen very clearly in the present packages, coming from the Linux world.

Updates

The system is - very modern - multi-tasking and can bring the appropriate device via so-called "Seamless Software Update" independently with new software versions up to date. The integrated browser supposedly offers full Flash support, an additional added value. Standard applications such as media players, e-mail and news client and instant messaging are of course provided, and there are of course also the possibility to retrofit, Apps. In addition, there are ways, original applications from a particular Debian installation on Maemo use, so that then also Open Office, Gimp and much more is available.

Add Extra Repositories:

• If you want to increase the number of available software in your mobile device, it will add extra repositories. Here's how to add a new repository:
• Open the Main Menu > Other > App. In Appls > Click the top bar > Application Catalog > New

Install Apps

• Open the main menu > App. In Apps > Downloads > then choose an application to install.
• Features reserved for people who know what they are, are hidden in Maemo. Here's an example by adding a web address for filing that Matrix. Attention should then tap in the fuzzy set after The Matrix and not memorize. The system will then ask you if you want to swallow the blue pill or red, like in the movie Matrix.
• The first choice has no effect, while the second (called "Red Pill Mode") will unlock new features. This mode turns off automatically after each restart of the device.

[Edmund]

How to Restore:

Here's how to restore the Maemo operating system:

• off its N900 (must be fully charged)
• install Maemo-flash
• download the desired firmware
• Linux, open a terminal as root and use the following commands (replace firmware.bin the good name of the file): flasher-3.5-firmware-F name-f-R-download.bin
• In Windows, open the Command prompt MS-DOS, then run the following command (replace firmware.bin the good name of the file): flash-3.5.exe-F name-firmware-download.bin-f-R
• Press the "U" and then plug the N900
• wait 2 or 3 minutes, reboot the N900, and now with the factory settings

Shortcuts

Here is a list of the most useful keyboard shortcuts:

• Ctrl + Shift + p: make screenshots
• trl + Shift + X: open a terminal
• Ctrl + i filled the role of the tab key in the terminal
• Ctrl + Backspace: access the task manager
• Ctrl + a: select all the text
• Ctrl + x: cut text
• Ctrl + c: copy text
• Ctrl + v: paste text
• Shift + Shift: block capitals
• Fn + Fn block this key practice to enter the numbers

Maemo Apps

Not all apps that I present are apps in the classic sense. Some hook deeper into the system and perform certain functions, while it never gets to see. Other possible things in other apps or can only are executed from the command line. To understand this, a tiny foray into the Linux world in which I myself know much about very, very superficial. Apps are installed in the Maemo App Manager or the Terminal (command line), and I recommend the former. Some parts of the program are shared by multiple apps, but are not yet integrated in the system. It would be inefficient and could lead to conflicts, if any app that installs only the program part of its own. Therefore, there are dependencies. I click install now on an App, the system looks only which program parts are needed, which are present and, if not already existing. This all happened in the background and will only be important and needs the normal users do not care more.

There are programs even in Maemo, similar to jailbreaked iPhones through repositories. If one looks for the first time in the App Manager from the N900, it will be a bit disappointed how little apps are there. This is, however, that only the shiny Nokia Repository is enabled. Using the settings you can add more, or is it sufficient for most users when they activate the free extras repository, which is already entered. For the daring, there are still Testing Tools and Extras Devel, where one gets the apps that are still in development and even once can kill the whole system. Here, then, be careful.

Rootsh

I think the N900 for a Developer-Phone. And what a developer needs on their device? Root access of course. Even on Android is quite costly. Not so with Maemo. Here it is sufficient to install the app rootsh. After that you can in the terminal sudo gainroot or just enter root and you're root. Simple and fast.

Ses

Switched her phone at night and in the work accessible to silent? Or it always switches to Skype at the same times? The system event scheduler app, you can automate. Currently there are only Silent, Normal, offline and online but that may change and it still is a good start. Select status, set time, day select and activate. Any number of things to be created. And free up some time and leave annoying manual tasks of the art. But it is finally there.

Load Applet

The name is somewhat misleading. It does show two small towers next to the battery display how much RAM and CPU is being utilized currently, while it also offers the easy way to make screenshots and screencasts. And screenshots, the current Maemo version with the key combination CTRL + SHIFT + P. I like the CPU / RAM display yet.

Recaller

A recording device. You can use it either to record a telephone conversation, please observe the legal requirements to the N900 or convert to a digital recording device. However, no functions, and with modest quality. In many cases it is enough. Recall is a widget that can be positioned anywhere on the home screen and start recording when it is clicked.

Conclusion

Maemo 5 is reflected in this release in my opinion not too bad. It runs if already stable. During my tests I was able to record up to now still no crash or trailer. The combination Maemo 5 and N900 hardware reacts consistently fast. How likely is well known, offers Maemo 5 multi-task, as it is used by the PC. Applications can run parallel to each other. If you pick up one in the foreground, others run in the background. In order services like Skype to make really fun. For example, automatically starts when you open the camera cover their own parallel administration. Between this and any other you can switch back and forth. In task manager icons are not only the current application displayed, but previews of the graphics presented live.

The quality of the Graphical User Interface is in effect the visual showcase of any operating system. Meanwhile, come on Maemo GTK + library used to assist in the next version of Maemo qt to be replaced. In this sense, the statements made here about the user interface of Maemo are extremely perishable and the next version to be revised with security.