I was just browsing Facebook and ran across this little issue … There is no way to install Flash directly on a mobile device as a browser plugin! Looks like I will have to wait it out for an update to the OS, but since we just got one this week, it may be a while …

Technorati Tags: Maemo diablo N810 Flash Facebook

I chose to do a backup (safety first) but had no need to restore. After a required reboot, my system was humming again. I can’t say I am noticing any real changes with this update, but I was not having any problems with the browser or email either …

Doing this without a computer is impressive and something I hope makes it to more mobile devices.

I had to reflash in order to get video playback working again. Apparently either the rotate or Android hacks I’ve installed (no idea which) caused a glitch that made clear video impossible. Since I use my tablet for movie viewing on planes, this was a non-starter.

My process tonight was to remove the things I did not want restored (5 min), run a backup (5 min) and then reflash (< 1min). After setting the date and time, I followed the prompts on startup to restore from backup and choose the one I'd just made. The restore process too somewhere between 5-7 minutes and I would have been quicker if I'd just clicked "yes to all," but I prefer to watch what's going on a bit during these times. From there the tablet prompted me to restore my applications. I chose update all and it then proceeded to download everything and install in sequence. I was very pleasantly surprised to see that my custom folders from my prior build were ready to receive my freshly installed apps. This used to just add even more time to the process of rebuilding ...

My wireless connection failed at one point during the restore process which stopped the installations. The fail was on my router not the tablet and when it was ready for connections again, I simply choose, Tools / Restore Applications and the installation process resumed.

I’m back up running without worrying about anything for my trip tomorrow. No time wasted getting things back in order, just a fresh tablet yet familiar with all my apps, settings and prefs restored! This is great work by the Maemo Team!!

BTW – If you’ve been waiting to get an Nokia N810 Internet Tablet, Amazon (and others) have them as low as $299 which is a great price!

The email client has been updated quite substantially as well. While I’ve been using Modest since it was initially released, having it as the default system preference is great. IMAP performance is stellar on my gmail account and the settings wizard certainly makes it easy to get going very quickly. My only nit is that there is still no support for graphics in HTML mail which renders very well otherwise.

I noticed some excellent updates to the Applications Manager also which now not only proactively reports that updates are available, but can also update multiple things at once. I look forward to putting this to a more serious test when the next OS update hits and I don?t have to reflash my device.

As to be expected with any update there are a few bits worth watching for like repositories that are now seeking Diablo when Chinook might still work. I’ve just tweaked the Mauku repository setting and have that back running without issue.

All told this seems like a great step forward for our Nokia Tablets. With non-destructible firmware installed we can finally start moving more mass. Though I’ll still probably have to help my dad update things on his N800 …

While many still question the need for a device like the Nokia Tablet the converted, like myself, see no way but up for this platform.

Technorati Tags: maemo, nokia, nseries, diablo, chinook, mauku, mobile, mid, n810, n800

Nokia has published the OS2008 Feature Upgrade for the N810 and N800 Internet Tablets. This release is based on Maemo 4.1 (codename Diablo) and provides the Seamless Software Update feature.

Users still need to reflash the device in order to install this release. Further OS updates will be made available over-the-air, without needing to reflash. Now users will get automatic notifications in the home screen about the availability of OS updates or single applications, including those installed from third parties. This works only over WLAN connections. It is still possible to check for updates manually from the Application manager.

This release brings a new open source email application based on Modest and the tinymail framework. Users will find a simplified account setup and presets for various service providers. Another major improvement is the introduction to Chinese character rendering support in Email, Browser and RSS feed reader. There are numerous issues fixed all over the operating system including updated openssl. Smaller improvements have also been introduced to several areas such improved browser panning performance. [Maemo.org]

I was just about to mess with screen rotation hacks, but this seems like a slightly more substantial change. I’ll try to report back after flashing today if possible.

INdT is proud to release Canola2 beta3, this is mostly a bugfix
version, with some optimizations and even a graphical cover selector
(in the case you used canola-tuning).

Highlights of this version are:

• Fixed playlist support;


• Fixed podcast downloading performance problem;


• Fixed “previous” button in player UI;


• Graphical cover selector: in Album view (Music -> Album cover ->
  Album view), click the cover, it will slide to the right and there it
  will show a list of possible covers. It is a list with kinetic
  scrolling, but lacks scrollbar/position indicator so far, so until we
  add it you should try to drag the list around.

Technorati Tags:
770, Canola, Internet Tablet, Maemo, Media Center, N800, N810, Nokia

I’ve been playing with the latest beta for Canola today and it’s definitely worth updating. As you might expect there are a number of under the hood enhancements and fixes. If you’ve got a 770 you can finally get back into the game as well which I am sure will be a welcome to many!

Gustavo noted the changes on the Maemo Users list:

– 770 support [*]
– Settings->Media Library->Multiple album entries: utility to merge
various albums into a single one (or collection)
– Formats: real media (.ra, .rm, .rmv…), windows media (.asf,
.wma, .wmv, …), png
– Improvements to podcast, better error handling
– Various optimizations
– Force rescan utility
– Splash screen for faster feedback

Hope installation will be smoother this time!

More information at: http://openbossa.indt.org/canola2/

[*] 770 support: gregale is regular install, but for Hacker Edition
(bora ported to 770) you need a special proceeding (ain’t you
hackers!?):
1) disable all repositories
2) add the repositories:
2.1) deb http://repository.maemo.org gregale free non-free
2.2) deb http://repository.maemo.org/extras gregale free non-free
3) update list
4) install canola2
5) remove gregale repositories
These steps are required because Hacker Edition kernel doesn’t provide
inotify and we compile bora EFL packages optimized for n8xx (omap
2420, arm1136jf-s).

Be sure to reboot after the update …

I attempted a restore after seeing things work (not the restore during setup) and still found the bugs on restart. With a selective restore – Bookmarks and Application list only – I am back in action with OS2008. This is quite unfortunate as one of the key benefits I saw was the ability to have a better backup and restore process – and I believe something that took a fair bit of effort from the Maemo team.

My backup was originally done on the N810, restored on the N800, then backed up again on the N800 and restored once more with the release version of the OS. I never actually saw stylus input on the N800 with OS2008 until last night’s clean install (without restore) so it’s possible that this bug existed from the initial beta on the N810. I assumed actually that stylus input was just a bug during the beta release for the n800… clearly that was incorrect.

I’m hoping now that the N800 and N810 images are the same and on par with each other that no one else (who reads this anyway) will run into these problems.

Technorati Tags: maemo, os2008, nokia, n-series, N800, N810

When I was testing the N810 and OS2008, I never looked for or even wanted the stylus keyboard but as soon as I updated my N800 with the beta release it was something I immediately missed. This was amplified by the fact that the thumbboard was not always popping up on all text entry points and at times I’ve even found myself in a few dead ends … no way to enter text and no way to do anything without entering something … hard to use Google without actually entering a search!

I expected this to go away with the release version, though after updating my N800 yesterday I still have no way to enable stylus entry and I am still finding it hard to get the thumbboard to pop up all the time. I’ve reset the N800 once today to try and fix this, but this is not what I was hoping to see with the OS2008 release. As you can see in the following screen shot, I am running the latest firmware but there’s simply no option for stylus input to activate.

I know there’s also supposed to be predictive text selections when using the thumbboard, which I’ve also yet to see on the N800 … I’ll have to try a fresh flash without a restore to see if there’s something buggy from a prior version along the way, but I have to say I’m quite frustrated. I tend to message quite a bit on the tablet and need text entry to be both reliable and flexible.

Technorati Tags: maemo, nokia, n-series, os2008 internet tablet, bug, thumbboard

Today’s release is as you would expect, a bug fix and feature refinement since we’ve already seen all that’s in the new OS. The N810 and N800 images are now the same though which is excellent. Beta testers, developers and daring end users were sharing different notes through this trial period…

Be sure to do a backup before you flash… I’ll be updating my N800 shortly!

Technorati Tags:
Firmware, Internet Tablet, Maemo, N-Series, N800, N810, Nokia, OS2008