One of the ways with which the N800 has become useful for me...

I am just a hobbyist and am not a coder by trade. However, I do need to manage my day to day schedule like everyone else. What I do, how I do it, or who I direct to do it is often weather dependent. Having readily available, and current weather data at my disposal helps me make more effective decisions.
For this (as well as other data that I use)I put together some easy to navigate Browser pages that I store locally on the tablet. I overlay a transparent image map over an updated image. When I touch one of the pre-defined blocks on that transparent overlay, the browser navigates to where it is directed by the HTML code. The new page also contains code that can lead to another page or back to the original.

For instance I start by tapping an icon in Personal Launcher found on my "Home" screen:


This takes me to Doppler.htm that is stored on a memory card on my N800:


This image refreshes every 60 seconds and has a Transparent image map overlain. The map is divided into 3 vertical, side by side, equal sections with the middle section divided into an upper and lower half. These 4 image blocks navigate to 4 separate pages also found on the memory card. Touching the upper half of the middle section takes you to a zoomed view of the northern area of the original image:


Touching that image anywhere, navigates back to the updated original. Touching the right section of the original navigates to a zoomed view of the city:


Touching that image anywhere, navigates back to the updated original. Touching the lower half of the middle section takes you to a zoomed view of the southern area of the original image:


Touching that image anywhere, navigates back to the updated original. Touching the left section of the original navigates to a wider composite satalite view of an area resposible for future weather:


Touching that image anywhere, navigates to an even wider view of the USA. (Keep on eye on that image update time though. It looks like these guys took the week end off. )


And finaly: Touching on that^ image anywhere brings you back to the original Doppler page.
Now this code is hardly clean. In fact it doesn't work on IE7. I did it on a simple text editor and may have left out some standard tags. However, it loads fast and runs very well on the NIT's. The border of the image map is visible when viewed in full screen mode. I don't know how to easily scale the transparent image map so touching outside that border does nothing.

I have attached a zipped folder with these files in it.
If you just want to see how this works, point your tablet's browser >>HERE<<

EDIT: Missing tag added so it^ will now run in IE7. Use your mouse instad of your finger to "click" on a transparent navigation block.

I also have Philly and NYC traffic cam directories that I navigate this way. I can upload them to this thread if anyone is interested.


Weather images are made available by:

http://abclocal.go.com/mediakit/index.html
http://www.accuweather.com/
http://images.intellicast.com/

Another way locally stored web pages are useful on my N800 is as finger friendly link directories.

Bookmark management on the NIT's leaves a lot to be desired. I find it difficult to go to favorite sites quickly with out using the stylus. To help do this I made up template pages that I use to link to web sites and other locally stored HTML. This also includes locally stored Flash or SWF files as well as saved playlist files. Anything that the MicroB browser can open or view can be included on these link pages.

I categorize content per page and cross link to other pages. I store these pages on the tablets memory card and link to them using Personal Menu. By limiting the number of links per page to 8 or 10 and increasing the link font size, these pages become finger friendly.


The first four items under "web" point to link directories. For instance "Local" opens...


"Utilities" opens...


and "Travel" opens...


I usually make the last link on each page a cross link to another page.

When I have to many items for one page I use that last link to open Mo' pages...



To see how this can be useful on your tablet download the ZIP file attached to >>THIS<< Blog post... Unpack this file and place the "games" directory on your memory card. Open Games.html found in that directory with your tablets browser. Save that opened site as a "Favorite" and enjoy.

BTW, all the included games are free for personal use. They were not sold to you and you do not have the right to sell them to others. All work well on the NIT's

One touch News Radio

In the morning before work I listen to a local news radio station here in Philly to give me weather and traffic info before going out the door. Thanks to JAVA script, the MicroB browser, and locally stored HTML I have come up with a way to have one touch access to this station on my N810 running Diablo.

This method should also work with the N800 as well as the N900. Stations for other cities and genres are also available.

I did this on my desktop and then transferred the file to my device.

First: Open a new text file in the editor of your choice. Windows NotePad works fine for this.

Next: Go to this website and search for a station that suits your needs. >> http://play.it/

Next: Click on the banner for the station of your choice and you will be directed to a new page.

Next: On this new page look for the “Make Player Widget” button and then click that.

Next: Copy the text that is generated and paste it in your newly opened, blank text document.

The text you copied should look something like this:

<object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowScriptAccess="never" allowNetworking="internal" height="411" width="294" data="http://player.play.it/player/CBSRadio_Player_small.swf?R20Station=94&UseRoll=fa lse&UseShare=false&PartnerSource=PLAYIT&UseDCTrack =false&EmbeddedPlayer=true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never" /><param name="allowNetworking" value="internal" /><param name="movie" value="http://player.play.it/player/CBSRadio_Player_small.swf?R20Station=94&UseRoll=fa lse&UseShare=false&PartnerSource=PLAYIT&UseDCTrack =false&EmbeddedPlayer=true" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="salign" value="lt" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /></object>


Next: Close the text file and rename it to something you recognize. Then change the file extension from TXT to HTML.

Next: Transfer this file to your device, open file manager and enjoy one click access to your station.

The browser should open and a small java script player should appear. It will load your selection and you’ll be dancin’ (or grabbin’ an umbrella, buyin’ pork futures, hiding from your bookie, or going back to bed depending on the news )