Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

^ the idea is good, but not as easy at is seems at first sight. Stars/planets are easy as you're moving in 2D (=no closer/further targets on the same direction). With 'real life' situations, you have to discover WHAT you're aiming the phone at, and that's not easy, even if you have compass and camera input, due to sensor/pointing errors and multiple targets being in the given direction, objects obscuring each other, etc. To reiterate, the idea is cool, and sooner or later somebody will do it, but this Star Droid is far-far-far from that as it does not rely on any actual input from outside sources (apart from Earth's gravity and magnetic field, that is :) Now, if any of these devices would have a built-in laser distance meter, that would be a very different story.

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

That makes sense, though I call that "localization" or "rebranding". I don't think there is any MID/UMPC/netbook that is currently assembled in the United States in a way more substantial than that (but I could be wrong).

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

That's the interesting part of course :)

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

A personal wish:

Personally, I would rather the N900 kept the existing screen size (maybe a slightly smaller one), and shrunk the overall device. Seriously, as it stands now, its barely small enough to be pocketable, and is not very comfortable for me. A smaller device would be great!

Also, I would love some sort of capacitive screen. After using the iPod Touch for 2 mins, it's quite clear that for finger input it is far superior to the N810. The screen is also more durable. I feel as though I have to baby the N810, whereas the iPod touch is a rock.

Perhaps some sort of active digitizer with magno-pen?


YARR!
}:^)~

ManoCorrupt

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

We've discussed this before. Capacitive simply isn't suitable for the current tablets.

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

I definitely don't want the screen to be any smaller. I would actually go the opposite direction: slightly larger, but still pocketable.

For the device being smaller ... only if it can still house the same functionality + growth due to the advance of the device category. More Ram, more storage, more battery, both mini-usb for client/charging, and micro-USB for host/otg, 3.5mm headset jack, some type of SD card slot, as well as adding the internal 3G circuitry, and some form of display-out capability (I'd prefer mini or micro dvi-i out). I don't see that giving much capability to make the device smaller.

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

Discussed, though I don't recall any unanimous agreement being reached. In any case, I'm not looking for an argument, so I'll leave it at that.


This seems to be possible for other devices, why not the tablet? Take the N97 as an example. The current tablet is old tech, and this industry seems spry....


YARR!
}:^)~
Corrupt2008

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

dpad on face of the unit and camera lens cover for protection of the rear facing camera

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

You missed my point (or I didn't articulate it well).

At any given time, as tech moves forward, you get three choices:

• Do the same in less volume
• Do more in the same volume
• Something in between (do a little bit more in somewhat less volume)

Given those 3 choices, I would pick "Do more in the same volume". While the N97 looks like a great form factor, and like a sexy little beast ... I don't want the NIT to get that small. Instead, I'd rather see an N97 shell that is as big as an N810, and have that be the basis of the N900.

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

I'm with johnkzin on this one, the N800 was a bit big, N810 is just right for me. If we could get a tad bigger screen (even with the same resolution) and less bezel, that'd be great. I don't care about 3-3.5" screens for extended internet-related use, my eyes are not that young any more.

Re: What would you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

And that's the idea behind the virtual world or web data base. From the reported location, orientation, and direction of the device a calculation would be made and the display would be relative. No need for laser range finders. :)

In fact the application could "know" if it is daylight or night time, if it is fair, overcast, or raining.

Granted that is a lot of stored and transmitted data, not to mention the CPU needed to parse and display it all. However, in time those concerns will be meaningless. :)

Re: What would you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

I'm just curious just how will you discern multiple targets in the same general direction. I understand it can work for stuff I'm right next to (and for those GPS is enough, too), but down the road ? From a window in a flat/office ? Across the river ? In a panorama/from a vantage point ?

You can do that with any GPS enabled device right now without too much magic. GPS gives you local time and satellite weather maps for a given lat/lon can give cloud/rain amounts, pressure and temperature results from nearby weather stations, ditto.

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

Perhaps I'm missing something. If there's a database of 'augmented' objects, the tablet knows its position and orientation in this augmented space, and the tablet has access to that database, then the object the tablet is pointing towards can be found using only an algorithm and no additional hardware. This is true weather or not there are multiple objects in front of the tablet.

For example ray-tracers use a such an algorithm to determine which surface a cast ray intersects with. I suspect something similar could be done with more simple targets (eg. a large cuboid for a building), and limiting the intersect-able objects based on their relative position.

I may be misinterpreting the discussion, though. I admit, I've only read the last two posts!

YARR!
}:^)~
AugmentedCorrupt

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

There is a very limited amount of places that have accurate *vertical* mapping, and even less that have it on the level of buildings. Two, imagine a photo of a city panorama. I might be (trying to) point to a building but I will have always hundreds of potential points that will also be on the screen, between and around me and the target object. The further away your target is, the bigger this problem is - that's why I mentioned distance meters which would give you a pinpoint location of the target, not a line containing multiple possible targets. But, as said, if it's just 'hey what's this building I'm next to', you're good to go even with N810 class hardware.

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

The first word of my supposition was "imagine".

15 years ago very few places were horizontally mapped. :D

...and yo ho CC I believe you're on the right track... It wouldn't be hard for a country club to 3D map its grounds, provide golf carts with displays, GPS, and wireless connections to their network. Based on the golf carts orientation, the display could provide a whole bunch of usefull info to the golfer. I wouldn't be supprised if this was already available at places like Pebble Beach

For that matter, the same could be done in large resorts or theme parks and with a device provided to guests for use while there.

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

I would like to see a device that looks similar to this.
http://www.jappit.com/images/blog/up...le_content.jpg

http://www.jappit.com/images/blog/up...nt_layouts.jpg

This image was taken from an official Nokia blog post here:
http://blogs.forum.nokia.com/blog/al...lopment-part-2


YARR!
}:^)~
NoBezel Corrupt

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

Just to avoid confusion, it's a forum Nokia community blog, which is probably not what people associate with 'official' :)

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

Haha! Thanks!


YARR!
}:^)~
MistakenCapt'n

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

I haven't read the thread, but had a thought I wanted to put out there and this seems to be the right place.

Wish item for the N900 or future devices: Video out.
I just got a HD tv and went through the devices in my house for compatability. I've dismissed the video out on digial cameras (and still doubt i'll bother to connect a camera EVER). But then I looked at the N800 and wished I could connect not only internet but MP4 playback device. Perhaps this would have very narrow appeal.*

Then the today I find this device 'Neuros digital recorder' (versions have been around a while and discussed here before). It redoubled my wish to be able to connect my N800 (and now for video in). Now that I type this, I seem to recall archos had a docking station for recording. Either way for now, I'll probably just use a full pc, but that still won't have video in.

*Which reminds me of a request I probably posted here before:
Expansion Capability. Give us some kind of expansion slot. Maybe a full SD card slot open to the top (like palm treo). We can use it to add whatever we need. All I can think of as existing now is wifi SD cards, and GPS. But it could be my above mentioned Video out, an IR LED (to use as a remote), radio tuner, maybe a camera. Other industry specific thing like walkie-talkie chip, multimeter, device net node, PLC, maybe a barcode scanner (laser emitter for use with the camera).

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

I know I'm probably the only one, but the N810 is imho too small for two-thumb usage. My fingers run over each other on the back.

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

How many fingerS ? I just have my index fingers on the back, middle fingers holding the bottom of the NIT, and since the keyboard is a little to the right, the right index is higher, hence no overlap.

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

I used to hold my N810 with my middle and ring finger partly curved and pushing their points into the back of the N810, my index fingers close to the top of the N810 (or the top of the back, if the device was open), and my pinky fingers sort of acting as a slight base for the bottom of the N810 to rest upon (but not a lot of weight on them -- they were more preventing incidental downward movement of the N810 to keep it form slipping out of my hands; the weight (what little there is) was largely supported by my palms along the sides of the back, and the sides of the device, pressing in a little). Which is also fairly similar to how I hold my G1.

But I never had discomfort with my thumb reach on it. My discomfort was from the fact that the keys were too stiff, and didn't have a decent tactile feedback/feel for when you had successfully pushed a key. Which is odd, because Nokia qwerty phones seem to get that part right (the E61i was decent, and the E71 is excellent, in this regard; but the N810 is awful in this regard).

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

E65 is not too bad, but its PVC skin layer is of POOR durability!
Peel off easily!

Rather unstable.

Sliding also poor strength and hang easily.

That's about my E65.

It was A COMPLETE FAILURE FOR NOKIA wasn't it?
I am so looking forward to my next better phone.

Many fabulous mobile gadgets in Korea and Japan, but not sold overseas. SAD!!!

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

Same screen size.

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

My reflection.

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

It's been a while.

Anywhoo.. Now that the hardware is final, I think there's still room for wishing on the software front. I won't go into the obvious wish about portrait mode. However, I will wish for something that I think is far more significant.

A Gears (formally known as Google Gears) extension for the web browser.

Gears is a technology designed to give online applications many of the same advantages shared of natively installed applications, in a very simple and non-intrusive way (similar to the upcoming HTML5 spec -- today). These include:

1) Offline storage of data. Data can be stored in an SQLite database offline as per the users permission.

2) System notifications. This allows the application to notify the system that something has happened.

3) Offline document/data serving. This mechanism can store the actual app, as html files and javascript files can be stored. Additionally it has expanded to include binary data (BLOBS).

4) Background worker pool. Basically a set of Javascript Objects that exist and execute outside of the page (for a given app/domain) and between page changes. Once registered, these can improve performance.

5) Geolocation. Using in-built hardware, or the estimated position based on the WiFi AP, location can be used as a part of any application.

When you mix all of these together, what you get is the potential to make an online application run very closely to that of an offline application. The major advantage here is an INCREDIBLY low cost to entry as applications do not need to be 'installed' in the traditional way, and can be tried as easily as navigating to a web page!

With the recent advances in the browser including the general javascript performance, the canvas element, etc. There are sufficient features to service a great number of applications. Including flash into this equation furthers the domain-of-usefulness.

Online development provides not only a low-cost for entry of the user, but the developer as well. Many apps can be prototyped rapidly, and improved gradually as time goes on. This equates to MANY MORE APPS and MANY MORE DEVELOPERS. Moreover, these apps are extremely write-once-run-anywhere apps. Lastly, while Javascript may be considered a muddled language, it is extremely powerful and very flexible if one adheres to good design principles (much like C).

It's of worth noting that online apps with gears do not NEED to be apps as services. In fact, a complete app can be contained in a set of pages, and the data stored completely offline. In this scenario, the app may be built to poll the the server for updates rather than requiring the server to run.

It's not all roses and bee-bottoms, though. There still are many things that native apps do better. However, when one considers twitter clients, messaging, maps, document creation, and a multitude of other apps that can be represented in this environment, its easy to understand that online development provides a very future-focused and attractive alternative to traditional offline tools.

I would *really* like to see Gears on the N900. It's a bandwagon worth jumping on.

}:^)~

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

I second that. I'd like to see Gears for Maemo.

And, on the "lets talk about software we'd like to see" front:

I'd still like to see a full SyncML implementation, _at_least_ for syncing contacts and calendar to SyncML servers/services out on the internet. GooSync for Google contacts and calendar, and Oracle Calendar for work calendar data are the servers/services that are particularly important to me.

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

I would like to see something like this as well.

I must be missing something. Assuming that SyncML is an XML based protocol, why is it so elusive on this platform? Certainly a user-program or daemon could be easily created for periodic manual/automatic syncing. Am I missing something? Is it just one of those things that should be done, but for whatever reason, is left by the wayside?

I see this being a tremendous value, and a very large selling point for the device.

}:^)~

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

Oh, Maemo 5 is going to have SyncML.

For syncing via USB and Bluetooth, to your PC.

Useful for syncing to your Windows-only Nokia PC Suite type application. Completely useless to anyone else.

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

Why would we not be able to use a 3rd party SyncML client (and even server) besides the default one? I had a look at SyncML at Wikipedia. Seems libsynthesis and OpenSync are the most complete, and open source (C/CPP). The nice thing about OpenSync is the many plugins, and given Qt is next and KDE has good PIM (Kontact)...

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

+1 on that. Including either multiple calendars or multiple categories, whichever apply.

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

http://img9.imageshack.us/i/n900gamepad.jpg/

this!! its ruff but!!

no multi touch screen means you need one!!

games to play!!

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

yes because games are so much fun to play on a multitouch screen especially a first person shooter. One of those would be nice though, but a paired wiimote or ps3 controller would work a whole lot easier.
(both are pretty easy to do, I know the wii controller pairing program has been ported already.

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

+1 Simple and beautiful!

}:^)~

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

Ability to sync using goosync would be awesome indeed. Then I don't have to worry about Nokia implementing it. Just SyncML over http.

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

I too wish someone would create a pad like this. It could probably work in two pieces that clip onto the left and right side, so that you can still operate the touchscreen and more quickly remove it if you suddenly get a phone call.

The Wiimote is good, but only if you are sat down at a desk to prop the N900 with the kickstand. This however would turn it into a full handheld games system, and one a lot more comfortable than the PSP or DS I suspect as its an ergonomic pad shape (which those handhelds sadly are not).

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

I agree re: the clilp on gamepad. In fact, if it was made so that it was flush with the surface of the N900, then you wouldn't necessarily have to remove it to quickly take a phone call. It may look a bit odd, but you'd be able to hold the device to your head and speak, mid-game.

I'd like to see this for the emulators and gaming-on-demand services that are popping up. With a proper controller attachment, the N900 would truly be a portable gaming system.

This needn't be an N900 specific device. The makers could easily expand their market reach by making it generic as many smart phones tend to have very similar proportions.

I'd buy this in a heartbeat.

}:^)~

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

you were unlucky. I had an E65 and once I got past the initial firmware release it was stable, it's still working well and I bought a 2nd one for my wife. I just sold my E65, yes, it was peeling slightly but that's after nearly three years, and got an E71.

my complaint about nokia is that the initial firmware releases are buggy AND they don't make enough of an effort to ensure the buyer knows to update firmware when you get it. the tablet does, surely they could have put a simple app on it which simply says "there's a new firmware update, please connect to your computer and run ~~~~". I've met very few people with nokia smartphones who are aware of the need to update, and when I've helped them they are usually far happier with their device afterwards!

part of the problem is the customer. we are all impatient for the latest device, hanging on every rumour, threatening to buy a competitor's product like a spoiled child if we don't get it soon. then, if it's not perfect and needs an update we whine again. and yes, I must admit, I am a bit like that. However, with the n900 I am holding out, firstly for better prices and secondly for stability and apps to be ported.

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

goosync is no longer free. in theory Ovi offers sync services. maybe we'll get some hot sync lovin'?

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

Will Ovi's services support Mac and Ubuntu desktops? and sync with Gmail Contacts and Calendar?

If not, then there's no value to them (for me).