This N800 is better than I thought after all...
 

I didn't want to come out, what with me being critical about the N800 an'all, but -- thanks to a wad of cash a loved one gave me "...if I would finally shut up about those fecking computers!" -- my N800 just arrived at my door.

I haven't done much with it besides setting it up and NaB00's[*] happily charging now, but I already discovered at least one thing it's better in than NokiLLO: It paired with my Orange-branded (but unlocked) Sony Ericsson P910i within seconds! Finally Internet everywhere! Jahoo!

More to follow but, if it turns out USB host mode is really disabled in the N800, I have a strong mind to send the thing back. Just to spite Nokia.
____
[*] Yes, I'm quite the sucker for giving names to inanimate objects. So sue me... :p

Re: This N800 is better than I thought after all...
 

One BIG reason why I am not seriously considering the "upgrade". Two cards do not outweigh being able to connect to a HD or DVD drive (via USB-to-IDE converter) in the car...

Re: This N800 is better than I thought after all...
 

First impressions: NaB00 seems indeed a bit nippier than NokiLLO. I can't do much beyond playing with it until my memory cards arrive, of course.

Osso-Xterm installed fine (the version for 2007) and Midnight Commander (usually the first thing I install on a Linux system, but on NaB00 Xterm beat it) runs flawlessly.

One question: When I type "sudo" in an Xterm window, NaB00 asks for a root password, which leads me to believe/hope that root access might already be enabled on it. I can't seem to find the root password anywhere however. Leaving it blank (i.e. just hitting "enter") exits the sudo command.

Anyone?

Re: This N800 is better than I thought after all...
 

Well Karel, you're not the only one naming your devices; my duaghter named my 770 "Nikki". :-o)
Also, with better Bluetooth support and devices like Agere BlueOnyx, USB host mode might not be needed.
Still, despite my urge to get a N800, I'm waiting till a case is available. I take my 770 everywhere and its hard case or the leather case that I bought protect its screen pretty well. N800 without a case won't be practical for me.

Re: This N800 is better than I thought after all...
 

Traitor! How can you do this to your 770!..

Re: This N800 is better than I thought after all...
 

I done nuffin'!

Seriously, NokiLLO won't be sold, ever. I now have two Internet devices lying about the house, that's all.

Re: This N800 is better than I thought after all...
 

I'm not angry because I need USB, but because Nokia not only chose to ignore the users' plea for better USB access, but apparently was arrogant enough to go a step backwards in the N800 by leaving USB host support out of the kernel alltogether. That's bastards behaviour, that is.

The soft case that comes with the N800 ain't half bad; I don't like the fact that I now have to press two buttons to put NaB00 to sleep (four if it's still connected, I haven't figured out how to let it disconnect from the network automatically when I put it to sleep), but I can live with that. Well, I'll have to, won't I?

Re: This N800 is better than I thought after all...
 

According to other posts, it won't disconnect from the network if it's put to sleep ;-( unless Nokia provide this in a future update.

Also, if the Hardware (i.e. connector) doesn't support USB host mode (as reported), then, kernel support ain't do nothing.

Nokia improved some stuff in N800 like CPU and memory while dropping/missing some other like hard case or USB host mode; maybe as some say, it was all about keeping the cost in check, or maybe they just screwed some aspects in rushing it.

It will be very interesting to see what the next Nxxx can or can not do.

Re: This N800 is better than I thought after all...
 

Pretty sure it does.

I got caught out by this initially and ran out of battery power.

But in the control panel (sorry not sure where as my N800 isn't with me) you can set it disconnect from the network if idle for x minutes. I have mine set to 5 minutes and when I wake it up I now have lots of battery left and no network connection.

Re: This N800 is better than I thought after all...
 

They took out USB hostmode? Hahhahaha... what gives?

And Frank? I don't want yet another device (though it does look cool). That's why I've got my 40GB mp3 player chock full of media goodies and a USB power injector.

Re: This N800 is better than I thought after all...
 

Hedgecore, I see you and I live in the same city :-)

Like many of you guys, I followed 770 from early days that it was announced and got one as soon as I could (you know how hard to get them in Canada then). I love it, despite its shortcomings.
While I was reading related blogs, ITT and Maemo, I didn't get involved till N800 or better to say Nokia announcement that 770 will be out of sync with the new device came out, which was too much to bear.

I need a little more than what N800 does; in particular, I need proper AJAX support to use services like Google Calendar. I also want a good PIM to cover my professional needs, which I have to get from my Nokia 6680 now.

What's tempting about N800 is having much more storage; also because better hardware, probably some apps that I use (remote access stuff) should perform better. BTW, for us, early adaptors of Internet Tablets, it would be a piece of memorabilia too ;~)

Re: This N800 is better than I thought after all...
 

Congrats on your new N800!

Re: This N800 is better than I thought after all...
 

I must admit I'm astonished by the Nokia decision to not even support usb host mode in hardware (unlike the 770) [EDIT: Yesyes, it seems the situation isn't that bad after all - it's on-the-go that's missing, not host mode. Nothing to see here, go to next posts please. :) ]. Well, I can live without it, but it would have been nice. Strange that they did this backwards step, as otherwise they did _exactly_ as I was yelling for: "Double the RAM, change to SD, and incidentally TWO card slots would be even better". Oh well. At least the wi-fi is terrific, very sensitive (much better than my wireless router with an external antenna, for example), and there's no battery drain compared to my T3 w/wi-fi card.
But the missing host mode for USB makes me scratch my head as to what they were thinking.

(still catching up on old threads after a week away..:cool: )

Re: This N800 is better than I thought after all...
 

Yeah, I don't understand the usb decision myself. Seems to me host mode would have been a given.

Re: This N800 is better than I thought after all...
 

Actually, I wonder if host mode is really out. All this is apparently based on the comment of one Nokia rep in a forum who said that "the hardware didn't support it".

Maybe he was referring to the absence of power on the USB bus?

Re: This N800 is better than I thought after all...
 

He also referred specifically to "OSB OTG" (on-the-go), which I think is not quite the same as plain USB host...

Re: This N800 is better than I thought after all...
 

Exactly. It's funny because you can set it to "host mode" using the flasher but it doesn't seem to change anything since it still will connect to a PC as mass storage when plugged in. I talked to a linux-USB guy who actually mentioned using his N800 in host mode. From what I understand it's not possible to have "true" OTG support because you would need a different connector on the device which would allow you to use normal cables as well as automatically switching to host mode. That given, it should be just a matter of software support to force it into (working) host mode. I can hardly wait!

Larry

Re: This N800 is better than I thought after all...
 

So we keep our fingers crossed for a while more..

Re: This N800 is better than I thought after all...
 

I don't understand this; if the connector (read hardware) doesn't support USB Host mode, then, how software will?!

Can someone enlighten me, please?

Re: This N800 is better than I thought after all...
 

It's OTG that's not supported-- USB host mode is, or will be.

Larry

Re: This N800 is better than I thought after all...
 

BTW, I was using my N800 in the lunch room today and it was an instant hit. "Where can I buy one?" was asked by every second person, if not two out of three..

Re: This N800 is better than I thought after all...
 

I was at CompUSA Saturday and was really gratified to see not only the N80 and 8801 on sale (in a US store!) but a guy and his girlfriend each spent a lot of time on both the 770 and N800. They looked highly interested.

Re: This N800 is better than I thought after all...
 

TheThe Linksys WRT54G doesn't even have USB, but some realizedit had a
superflous LED and a spare inputpin on the processor. All you need for USB host is a a 5v, ground, in and out and some way of reading the input and a way of toggling the output between 0 and 1 to match the protocol. On the WRT, by soldering a usb cable to the right two spots and doing EVERYTHING in the software driver the fake USB 2.0 quite well.

One way or another there will be USB host on the n800. It might just be more work than you like... Linksys WRT54G doesn't even have USB, but some realizedit had a superflous LED and a spare inputpin on the

Re: This N800 is better than I thought after all...
 

I own one of those routers, but a router is not a portable device (or as expensive); assuming that N800 doesn't have USB host mode, but the internal support, how many would break their warranty (or risk damaging their device) to open it up and solder a USB port? Would the end result justify such drastic actions?

I think at some point we have to get out of the mentality of "I'm doing it because it can be done" and think more practical.

Just my $0.02...

Re: This N800 is better than I thought after all...
 

Well, if it turns out that the existing port can, after all, be _used_ in host mode (like it can on the 770), then we should need only the same kind of non-invasive fix: Insert a little gadget between the N800 and e.g. your USB disk, the gadget would only be there to provide 5V DC.

With crossed fingers,
TA-t3

Re: This N800 is better than I thought after all...
 

Obviously, you'd also need a new kernel, because the USB host drivers are not compiled in ITOS 2007's kernel, but even that is not major surgery.

Re: This N800 is better than I thought after all...
 

Yes, but we'll need a new kernel anyway, to support those SDHC cards ;-)

Re: This N800 is better than I thought after all...
 

You can still use host mode with N800. You need to get a modified cable and updated kernel to use OTG USB (once OTG support is there). 5V is provided by HW, but no 500mA current can be drawn (OTG spec probably defines max current).

Re: This N800 is better than I thought after all...
 

Méh.

I already got my 4GB cards, so SDHC support doesn't do much for me right now. :D :D :D