Re: What is the future for the n900 from now? meego or no updates or nothing?
 

You keep linking that... have you run it? I have. I watched the various Intel Moorestown videos of MeeGo on Handset release and have actually used the N900 MeeGo release. Guess what? Huge gap in functionality from what the Moorestown was showing!

So yes, theoretical development device, because it's obvious MeeGo is moving along with Moorestown, while the N900 is still playing catchup.

Yes, I am saying that every indication is that it's dead. Im sorry, you simply cannot say that just because they are using the N900 has a framework to furthering MeeGo which they have no intention of Supporting on the N900 is a "future" in a company. That's just ... well it's dilusional.

No, the n900 is the device they have right now, and it's working, and that is the only reason they are using it to aide in MeeGo development. Nothing at all to do with them expecting a "future". They only "future" we know of is PR1.3. Now, I'll certainly change my opinion if going from PR1.2 to PR1.3 is like going from Android 1.6 to 2.1. I doubt it, though.

However, past PR1.3... and even what PR1.3 will even be.. is nothing but a black vortex of hell. That's not a future. The only confirmed reports we have indicate no future of support for the n900 with MeeGo OR Harmattan - And Harmattan is even MAEMO, and then all the not "officially" announced but "said from sources within the company" reports we have are that we'll never get a Flash upgrade, so that (one of it's strongest selling points) is already outdated.

I'm sorry.. I've seen, and Nokia has shown, absolutely nothing with regards to a "future" for the N900. MeeGo is their future, and MeeGo on the N900 is not guaranteed to even work fully. I am having this discussion in another thread too I believe: This will be a developmental only build.. once they get it "good enough" we will be relying on the Community to support and end-user workable model. If it gets there.

Nokia is not going to make money from MeeGo on the N900.. so they have 0 incentive to continue past the initial "good enough" stages. MeeGo already includes in it's multiple framework ideas Multi-Touch support as an integral piece of the UI.. so quite clearly the N900 is not the target.

Re: What is the future for the n900 from now? meego or no updates or nothing?
 

@fatalsaint
btw.
Just before i make any post. Please remember that meego(or it´s components) is /are developed fully open so Nokia also provides code to upstream from where people can make their own packages back to non officially.

This has already been happening with maemo if you have read bugzilla reports where people have made their own packages to fix modest and hildon-desktop.

So i do not know what to say about this kind of support which comes around loop to users from Nokia. Its not official but it´s something.

.edit
Also it looks like we have bit different definitons for term dead.

Re: What is the future for the n900 from now? meego or no updates or nothing?
 

i hope you are not holding your breath on that this phone is dead

Re: What is the future for the n900 from now? meego or no updates or nothing?
 

We agree on this. I'm not saying the N900 is going to die.. I am speaking specifically from a Nokia and official support perspective, which is important to consumers.

Hopefully, with MeeGo being as open as it is, the community WILL get MeeGo past Nokia's dropping off point, and into a very workable and formidable alternative (we should at least get flash, and OVI maps at that point)... but also remember: Several drivers for the N900 are closed source. I'm not saying this is Nokia's fault in that Nokia may/may not want to open the drivers, it very well could be the manufacturers fault, however it's Nokia's fault for using hardware that requires them to keep it closed.

In order to built a proper MeeGo right now for the n900 that won't cause issues and actually gets a nice UI - you have to download the build from an official nokia hosted code-drop. Not the general MeeGo download repo's. That is a key thing to remember.

Even if the community is able to extend MeeGo to a great working point on the N900: We can't be sure of a simple drop-in flash replacement image because of the closed hardware.

I could be wrong here .. and would need input from Stskeeps on that.

Re: What is the future for the n900 from now? meego or no updates or nothing?
 

For all its faults, and I will grant every one of them, Nokia still comes closest to providing a true, viable handheld computing experience. That in fact is likely one of the problems for the company: others have tried and failed. Nokia has screwed up on many fronts, but at least they're still trying to find a way to make a mobile computer work. That's why many in the community grit their teeth over missteps and keep trying.

Re: What is the future for the n900 from now? meego or no updates or nothing?
 

Ehhhh I'd go with a yes and no.

The N900 is definitely the most desktop like device, if that's your definition of computing... but since Android now has Flash built-in to the browser and they also have java support (IIRC) - I think they have a slight edge on that now.

I really don't like flash.. but even I wind up at sites that give the infamous "You need to upgrade" message.. and many of them (browsers/android) allow you to change the browser's identification string to show a desktop browser and a lot of the websites will show in true desktop form.

So, while the N900's OS is the closest to a desktop, I think there's a slight edge for Android in providing a desktop-like web experience.

Re: What is the future for the n900 from now? meego or no updates or nothing?
 

I don't think there's any company that provides hardware you see in current and future smartphones, tablets that have open drivers. In that case the alternative would be not to make the device at all...

Yeah..but as much as I love my computer in my pocket I am willing to sacrifice the computer aspect and get an Android smartphone if nobody else decides to join in on Meego. Surprisingly it isn't this whole issue that has me fed up with Nokia (though it's annoying how maemo gets kicked around). It's the continual refusal to acknowledge the USB port is an issue and to just fix it like Microsoft does for RROD.

Oh and they stiffed me the $50 they still owe me for the rebate.

Re: What is the future for the n900 from now? meego or no updates or nothing?
 

Acceptable response.. but something to consider:

Look at the plethora of Android ROM's out there.. this could go to my total lack of understanding of the very very very low-levels of Android.. but how can they build ROM's for Devices without the drivers?

Now.. I'd understand if the core kernel/linux/drivers stay the same when you flash an android ROM and you just update the Davlik-Half-asked-sucky-Java VM on top.. but I don't think that's the case.

In my understand you are flashing a whole kernel and everything.. and the only thing any of the android guys have gotten in trouble for (to my knowledge) was Cyanogen distributing Google's stuff. So they have to be getting their drivers from somewhere..

(Although, and there's a caveat here: I do remember having to jump through hoops to update the radio on the G1 for things like the DANGER-SPL...)

Re: What is the future for the n900 from now? meego or no updates or nothing?
 

Ovi Maps can't go in vanilla MeeGo (just as Google Maps can't go into plain Android, but it's a long story...). The point is that you can even open-source the code of the application and give it everybody, the actual product is the data, which is very heavily controlled, with Navteq/Teleatlas on the kill-switch. And data is super-expensive to obtain and keep up-to-date. Don't let the fact that you as a customer don't pay extra, it's just being financed by other means. Unless you're talking about Ovi Maps using openstreetmap as a back-end, but would you really trust that as reliable source for navigation ?

Just to correct a small misconception. Flash is technically not built-in to the browser. FroYo provides some extra hooks for it, but actual device-specific porting and certification is required, plus you need adequate distribution licenses from Adobe. The bottom line - Flash is not part of FroYo's browser but is supported by it. Why this nitpick ? Because it affects the support cycle - it's not Google's job to maintain Flash, so it will be interesting to see the future of Flash after FroYo.

Re: What is the future for the n900 from now? meego or no updates or nothing?
 

Ok, I'll concede that point and it makes sense. Speaking currently though, any devices with Froyo and getting Froyo are expected to get Flash 10.1.. correct?