With a database, one could have a contacts list and a PIN/password list without having to wait for a dedicated program. Shopping lists, Beer/Wine lists, whatever. The good old HP200 had a great DB program, as does my Psion 5MX. I don't need SQL.
With a good crypto program, one could encrypt an arbitrary file and not have to worry about built in encryption with individual apps.
Everyone seems to be busy porting games and little internet utilities. I'm a linux/free software junkie, but I'm at the point where I'd be willing to pay for a DB. Other needs:
(I know, many others want these too):
- Better browser (no hurry, I'd just like tabbed browsing and better bookmarks)
- Agenda/todo app (already tried GPE PIM and Deja)
- Better PDF viewer (something along the lines of Adobe)
Suggestions welcome. I tried to compile Gaby, but that didn't even work on my gentoo machine let alone the ARM environment. If I have time, I'll come back to it since it's at least based on GTK instead of QT.
I think a simple DB framework would be a fantastic addition to the 770 arsenal. Later development of front end applications that plug into that common base would allow ETL tasks between apps with some measure of simplicity.
On the other hand, tabbed browsing and PDF viewing... ... I think these are delving into the desktop realm which the 770 just can't compete with. The nature of PDF files tends to make them rather intensive, although after trying to view a simple subway map and scroll around it makes me wonder if there might be some workarounds available. Maybe dump the current zoom level to a .png and have that displayed such that you could scroll around instead of trying to re-render everything each time the user scrolls around. Maybe this is already done, I don't know.
Tabbed browsing... Come to think of it, sometimes I do have a copy or two of Opera open, but the only time I've found this incredibly useful on my desktop is when I'll do something along the lines of going to Slashdot and opening up multiple links to scan through them later. Doing this on the 770 would bring it to it's knees, but then again it's a tablet and not a laptop. (This point of view again, is based on how *I* use tabbed browsing on a desktop. Maybe your usage is different and well suited for the 770).
But also, I've noticed a bunch of small games and command line apps being ported, nothing rather large. I'm assuming this is because of the dev time required to port over more complex programs. A quick peek at maemo shows there are lots in the works, but updates are getting a little scarce.
1) The Zaurus line is quite "ancient" and mature, with a large installed base, and it took a loooooong time for its app library to become what it is now. The 770 is still very recent, generates a lot of hype but comparatively tiny in terms of units in the hands of potential hackers.
2) portability of (GUI) apps between the two platforms is hindered by the opposite choices made by Sharp and Nokia : Qtopia (mostly closed) and (old version of) Qt on one side, (mostly open) Maemo and GTK on the other.
3) that said, I agree that a Maemo, Hildonized port of Portabase would be a killer app !
There are a lot of applications out there, as can be determined by going to the maemo wiki. The 770 was only recently released, and even before the release, third-party software was already available.
As a general rule, developers (that aren't getting paid) are going to work on projects that are useful and/or interesting to them. If you want some software developed for the 770 as soon as possible, then your best bet is to do it yourself or pay someone else to do it.
Keep in mind what this product was designed for - Internet Surfing! Its target market was not like a Zaurus or any other PDA. Applications will come but they are a 2nd thought. There are other applications beside those mentioned such as DejaDesktop.
As a former Zaurus 6000 owner, I can testify that (at least for the 6000 platform) a good number of those apps had bugs, or were incomplete ports, or in the cases of many of the games, didn't perform well enough to be useful.
I agree that Portabase would be an excellent app to port to the 770, for its lightweight data handling capabilities.
As for other languages, aside from being fun to be able to use your favorite language on the 770, what would be the most practical language to port?
- something with GUI bindings;
- a language with the ability to interact with flat file databases, and maybe SQlite;
- sound;
- graphics;
It should also be pointed out that many of the types of extra applications for business use can be implemented using the tablet as an internet window to access the server computer serving up application pages.
If you look at your application in terms of access to a web server, this will simplify matters greatly.
For instance, the media player on the 770 is rather primitive, but if you use Slimserver to access your music database, you have an instant, feature rich, music player.
Think about the possibilities.
Now, improvements in the Opera UI to make it more tablet friendly, faster at rendering pages, etc. That will make the Nokia shine.
