Re: Connectivity Options for N800
 

Hi
You hit the nail on the head..It is really frustrating..with all the limitations in connectivity..

Nokia may have a vision on how the N800 has to evolve..but why cant they simple allow us to place a SIM inside and get connected via some cellular service?

Relying on Wifi spots and connecting via phone seems to be stupid as the device does not have life on its own..I bough the N800 in May while visiting US and after coming back to India i have not used it at all except for a short period..

They cant expect us to carry all kinds of extra devices to make this work meaningfully..And what about the cost you incur for adding on these..All looks meaningless..atleast to me..

If someone else feels this is not so please advice..

Re: Connectivity Options for N800
 

My guess is that it is about internal politics in Nokia.

That to make it a phone would mean it competed with the Symbian based ones and that there were people against that.

The really useful thing would be a USB ethernet dongle like http://www.expansys.com.au/p.aspx?i=105804

One with a mini-usb connector of course :)

It is yet another thing to carry, but there must be small ones.

Hmmm... http://www.linux-usb.org/devices.html might be a place to investigate. If someone's done drivers for a USB ethernet, especially for ARM, then it shouldn't be too hard to get a dongle working on the N800.

Right now I'd say finding the smallest possible wifi hub is the way to go. Yes, damned annoying. There's bugger all publically available wifi here in Australia, my N800 is still just a toy I am using to learn things and play with. I don't like it as much as my iPaq for the things I usually do so I doubt it will replace that. Which is sad cos that's what I bought it for....



Zebee

Re: Connectivity Options for N800
 

and a followup....

http://www.qbik.ch/usb/devices/devices.php is a list of USB devices that work with linux so far and http://www.qbik.ch/usb/devices/showdevcat.php?id=16 is the networking section.

Some of them were done long enough ago that the N800 kernel should support the driver, but it isn't clear how much work there would be to port it, would need to crossref with the other places on the site to see any ARM data.

Zebee

Re: Connectivity Options for N800
 

There's actually a driver included already in OS2008 for devices based on the Realtek 8150 chipset, I'm getting a card based on that chipset later today, and will report my findings.

According to the datasheet, the 8150 uses an average current of 110mA, and with the additional components of the adapter (LEDs, etc), I doubt the N8x0 will be able to power it directly.

Wish me luck! :)

Re: Connectivity Options for N800
 

Damn, didn't think of that! yeah, ethernet needs power. And while snipping the LEDs might not cause interesting current difficulties, they are too useful to do without....

Good luck!

Zebee

Re: Connectivity Options for N800
 

Some people in the know at Nokia have said adding phone capabilities is technically possible, but that doing so would bring it into an entire other market (phone market) with extra rules & regulations, add cost, etc.

They seem to want to keep the device as an internet tablet. Most people have one or more mobile phones. Should one want to connect the IT via the cellular network, they can do so via a compatible phone with data plan. There are plenty of examples of people who do so.

That said, would I like there to be a SIM card slot in which I can put an unlimited data only SIM from a certain provider at $20-30/month. Sure! Because my cellphone needs are very limited. I use my cellphone on average a handful of times per month. A post paid plan with data extension would be ridiculously expensive and underused for me.

So, I don't disagree with you. Nokia executives just see it different.

Re: Connectivity Options for N800
 

The closest you're likely to come to this is a Bluetooth access point. AXIS, Belkin, Billionton Systems, and D-Link have all made such beasts. AXIS, Belkin, and D-Link each discontinued their models a few years ago. (And D-Link never offered theirs in the U.S. anyway.) Billionton may make theirs still, but I seem to recall reviews stating theirs was...peculiar and difficult to use somehow.

If you have problems with money (you have too much of it), SENA offers some models that appear quite nice. I'd like one, if you're buying.

The MicroBAP also looks interesting, if you're into "some assembly required" toys. It's certainly small enough to be turned into a pocketable accessory for an Internet tablet.

Re: Connectivity Options for N800
 

Another option would be to connect via USB to a linux box, no?

http://maemo.org/development/documen...king_bora.html

EDIT: also this for winXP connections: http://maemo.org/community/wiki/usbnetworkingwinxp/

Re: Connectivity Options for N800
 

Umm... no :)

If you are at home or have admin/root to a machine, then you have options. I connect fine at home with my wireless.

But it is when you are out and about that there's a problem. If there's no wifi - and there's bugger all available wifi in Oz and I expect India - then you have no network connectivity.

Using a phone is shockingly expensive. I doubt an internet cafe would let you install appropriate stuff on their machine to allow your tablet to connect. But they might be willing to let you use an ethernet cable.

So far a wifi access point seems the only solution but to carry one and a wall wart... I wish the tablet had an ethernet port, I really do.

Zebee

Re: Connectivity Options for N800
 

i would have thought most net cafes in oz would have wireless available and for the same price as kiosk access. i thought the usb networking would be useful in many office situations where in my experience wireless has been harder to come by.
its a shame that usb networking isn't more popular