Re: N900 release tomorrow?
 

tablets niche devices? ouch. i hope that was the reporter talking, not the nokia exec...

Re: N900 release tomorrow?
 

Answer: it is not in quotes so it is the reporter. Stop spreading nonsense... ;)

Re: N900 release tomorrow?
 

Which boils down to:

"They could use Linux on their phones" ... which we already knew :-)

Re: N900 release tomorrow?
 

I have no idea how the 850MHz frequencies are/were handled.

What I know is that the 1700MHz frequency had to be obtained via auction. And I'm assuming the same is true of the 1900MHz frequency (I'm happy to be proven wrong about that). AT&T won the latter. T-Mobile won the former.

I never blamed Nokia (I had a typo to that effect in the original message, but I quickly edited it out).

And I stand by my assertion that it's the FCC/US-Gov's fault, and not T-Mobile's.

Re: N900 release tomorrow?
 

AT&T used to possess significant 1900 spectrum in addition to their core 850. When they reconsolidated, much of it had to go to T-Mo US. I hear there are still spots of AT&T 1900, but I've never been able to access any of them.

Re: N900 release tomorrow?
 

T-mobile doesn't have any 850MHz equipment of their own, but they have 850MHz roaming agreements with AT&T, Centennial, and others. (Actually, it looks like they have a roaming agreement, in the US, with only one little network in Texas, which in turn has agreements with everyone else.) These agreements, in general, are like peering agreements. They may be free, if similar amounts of traffic go both ways, or they may cost one company (the one that loads the other's networks more) some money. I don't know details on any of the 850MHz deals; they may be cash-for-roaming, or they may permit roaming (by customers with 1900MHz terminals) onto T-mobile, with or without additional payment.

Now if you don't have your own (3G) network for others to roam on, an agreement to use AT&T's 3G will cost you lots of money, and you're depending on someone else to continue providing all 3g service; if AT&T wants a price increase, you go with it or your customers don't get data. While using the only other nation-wide GSM network is a reasonable way of augmenting coverage, relying on it for your main network is not the way to seriously compete with them.

While I don't necessarily agree with your suggested approach the FCC should be taking, I definitely agree it's the gov't's fault, not T-mo's.

Re: N900 release tomorrow?
 

well, if I didn't have a tablet, I'd definitely like the N97... but I wouldn't think of it as a serious pocket computer, more of a very advanced mobile phone/multimedia device.

all I can hope is that the tablet hardware developers get to talk to the phone hardware developers and raid their hardware designs for the best bits.

Re: N900 release tomorrow?
 

*sighs*

*goes back to holding his breath*

Re: N900 release tomorrow?
 

Then how'd those crazy Europeans pull it off? Europeans don't need a separate phone for each country.

Re: N900 release tomorrow?
 

roaming agreements, and making sure that neighboring nations do not have overlapping channels in the border areas?

Re: N900 release tomorrow?
 

Could these be pictures of the Freemantle interface. The device looks like a N810/W

http://www.engadget.com/photos/nokia...ights/1210395/

Re: N900 release tomorrow?
 

Simulated, sorry.

Re: N900 release tomorrow?
 

By putting insane prices on international roaming. The EC is however finally putting max max limits on roaming for voice/sms/mms/ip, and it appears the limits lower by the year.

Re: N900 release tomorrow?
 

I'd say extremely insane

Thus dropping from extremely insane to insane :mad: of course they don't really care (these mild efforts are just a smoke curtain to make us believe they care), since we're the ones paying their bills.

Re: N900 release tomorrow?
 

Yes, agreed. And, not good for the Europeon hegemony either. Besides, the Internet traffic is only in its first stage of becoming capped price-wise.

I've also had some sweet bills while residing in country X while using the GSM of country Y to phone to country X...

There are tricks around this issue though.

Some less professional solutions include letting others contact you, Internet cafe, VoIP, using free hotspots (sometimes free if from same provider) or cheap/pseudo free ones (such as FON, Boingo), use 3G of your friend with WiFi or BlueTooth (Joikuspot) or ask a stranger or search for nice stranger, or just be efficient in your usage while taking your data with you.

If I would travel a lot international I'd consider something like buying a (2nd hand) cheap-but-good-enough phone (pre-paid or subscription depending on duration) on site or (more likely) buy a subscription which includes iPass support. Vodafone also provides a flat rate subscription for business customers but this costs like 50 EUR a month. Might be worth it though.

Re: N900 release tomorrow?
 

Do the things like the flat rate subscriptions require contracts? I ask because I just decided that I am going to Slovakia to visit a friend, and I'll need Internet. I do plan to bring my old handset for voice calls and get a local prepaid number. This way people can reach me on my USA skype number which would be forwarded to a local Slovak number. But for data if I am mobile, hmmm... Its needed for work (the data, not the travel)

Re: N900 release tomorrow?
 

(Ask your employer to arrange this.)

I'm not from Slovenia, and haven't been there. You should ask a Slovenian for more accurate advice.

It differs per provider and country (e.g. T-Mobile Germany provides different contracts than T-Mobile Netherlands). Usually, usage of VoIP over data plan (for mobile telephone) is prohibited by contract, and Vodafone actively blocks Skype. For laptop, the data plan is more expensive, but you're allowed to use VoIP with it.

A contract has a legal max duration of 1 year after which it is renewed every month by default (unless either contractee decides otherwise). Sometimes you can get a contract for a shorter period, for example Alice internet (DSL) is a monthly contract with max duration of 1 month. Also, for example, I have a year contract for voice (7,50 EUR a month), but my Vodafone BloX data plan costs 10 EUR and is monthly; every month I can decide to put it off. I don't think it is in general possible to do pre-paid + data plan, but I saw an initiative in the UK for data plan costing a few GBP a day (albeit IIRC not unlimited data plan), so perhaps this is taking off elsewhere in EU as well.

Re: N900 release tomorrow?
 

It looks like the hardware may already exist

Look at the pics and specs on this page:

http://translate.google.com/translat...%3Den%26sa%3DN

I know this is the supposed emblaze edelweiss, but the hardware sure looks like a possible n900:

omap 3430 500mhz process
8gb or 16gb built in flash
480x854 screen
GPS
USES NOKIA BP-4L battery

This is ostensibly for the Access Linux Platform, but seems like maemo could run on it pretty easily

Re: N900 release tomorrow?
 

I kinda hope not... a 3.5 inch screen is a step backwards from the N8x0 series.

Re: N900 release tomorrow?
 

screen size is .6 inches smaller, but has higher resolution(480 x 854). That is acceptable to me along with omap3 processor and 3.2MP camera as well as ericsson GSM phone chip

Re: N900 release tomorrow?
 

Even if it isn't the new maemo 5 device, I wonder if it could run maemo 5? The specs suggest that it probably could...

Re: N900 release tomorrow?
 

I would say it would not be a far stretch. I think they already said next gen will have omap3430 as well as /possibly/ a 3g cellular chip. Do we have any russians on here :)

Re: N900 release tomorrow?
 

Why would that thing use a nokia brand bp-4l battery? Is that battery common in other devices or maybe the developers of the device just did not feel like reinventing the wheel with their own battery type

Re: N900 release tomorrow?
 

Hmmm. That might cause it to have a different naming convention...

Re: N900 release tomorrow?
 

800x480 is mentioned in the code, it seems unlikely that it wouldn't be that. If somebody can figure out what this part number actually is: ACX565AKM . . . .

It will have a 3G data, it will not have cellular voice. This Linux Devices article covers the information from the Summit.

Re: N900 release tomorrow?
 

Awwwwww, maaaan!

Thanks for ruining my day. :mad: :(

Re: N900 release tomorrow?
 

Hehe, if they turn it into a goddamn iPhone they're gonna have a riot on their hands. ;)

Re: N900 release tomorrow?
 

The funny thing is, I was thinking just the opposite. I thought Texrat was teasing us with some good inside scoop. I mean, who originated the N900 designation anyway? Nokia or this forum?

Re: N900 release tomorrow?
 

I dunno about this forum, but definitely not Nokia.

RX-51 is accurate.

Re: N900 release tomorrow?
 

The ACXnnnAKM pattern is used in Sony LCDs, but this particular number is not listed anywhere I can see.

Re: N900 release tomorrow?
 

not sure but it might be an advanced ceramic x brand chip. they make many kinds of BT wlan GSM stuff and often go by acx

Re: N900 release tomorrow?
 

From a Sony parts list page:

(Note, the *1, *2, etc. should be superscript, but forum software. . . .)

Re: N900 release tomorrow?
 

i would definitely say the lcd not the advanced ceramics i posted above

Re: N900 release tomorrow?
 

So everything between 499 and 700 must be trans-flective!

...Any indication how big these screens are?

So we know fairly certainly that the resolution will remain the same? That gives me hope that they won't shrink the screen...

Re: N900 release tomorrow?
 

I can still see the potential for a smaller screen at the same pixel count. I wouldn't mind it; although I'd rather have more pixels in the same size, that seems to be pretty flatly ruled out at this point, and increased popularity with the Captain Tightpants crowd doesn't hurt me any.

Since it is going to have a nomenclature change (the Internet Tablet moniker is gone), Texrat's comment is, as ever, cryptically supporting all rumors. :mad: Why hasn't he been hired by Nokia Marketing's Prerelease Hype Division?

Re: N900 release tomorrow?
 

Man, Benson, you've got all the best lines.

Re: N900 release tomorrow?
 

I spent 30 minutes trolling google for something on any of those Sony screens, and came up with practically nothing on any of them (and absolutely nothing on the 565).

So, no, nothing I've seen poking around in the Fremantle code or on Google gives me any real information about the panel. Is there somebody about with a more direct line to Sony's OEM division or something that could make an inquiry? :p

Re: N900 release tomorrow?
 

There are some 30x and 70x models listed near the bottom of http://www.digchip.com/datasheets/pa...parts_ac15.php and a few more (including 5xx) at http://www.qinyielectronics.com/sdp/...0-1237503.html.

They are all quite low-res compared to the tablets though. The nearest part no match is ACX566AKM which is the one used on the Treo 690 (320x320).

Re: N900 release tomorrow?
 

Heh. I'd take an offer from even such an organization as that right now...

Re: N900 release tomorrow?
 

I think, right now, I'd only be interested in an N900 if:

1) it had the same look/format as the black N97, only with a 5 row keyboard that has the ergonomic feel of the G1 or E71, and the same screen and device size as the N810,

2) it had full phone and SMS/MMS capability, in addition to GRPS/EDGE/UMTS/HSPA data capability,

3) it had a port of Dalvik for running Android apps, perhaps even using Dalvik for the the phone/SMS/MMS interface (I really like Android in that regard) ... HOWEVER, I wouldn't just want Android -- I want Maemo as the linux layer.

4) it had video out (pref. micro-DVI-I), (actually, I typed all of the rest of this out already, so I'm not going to re-number it, but this one is optional for the pocketable device, as long as it has a decent VNC server and port-forwarding SSH client; but the micro-DVI-I, or something that can do HDMI, DVI, and VGA, are mandatory or the "medium device" I describe below)

5) charge via USB-client,

6) SyncML clients for Contacts and Calendar, and kept the Dalvik contacts/calendar in sync with the maemo contacts (and hopefully calendar), preferably implementing them in a unified way (1 database for contacts, not separate databases between maemo and dalvik; 1 database for calendar, not separate databases between maemo and dalvik)

7) Tethering (as the phone, not the client): Wifi, BT DUN, BT PAN, _AND_ (not or) USB ... preferably with the USB tethering being compatible with Cradlepoint routers. So, in addition to using it as my pocketable, I can also share its net connection with my larger devices,

8) 1 or 2 microSDHC slots.


Otherwise, I'll stick with my G1 for now, and use a Netbook or UMPC as my medium device. (my ideal medium device would be similar to the above, only without the phone/txt capabilities, PCI Express Mini Card slot for optional 3G or other features, 1 or 2 full size SDHC card slots, internal flash storage in the 16GB to 32GB range, 1GB - 2GB of RAM, 7"-8" screen, and a format like the Fujitsu U810 or Samsung Q1 Ultra (only, 5 keyboard rows on the Q1 format) ... the size of the Raon Everun Digital Note is perfect, but it lacks the convertible tablet format, and its linux version lacks built-in wireless (not even wifi nor BT, you have to use a dongle) ... it'd be nice if it had better battery life, too).

I think it would actually be kind of nice to have an Android or Maemo+Dalvik phone and a Maemo UMPC (or Maemo convertible-tablet-netbook). But, I think I'm out of the "NIT/MID that isn't a phone" market. My phone-less device needs to be in the size category between phone/NIT/MID and 12"/13"/15"+ laptop, and my pocketable device needs to be a phone that has at least Android capabilities, if not fully usable linux in addition to that.