Happy days. Skype and a new F/W version coming soon.
 

You heard it here first sport fans. Nokia will be releasing a new F/W version that promises to finally fix Flash, and Skype will be joining the application lineup in the very near future.

There will be no Java for the N800 however. Nokia does not see the need when Flash and Ajax can provide a better experience for the user.

Get your flashers ready.

Re: Happy days. Skype and a new F/W version coming soon.
 

Nokia doesn't see the need?!? Its freaking java.. Its used by a ton of stuff. If the tablet had java I could do my whole job from the device and sit outside on the nice benches in the sun and work.

Re: Happy days. Skype and a new F/W version coming soon.
 

Dude, I hear you. I was surprised as well but in the meeting, they said that Flash and Ajax are more compatible to the way the tablet is designed. Not from a technical aspect but from a user experience aspect. The Nokia guys said that less and less Java is playing an important part in website design and Flash/Ajax is coming more to the forefront. It is cool that there will be a new F/W upgrade and Skype though.

I like GizmoProject but for some reason it stopped working and I can not get a real response from their developers why, other than the fact that, "Yeah we know there is a problem."

Not very reassuring.

Re: Happy days. Skype and a new F/W version coming soon.
 

Gizmo works fine here. My problem is that i still would have to pay yet another company to call 'real' phones. oh and the mic feedback loops on laptops is horrible.

Yeah flash would be nice. I guess i'll need to go and download my installers for apps.... again.....

Re: Happy days. Skype and a new F/W version coming soon.
 

with the new firmware, will bluetooth headset drivers be available?

Re: Happy days. Skype and a new F/W version coming soon.
 

Would they finally be able to include SDHC support? Not that I have SDHC card yet but once the device officially support it I'll consider buying one (or two... :p )

Re: Happy days. Skype and a new F/W version coming soon.
 

@Brendan and Mara,

Your issues were not addressed. We mainly talked about the user experience, current and future.

Nokia said that the current state of the repositories was more geared towards developers and not very user/consumer friendly and they will have to change this to be more appealing to a mass market. This could also be the reason for the exclusion of Java from the N800 roadmap. WHile BT would be a great addition, I am not sure it will be added. I hope so though. By all means write them. They do read the emails and sometimes this forum.

They are working on getting the OS as stable as possible before the next phase (not a lot of info there) is implemented but it will have to do with more user friendly and useable apps. They said that Canola was good but not quite there yet and this could be based on the OS or Canola itself but it is a great start.

For sure the N800 will not be marketed as a biz device. The E-Series phones are there for this.

Re: Happy days. Skype and a new F/W version coming soon.
 

Hey sondjata,

I have to thank you for convincing me (indirectly) to give the N800 another chance. It was something said that made realize that maybe I was approaching it in the wrong way, and sure enough, once I looked at it as a simple connectivity (via the web) device, I am getting a much better user experience.

As for Gizmo, they made a major upgrade to their network and some people (me included) can not hear the incoming voice from the distant end. This is on either my N800 and Mac. However, if I use X-Lite on my Mac, the sipphone network functions just fine. It has been localized to the interaction between the Gizmo client and their networks.

Re: Happy days. Skype and a new F/W version coming soon.
 

So how did you get dirt on what's going on at Nokia?

Re: Happy days. Skype and a new F/W version coming soon.
 

Not dirt. :)

I live in Finland and have quite a few friends in the Espoo office. I also consult for the US military on new devices, and in spite of some "subscribers" here I felt the N800 might have some governmental applications and uses.

The cool thing is that the N800 will become more user friendly in the near future. Nokia is very concerned that it is currently viewed as mainly a developer/niche user market device.

Re: Happy days. Skype and a new F/W version coming soon.
 

To what email address should we write? I hope that they fix the ridiculous way BT devices are handled. <rant> As has been mentioned elsewhere - it is silly that you have to go to the control panel and go three levels into the BT app to connect a KB - even if you don't use the KB for a few minutes! This is especially silly when you consider that the BT plugin on the 770 would automatically connect just by turning the KB on and hitting a few keys! </rant>

good news otherwise...

Re: Happy days. Skype and a new F/W version coming soon.
 

I get the idea that the new firmware is more plan than action at this point. I have access to pre-release versions and there is nothing available after the 10-7 OS.

Re: Happy days. Skype and a new F/W version coming soon.
 

Additionally, I think there should be a big focus on getting Cell Network access working native to the device.
BT is nice if you can get it working properly on your phone but... now you have two devices to carry around. (and keep charged.)
BT seems to be a pretty big drag on the battery's as well.

I checked out some of the USB - CDMA and GPRS data access devices which appear might work if USB host mode can be made to work properly.
The USB devices I looked at are accessed as a Serial device once connectivity is available.
Certainly a powered hub or USB power injector might required to get the amperage high enough for usage.
I was looking at the N800 device itself, picturing a replacement back cover, as it appears there could be available space for a 2nd battery that could align with the existing battery contacts and a mount for a USB Cell Data modem.
The previous assumes that it might be possible to add a second battery in parallel to the existing.
I don't know that the charger could handle simultaneous charging however, (though the voltage would be the same.)
Even if the back plate only allowed for the additional battery, the data connectivity option could be dongled to a custom protector case. perhaps even Sype branded? Once skpe is reliable and you have Cell Network data access.. Who needs a Cell Company phone number?

I felt that the N800 got the value added I wanted when I was finally able to get consistent always on access tot he Internet for Communications. IM, Email, Gizmo, NewsFeeds, Video and Music on Demand. This is the market that is being pushed in the US by the phone providers with their phones that have terribly inadequate displays and input keys. And the customers are willing to pay extra for access to all this always available digitally connected environment. The one thing MOST are not willing to do is carry two bulky device's. The data device and one extra interface (such as BT earpiece) is about as much as most will carry, (at least until the RoboCop look comes into fashion.
In this respect the N800 is far ahead of the rest of the pack.. The only thing it's missing is the integrated always available connection.

For information I dug up on USB Cell Network access, see
http://www.internettablettalk.com/fo...ead.php?t=5597

Re: Happy days. Skype and a new F/W version coming soon.
 

I just wish they would make a SIP client availible. Gizmo doesn't really cut it since it still needs to go through the Gizmo network.

Re: Happy days. Skype and a new F/W version coming soon.
 

@DryLand404,

Good point but what allowed the N800 to come to market so fast is that it did not have to get FCC approval. Not having a radio sped up time to market. Nokia is well aware that users of the N800 will have to carry two devices but this is the perceived trade-off. Personally I do not mind having my E-61 (soon to be E-61i when released) and my N800. It is not a burden for me at all but some people, understandably so would prefer only one device.

Re: Happy days. Skype and a new F/W version coming soon.
 

I agree 100%. I am not really impressed with the Gizmo service. The tech support, a guy named Jeff, is great and helpful but he is only one person.

Re: Happy days. Skype and a new F/W version coming soon.
 

The USB devices mentioned are already FCC approved. and the manufacturers support Linux even if the Cell providers do not. Within the links there is a script for connecting as a serial modem in Ubuntu.
All that is really needed is adequate power (Mini powered USB hub? or Power Injector?) and a functional USB host mode, plus I would guess a standard serial modem driver compiled for Deb ARM.
A replacement back plate with RF protection might be nice considering the transmit wattage were talking about.

For me, since Skype is so slick, If I had Cell Data access only I wouldn't need the personal cell phone other than the N800. Also I would prefer to give the cell company's as little as possible.
http://www.newnetworks.com/BroadbandScandalIntro.htm

Re: Happy days. Skype and a new F/W version coming soon.
 

FYI, the N800 does have radio (wifi, bluetooth and FM) and did require FCC approval. Everyone who was here for the leaks remembers. ;)

Re: Happy days. Skype and a new F/W version coming soon.
 

FYI Gizmo let you use any SIP account through the second account facility, which is quite useful. My ISP (see free.fr) provides me with a free SIP account with which I can call any landline for free nearly all over the world :-) And I can also be called from any "normal" phone. Cool :-)

Re: Happy days. Skype and a new F/W version coming soon.
 

Any webpages or dates you can give us on when the new fw and skype will be released.

Re: Happy days. Skype and a new F/W version coming soon.
 

From a meeting with NDA's signed? :)

Sure. :)

Skype should be here by the summer.

Re: Happy days. Skype and a new F/W version coming soon.
 

Is there any hope for us poor 770 users to use skype on OS2007 hacker ed., at least for the chat? That would be a great improvement, despite having to rely on chat only because of the low perfrmance of 770's CPU

Omar

Re: Happy days. Skype and a new F/W version coming soon.
 

I can not say as I do not know. To be honest, the 770 was not discussed. I was only concerned with the N800. Nokia does know that the 770 was the precursor to the N800 which will be replaced by something else.

Re: Happy days. Skype and a new F/W version coming soon.
 

Ok. So there is still some time to wait.. :)

First when I readed your message I think that it might come next week or week after it.. ;)

Re: Happy days. Skype and a new F/W version coming soon.
 

Yes, but the SIP still have to go through gizmo's network which makes internal asterisk's rather useless (or less usefull). Ekiga for instance can connect directly to the SIP phone/service.

For me Gizmo seems just like all the other proprietary VOIP services like Skype.

Edit:
Seems like there have already been made some effort of getting ekiga working :
http://n770.herraiz.org/archives/27

Re: Happy days. Skype and a new F/W version coming soon.
 

If this was all under NDA, why are you posting about it?! :)

Actually, Skype and improved multi-media is in the mid-term roadmap Ari published in February, and Skype has been a Q2-ish delivery since launch.

Good to know that Nokia realise the Internet Tablets need to become more consumer-friendly, but this won't be achieved by consolidating a few repositories. Plenty of other rough edges need smoothing out too.

As for the inclusion of mobile phone functionality in the N800 - it's not FCC certification, it's certification in every country where the N800 is launched. This significantly increases time to market. Also, I'm not too sure I'd want the N800 as my phone as it's way too big - I much prefer the N800 as my mobile computing device which I can sometimes leave at home when I don't need it or store in my coat pocket, and I have a small phone which I carry with me everywhere in my trouser pocket.

Re: Happy days. Skype and a new F/W version coming soon.
 

Moi Mika,

Sorry dude. :)

Re: Happy days. Skype and a new F/W version coming soon.
 

Put me back on Ignore please and don't address me again.

Thanks in advance.

Re: Happy days. Skype and a new F/W version coming soon.
 

Any news on when Nokia will release a newer (working) version of "Nokia internet call invitation" ? Also, will skype support video calls by any chance?

Re: Happy days. Skype and a new F/W version coming soon.
 

Like I said, I think, :) it was pretty informal. Nokia gave info but much was superficial, some was deeper. The stuff I am mentioning here, should become public shortly. I will not get into the "few" debate that went on a while back. I have no dates and if I did, I could not give them to you. However, there should be some good things coming soon (abstract as I can be). This makes me want to keep my N800 even more. So, if I am happy with it, you as a longer time user should be even happier.

Re: Happy days. Skype and a new F/W version coming soon.
 

I did recently get this reply on a bug I reported >> https://maemo.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=1095



This was 7 days after the latest release indicating to me that a new release is coming. :)


What I thought was cool was that this bug had only 1 vote (mine). So it appears that they do have the consumers interest at heart.
Still, I'm guessing that new firmware releases are driven by commercial applications. Maemo is not as "open source" as I was led to believe... This is good in one way because commercial apps can hide proprietary code behind it I suppose and would be more inclined to develop.
Firmware upgrades might depend on the development schedules of companies like Skype or Navicore.

The last upgrade gave us Rhapsody.
Can it be broken out of the flash and run in the original firmware?

Re: Happy days. Skype and a new F/W version coming soon.
 

So you do know what NDA stands for? Specifically the "N" in NDA?

LOL.

Re: Happy days. Skype and a new F/W version coming soon.
 

@nik1

skype does support video calling/chat now, in its desktop app rendition. i would guess/hope that that functionality be included. we shall see, as it seems things are a-brewing

Re: Happy days. Skype and a new F/W version coming soon.
 

Do you know what the "M" in merchant means?

Like I said, put me back on Ignore with your buddy and don't bother me.

is that clear enough for you? I posted it in the open so you don't have to post it for everyone to see.

I think even you can understand this.

Re: Happy days. Skype and a new F/W version coming soon.
 

Mr Baby, it's not my fault you have failed to abide by the terms of the agreement you signed with Nokia. :rolleyes:

Clearly you have several anger management issues you need to deal with, fella. I do appreciate you posting in public rather than sending abusive private messages, it's now clear for everyone to see the type of nutjob you obviously are. :)

Re: Happy days. Skype and a new F/W version coming soon.
 

Well while we are in a public forum and you have seen fit to derail the thread please post a copy of the NDA and the minutes of the meeting so everyone here will know exactly what was discussed. I am sure that this should not be a problem for you as you know everything.

The clock is ticking. Start posting.

Oh and please post the attendees at the meeting, time, agenda. You know everything you think you know. It is also obvious that I have asked you twice not to address me but you continue to annoy me. This is borderline trolling or stalking. I wonder if a complaint would be in order at this point.

Re: Happy days. Skype and a new F/W version coming soon.
 

I would hope so. This is also a big opportunity for Gizmo to up the ante and provide these capabilities. How hard would it be to add this to something like GAIM?

Re: Happy days. Skype and a new F/W version coming soon.
 

You said it yourself. You signed an NDA, but have already blabbed about what was discussed. Tick Tock.

Re: Happy days. Skype and a new F/W version coming soon.
 

That's your argument. Pathetic. Make sure you let everyone know what software you develop so we can stay clear.

This has been public information and has been posted here in this forum by others.

Sad, sad, sad.

So, if you have nothing else. Please go be the Merchant you are and as a last request, do not address me again, or I will have to speak to the mod.

Re: Happy days. Skype and a new F/W version coming soon.
 

It's a public forum!

Please complain about me replying to your public posts (mostly in a civil way, as I did with my first post to you tonight) and how you lose the plot everytime. Please, go right ahead.

Anyway, enough "discussion" with you tonight... you're not worth the effort when all is said and done.