Do you know of any upcoming commercial physical hardware limitations for the n900 devices that may limit it's life?
 

Do you know of any upcoming commercial physical hardware limitations for the n900 devices that may limit it's life?

for example: digital compass for me is one such limitation

The reason i ask this is because, i just purchased an android phone for my wife, very good deal for £99, and found afterwords that this phone will not be able to support flash 10.1 due to physical limitation at the hardware level.

Re: Do you know of any upcoming commercial physical hardware limitations for the n900 devices that may limit it's life?
 

The N900 is an ARMv7 device, Adobe Flash 10.1 runs on it, it was demoed back in October. Nokia just has to get off its damn arse and release it, which they won't.

It might be backportable when MeeGo arrives.

Re: Do you know of any upcoming commercial physical hardware limitations for the n900 devices that may limit it's life?
 

Digital compass is not strictly necessary for N900 as the GPS sensor is sensitive enough to allow for extrapolation of direction from user's displacement.

Re: Do you know of any upcoming commercial physical hardware limitations for the n900 devices that may limit it's life?
 

yes it is necessary. GPS sensor for replacing real digital compass, is rubbish if there is tall buildings, you are inside, not moving or it is clowdy. Or, you are abroad and data-roaming is not working or insanely expensive so you can't use A-GPS.

Lack of multi touch can be a limitation also in the future with some software.

Neither you have HDMI output from N900.

USB OTG or pseudo host mode maybe never will work with N900.

Re: Do you know of any upcoming commercial physical hardware limitations for the n900 devices that may limit it's life?
 

Yes, it's strictly necessary. What if in the evening I'm sitting on my balcony and I want my n900 to tell me what constellation it's pointing at? I haven't displaced. What now?

Re: Do you know of any upcoming commercial physical hardware limitations for the n900 devices that may limit it's life?
 

It doesn't do LTE without a serious overhaul. It doesn't have a coffee-making attachment. It doesn't have a builtin deathray. It doesn't have an invisible cloak. Even PR1.3 won't fix these defects. Neither will Flash 10.1.

Re: Do you know of any upcoming commercial physical hardware limitations for the n900 devices that may limit it's life?
 

a) N900 GPS DOES lock with no network link

b) A-GPS is only used once, to download ephemeris and catalogues. After that, you're good. It's not free, but even on the other side of Earth you're still about an Euro or two short.

Agreed, it's not exactly compass, but it's not useless. And, I get a lock in cloudy weather, it's just harder.

On a side note, I tried the iPhone's and by slowly rotating the phone along its axis I was able to get a reading on "West" with a +/- 45 degree error. That is, fiddle with it enough and West will be South.

I find this to be unusable. Better to use GPS, photos, a map, or ask a camel than to think you are going the right way and actually going 90 degrees to the west.

Re: Do you know of any upcoming commercial physical hardware limitations for the n900 devices that may limit it's life?
 

Actually, a very good compass is provided by orrery, whenever the sun or the moon is visible.

Re: Do you know of any upcoming commercial physical hardware limitations for the n900 devices that may limit it's life?
 

If a compass is that necessary, just buy one of these and stick it somewhere on the N900..you'll barely notice it.

http://shoponspot.com/gadget/gift31241971826.jpg

Re: Do you know of any upcoming commercial physical hardware limitations for the n900 devices that may limit it's life?
 

I believe the law of entropy has definitively determined that it will eventually fall apart.

Re: Do you know of any upcoming commercial physical hardware limitations for the n900 devices that may limit it's life?
 

The tendency for the microUSB connector to eventually fall out.

Re: Do you know of any upcoming commercial physical hardware limitations for the n900 devices that may limit it's life?
 

does Mappero rotate a map to the North with this accessory?

Re: Do you know of any upcoming commercial physical hardware limitations for the n900 devices that may limit it's life?
 

My experience with the N900 GPS is that it doesn't point the direction you are looking at only when you are stationary. For knowing what constellation you are looking at, that thing can help.

For mappero to rotate a map to the north while being stationary it won't. But why do you need a map if you don't intend to move?

Anyway my point was and still remains a digital compass doesn't exist. It's not the end of the world. If you move 5 paces, you'll know where you're pointing. If you don't want to move..use that.

Re: Do you know of any upcoming commercial physical hardware limitations for the n900 devices that may limit it's life?
 

That's a digital measuring device (digital caliper). It will determine size of things. So, no.

(ha!)

Re: Do you know of any upcoming commercial physical hardware limitations for the n900 devices that may limit it's life?
 

digital compass offers some amazing functionality in my opinion, see this real life situation with Google sky for example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COlvfEXvOlw

Re: Do you know of any upcoming commercial physical hardware limitations for the n900 devices that may limit it's life?
 

I vote for Multi-touch resistive is not capable on the N900

Re: Do you know of any upcoming commercial physical hardware limitations for the n900 devices that may limit it's life?
 

and get totally ignored by Nokia, even though the early adopters that paid the high price for this device are having their warranties end in the meantime.

I can't even sell this POS because its broken, so I won't be buying another Nokia smartphone for awhile. Not because I don't want to, but I can't recoup enough money via resale to afford it. So for the first time since 2000, I have no phone. Sad for a phone freak like me...

Gotta say it, Nokia. FAIL, FAIL, FAIL.

Re: Do you know of any upcoming commercial physical hardware limitations for the n900 devices that may limit it's life?
 

Yes, Google Sky Map is excellent. Ask a friend with a Droid to let you give it a try. It's fast and accurate. The sky is the limit.

Re: Do you know of any upcoming commercial physical hardware limitations for the n900 devices that may limit it's life?
 

well i like to think we live in a multivers. and as a consiquence of unlimitied possibilities, the dissasembled atoms that make my n900 today will someday be reasembled into a device with both a magnetic compass and PR1.3. until that time ill have to make do with walkng a few metres or hopin theres a clear sky (although i live in Wales so a clear sky is probably further in the future than my reasembled n900 relative)

Re: Do you know of any upcoming commercial physical hardware limitations for the n900 devices that may limit it's life?
 

In my experience the GPS never gets more precise than a few meters, so you would need to take several steps to get a reasonable aproximate bearing

Re: Do you know of any upcoming commercial physical hardware limitations for the n900 devices that may limit it's life?
 

Quick reply...
The GPS in the N900 is a TI GPS5030.
Now, TI produces NL5500, the industry’s first single chip that combines assisted global positioning satellite (A-GPS), Bluetooth 2.1 and ultra-low power technologies, as well as FM receive/transmit capabilities. It maximises board space by 40 percent and reduces power consumption by up to 50 percent over previous TI solutions. It also reduces the “time to first fix” (TTFF) over previous TI solutions. Integrated “position optimizer” software delivers superior accuracy in weak satellite signal areas, such as urban centers and heavily wooded areas.

Unfortunately, TI sells the chip only to manufacturers, not to single individuals. However, if somebody is willing enough, he could replace current GPS chip with the newest one, and remove Bluetooth/FM chips as no longer needed, and tell others whether the benefits are worth the trouble.

When there are more satellites in the sky (Galileo should be operational by 2014, GLONASS is operational, COMPASS has 5 satellites operational and 30 planned), GNSS precision will become better. The problem is, you will need a chip analysing all signals (in different codes and at differing frequencies) from all visible satellites to get this precision.

The good news are, at some point you will decide that you don't need:
higher precision
because you have your own eyes,
and +-1 metre isn't important;
faster GPS lock
because you have patience,
and +-1 minute changes nothing;
digital compass
because you have an analog one,
and it's not difficult to learn all the constellations by book
if the weather is good enough to see them;
screen with higher resolution
because it's already too high;
that the large device is better than a small one
which would require a needle-thin stylus.

Any broken part can be replaced/updated, in theory.

USB fragility, absence of USB host mode and upcoming Bluetooth 3.0 can become sources of increasing frustration.

Re: Do you know of any upcoming commercial physical hardware limitations for the n900 devices that may limit it's life?
 

precision of less than a meter is useful for things like unmanned aerial vehicles in urban environments, autoguided weapons, those people that measure buildings and terrain and stuff, people that study continental drift, volcanic activity etc and lots of others

Re: Do you know of any upcoming commercial physical hardware limitations for the n900 devices that may limit it's life?
 

This doesn't happen on the iPhone 4's compass at all. IMO it feels like what a digital compass should feel like: a hard lock at north at all times without any drift/swaying of analog compass.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1V7Sa_daVsI

I remember the iPhone 3GS compass could drift if you rotate it slowly, just like an analog compass with a stuck needle. Then again, that's not how you would realistically use a compass.

Re: Do you know of any upcoming commercial physical hardware limitations for the n900 devices that may limit it's life?
 

n900 should not resist to a world disaster. So ... it will end in 2012 :) But before this date, be careful as the Newton law can shorten his life too.

Re: Do you know of any upcoming commercial physical hardware limitations for the n900 devices that may limit it's life?
 

the end of the world can last for a bit though depending on which of the many possible ways it can end....

Re: Do you know of any upcoming commercial physical hardware limitations for the n900 devices that may limit it's life?
 

The blame is on your countrys way for consumer protection. (read: none).

I checked yesterday and my N900 was serviced in under 2 weeks with the usb falling apart -issue and I still have more than an year warranty left... And I was among the first to get N900 in my hands when deliveries started.

Re: Do you know of any upcoming commercial physical hardware limitations for the n900 devices that may limit it's life?
 

http://www.learn-orienteering.org/old/img/bigdip.gif
:rolleyes:

Re: Do you know of any upcoming commercial physical hardware limitations for the n900 devices that may limit it's life?
 

Shall we post pictures of analog phones to address any phone related complaints against the N900...?

How about pictures of super baggy pants for its size deficiency... and a radio flyer wagon to address its weight issues?

... and an analog compass strapped on to the back?

... and a small platform to its side to spin a gyroscope on?

... how about lugging around a car battery so you can juice your miniscule batteries with it?

edit: added a few more lines to ensure no one missed the point.

Re: Do you know of any upcoming commercial physical hardware limitations for the n900 devices that may limit it's life?
 

I got a special deal on my purchase of the N900 from Nokia -- and to make it really extra-special the warranty was reduced to an incredible one week in length.

Re: Do you know of any upcoming commercial physical hardware limitations for the n900 devices that may limit it's life?
 

I dunno; I think a few minutes, a $5 replacement USB-micro jack, and my $100 temperature-controlled solder rework station... I'd have it replaced with no issues.

I'm not too worried about the lack of warranty(Got mine used, IMEI number turns up no warranty), nor the USB issues. I am -slightly- worried about it either getting lost, stolen, or breaking into two or more large pieces. Either those, or frying the processor due to OCing.

Re: Do you know of any upcoming commercial physical hardware limitations for the n900 devices that may limit it's life?
 

yes and you paid less for your device...

Re: Do you know of any upcoming commercial physical hardware limitations for the n900 devices that may limit it's life?
 

where do i go check if my IMEI gives me warranty coverage?

Re: Do you know of any upcoming commercial physical hardware limitations for the n900 devices that may limit it's life?
 

Super baggy pants for 18mm?? Size deficiency??

These are my N900 and my brother's iPhone 3GS:

http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/9934/20092010498.jpg

To avoid harm to his iPhone my brother bought a standard snap-on magnetic cover.

http://img697.imageshack.us/img697/5696/20092010500.jpg

Hmm..The N900 seems thinner than the iPhone with a cover, a standard pack of cigarettes, and a standard wallet.

So ysss, I guess when people were happily prancing about with their iPhone 3GS and bought a cover to protect it, they had to buy and quoting: "super baggy pants". And for all you smokers out there, or people who dream of carrying money with them..get ready to buy: "super baggy pants".

Re: Do you know of any upcoming commercial physical hardware limitations for the n900 devices that may limit it's life?
 

Re: Do you know of any upcoming commercial physical hardware limitations for the n900 devices that may limit it's life?
 

Re: Do you know of any upcoming commercial physical hardware limitations for the n900 devices that may limit it's life?
 

I've just read about this proposal of using some frequencies in the "old" analog TV range for a replacement for WiFi that can go thru walls more easilly, reach much farther from a single transmitter than Wifi, and has much bigger bandwidth (or perhaps it was just speed), i don't think the radios in the N900 can be tuned into those frequencies without actually gutting it and trying to do the same job with your hands as a pricey factory robot and with risk of physically bricking your device at the slightest shiver

Re: Do you know of any upcoming commercial physical hardware limitations for the n900 devices that may limit it's life?
 

Seems i shouldn't have gone to that site, i think now my warranty ends in 10 days....

Re: Do you know of any upcoming commercial physical hardware limitations for the n900 devices that may limit it's life?
 

I think you've missed the point of my post.
(Post edited to drive down the point and beat the dead horse further).


But I will entertain your challenge anyway :D

iPhone 4 vs n900: (both nude)
http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/4...one4vsn900.jpg

iPhone 4 (w/ case) vs n900:
http://img842.imageshack.us/img842/7...casevsn900.jpg

Droid vs n900: (both nude)
http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/5135/droidvsn900.jpg

Re: Do you know of any upcoming commercial physical hardware limitations for the n900 devices that may limit it's life?
 

what about pics from iPhones qwerty?
(e: and maybe you should compare iPhone to E7, they are about the same age...)

Re: Do you know of any upcoming commercial physical hardware limitations for the n900 devices that may limit it's life?
 

are you suggesting that qwerty doesn't need room at all compared to tiny compass?