Maemo 5 vs Android 3.0
 

Hi there! This week was the CES 2011, and they showed the new and “up to date” Android 3.0 Honeycomb for Tablet. So, I was thinking.. The N900 is a tablet too, then, how about a little comparison article between the Maemo 5 and Android 3.0? And here it is:

First of all, we have consider that Maemo is already MORE THAN A YEAR OLD. If I remember well, I order my N900 on amazon on September 2009. That means that Maemo was “finished” some months back. In the other hand, Android 3.0 is not out yet but it will be out pretty pretty soon.

Another thing to consider is that the new Xoom Tablet with Android 3.0 has a dual core processor and the N900 have and outdate single core processor. Finally, they are both tablets, that’s it.

I also most say that I have nothing against Google, In fact, I think that they have the best programming skills, all is clean, is fast, and very usable.

I found this video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YiXlkiq8Y0
Please look it while I wait here…
Done? Alright, let’s start!

The home screen:
The new android 3.0 have multiple desktop support, some widgets for mail, contacts on the desktop screen, bookmarks and so on. Any other devices on the market have that, so what’s new? The YouTube widget and the bookstore widget are very new. And the grid-like on cube-like desktop switcher that fade in when you start switching the desktop and fade out when you finish, that I have to say, it is only overlaid because the desktops are not 3D, they are flat but the grid make it seems like they are on a 3D cube.
Maemo does all of this, except the grid that is it only a toy and this could be done with some little programming in maybe 4 days.. All the best of all, MAEMO IS MORE THAN A YEAR OLD!
The desktops customization on the Android 3.0 is very eye catching, and I most say that Google wins on this.

In the minute 2:52 he said I think the truth here is that he already show us all but he wants the people think there are many stuff about the home screen that he could stay “all day” customizing.. So, more than one year to do some widgets and a nice way to customize the home screen... cool! I think Maemo wins on this!

The browser:
Honeycomb supports the Google Chrome browser witch is very nice, I use Chrome on Windows and Linux and it is very stable and fast. Nothing big to see here. In the other hand, Maemo 5 uses the MicroB browser that it is based on Mozilla Firebox and it does everything that other browsers do, very fast and very nice to use, except for Flash 10.1 but even when the N900 launched, flash 10.1 was not out, I think it is not fear to count that because it well be like comparing the dual core processor vs the single core from the Nokia N900.

I want to say that in this field both devices are tied, but there is something that bugs me:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4026/...cc186918c7.jpg

This image shows that maemo runs chromium browser, and this is a year old device... Sorry google, but, Maemo wins again!

Gmail:
In this field, we all now that the Nokia N900 fails because Modest is not a very well app for mail. Nevertheless, I have to say that the fight here is not fair because we are talking about a google service and of course google have the advantage. In other hand, looking closely, the gmail app from Honeycomb is the same app from the Android phones, they only adapt it to the big screen, but it is the same. One year old Maemo 5 from 2009 with bad mail client vs updated Honeycomb from 2011 with the same mail client from phones, you tell the score.

Maps:
In this field I most say the Google have done a very good job. The new google map browser is beautiful, and the multitap way to control it is very nice. In the minute 5:18 he said something like I couldn’t hear very well because every one was clapping and excited, but I think he said that because with the new Tegra 2 dual core processor from nvidia and Honeycomb, they finally have done something very nice with the maps that no other tablet could do.

Hey wait a minute… what is this?

http://todomaemo.com/wp-content/uplo...Mapas-N900.png

I think Nokia have done it for more than a year, but NOW every one thinks that Google did first. Sorry Google, Maemo wins again!

Notifications:
The Honeycomb notifications are not intrusives, they show very nice on the right bottom of the screen with a photo of the person that is writing. You tap on it, and the gtalk app opens. Nothing more, nothing less. In this field I think everyone should agree that it is a tie because in Maemo the notifications are the same. The only thing is that in Maemo the notifications do not have a photo but this is technicality, like comparing the colors used on both devices.

Task switching:
Now, Google finally have visual multitasking. I most say that I have been waiting for this on android. We can do visual multitasking on android by installing “itching thumbs” for example, but this is not live, the preview on itching thumbs are pictures of the last state of the app before you switch. He only show it for very little time so I can not say if it the thumbnails where live, but looking closely, when he switch to the game, I think that if the thumbnails where live, the little thumbnail will move, and other thing, he probably well be dead because he was about to get attack! So, analyzing a little, I think the multitasking on Android 3.0 does something like the Iphone 4 where it freeze the app to be able to switch to another app without compromising the speed of the processor. In other hand, the task switcher on Honeycomb only shows 5 apps, and later maybe we have to scroll. In this field Maemo wins vastly, it has the lead for more than one year, all is live and it is beautiful. The more approach is the the task switcher on WebOS in the palm pre but in this, we have to scroll every single time and that is not good.

Video chat:
In the minute 9:22 he said Finally, now Honeycomb supports that too, in 2011, they have video chat con gtalk. Very impressive. The following images speak for itself:

http://www.telefonos.net/wp-content/...ll-570x342.png

We can do this on Skype and Gtalk, and don’t now if there are other protocols avalilables, and this is built in the device that shipped on 2009. Maemo clearly wins here too!

Veredict:
The more than one year old and outdated Maemo 5 from Nokia 2009 wins against the new updated Android 3.0 Honeycomb from Google 2011.

I did not talk the games, youtube, and other stuff because they are only google stuff or needs dual core processors and it’s not fear competition, like comparing the performance on both devices because they don’t have the same specs.

I most repeat that I have nothing against Google. But I do think that some Google fans are turning to something like the Blackberry fans, because lately they only sees what they want to see. I mean, if Nokia would have a new tablet with 1gb ram, dual core processor and Maemo 5... Maybe Google will be scare, but it is a shame that Nokia is not paying attention and decided to work more on devices with Symbian, meanwhile MeeGo is very away on the time.

Thank you for reading! And as always, GOD Bless you ALL! :D

Re: Maemo 5 vs Android 3.0
 

Fanboy!

;)

Re: Maemo 5 vs Android 3.0
 

yes maybe yoju are right in some points.but don't forget that its more important how good a device handles these features.
crashing and siteloading micro-b? fail
google chrome on n900? fail
skype video chat?dude did you already used it?
maemo5 navigation???? EPIC FAIL!!!!!!!!

NEXT

Re: Maemo 5 vs Android 3.0
 

Naah:rolleyes: I just don't like when people sell something that is not the best and say that it is the best. Like blackberry fans that incite other people to use PIN. The other day I was helping a grandmother to use an blackberry and I was curious to ask why she bought that. She said the all his family have one but she do not understand it and she missed his Nokia E71 that was much beautiful, easy to use and had everything she needed, but the family encouraged her to buy one and now look at her. I think that's not fair to her.

Re: Maemo 5 vs Android 3.0
 

Wait wait wait.. I think the processor and ram plays a good roll on this part, and that is why I said
Do you think it is fair to compare it? I don't think so. I just compared the features, no more, no less.:)
About Skype, yes, I use it a lot! :cool:

Re: Maemo 5 vs Android 3.0
 

Well just to be fair...
Honeycomb is an infant OS... It just launched days ago. Maemo is a mature OS already. Years have passed and it's already getting old. You can't compare those 2 it's just like comparing einstein and a new born baby.

Re: Maemo 5 vs Android 3.0
 

More like trying to compare MeeGo 1.1 VS Android 3.0

Re: Maemo 5 vs Android 3.0
 

Maemo shipped with all this features in 2009. Maemo 5 is like a new baby because the apps are new and it is not fully compatible with the apps from Maemo 4, meanwhile Android 3.0 can use all apps from Android 2.3 as far as I know.

Re: Maemo 5 vs Android 3.0
 

You are right. When they finish MeeGo. But meanwhile we only have Maemo. But I think MeeGo is not backguard compatible neither with the apps from ovi store for the N900, while Android is compatible with his market.

Re: Maemo 5 vs Android 3.0
 

micro-b: runs very well here
chrome: can you image that chrome does not run well on android device? beside, op's point is that n900 can run other browser
skype video chat: use it all the time for calls across the Pacific. yes, the feed is a bit choppy,but then it is a 2009 h/w
navigation:agree, no voice,need to be online for route, hate the startup wait

cheers,

Got a samsung gal s, grass are not all green.

Re: Maemo 5 vs Android 3.0
 

If you're going to directly compare two things, then you can't really say certain aspects aren't "fair". What you're effectively doing taking every part of Maemo that can actually compete in some way and ignoring everything that's superior about Gingerbread.

Maemo doesn't really "win" on the maps front, Nokia maps is hardly great on this phone. It's OK but I've had quite a few annoying issues with it. Just because it did something beforehand on a mobile doesn't mean it's better - it's "unfair" to the other device to discard its superior maps application because it didn't have it first. In fact by that logic, Maemo beats Gingerbread and Android 1.0 beats Maemo etc.

It seems your mini review is very geared towards working the facts in favour of Maemo regardless of which is actually better. Compare them like for like and I'm sure Gingerbread is superior in most of the aspects you compared. If you're going to say "a Google service is better on Gingerbread, but that's unfair because it's made by Google" or "This isn't a fair comparison because Gingerbread is newer", don't compare them at all.

Re: Maemo 5 vs Android 3.0
 

I believe OP's has already indicated that there are parts of maemo that are not as good(or bad by some measure). OP is simply pointing out that the features demo are (1) not new/never before seen and (2) they were implemented(and work reasonably well) in an device that is at least 1.5 yr old. I think in this context the comparison is 'fair' in that the more modern/current implementation SHOULD be much better. Can one say for the features that are being looked at, are they 25%, 50%, 100% or 500% better than N900's implementation? Think about it, the new android 3 is demo on a dual processor, 10" pad; so on paper that device/OS combo should DO amazing thing.

For me personally, I am somewhat disappointed about the multi-tasking part of the Android 3 - it is more slick for sure; but it still seem to be a freeze-and-go kind of multi-task(now this is only based the limited info I have seen so far, so feel free to correct me). For MY use case, the multi-task ability of N900 is the reason I have the N900 on me other than the samsung gal s( Yes, I have rooted the samsung gal s already, so I may try other rom or the android 3 rom when that is available)

Cheers,

PS: so why I got the gal s, my current phone plan was up for renewal, and the best plan for me is the one that comes with a smartphone, so I pick the gal s over the iphone

Re: Maemo 5 vs Android 3.0
 

I Just wonder more and more, why are you all Android fanboys on this forum?

Just for whining how bad N900/Maemo is or what!?

Many of you has already dished Meego so I dont even get why the freak you all is still here?

Maybe you all guys should start a new site where you all can bashing about how bad Nokia is, How bad Maemo is how bad Meego is and how doomed Meego is.

This forum sucks more and more for everyday cause most of the forumthreads is bashing or threads about Android blablabla.

Re: Maemo 5 vs Android 3.0
 

how has that pictures front camera such good quality? Mines terrible :(

Re: Maemo 5 vs Android 3.0
 

i wouldn't say we win with our maps or chromium, those aren't working very well, but you could say we tie because we have many choices of what web browser or navigation app to use.

Re: Maemo 5 vs Android 3.0
 

It's all about having sufficient ambient lighting...

Re: Maemo 5 vs Android 3.0
 

I can only speak for myself, but I had a Maemo device before I had an Android device. And yet somehow, I use my Android device more frequently because it's consistently gotten better and added features and gathered vendor support in a much more expedited manner than Maemo and potentially MeeGo.

Simply put, I liked Maemo enough to join this forum, add guides how to optimize Diablo on the N810, resisted the N900 because of the backwards feeling decision to go with a smaller screen and basically silently launch the N900 with little to no fanfare.

Android became a favorite because of the lack of traction in Maemo.

I'd call it commiseration. I'd call what you're doing whining.

Nobody's dissed MeeGo as much as it's not came out despite a February of last year announcement and not much more. I'm still here because I'm still a Maemo fan.

Why the **** are you asking? Does it really matter what you think about why people are here? That's rather self-righteous of yourself.

I vote we stay here. Without input, positive and negative, nothing will never get better. Besides, people are here because they have expectations - most will never be met, some should.

Feel free to leave or learn some tolerance.

Re: Maemo 5 vs Android 3.0
 

******** on the maps.

There is nothing that is even close to Google maps application on Maemo 5 (and there most-likely never will be). If all of the developers of all the Maemo mapping apps joined forces, they may have a chance. The thing is, there's a whole team of developers at Google working on this, and it just works, beautifully. Local searching, fast (and accurate) routing, etc.

Again, there's nothing even close to this on Maemo. Sadly, it's the only feature I really miss from my old 1st gen iphone when I moved to the N900 over a year ago (and it didn't even have GPS, but was somehow more accurate than Ovi maps w/ GPS!!)

Re: Maemo 5 vs Android 3.0
 

GeePS uses google maps and works well. I like it for the traffic feature most of all.

Re: Maemo 5 vs Android 3.0
 

Ha! Yeah, sufficient light meaning facing the sun and blinding yourself in the process! Skype doesn't work well for me, on 3G and on WiFi, even if I have a dozen floodlights pointed at my face!

As a general reply to this post, I would say no, mate. You can't compare the two models and OSes. Yes there are some GREAT things about Maemo5 which tower over my friends' Androids and iPhones. But Maps??? Really? And don't you wish the hw developers gave more time and effort to make these N900 beasts just a tad slimmer and lighter ;)

Re: Maemo 5 vs Android 3.0
 

Maps: Modrana.
It has routing (only online, but with help of routino it will get offline soon, too).

It pronounces routing aloud with espeak.

It can use wide range of tiles, map or satellite; it can overlay map and satellite with custom transparency; it can use OpenStreetMaps, and it allows easy correction of any errors in map data you can encounter.

It can create GPS logs and points-of-interest.

It's highly customisable and quickly evolving.


Browsers:
Opera (have never used it, not even on desktop)
MicroB (not that bad, just out-of-date and with too small number of extensions)
Fennec (quickly evolving; a bit slow due to being developed from desktop Firefox and having some memory leaks; there is continuous hunt for them; a lot of extensions being developed, though it's tiresome to update them for each new version of Fennec);
Chromium (have to install on N900 yet; should be fast; "extensions" are a joke)

And, I don't use Flash at all.

The home screen:
Is pretty customisable on Maemo, and I haven't tried to hack it yet (change size of shortcuts and bookmarks, create bookmarks with only text/only icon, etc).
And I don't use Queen Beacon widgets yet.

GMail:
I haven't tried it, but I would think there is an extension for Fennec
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/mobile/addon/216008/
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/mobile/addon/162066/
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/mobile/addon/53308/
I'm afraid these addons aren't up-to-date, though

Notifications
I like the way Maemo has top left corner highlighted when there is a new message

Task switching
Maemo is the best

Video chat
When will it be possible to use the main 5Mpx camera for it?
Use TV-out or Bluetooth paired screen or USB to transmit received video to another screen.

Verdict:
Improve what you have, and it will stay the best.

I did not talk the games because I don't play them (except for chess or puzzle master sometimes).
I did not talk youtube because I rarely watch it even on desktop.
youtube-dl and cutetube seem to be good applications, by the way.

Re: Maemo 5 vs Android 3.0
 

Close, but it lacks the simplicity and quickness of the mobile google maps applications on iOS and Android have (GeePS is limited in that it is just a frontend to the web API, so things like turn by turn and rerouting are difficult)


This one is also close. I've even contributed $$ to the developer since it was close to being a viable replacement.

However:

1) Have you actually heard espeak? It's so offensive that I want to rip off my ears every time I hear it. It mispronounces everything, and it just..for lack of a better word.. harsh.

2) The menu system in modrana is bad, very bad. It's confusing, takes many steps to accomplish simple tasks, and the search functionality is just overkill (at least for me, i just want local search, the others never worked well in my area anyways)


If the developers of both applications had put forth as much effort into the same project, the results might have been significantly better.

Re: Maemo 5 vs Android 3.0
 

:)

I have heard espeak. I have asked espeak to pronounce "speak" while my friend tried to guess it. The prominent guess was "stick", though by increasing amplitude, slowing the pronunciation and increasing the pitch I finally made the word recognisable.
My friend told that now he knows how some cartoons characters get these strange voices.

It's not all that confusing. Though, I don't have Internet when I use Modrana, so I cannot use most of its functionality. And adding a POI really takes too much effort.
At least, it's predictable, and buttons are large enough for fingers.

Re: Maemo 5 vs Android 3.0
 

are you referring to the same sun that we see up in the sky:) fyi, I got good result for video chat at my living room. the light level is between about 3.6 to 3.3EV as measured by the luxus widget.

cheers

Re: Maemo 5 vs Android 3.0
 

People People! Easy!:)
It seems that some of you did not undestand the difference between an app and just a feature. I was pointing out that the NEW FEATURES from Honeycomb are OLD FEATURES on our N900.

Of course the Ovi Maps on the N900 sucks! BUT, I was not comparing the apps, just the new features of the buildings come out from the ground con Google Maps. In fact, even the guy from the video was not showing us all the Google Map app or measuring performance. What he was "just" doing is showing us THE NEW FEATURE of the building 3D and at the same time involving that NOW that's pretty possible with their new OS. Meanwhile, that feature has been on OVI Maps for long time.

FEATURE! Do you understand?? FEATURE!:mad:

In other hand, I browse the web often with MicroB, do A LOT of video chat on Skype because of my job, and so far the device does NOT need an Dual Core processor to do it, BUT, put 1gb ram and a Tegra 2 CPU on the N900 and let's make some benchmarks to see what device wins!:cool:

Re: Maemo 5 vs Android 3.0
 

@JorgeFX

Just hopped over from my Honeycomb thread...

Ok I've now read your thread, and here's my two-pence. Yes it's blindingly obvious you are a complete N900 fanboy, however I don't hold that against you. I was very impressed when I first got mine in spite of being berrated by everyone at work with their iPhones.

However times move on and N900 is left behind... Yes there are many features that have existed on the N900 sooner... and yes I can go and highlight all the things Nokia has invented and been copied by the iPhone.

However all your arguments that claim N900 wins are flawed. For this reason. There is a fundamental difference between having a feature, and having a feature that works well and is well integrated.
You can be first to have SatNav feature built into your car.... it doesn't necessarily mean it's any good. The fact you have a feature and whether or not it's good are mutually exclusive. Similarly with 'features' you quote above.

Eg. Nokia have had voice dialling for a while, but who implements it better.... on iOS I can say... "Call X", it then replies, call X Mobile or Home or Work.... i say 'Work'... it repeats... calling X Work... simple and well executed...

That's the difference between a feature, and a __Feature__

Let's go back to maps as this is a key strength of Google. I've used Ovi maps and great you can use it offline but that's about it. On Android, you can seamlessly create shortcuts on your desktop alongside widgets that auto link to destinations (eg. Navigate home by foot) etc. Zooming is smooth, fast. Slick.

Searches are dynamic as you type and also location aware as I type addresses in the box, meaning after typing a few chars I can pretty much select the address. It also crucially recognises chinese addresses, and being on work secondments to Hong Kong this is a must... Ovi just doesn't cut it, and also is not accurate, places me over 150m out (GoogleMaps is much more accurate).

When I lost my N900 in a taxi I went and bought a HTC aria as a temporary phone because I wanted to try Android, and didn't want to spend too much money as I was hoping Nokia would release a Meego device. Later when this transpired to be a long long long way off, I bought a N8.

Why? Because the HTC was a toy, and the Nokia N8 is a great phone. Solid, sturdy, rugged, amazing camera, and as a phone it just works as it should... however I see so many new features and better usability in the Android OS, it's becoming hard to keep waiting for Meego or an abandoned Maemo...

However for now, I'm very happy with my N8 for many reasons, but am fast running out of patience and will hope Nokia delivers before it's too late for us all...

Re: Maemo 5 vs Android 3.0
 

@dymaxion There are features and there are __Features__ :-) This is very subjective. For example on the browser front, try to compare what you get when you launch the respective default brower on iphone, n900, android phone(eg. SMS), RMS and compare to what you see in your desktop. You will find out what is missing. Is it bad or good, it depends on whether the missing stuff is critical to you or not. People from different camp(at least some of them) would claim that missing stuffs on their respective device are "work as design" so that it allow you to focus on real task at hand:-)

For the current topic of maemo vs android 3, I think it is instructive to compare how the similar features are being implemented on both platforms. I have a SGS and definitely interested in the compare and contrast.

When I look at the linked youtube by the OP, I can say that there are lots of eye-candies but most of the features shown do not differ much from the N900, IMO. Given the fact that the said demo was done on h/w that is vastly better than the old N900 in processing power; personally, I expect better more amazing thing.

A number of posts are concentrating on map/(online map/nav); what happen if you can not be online or do not want to be online. The map implementation on Android is great when you are online; but does such implementation work well in ALL situation? I hope you would not say 'Yes'

Cheers,

Re: Maemo 5 vs Android 3.0
 

@dymaxion

Lets suposse that Nokia is not doing MeeGo and they are only doing Maemo. Maybe today they will be lauching a new N900 called N2011 that have a Tegra 2 dual core 1ghz processor with 1gb ram. Do you think that the new N2011 will be slow? very much slow? fast? or bloddy fast? compared to the actual N900. I think it will be bloddy fast.

If you said that the new honeycomb tablet has better everything because that tablet is faster and can do much stuff, then you are forgeting that they have better hardware and they had almost a year and a half of advantage, or better yet, you are not reading or not understand the point of my thread.

I'm not a fanboy, Today I'm gonna buy a Motorola Milestone for example to use it with N900 because I have an HTC Touch Pro 2 and for the same price in my country I can get the Milestone, so I want to switch the HTC for the Milestone and put froyo on it. Does that sound like I hate google or something? I think not. But I do think that honeycomb should have been like 10 times better than Maemo 5 on the N900 but it is not, it only have what the Nexus One have had for sometime and a few more stuff.

Re: Maemo 5 vs Android 3.0
 

iv managed to speen up my n900 it now runs alot quicker them some of the new phones like the galixy s2 and iphone 4s one of my friend has a old n97 and it ran so slow he started eperimenting with it to make it work better and yes he done it. it was outdoing my n900 at this point so i got him to play with my n900 and see what he could do with it and the outcome was amazing he tweeked it downloaded things none nokia softwere iv heard the n900 was a really good phone but now its better it has proper sat nav with voice turn by turn skype youtube java i can use the front camera for taking pics and videos not the best cam though decent flash player as it would try and load it but i would give up waiting eg facebook games live webcams (earthcam) and so on some of the things might of worked for other people befor so dont know but some didnt work on mine and thats just on meamo i also have dual boot so i can pick eather meamo or android 2.2 and even with all that on it it still runs quicker than most phones. some people with the latest phones have now brought n900's and got me to make it the same as mine

Re: Maemo 5 vs Android 3.0
 

in short
maemo5 is the best

use speedpatch, batterypatch, kernel-power v49, HD patch, and you will be very happy as i am

Re: Maemo 5 vs Android 3.0
 

The words Tolerance and Condescending are one in the same, quite frankly I am tired of everyone comparing devices. Both devices are geared toward a certain market... stop trying to juxtapose

Re: Maemo 5 vs Android 3.0
 

Yes, but you fail to understand most people only want one gagdet in their pockets/purses at any given time. Therefore, both the SGSII and N900 are firstly phones followed by whatever else function that is relevant to the user, thus they are competitors.

Re: Maemo 5 vs Android 3.0
 

Re: Maemo 5 vs Android 3.0
 

first and foremost I consider the n900 a tablet with phone features
but that is up for debate I suppose.

I understand the need for the comparison, I was stating in the end both devices appeal to different users.

Also tolerance and being condescending is an extreme stance on the subject so rather in it's essence , no they are technically not the same words, but that doesn't make it any less valid.

theories are proven and dis-proven everyday