firmware update on nokia n810
 

when booting up i need to press the swap button, when do i know when do i let go of it?

Re: firmware update on nokia n810
 

first plug in the usb-cable for the connection to your pc.
then press the swap/home button (the upper one on the left side) and then the power button. now there should be an usb icon on the upper right side of the n810 screen. then you can release all buttons

Re: firmware update on nokia n810
 

I never had to press any swap button for flashing the device.
Put the device off, connect it via USB to your computer and start the flasher. The flasher will wait until you switch on the device. Switch on the device and it's automatically in USB-mode as indicated by the USB icon in the corner.

Re: firmware update on nokia n810
 

First make sure the battery of your device is full. Then disconnect the power adapter.

Install the Nokia Software Updater and make it wait/search for N8x0.

Now, press the swap button. Put on the device. When it shows the USB icon on the top right you release the swap button. Windows makes a funky sound it detected a USB device, and it won't make the funky sound the device is disconnected again. Now update your firmware and you're done!

This is probably also well explained in other threads, howtos, and wiki.