:: if I should post this on another thread please let me know.

Hi, I’m new to the N800 and to Linux. I’ve used PDAs for >10 years (HP200 DOS; then Psion Revo; then Axim X51v with WM5.0), all good in their own way but a compromise – I’ve been looking for a PDA with PIM and application support, superior music and video support, WiFi for browsing and mail. Well the N800 seems near perfect, the same size my beloved old Revo. (And I’ve a feeling that Linux is the future – but only if it becomes consumer friendly).

But I have a long way to go before I can turn off my Axim X51v. Can anyone help me out? I’ve been using the N800 for a few months now as a consumer rather than as a techie. I like it enough to persevere. I’m using OS version 4.2007.26-8.

What doesn’t work for me:

(1) the browser (Opera?) is poor – it doesn’t work for a number of sites: BBC radio requires a Real Player plug-in (I don’t see how to do this and there isn’t anything in the Application Manager or Maemo downloads); the Roland Garros tennis site needed Flash 9; as did Wimbledon.org; even on the Nokia web site the 3D images e.g. for the 6300, don’t work nor the videos.

(2) I have issues with the Media Player. The new one with OS2007 is better but still judders playing some .mp4 video podcasts and is very slow to resume after pause; I have Pocket DVD Wizard (for Windows) which can convert my DVDs to various formats. Works for WM5.0 Media Player and for PSP. The mp4 files do not play in the N800 Media Player. (I’ve seen http://tabletblog.com/2007/08/dvd-to...two-steps.html - is this the way to do it or should Pocket DVD Wizard do it?)

(3) How do I find and install 3rd party applications? Maemo.org seems very thin on the ground for apps. On my Axim I’m a heavy user of the following. Where can I find the equivalent software and how to install it?
:: Synch (ActiveSynch) to MS Outlook. No getting away from that need, both to business and home PCs. Calendar, contacts, tasks, files, with different profiles for each PC
:: HP10B financial calculator ( a favourite of mine for a long time)
:: Pocket Informant – a great replacement for MS’s WM PIM software
:: City Time from Code City - world time software, sunrise sunset etc, dialling code directory
:: Mind mapping software
:: Spreadsheet and word processing software

I guess I need to figure out how to live in the Linux world as an end user (consumer). Any pointers how to quick start this educative process are welcome. Looking at various blogs and web sites it seems I need to use a command line (go back to DOS??!) and learn loads of hieroglyphs to do what can be done on Windows / OSX / Linux desktop via dialogues.

Hopefully with your help I can make progress …. Thanks.