I succeeded in mounting my Mac format iPod, but I needed a few extra tools since the n810 kernel doesn't read mac partitions (hint to nokia - turn this kernel option on).

1. You need to determine where the partition begins. I used od to print out the partition tables, but I'm planning on writing a utility. The details are in the kernel tree at /fs/partition/mac.*

2. Then you need to do losetup on /dev/sda to a loop device like /dev/loop0 (which the stock busybox won't do) with an offset to that partition.

3. You then need hfsplus.ko loaded,

4. Finally you can mount /dev/loop0 on /media/usb/sda1 or wherever, and access it. The auto detect feature of the file manager doesn't work, but you can put a symlink in a convenient location.

I was able to unzip a file from my video (5g) iPod.

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So if i buy that combo, I will be able to hook up a usb flash drive and the n810 will recognize it? awesome. what is the biggest flash drive that the unit will read? 16gb? or the new 32gb?? or the unlimited budget 64gb thumb drive???

looking at this:
http://www.pcmall.com/pcmall/shop/de...vable%20Drives

or a pair of these:
http://www.ecost.com/detail.aspx?edp...i_sku=37540967

they both say they support linux, but does that mean it would work with the linux run on these tablets?[/QUOTE]

You will still need a micro to mini adapter cable, and I'd suggest doing the host mode modification to it rather than opening xterm and typing commands.

I attended Macworld today and spoke with a company that provides translation software for moving contact info between different brands of cell phones. As part of the package they sell interface cables for an amazing number of phones (think micro USB). I explained that there might be a big market for a host mode cable with a micro USB to USB A Female connection. I'll keep the list informed as to my progress in moving this project forward. What would such a pre-made cable be worth?

Panasonic DMC-TZ3 camera works fine.

Canon S80 and SD600 cameras do not.

Still looking for an SD card thumb drive that will work.

The N810 is mechanically USB OTG compliant!! No hacked/modified cables or the like are required for host mode!

I just verified with an off-the-shelf Micro-USB-A to standard USB-A cable (part no AK 676-AA from www.reichelt.de).

The Micro-A plug (which is mechanically and electrically different from the Micro-B plug on the cable nokia supplies with the n810) fits perfectly into the recepticle of the n810 and switches it automatically into host mode. Thus the n810 accepts both, the micro-a and micro-b plugs which is exactly what it should be able to do as an otg device and which the old n800 unfortunately can't due to its Mini-B-only recepticle.

This is cool news as this means that all usb compliant adaptors should work. Unfortunately the cable from reichelt i bought is slightly "weird" as it has a standard (male) A plug at the other end. This doesn't make much sense, a female A recepticle or a standard B connector would make much more sense, but reichelt only sells those weird ones. Other places have Micro-A to standard B cables. This is typically what you want.

No there isn't a market, as any standard Micro-A-to-something (e.g. the female A you mention) works. There's no need for anyone to manufacture special cables. This is the type of standard cable required for any micro-usb equipped OTG compliant device being operated in host mode (which will likely include a huge bunch of pdas and cell phones once micro-usb gets more wide spread).

This is not the same sad situation we have with the n800.

Do you mean this cable?
http://www.reichelt.de/?;ACTION=3;LA...0932113a655622

How do I connect devices to the male connector? Is there a female-A to female-A connector?

Yes, that's the cable i am using.

And yes, to cope with this cable you need another female-usb-a to female-usb-a adapter. I already had one, but imho the "USB ABU-ABU" from www.reichelt.de would be the correct one.

All you need is the "AK 676-AA" plugged into your n810, the "USB ABU-ABU" connected to the other end. You can then e.g. plug a usb stick into the other end of the "USB ABU-ABU". But the "USB ABU-ABU" is only required for this reichelt cable because it has the standard male A plug where a B plug or female-A would make more sense.

I just used exactly this setup with my "Cruzer Mini 4.0GB" stick and the file manager popped up immediately.

Well, now I'm wondering, some devices didn't work with the host mode cable. Are any of them likely to work with this straight-through adapter? I guess the only difference would be that the host mode wire wouldn't be tied down ...

if you have any working host mode setup it doesn't make any difference from a client point of view. host mode is host mode regardless how you set it up. A device should eitherf work in all setups or in none.