The direction pad has LEDs that can be enabled through the control panel. Which applications use these for notification? I'm often in noisy environments, and don't hear the audible notifications from my N800.

Ive only noticed the led in standby and when i power on.

I've asked that question myself; I haven't the slightest idea what that setting in control panel does as the LED is used only at startup, it seems.

The LEDs are used when you have an awaiting IM at least. By default it will use the LED signals regularly to tell that the device is "On", and this is not battery friendly. It gets friendlier if you have root access and edit /etc/mce.ini and at least disable the "DeviceOn" pattern.

Replace the DeviceOn Patttern with:
PatternDeviceOn=255;0;0;0;0;0

So it won't be preventing standby and draining your battery. Of course you have to be careful editing the mce.ini file, because if you make a mistake then the device probably won't boot (I didn't try with a broken mce.ini file) and then you'll have to reflash the firmware.

Pidgin is the IM client I use and as far as I know, it doesn't use the LED.

I Use Pidgin as well. Maybe someone could hack this plugin to flash the n800 leds: http://koti.mbnet.fi/simom/pidgin/led-notification/

Speaking of Pidgin, I can't seem to get the auto-away thing to go back "available" when i resume using my n800 (Only by sending a new message or manually choosing "available") feature or bug?

I just recently upgraded my n800 to the os2008. I have Pidgin v2.3.0-0nix0. I tried to install the LED Plugin that was recently ported to the n800 (by Per Wille) but i get a corrupt file error. Has anyone else tried this plugin for this version of Pidgin and on the n800 running chinook? Any ideas ? Apparently it has been tested on IT2008 Chinook (n800).

My led also flashes when i get an email with the built in email client.

Goto
Control Panel/ General/ Display/ LED tab
there are choices here to check for displaying the flashing blue light.

that was helpful ;-) thanks