Has anyone been experimenting with using the N900 as a complete desktop computer replacement? That would involve connecting a big keyboard and mouse to the N900 and sending the video signal to a monitor. It would also involve running a large-screen window manager rather than Hildon. All these should be possible with the N900, so I am wondering if anyone has tried, and if so, what their experience with such a setup is.

Of course, the best would be if Nokia would make a nice docking-station, allowing us all to just pick up our main computer and put it in our pocket whenever we leave home, having it all with us on the road!

bump...
I'm also interested in this. Is it possile to connect a bluetooth keyboard and use it to navigate(and use) the n900's features on a tv/monitor?

This should be doable without any special modifications. It would be great for travelers -- just bring your bt keyboard, line out cable to the tv, usb charger and N900 and you are in business at a place with Internet.

You'd have to make sure the bt keyboard actually works, however -- see threads about that.

Would be awesome indeed! Just to list what's being done right now to reach this goal (feel free to add to this!):

Heavy experimenting to connect HIDs (keyboard + mouse) to the N900:
- Through bluetooth, or
- Through USB host mode. This would pose a problem for power input though, since the N900 can only be charged through its USB port.

Efforts are also being made to be able to print directly from the N900.

Together with more software becoming available that supports office working (FreOffice and ofcourse the full OpenOffice package through easyDebian) the N900 is well on its way to replace the desktop PC... AWESOME!!

I've been using a SmartQ v7 + X forwarding / VNC to get n900 apps up on a bigger screen and connect keyboards, mice etc.

Works pretty nicely, it's useful for stuff like Sygic.

Cheers

N900 is faster and have more storage than my Sony VIAO which has the docking station you've mentioned. I'd definitely pay for a similar docking station if anyone made it. ^^

It would be just like having my old Pentium 120 back in business!

(just kidding, a little bit :-P

It would be something like this only smaller and upgraded

these go back to the 80's so its an old thought
werent as portable as n900 but still...just power and a monitor and off you go

I think it's already possible, except the big-screen desktop manager (which you don't need IMO). Just hook up a bluetooth keyboard and mouse and a TV. You can even add in DS3s/Wiimotes.

I've been interested in doing this, but there are a few things from holding me back:

1) I came across a fold-up bluetooth keyboard (£30), but I'm unwilling to buy it as I'm not sure of the compatibility with the N900.


Link to site
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This one
looks good aswell, it even has a phone rack on the keyboard to place the N900



2) I need a fully working and supported native Linux distro (I'm not fussed about phone support, though that would be great)
I'm not sure what the current status is of Mer/Ubuntu on the N900, but I'd love to see Arch Linux on it.