Nokia N900

SeamyH

Wanted to ask this question on the N900 OS site but the site won’t take my login details this morning for some reason. Currently the latest update is only available to users who have the USA, Middle East or Global firmware on their devices. Anybody on the Vodafone UK variant or the Maemo variant (unlocked UK) are playing the waiting game. There is no schedule available so god knows how long it will be before we receive the update. From reading posts in the various forums it appears that the UK update is always lagging behind. My question is are there any issues with installing the Global firmware on a UK device? Does anybody know if there are any differences? If the UK firmware updates are generally late I would prefer to have the Global firmware. But I obviously don’t want to re-flash until I’m sure there are no major differences.

Alanstrainor

SeamyH wrote: »

Wanted to ask this question on the N900 OS site but the site won’t take my login details this morning for some reason. Currently the latest update is only available to users who have the USA, Middle East or Global firmware on their devices. Anybody on the Vodafone UK variant or the Maemo variant (unlocked UK) are playing the waiting game. There is no schedule available so god knows how long it will be before we receive the update. From reading posts in the various forums it appears that the UK update is always lagging behind. My question is are there any issues with installing the Global firmware on a UK device? Does anybody know if there are any differences? If the UK firmware updates are generally late I would prefer to have the Global firmware. But I obviously don’t want to re-flash until I’m sure there are no major differences.

I'm playing the waiting game myself, i have a uk simfree N900, tbh, i'm in no rush, the phone is grand as is, i would expect to have the update in the next couple of days. Hearing reports of N900's getting bricked, i'd rather wait for the uk firmware then trying to flash the global firmware.

Loggie

I got the update yesterday around 12. How can I tell which firmware version I have? Is it global, uk or otherwise? When I check in about product I get 3.2010.02-8.002

Idleater

I have been reading in the AMD forum about the IPhone tethering "issues" on o2 and buying extra bundles for the iPhone, and I was just wondering if anyone here has the n900 on o2 and is tethering.

The reason I am interested is not because I have any intention of tethering (at the moment), but more because (from what I have read) the n900 browser does not identify itself as a "mobile" browser, so how can any carrier network distinguish between (web) traffic originating on the device, or traffic originating on a tethered device.

SeamyH

Loggie wrote: »

I got the update yesterday around 12. How can I tell which firmware version I have? Is it global, uk or otherwise? When I check in about product I get 3.2010.02-8.002

002 is USA firmware version as far as I know.

Loggie

SeamyH wrote: »

002 is USA firmware version as far as I know.

if that is the case would there be any warranty issues or will the nokia warranty still cover any faults if brought to a nokia repair agent

smegheadz

nereid wrote: »

I have been reading in the AMD forum about the IPhone tethering "issues" on o2 and buying extra bundles for the iPhone, and I was just wondering if anyone here has the n900 on o2 and is tethering.

The reason I am interested is not because I have any intention of tethering (at the moment), but more because (from what I have read) the n900 browser does not identify itself as a "mobile" browser, so how can any carrier network distinguish between (web) traffic originating on the device, or traffic originating on a tethered device.

as far as i'm aware the carrier doesnt. but i'm not really understanding ur question. browser identification doesnt play any part in carrier detecting web traffic, traffic is traffic to them. it identifies itself as microb on maemo 5. the carrier wud still class all traffic as traffic regardless. some cases may vary as in three mobile , as far as i can recall they use specific ports for msn traffic and do not charge for that data.

edit what the browser shows:

Your Browser User Agent String is Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux armv7l; en-GB; rv:1.9.2a1pre) Gecko/20091127 Firefox/3.5 Maemo Browser 1.5.6 RX-51 N900

Idleater

smegheadz wrote: »

as far as i'm aware the carrier doesnt. but i'm not really understanding ur question. browser identification doesnt play any part in carrier detecting web traffic, traffic is traffic to them. it identifies itself as microb on maemo 5. the carrier wud still class all traffic as traffic regardless. some cases may vary as in three mobile , as far as i can recall they use specific ports for msn traffic and do not charge for that data.

edit what the browser shows:

Your Browser User Agent String is Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux armv7l; en-GB; rv:1.9.2a1pre) Gecko/20091127 Firefox/3.5 Maemo Browser 1.5.6 RX-51 N900

Apologies for what appear to be an odd question. What you have posted is exactly what I would have thought, yet if you have a look at this thread you will see o2 have now got tethering bundles for the iPhone.

Suppose that tethering using the n900 would also require such a bundle, my question was how could this be detected on a device that is for all intents and purposes a mini linux laptop, which has been shown to have several different OS's on it, each with a different browser on it.

This is possibly a bit too much of a tangent for this thread, if so I will start another.

Danbo!

nereid wrote: »

Apologies for what appear to be an odd question. What you have posted is exactly what I would have thought, yet if you have a look at this thread you will see o2 have now got tethering bundles for the iPhone.

Suppose that tethering using the n900 would also require such a bundle, my question was how could this be detected on a device that is for all intents and purposes a mini linux laptop, which has been shown to have several different OS's on it, each with a different browser on it.

This is possibly a bit too much of a tangent for this thread, if so I will start another.

I could be completely off here, but, at a guess, its down to apple. They work with networks quite closely when implementing features like tethering and visual voicemail etc. I assume that the iPhone identifies itself to the network as a tethered device, therefore allowing the network to charge you separately from your standard 1Gb allowance. With other phones, from nokia for example, the phone just pulls data via 3G as normal and then decides what to do with it. Either use it for browsing on the device or send the data to a laptop/desktop.

This feature has been around for ages (I remember using it on the N95 when my broadband died, and ended up incurring quite a large bill) but apple are very good at introducing these things late, but in a simple easy to use kinda way. Im not suggesting tethering is difficult on other phones, just a lot of people dont realise it can be done.

ct5amr2ig1nfhp

Ever since applying the latest patch, my battery life has gone from ~2 days down to ~12 hours.

Anyone have any ideas?

bernik12

bedlam wrote: »

Latest firmware is:



However, I'm assuming you are on UK firmware, if so, you have the latest. Release for 3.2010.02-8 is lagging a bit for UK.

I managed to update to the above version this morning. My numbers only ported to the Vodafone network this morning, they sent the Data packet settings and when I went to check updates, there it was.

I have to say that I am mighty impressed with this device. Coming from a SE c905 it was always going to be a massive step up but after only 24 hours am I glad I didn't give into Apple over past 3 months (I came close a couple of times!) I am no techno wiz and the main reason for holding out was for the web browsing this beast would offer & I'm over the moon. I also feel that the sheer openess of the n900 will encourage me to learn more about my device and push me to change & personalise it rather than be content with the factory unit:

So, the education begins......1st stop Angry Birds!!!!

Tom Dunne

kingambrose wrote: »

Ever since applying the latest patch, my battery life has gone from ~2 days down to ~12 hours.

Anyone have any ideas?

I've actually gone the opposite - I was getting 8-10 hours, with moderate use, now I am getting 2-3 days.

Having said that, I am actually on 3.2010.02-8.003 (my phone was bought in the Middle East), so I may be ahead of you.

matrim

nereid wrote: »

I have been reading in the AMD forum about the IPhone tethering "issues" on o2 and buying extra bundles for the iPhone, and I was just wondering if anyone here has the n900 on o2 and is tethering.

The reason I am interested is not because I have any intention of tethering (at the moment), but more because (from what I have read) the n900 browser does not identify itself as a "mobile" browser, so how can any carrier network distinguish between (web) traffic originating on the device, or traffic originating on a tethered device.

I haven't with my N900 yet, but with my N95 on O2 bill pay with a data add on I tethered plenty and never had a problem or any extra charge once I kept below my data limit. I assume the N900 would be the same

ct5amr2ig1nfhp

Hi Tom,

I bought mine is the US. Latest patch was 3.2010.02-8.002

I'll install a couple of the battery utils and see can I find the source of the problem.

Tom Dunne wrote: »

I've actually gone the opposite - I was getting 8-10 hours, with moderate use, now I am getting 2-3 days.

Having said that, I am actually on 3.2010.02-8.003 (my phone was bought in the Middle East), so I may be ahead of you.

Tom Dunne

kingambrose wrote: »

I'll install a couple of the battery utils and see can I find the source of the problem.

I did and they didn't work.

I was encountering a problem where the phone was charging, and I was using it (say a Skype call, or streaming music). It appears that it ran down the battery faster than it could be charged, so half-way through a Skype call (or streaming), the phone would power down. So I had to leave it for an hour or so to charge to get the battery back up to a level where it wouldn't deplete quicker than I could charge it.

Anyway, I installed batlevel which gave completely false readings and bettery-eye, which wasn't a whole lot of use as it only gives a graph.

I wouldn't recommend either of those apps.

fifth

After the latest small update yesterday or the day before there, I've noticed performance issues. Lot's of lag between switching apps, music player suddenly stopping playing / no files showing up in playlists, have to reboot a few times a day but doesn't seem to help.

boc121

Has anybody gotten this from vodafone and if so any problems with updating or branding?
Cheers.

smegheadz

Tom Dunne wrote: »

I did and they didn't work.

I was encountering a problem where the phone was charging, and I was using it (say a Skype call, or streaming music). It appears that it ran down the battery faster than it could be charged, so half-way through a Skype call (or streaming), the phone would power down. So I had to leave it for an hour or so to charge to get the battery back up to a level where it wouldn't deplete quicker than I could charge it.

Anyway, I installed batlevel which gave completely false readings and bettery-eye, which wasn't a whole lot of use as it only gives a graph.

I wouldn't recommend either of those apps.

theres a bug with wifi that can drain ur battery. download wifi switcher, and disable ur wifi after using it. also theres a bug with media player with some bad apps for it, it remaines open and drains the battery. uninstall any subtitle apps and codecs, also flash player was bugged for a few people, it wudnt close and drainer the battery, bad update caused that one i think.

Danbo!

What repository is the wifi switcher in?

Alanstrainor

I've been using the wifi switcher since a week after i got my N900 and it works a treat. I find i'm still charging it every night, but it's not dead when i do, it'd be at around 30% full.

god's toy

smegheadz wrote: »

theres a bug with wifi that can drain ur battery. download wifi switcher, and disable ur wifi after using it. ...

Did the last update not fix that bug?

I didnt have that bug myself but I've read for a few it's now gone.

Alanstrainor

From reading through the maemo.org thread on the update, it looks like those of us with UK N900's will have to wait until the end of Feb to get an update. From what people are saying the small update and the big update will be combined.

Danbo!

Alanstrainor wrote: »

From reading through the maemo.org thread on the update, it looks like those of us with UK N900's will have to wait until the end of Feb to get an update. From what people are saying the small update and the big update will be combined.

I was reading that thread myself, some people seem very pissed off. If it was a big update with new features id be pissed, but it didnt really make a lot of difference to be honest. A little snappier and some battery improvements, but if you're happy with the performance you're not missing anything.

If I remember right you bought yours from phonesonline just a few days before me, i would have assumed theyd be from the same batch. In that case i have no idea what model I have, not a UK one anyway

roryj

Upadted my firmware on tuesday and all was well . UNTILL this evening.
messing with the phone , hit update icon. noticed that all the catalogues were missing.... cancelled out to main menu and back to update again . catalogues back but stalled at about 10% on the progress bar. So pushed and held the on/off button. Got the dredded " updating software do not interupt". Plugged in charger . no good, took out battery and re installed. Now its in a loop. but not booting up. Any one come across this before. I have no acess to an x6 etc to charge the battery ,.

Got the battery terminals into the n95 so its charging now, . will try booting again in the morning.

Alanstrainor

Stee wrote: »

I was reading that thread myself, some people seem very pissed off. If it was a big update with new features id be pissed, but it didnt really make a lot of difference to be honest. A little snappier and some battery improvements, but if you're happy with the performance you're not missing anything.

If I remember right you bought yours from phonesonline just a few days before me, i would have assumed theyd be from the same batch. In that case i have no idea what model I have, not a UK one anyway

Yeah it's weird, i was wondering how you were getting the update. Tbh, i don't care, it's nothing major, i think i can wait. I think i'm gone beyond looking forward to minor firmware updates. Can't understand why people would bother to reflash different firmwares for the sake of it tbh.

ct5amr2ig1nfhp

I installed the wifi switcher to see if it would help with my (new) battery life issue.
Last charge was at 4pm yesterday and after some light/moderate usage the battery is at 50% this morning - just shy of 20ish hours.

So it looks as if the latest update (3.2010.02-8.002) has actually introduced the wifi bug. Great

ct5amr2ig1nfhp

Hi Bedlam,

I was getting 2 days out of a single charge until the new update. And I only installed wifi switcher after that (to see if it would help), so it can't be wifi switcher itself.

I was very happy with 2 days but for it to drop to 12 hrs

At least with wifi switcher, I'll hopefully get a good 24hrs out of it.

bedlam wrote: »

20hrs is a good bit more than I get, so don't complain

Also it's worth remembering that apps in extras-testing (wifi switcher) and extra-devel are works in progress and may them selves introduce issues to the phone.

Danbo!

kingambrose wrote: »

I installed the wifi switcher to see if it would help with my (new) battery life issue.
Last charge was at 4pm yesterday and after some light/moderate usage the battery is at 50% this morning - just shy of 20ish hours.

So it looks as if the latest update (3.2010.02-8.002) has actually introduced the wifi bug. Great

For the battery to drop 50% in 20 hours isnt bad at all. Surely that means with light/moderate usage, you'll get 40 hours?

Ive only been charging the battery when it drops below 5%, and keeping an eye on it. I had to charge it in work yesterday and decided I'd try and kill the battery before bed last night, and give it another full charge. The thing just wouldnt die!! I put on wifi scanning, check mail every 5 mins, put on a movie for 2 hours and muted the sound, it really took a lot.

With battery eye, this morning I noticed that it went from 3% to full in 2 hours, and from 2.30am to 6.30am, it dropped to 90%. Strange how even if it is plugged in, once the battery is full it stops charging.

Anyway, just a quick check there and its at 86% now, havent used it much this morning though. From the battery graph, there was a tiny drop at 6.30am from alarm, snooze, alarm, snooze, alarm, snooze (damn fridays!), and then a fairly level line until now.

I dont use the wifi switcher, tried it but I dont think I've got the 'wifi bug'. I use the 2G/3G switcher though, and have internet connection to 'always ask'. In work I only have 2G signal at my desk usually, so no point in having the phone trying to find 3G every so often, so i's just set to GSM.

On a normal day I'd be unplugging at 6.30am, and the phone would be circa 20% at 11pm. Having said that, I've only had it a week and a half so still going through initial charge cycles, and somedays the phone isnt out of my hands at all, so it varies.

ct5amr2ig1nfhp

@Stee - I'm hoping to get near 2 days again - I'd be happy enough with that. My point though was that the 'wifi bug' seems to have been triggered by the latest update (at least for my N900 anyway).

Just to sum up my battery life issue...

No fw update / update 1 & 2: ~2days battery
Install Update 3: ~12 hrs
Installed Wifi Switcher: back to ~1.5 to 2 days

Conlusion: Latest update triggered my ‘wifi bug’

Stee wrote: »

For the battery to drop 50% in 20 hours isnt bad at all. Surely that means with light/moderate usage, you'll get 40 hours?
...

Danbo!

bedlam wrote: »

While it's not optimal, if you can wait, there should be a major patch released in the next week to two weeks which will hopefully straighten things out.

Anyone know of any expected features with the big update?

To be honest, at first I wanted portrait mode throughout, but now if its implemented I can see it being a bit sloppy, seeing as it was designed as a landscape device. If it is implemented, Im hoping it can be switched off, doubt I will use it.

Anyone got anything on their wishlist?