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Nokia Releases Linux Handset

galaxy writes "Nokia releases their first Linux mobile handset, the N900 The handset is based on the latest release of Maemo, the Nokia mobile Linux platform, and includes e.g. GSM and 3G access (with HSPA, giving datarates of up to 10Mbps downlink and 2Mbps uplink on suitable networks), WLAN, Bluetooth, camera, assisted GPS and, most importantly, a touchscreen complemented by a hardware QWERTY under a slider. The beast is powered by an ARM Cortex-A8 processor at 600 MHz, has PowerVR SGX with OpenGL ES 2.0 support, 32GB internal memory etc."

9 of 484 comments (clear)

  1. Re:how much is it? by Plug · · Score: 5, Informative

    500, in October..

    That works out to $712 USD as of this post (click for a more up-to-date rate), but that will probably be European style - unlocked and with no contract.

    It will be up to carriers in countries like the US to decide how much to subsidise the phone, over what contract term.

  2. Answers all my biggest iPhone gripes by popo · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The iPhone was a 'fail' for me for several reasons, but most of all:

    1) No real keyboard.
    (The N900 has a pull out keyboard)

    2) No support for Flash
    (The N900 has Flash support)

    3) No real multitasking
    (The N900 has multitasking)

    4) Skype
    (The N900 has Skype)

    Add the fact that this baby runs Linux, and I'm 100% sold. This has huge promise.

    --
    ------ The best brain training is now totally free : )
  3. DO WANT by Becausegodhasmademe · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Open source? Check.

    Looks stylish? Check.

    Hardware built by reputable supplier? Check.

    Did I mention it was open source?

    I know what my next phone will be!

  4. Re:how much is it? by swb · · Score: 5, Funny

    You missed the part where it said "it runs Linux". At that point whatever stats it has you multiply by 911 to get the real stats. If comparing to the iPhone, you multiply by 911 *twice* to get the comparison stats.

    Act, Gary, act.

  5. where your root prompt is by marnanel · · Score: 5, Informative

    from the where's-my-root-prompt dept.

    $ sudo gainroot

    There it is!

    --
    GROGGS: alive and well and living in
  6. Re:how much is it? by ArcherB · · Score: 5, Informative

    specs are better than the iphone and the interface looks nice. how much is it? I think the $299 price point is the most that most people are willing to pay

    How are these specs better then the iPhone 3GS? The 3GS contains:

    • CPU: ARM Cortex-A8 running at 600 MHz (same as N900)
    • Memory: 256 MB (same as N900)
    • GPU: PowerVR SGX (same as N900
    • Max Internal flash: 32 GB (same as N900)

    Aside from the hardware keyboard, I'm not seeing how it's better hardware-wise.

    Up to 1 GB of application memory (256 MB RAM, 768 MB virtual memory)
    Data transfers over a cellular network 10/2Mbps
    Removable battery
    Wide aspect ratio 16:9 (WVGA)
    Video recording file format: .mp4; codec: MPEG-4
    Video recording at up to 848x480 pixels (WVGA) and up to 25fps
    Removable battery
    Video playback file formats: .mp4, .avi, .wmv, .3gp; codecs: H.264, MPEG-4, Xvid, WMV, H.263
    5 MP camera with Carl Zeiss lens and LED flash
    3D graphics accelerator with OpenGL ES 2.0 support
    Removable battery
    32 GB internal storage
    Expandable to up to 48 GB with external microSD card
    Removable battery
    800x480 resolution screen
    Removable battery

    There's more, but I'm tiered of copying and pasting. Don't get me wrong, the iPhone is nice, but these specs are better as far as I know (not sure about the widescreen). Oh, and there's a Removable battery

    --
    There is no "I disagree" mod for a reason. Flamebait, Troll, and Overrated are not substitutes.
  7. Re:how much is it? by dissy · · Score: 5, Funny

    I think you forgot the most important new feature.

    It has a removable battery!

  8. Resolution by Colonel+Korn · · Score: 5, Insightful

    No one here ever mentions resolution as a feature on phone screens, and they should. I have eyesight just good enough to pass the DMV tests without corrective lenses and that's sufficient for my old iPhone's 320x480 screen to be painful for me in comparison to the 640x480 screen on my new phone. I can read significantly smaller text, meaning I can see much larger chunks of real web pages, on the higher resolution screen.

    The N900 described in TFA has an 800x480 resolution. That should get people very excited!

    --
    "I zero-index my hamsters" - Willtor (147206)
  9. Re:CDMA by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    WCDMA is the technology behind UMTS (AT&T, T-Mobile). 3G CDMA is CDMA2000 (Sprint, Verizon).