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With all the latest hype about QR-codes, you must certainly would want a QR scanner on your phone. Especially if you’re living in Japan, where QR-codes are most popular.
Well, the N900 sure has a QR-scanner, and a pretty good one! mBarCode, together with a QR plugin can read both barcode and QR information.

You can get both mBarCode and the QR-plugin from the Extras repo:
sudo gainroot
apt-get install mbarcode mbarcode-plugin-qrcode
Launch the application and now you have a very good scanner! Target your camera at a QR or a barcode and the information gets read almost instantly. Links and other “can-be-malicious” content is shown to you before getting opened with your tap. You can even check the shortlinks by copying them and visiting this site.
You can also store the scanned code into a file, or read the code from a file you stored. That way you can use the codes later, or scan the codes downloaded from a website.

With all that, mBarCode is a must-have if you’re used to dealing with QR and barcodes.
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In case if you’d want to test how it works and you don’t have any scannable codes around, you can use an online generator, like this one.

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Check out our new page Funny LOL Pictures (click here) - it brings you daily funny pictures that will make you LOL!
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Note: the steps we go through this how-to include modifying low-level system files and imply that the readers know what they are doing. If you can’t understand some bits or think you might break something, you might want not to try this hack.
Interested in further customization of your N900? Then let’s take a look at how to change that “Swipe to unlock” screen that appears when you press the powerkey with screen locked.
The files we’re interested in are located under two directories:
 /usr/share/themes/alpha/backgrounds/
and
/usr/share/themes/alpha/images/
Now, the files are lockslider.png, which is a background image located in the first directory mentioned; LockSliderTop/Bottom/Left/Right.png, which are the backgounds for the slider itself and are located in the second directory mentioned; and, finally, LockSliderThumb.png and LockSliderPortrait.png, which are the images for the slider button in landscape and portrait mode. These are also in the second directory mentioned.
You know the file names now, so you’d want to get creative and make substitutes for those originals! Back them up, if you need it.
Use the original files as a base, you need to be sure the image sizes match. That is, lockslider.png needs to be 800×480, other files need to be the same size as their originals. Check out this custom set for further example.
As soon as you finished creating your files, drop them all to their respective directories and reboot your phone.
  cp -f lockslider.png  /usr/share/themes/alpha/backgrounds/
cp -f LockSlider*.png /usr/share/themes/alpha/images/
sudo gainroot
reboot
Enjoy your new custom Swipe-to-unlock screen!

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Check out our new page Funny LOL Pictures (click here) - it brings you daily funny pictures that will make you LOL!
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Need to take a couple of notes? Simple calendar notes and/or text files not enough for you? Then check out Conboy, a clone of Tomboy, which is a very good note management program!

As soon as you get the package (which is available in the Extras repository) and run the app, powerful note managing capabilities will unfold on your screen. Conboy allows text formatting, text alignment, zoom and quite some extra stuff, all of which you can check by looking around the menus and the interface. And it’s all quite readable and manageable!

By pressing that little folder icon, you’ll get a list of all your notes, which can all be searched, sorted, deleted, edited… All management operations are handled quite well, which makes Conboy even better.
So, if you keep forgetting things, or if you’re used to taking a lot of notes, like I am, then Conboy is surely a must have on your Nokia N900.

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Check out our new page Funny LOL Pictures (click here) - it brings you daily funny pictures that will make you LOL!
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No doubt, your phone must be something very valuable for most of you. If so, you will want to keep it away from thieves. HandsOff is a handy app that will help you with that.

HandsOff is a simple alarm tool that will detect possible theft of your N900, using light and proximity sensors. Just type in a PIN-code and, well, press the big red button on top.
After armed, as soon as your N900 leaves the area where it’s supposed to be, a loud alarm will notify you about it right away, and might prevent a theft. Surely, the alarm won’t stop, unless a proper PIN-code is entered. You can also set your own alarm sound and sensitivity, so you can carry the phone in your pocket. You might want to tweak the settings a bit, until your desired settings are discovered.
Even something that relatively small can prevent a theft, so if you’re paranoid, or just want to keep your N900 safe, you should probably try HandsOff.

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Check out our new page Funny LOL Pictures (click here) - it brings you daily funny pictures that will make you LOL!
Sometimes you just really need for a certain command to be executed every X minutes. Or maybe you could use something that will notify you to check your bags every hour. Not a problem, Alarmed will help you with that.
Alarmed is a little GUI app that allows you to schedule any sort of event to be done at a certain time, pretty much like cron, an utility well known to every *nix administrator.
Install alarmed:
sudo gainroot
apt-get install alarmed
Once launched, you’ll see a screen with all your currently scheduled events and buttons for creating new events, removing and editing current events.
Creating a new event is simple with a user-friendly interface of Alarmed: press a button, chose what exactly will be done at that event and schedule a time.
Easy and effective, now you don’t need to constantly remind yourself to walk the dog or switch your profile to silent when you’re at a conference.

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Getting bored with the old look of your SMS and chat screens? If so, open nature of Maemo allows you to tweak the look to your own preference.

Configuration files for Conversations And Contacts themes reside under the /usr/share/rtcom-messaging-ui/html/ directory. Backup the files if necessary.
First make your own theme with html-css-javascript or find one that suits you made by other enthusiasts on Talk Maemo or here.
In case if you downloaded the theme, unpack the downloaded archive to any directory, for example, ~/MyDocs/theme
cd ~/MyDocs
mkdir theme
Then, copy all files in the archive to the directory mentioned above:
cd ~/MyDocs/theme
sudo gainroot
cp -f * /usr/share/rtcom-messaging-ui/html
Because many downloaded themes include only files for SMS interface, copy them for chat interface:
sudo gainroot
cd /usr/share/rtcom-messaging-ui/html
cp -f MessagingWidgetsSMSConversation.css MessagingWidgetsChatConversation.css
cp -f MessagingWidgetsSMSConversation.js MessagingWidgetsChatConversation.js
cp -f MessagingWidgetsSMSConversation.html MessagingWidgetsChatConversation.html
Finally, reboot your phone,
sudo gainroot
reboot
Or kill the process:
sudo gainroot
killall rtcom-messaging-ui
 
Enjoy your new interface!

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NITDroid have been running over the years on the N900 and here is the current latest update :
Latest stable Android version running on the N900 is Version 2.3.7. Well this is practically a Gingerbread OS with Google Wallet support. This version is called N12 for NITDroid for the N900
N12 includes receiving and sending SMS successfully. However voice calls and camera are still under development
Here is a list with compatible games being able to run on the NITDroid itself. Overclocking and installation on internal EMMC would be suggested to ensure smooth game play.
And on the day the Ice Cream Sandwich source code is being released, a port of ICS has been done for the N900. Credits to the NITDroid developer drunkdebugger. Here is the link to the video : Video
Let’s hope more updates would come soon and we can get a stable NITDroid to replace Maemo for the N900.

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I have always had great respect for webOS, it was an amazing system that was ahead of its time.  Sadly some things don’t quite catch on like they should and now webOS has gone the way of the Sega Saturn. It’s a sad day indeed when it seems like HP only recently forked out around $1.2 billion for Palm, and already they have dug its grave.  While HP kind of hints that something could come of the system, they have pretty well ditched it themselves.  The death of a competing OS would usually be a good thing for us Nokia N900 lovers, cutting down on the competition for our variations of chocolate, but in this case I feel we end up losing more then we gain.

WebOS was built in a similar fashion to Maemo, laying its roots in Linux and openness.  It is that relationship that has helped both OS’s benefit from each other, between porting apps, to playing the games.  It’s a little sad that both of these systems will be going the way of the Dodo, but maybe that’s just where the market is going now?
At the end of the day, did it seem like HP really supported webOS?  In the same way that Nokia seems like it has supported Maemo, or Meego?  Even if they did or not is irrelevant and the perception of people is what is really key.  To most people, all of these products appear to not matter to the parent companies, and that there is disastrous apparently.  Maybe Meego needs to learn a thing or two before it makes headlines for the same thing?

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When I was younger, I never quite understood the concept of open source.  Sure, it was great getting free games, but how does that make something better? It wasn’t until I experienced the Maemo open-source platform that I truly understood why open source was this amazing entity, rather then simply a concept.
Open source, it is the very thing that has let Maemo continue on, even after the maker abandoned it.  The very thing that lets my 19 month old device still be relevant and even desirable to me against new releases even today.  By why does simply being open, create so many more opportunities for a device?
To me, openness is the biggest appeal towards the N900, and the biggest disappointment towards Nokia apparently moving away from Meego. Openness, the very thing that has allowed my beloved device to do things Nokia didn’t intend (read: couldn’t be bothered doing).  Simple things like changing my operator name to amusing quotes, to the more complex like adding MMS, and even letting me use my N900 vertically for the first time.  Now that’s what I call freedom.

What open source now means to me is I can make my device do whatever I want it to do, and apparently the Maemo community agrees with me.
But where do we go from here?  There is only so long Maemo can really crawl through the desert.  When even the community moves on in time, where do those of us go who have come to cherish their little open source paper weights? In a market that moves toward closed source more and more, the choice is becoming something akin to the choice of punching oneself in the head, or in the guts.  Both options hurt, but which one is slightly less painful?
In relation to closed source, iOS undoubtedly gets top spot as Fort Knox, Windows Phone 7 being close behind, and even Android becoming more and more locked up with each release.  I always had high hopes for Maemo leading the charge into openness, and have the same hopes for the legacy it leaves to Meego.
I do of course …

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Some time ago we pointed Joikuspot as a “coming soon” for the Nokia N900, but right now it is fully available, an app that lets you turn your device into a wifi hotspot, is now available at the Ovi Store for the Nokia N900. The Maemo version came out of beta and has been ready for purchase and download at Joiku’s own site. Its visibility in the Ovi Store now makes it even easier for users to download this great app.

Joikuspot for the Nokia N900 costs $9.99 and is definitely worth it. A question that bothers me is that, “why did it take 3 months to show up at the Ovi Store?” It’s still beta and may contain bugs, but users can try it out for free and report such findings.
A few issues are:

JoikuSpot Linux Beta 0.1 has some issues with current Maemo WLAN driver side. This will cause the N900 to reboot with some laptop models. If this happens, re-start JoikuSpot and try again. Typically second session will work. A fix shall be made as soon as possible.

To install Joikuspot for free, go to the download page from your device. Add Joiku to the repositories and it will be added to your repositories in the Nokia N900‘s application manager and notify you automatically for updates. Joiku released several screenshots for Maemo fans to visualize.
The application is much easier to set up than using it through bluetooth or a USB cable, but one disadvantage is that it drains the battery faster than the other 2 solutions. However, I’ve used JoikuSpot before in other Nokia devices and absolutely love it.

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Please follow this steps correctly as it may damage your device. This is a Nokia N900 applications guide if you have not followed the older one.
Extras
An easy way to browse and install applications from ‘Extras’ is by going to downloads.maemo.org from the Nokia N900?s web browser.
You should also enable the repository in Application manager so that the N900 receives update notifications for the apps. The Extras repository is supposed to be already configured in the Nokia N900 but is disabled by default. To enable, follow the steps please:

Go into the Application manager.
Tap the menu -> Application catalogs…
Tap Maemo Extras.
Uncheck Disabled.
If it’s not there, then add it manually:
Application manager –> Application catalogs –> New
Catalog name: Maemo Extras
Web address: http://repository.maemo.org/extras/
Distribution: fremantle
Components: free non-free
After you enabled the repository, browse through the Application manager.
EXTRAS-TESTING
Extras-testing holds applications waiting to be tested and passed to the Extras repository mentioned above.
NB:
Applications here might cause damage to your device. Regular users are encouraged to stay away!
To install the apps, activate the repository in application manager:
Application manager –> Application catalogs –> New
Catalog name: Maemo Extras-testing
Web address: http://repository.maemo.org/extras-testing/
Distribution: fremantle
Components: free non-free
EXTRAS-DEVEL
I shouldn’t even be mentioning Extras-devel because it could really mess up your device.
NB:
The software in extras-devel is most likely not ready for end users. Developers upload the newest version of their software to extras-devel for an ‘automatic and human Quality Assurance process’ before it gets passed to Extras-testing.
I wasn’t sure if I must add a plugin from the repository, but I took a chance, after hearing about account-plugin-haze. It lets me add my AIM
account on the built-in Conversations instant messaging app on the N900. It also supports GaduGadu, ICQ, MSN, QQ, Sametime, and Yahoo. It seems to be working fine so far and I hope to see it in the Extras repository soon!
To activate:
Application manager –> Application catalogs –> New
Catalog name: Maemo Extras-devel
Web address: http://repository.maemo.org/extras-devel/
Distribution: fremantle
Components: free non-free

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The Nokia N900 users have for long for the requested for a software upgrade, mostly to improve the GPS experience to a standard similar to the one on S60 5th edition smartphones.

The Nokia N900 is the only Nokia smartphone that runs on Maemo 5, so there is little support for it. An upgrade of this platform, is in collaboration with Intel’s Moblin, which has been announced, and it will be MeeGo. The latter system will not be compatible with the N900 (that is, officially from Nokia) due to the requirements of the MeeGo software which the Nokia N900 can’t unfortunately meet.

With the PR1.2 firmware, the email has been upgraded, with the ability to accept or decline an event invitation from the application itself, a Facebook IM client has been supplied with software, as well as video-calling which helps greatly for the Skype users.
A few apps that had portrait limited functionality, has been modified.
The Ovi Maps is the app needs the most improvement which it received only a basic update  in terms of user experience. There is no say of voice guidance for GPS navigation yet.

The Nokia N900 PR 1.2 (V10.2010.19-1) software update is available in selected countries only, with most of the world receiving it in the future. Alternatively, the users may download the image from here, and follow this guide to install it manually.

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Welcome to the rival comparison of the Nokia N900 vs HTC Evo 4G! A lot have been disappointed by the Evo because it isn’t compatible with any GSM network so they think that the Evo isn’t worth buying/having but I am here to tell you that despite of that not working with GSM networks, the features make it up for it. Enjoy reading!
The rival was released in June while the Nokia N900 was released in November last year.
The Nokia N900 holds a TFT resistive touchscreen while the rival holds a TFT capacitive touchscreen, the N900 does have similarities to the capacitive. Although the Nokia N900 features Maemo 5 and the HTC comes with Android OS, v2.1 (Eclair), some say that the HTC’s software is better than the N900 Maemo, I doubt that statement.
The Nokia N900 is slightly beaten with the display with 4.3 inches to 3.5 inches. Gaming with both of the handsets won’t be the problem but unfortunately not all games will work with each other. As the previously mentioned, both devices feature completely different software.

A proximity sensor for auto turn-off, accelerometer sensor for auto-rotate and a full QWERTY keyboard are present on the Nokia N900 while the HTC lacks a QWERTY keyboard but is substituted for a multi-touch input method and a HTC Sense UI. I don’t know exactly how the HTC sense UI works but it is told by a few that it is just an user interface.
Both of the devices come with a 3.5 mm audio jack.

The Nokia N900 comes with 32GB memory while the HTC comes with 512 MB RAM and a 1 GB ROM but a 8GB MicroSD card should be included. Multi tasking on the HTC will require a bit more
A camera of 8 MP, 3264×2448 pixels, autofocus and a dual-LED flash beats 5 MP, 2576×1936 pixels, Carl Zeiss optics, autofocus, Dual LED flash and a video light which the Nokia N900 features but a Carl Zeiss optic is a must for users that love photography.
The HTC has a digital compass, a HDMI port, a dedicated search key, Google Search, Maps, Gmail, YouTube, Google Talk, Picasa integration, a MP4/H.263/H.264/WMV9 player, Facebook, Flickr, Twitter applications and Voice memo, the …

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Normally you would download YouTube on your Nokia N900 but this time Maemo comes with @scene which is something similar to YouTube but a bit better in a few ways.
It is powered by YouTube but @scene can work with other web based video services. The latest version that I found is V1.0.6.
It is available as a  beta version and @scene is one of the few applications written in Qt designed for Maemo. Its high optimization of the application of superior consumption and the video contribution of YouTube makes it easy for the user to access it through @scene rather than waiting in the web with a slow web browser.
Nokia N800, N810 and N900 devices running on Maemo with Qt 4.5 as well as Ubuntu 9.10 or newer on desktop Linux support @scene.
@scene does have an advantage of that it can’t be used in portrait mode but it makes no difference as you are going to watch the video in landscape mode.

The menus present in the @scene home screen are Web feeds (RSS) including Top rated, Most viewed, Most discussed and Most recent. Community features including Comment, Share, Rate, Upload, Messages, History, Statistics, Search and Play, Automatic full-screen playback, Save to Favorites,Playlists, YouTube service plugin, Offline playback
So hook up your earphones to your N900 (use @scene) and start listening/watching to videos.

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Nokia N900 and HTC Wildfire are trying to achieve the best results but Nokia’s are still the best in my opinion. The HTC Wildfire was released in May while the Nokia N900 was released in November last year.
In the size department, the Nokia N900 is beating the HTC’s dimensions with 110.9 x 59.8 x 18 mm, 113 cc while the Wildfire has 106.8 x 60.4 x 12 mm. The HTC comes with a TFT capacitive touchscreen while the N900 comes with something similar to it but it is a TFT resistive touchscreen. In the other hand, The Nokia N900 has a much larger display with 800 x 480 pixels, 3.5 inches and the Wildfire losing with 240 x 320 pixels, 3.2 inches.

As usual, both the devices have a 3.5 mm audio jack. I think a new audio jack must be made, maybe a 5.5 or a 6.6 because some of the customers get bored of the usual things. The Nokia N900 comes with a substantial amount of memory of 32GB and the HTC Wildfire comes with 384 MB RAM and  512 MB ROM. The Nokia N900 has 5 MP, 2576×1936 pixels, Carl Zeiss optics, autofocus, Dual LED flash and a video light which some of the features are lacking on the HTC Wildfire.

Looking at the HTC, it comes with the same old boring Android OS, v2.1 (Eclair) software platform while the Nokia N900 comes with a Debian-Linux based software platform called the Maemo 5. But the Nokia N900 comes with Skype and GoogleTalk VoIP integration, many multimedia features, TV-out, PDF document viewer, Photo editor and a Adobe Flash Player 9.4 which enables the device to access basically any site. The HTC comes with a Digital compass. Dedicated search key, Facebook, Flickr, Twitter integration, Google Search, Maps, Gmail, YouTube, Google Talk, Picasa integration, many multimedia functions and a Voice memo.