Life Tech

1. Go to the N810 software download page.
2. Enter the serial number for a valid N810 device. To get one of these, pick any number between 001d6e9c0000 to 001d6e9cffff. Pick any random 4 digits (between 0-9 and a-f hex) as the last 4 digits.
3. Download the file named “RX-44_2008SE_1.2007.42-18_PR_COMBINED_MR0_ARM.bin.”
4. Download the latest firmware-upgrading software, “flasher-3.0″.
5. Now that you have the firmware flasher and the 2008 N800 software update in the same directory, open up a terminal (on a Linux desktop/laptop), and type:
   chmod a+x ./flasher-3.0
   ./flasher-3.0 -u -F RX-44_2008SE_1.2007.42-18_PR_COMBINED_MR0_ARM.bin.
6. That will unpack the software, and it may take a few seconds. Once that is done, plug the N800 into your computer, using the included USB cable, then reboot the Nokia device while holding the home button. Now execute the following commands:
   sudo ./flasher-3.0 –enable-rd-mode
   sudo ./flasher-3.0 -k zImage -f
   sudo ./flasher-3.0 -n initfs.jffs2 -f
   sudo ./flasher-3.0 -r rootfs.jffs2 -f -R
7. That should be it. Your device should now boot up with the new 2008 version of the Nokia Maemo operating system.

Below are more details for the Nokia 810 on what it can handle.

With the new 2008 OS which on the press release is upgradable to our current n800 device, boost built in Mozilla browser and full Adobe Flash support!!

The range of video codecs support has also expanded (check below for details).

And the device can act as it’s own UPNP (Universal Plug and Play) server -> basically means, you can access the media files like video/pictures and music on other UPNP machines and stream them across to play the video, listen to music and view pictures.

miniSD card support seems to be the standard now. So you will prob have to find new uses for the SD card.

The GPS function will have the maps loaded on the device already. So if you are buying this from the US, you will be getting the US maps not Asia/Singapore, if you plan to use it in Singapore.

Here are the details.

Web Browsing

• Browser based on Mozilla technology with state-of-the-art web standard support including AJAX
• Page navigation with scrolling, panning or using hardware buttons, zooming in and out of web sites.
• Full desktop Adobe® Flash® 9 plugin, including video and audio streaming

Media

• In-built media player for viewing and listening to downloaded, transfered or streamed media content and easy-on-device management of media library
• Direct access to shared media over Universal Plug and Play (UPnP)
• Supported video formats: 3GP, AVI, WMV, MP4, H263, H.264, MPEG-1, MPEG-4, RV (RealVideo)
• Supported audio formats: MP3, WMA, AAC, AMR, AWB, M4A, MP2, RA (RealAudio), WAV
• Supported playlist formats: M3U, PLS, ASX, WAX, WVX, WPL

Communications

• Internet messaging and calling with video
• Effortless and automated presence and contacts application for centralizing communication tasks
• SIP support and interoperability with industry standard services

Map

• Map application with pre-loaded maps including points of interests
• Premium services available on purchase including Wayfinder navigation

E-mail

• Browser access to familiar webmail services
• E-mail application for personal e-mail usage with IMAP, STMP, and POP3 support

Images

• Full-screen image viewing and slideshow functionality
• Supported Image formats: BMP, GIF, ICI, JPE, JPEG, PNG, TIF/TIFF, SVG, Tiny, WBMP

RSS Reader

• Reader for subscribing, managing and keeping up-to date with web feeds
• Support for RSS 1.0/2.0 and Atom 1.0

Utilities

• File manager
• PDF reader
• Clock
• Games chess, blocks, mahjong and marbles
• Backup and restore

Input Methods

• HW keyboard, full screen finger keyboard and on-screen keyboard

Here you go, the specs for the new Nokia 810 device.

• Volume: 128 cc
• Weight: 226 g [heavier than n800 by 20g]
• Length: 72 mm [shorter]
• Width: 128 mm [smaller]
• Thickness: 14 mm [slighter bigger, less than 1mm]
  

- Compared to the current n800, it seems smaller but a little thicker (less than 1mm more, n800 was 13mm)
Display

• High-resolution 4.13″ WVGA display (800 x 480 pixels) with up to 65,000 colors

Processor

• TI OMAP 2420, 400Mhz [better]

-> Faster than the n800 by 70Mhz

UPDATE : Apparently, our n800 is already having the 400mhz chipset but is underclocked to extend battery life. So with the new 2008OS upgrade, this will probably be back up to the 400mhz speed.

Memory

• DDR RAM 128MB
• Flash 256MB

Storage

• Up to 2GB internal memory
• Support for compatible miniSD and microSD memory cards (with extender). Supports cards up to 8GB. (SD cards over 2GB must be SDHC compatible.)

-> Looks like there is a chance for 2 memory cards still.. hard to tell from their description.

Operating times*

• Battery: Nokia Maps BP-4L
• Continuous usage (display on, wireless LAN active): up to 4 hours
• Music playback: up to 10 hours
• Always online time: up to 5 days
• Standby time: up to 14 days

Other characteristics

• Smooth slide with integrated QWERTY keyboard [new]
• Built-in GPS receiver [new]
  
• High quality stereo speakers and sensitive microphone
• High-resolution widescreen display
• Integrated desk stand
• Integrated VGA web camera
• HW key to lock touch screen and keys
• Ambient light sensor [new]

Connectivity

• WLAN standard: IEEE 802.11b/g
• Bluetooth specification v. 2.0. +EDR
  • Profiles supported: HID, FTP, DUN, GAP, SPP, HSP, SAP and OPP
• USB 2.0 high speed
• 3.5 mm stereo headphone plug (Nokia AV Connector)

The listed price for the new N810 is US$479.00.

Nokia has launched the new n810 update to the n800!

Basically it looks like what was leaked before.. the n800 with a slide out keypad. And built in GPS.

Looks from it, basically the designers have moved the D(irectional)-pad inside, so besides the touch screen and the top rows of buttons, you wonder how to navigate without sliding out the keyboard.

The specs are still not out yet.. once I find them, I’ll post them up.

Here are some pictures! Courtesy of Nokia.

It looks like the speakers are now on the top.

The slide out keyoard..

It still has the nice swing out stand to allow the n810 to seat on the table.

If you look at the above picture, the camera seems to be bulit-in from the front this time.

GPS – navigator now built-in

For high res pictures click here.

So far half my use for my Nokia N800 has been multimedia stuff. Seriously, though it was not build like the Archos with videos/music and photos as main purpose, I think the N800 works quite well with all the different media.

Thanks to the open source community that writes great programs for it, I enjoy my videos either converted or streamed from my desktop. Listen to music and audio books even via bluetooth A2dp and view photos taken from my Canon Ixus 700 camera.

Here’s PC Magazine’s review on the Archos 605 wifi. Read it before you decide to pay and spend even more money for the add ons..

Click here for the review.