User FAQ

2009-11-22T06:57:15Z

76.183.251.169: /* Other Applications */

'''THIS PAGE IS CONTINUALLY UNDER DEVELOPMENT. NEW QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME!'''

==Principles of FAQ ==
* No more than 2 page lengths per, well, page. (Okay, the front page breaks this rule in this structure. Sorry!)
* No more than 3 clicks from this page to get an answer
* Use links to maemo.org content where possible (including talk.maemo.org)
** Especially if the answer is more than a couple of sentences (one paragraph max) - in this case, make a wiki.maemo.org page if necessary and point to it.
* Continually update (needs a FAQ editor)

Open to suggestions...

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== Tips for finding answers ==
Please note, you can also use the search facilities:
* [http://talk.maemo.org/search.php talk.maemo.org search]
* [http://tinyurl.com/q7btxk maemo.org google custom search]

Note that there is a [[Developers FAQ | separate FAQ]] for those interested in Development.

New to Maemo? There's a [[New_users|New Users page]], [[Maemo basics]] -article and a [[Greeters]] Organization.

== I can't read through this! I'm in big trouble... Need big help... ==
Are you sure? You might want to check below in the [http://wiki.maemo.org/User:Smarsh/Ideas/FAQIdea#Troubleshooting_and_Optimization Troubleshooting] section.

But... If all else fails, and you just can't see a way out, [[updating the tablet firmware]] is the last straw. It deletes all user data and reverts all settings to default.

== Hardware==
''Note: device links will direct you to spesific hardware pages''
=== N900 ===
The [[Nokia_N900|N900]] is a pocketable computer with plenty of power (speed and memory) for running many demanding applications. Take a look at [[N900 Accessories]] if you are in a need of screen protector, carrying case or similar.

=== (Older) Internet Tablets ===

* [[Nokia_N810WME|Nokia N810 Wimax Edition]]

* [[Nokia_N810|Nokia N810]]

* [[Nokia_N800|Nokia N800]]

* [[Nokia_770|Nokia 770 Internet tablet]]

===Battery===

====Do I have to charge it fully before first use?====

''No. It will come with some battery charge so you can play. It is still suggested that you do couple of full discharge - recharge cycles with new battery to calibrate battery for optimal performance''

====Do I have to discharge it fully each time?====

''No, n900 has a LIon battery, which doesn't need this. Older NiCad batteries did.''

====Can I use the device while it’s charging?====

''Yes.''

====Is it safe to leave it charging overnight? Will it stop charging itself when it’s full?====

''Yes''

== Software and Usage==
===Operating System===
The Nokia devices run on the [[Maemo_basics|Maemo Operating System]], but there are alternatives.

====Maemo====

The N900 runs Maemo 5 out of the box. See the [[Maemo5_101|Maemo 5 Introductory pages]] for details, movies, and advice.

Maemo 5 is also known as [[Task:Maemo roadmap/Fremantle|Fremantle]]

==== Will Maemo 5 run on the Previous Internet Tablets? ====
[http://maemo.org/news/announcements/first_maemo_5_sdk_release_targeting_platform_developers/ Not officially] but perhaps through the [[Mer]] community project. Maemo 5 is optimized for the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_Instruments_OMAP OMAP3 architecture], the N810 and N800 are based in OMAP2 and the 770 in OMAP1 ([http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=28179 discussion]).

Earlier tablets ran earlier versions of Maemo. Links to details will be provided as time progresses.
* [http://nokia.com/os2008 OS2008] / Maemo 4.1 / Diablo

====What are the 'Alternatives' to Maemo====
* [[Mer]]
* [[Easy_Debian]]
* See also [http://talk.maemo.org/forumdisplay.php?f=36 the talk.maemo.org Alternatives forum]

=== Games ===

Go to the [[N900 Games|N900 Games Page]] to find more about gaming with N900.

===Other Applications===

==== Where do I get Software (apps) from?====
Open application manager and start searching for useful software. If you want to know more, see [[Downloading apps]] page.

====Can I edit Office files?====
N900 comes with datavz's Office 'Office to Go' reader, so you can read office files.

Editing them is a slightly more interesting prospect, but has become a much more exciting one with [http://sureshchande.blogspot.com/2009/10/mobile-office-based-on-koffice-for.html KOffice].

[[Easy Debian]] has OpenOffice installed and on the N810 (at least for this author) has been used very successfully to edit Office files.

====Does n900 view pdf files?====
There's a built in application for that.

====Does n900 have a book reader? Will it run Kindle?====
''To be answered''

==== Can I do email? ====
If you're using an N900, the [[N900 Email Options]] page can help.

==== What can I do with GPS? ====
[http://maemo.nokia.com/features/ovi-maps/ Ovi Maps] comes preinstalled to N900 and there are ways to go [[Geocaching]] with Maemo devices too.

==== How can I sync personal data? ====
Article [[Sync]] will tell you more.

==== Which music files can be played in Maemo? ====
mp3, m4a(without copy protection, [[Playing OGG files|OGG]], etc...

==== How can I find files from my home directory with terminal? ====
Article [[MyDocs folder]] describes the locations.

==== TV Out ====
Make sure that you check Settings/TV Out and change the video format to PAL or NTSC for your local TV system, prior to connecting it to the TV.

== Community==
=== What is the difference between Maemo and maemo.org? ===
Maemo refers to the Open source software platform for mobile devices developed by Nokia in collaboration with the Maemo community and some of the best open source upstream projects. maemo.org is the home of the Maemo community, and is a gathering place for people interested in this platform and related software and devices ([[Task:Maemo_brand|more]]).

=== Where should I report problems? ===
Software problems are reported as [http://maemo.org/community/bugs_and_features/ bugs] - please be gentle with the [[Bugsquad]] team. Contact [http://europe.nokia.com/get-support-and-software Nokia Support] for serious problems with your device during the warranty period. In case of doubt [http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=27900 use the Talk forum].

=== What is the Community Council? ===

The [[Community Council]] is a team of volunteers representing the community and interfacing with Nokia.

=== How can I help with software development ===

Read instructions from page [[Help testing software]]. Please read the disclaimer first.

== Troubleshooting and Optimization==
''Note: all short answers to tables!''

The most important part: read an article [[General precautions]] to stay out of troubles. Hope you read this before all hope is gone!

=== Troubleshooting ===

{|class="wikitable" border="0"
|-
!Trouble
!Solution
|-
|My system is unstable and applications crash a lot. What's wrong?
|rowspan="4" align="right"|See [[Troubleshooting]]
|-
|My tablet is slow and unresponsive. What can I do?
|-
|I installed something and now my n900 isn’t working right.
|-
|I installed something and now my n900 isn’t working at all.
|-
|I have run out of disk space. How can I add more?
|align="right"|See [[Booting from a flash card]]
|-
|I have trouble connecting to the internet over wifi
|align="right"|See [[Network settings]]
|-
|}

=== Optimization ===

{|class="wikitable" border="0"
|-
!Trouble
!Solution
|-
|There’s a light flashing on my n900
|align="right"|See [[Maemo5 101]]
|-
|How can I encode video files for playback on the device?
|align="right"|See [[video encoding]]
|-
|How can I improve battery life?
|align="right"|See [[How To Make Your Battery Last Longer]]
|-
|How do I get root access?
|align="right"|See [[root access]]
|-
|I have run out of disk space. How can I add more?
|align="right"|See [[Booting from a flash card]]
|-
|I have trouble connecting to the internet over wifi
|align="right"|See [[Network settings]]
|-
|}

===How can I monitor my disk usage and how much space I have left?===
Via control panel. Or in terminal.
''More thorough info coming!''

====How often do I need to update? And why?====

N900 is 'updatable software', so it will go on getting better. Your device will check for updates once a day, and tell you when it needs to update by putting a little yellow icon on the screen. Then it will walk you through the update process. You can wait to update when you are somewhere where it's beter to download - for example your using your home netwrk rather than your data plan.

== Future ==

=== What is Maemo 5 / Fremantle? ===
[[Task:Maemo roadmap/Fremantle|Fremantle]] is the codename of Maemo 5, which is the next major release after [http://nokia.com/os2008 OS2008] / Maemo 4.1 / Diablo

=== What is Maemo 6 / Harmattan? ===
''To be answered''

[[Category:Users]]
[[Category:Beginners]]

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