Quote:
Originally Posted by hidari
congrats on the tablet. So. how does Mobipocket run on it? How are the linux programs for the Tablet? what programs do you have on it?
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thanks!! Well, first it doesn't run Mobipocket at all. I have only one reader option and that is FBreader. And while it does not do DRM, it does everything else very well. It seems to have a very nice level of control over look and feel of the book. I cannot recommend it enough.
I am just getting reacquainted with an -nix like environment again after about 15-years away. Slowly it's coming along. I have been at this for about a week or so now, maybe 10-days. But as a rule the system does exactly what I hoped it would. I can use Skype and browse the web for research from pretty much anywhere. I opted for a mobile broadband service a while back and have EVDO access. I can connect the tablet to my now battery powered pocket router that uses the EVDO USB modem I got with the service. Here is a look at everything:
As you can see it is all tiny but the small size is deceiving...It's all very solid hardware. I can have the router/battery pack in my rear pocket or a back pack or wherever and then connect via Wifi to the router and am instantly online. And while driving I have been able to power both devices via an inverter and carry on Skype call with not problem at all. But I expect that will not be the norm as EVDO is not meant to manage tower handoffs like voice comm is...but not a huge problem for me.
As far as apps, well, still waiting on something that can manage to run Across-Lite .puz format xword puzzles there is something for KDE but not sure if anyone will ever get around to porting it to Maemo OS2008 (the newest OS for the N8x0 family). I have found no word processing apps I like nor email client yet so I am making do with Google Docs/Gmail and it's associated tools which all work fine.
I do however get a LOT of use from a VNC client on the tablet via which I can access my system here and run any application I want remotely and it is fast. So, in a pinch I can fire that up to run a report or whatever...need to get the VPN back up and running to secure all my remote access better but one thing at a time.
I like Mplayer a lot...does a nice job with even streaming video, even DIVX. But the tablets are fussy about video right now. Some codec and sound driver issues still. So, what I do is re-encode my video here in batches at night to specs which the tablet will play flawlessly. Since almost all of my video content is in DIVX format I pretty much just use Mplayer. If VLC ever gets of their can we might get decent NSV streaming playback...
Office apps just are not quite there yet though there are some promising candidates. I just need some word processing, email and a calendar. I would like a database environment too. I found one today but have not looked at it closely. In the mean time I will just create some pages on one of my servers and stuff what I need in a SQL DB for the time being. That way I can do a lot of what I need via the browser.
BTW, the new browser is fantastic. If has Flash 9 (shuuuuuddder) included but you can disable it. The browser renders pages very well and quickly, especially so for a handheld. I did copy over my HOSTS file from XP to keep ads blocked out easily. I had to ensure the correct entries for the Maemo OS were in there first though.
basically I have been playing around with it a lot to get a feel. I added an iGo keyboard which will help as soon as I map some shortcuts for the GUI functions. But again it takes time...
Overall I use the tablet A LOT. I prefer it most times for searching the web because it's handy and I don't need to be wherever the laptop is at the moment. My eyeballs are adjusting to the text though it can be scaled. And there is a glaring issue to me...no direct way to change default fonts or font sizes. It has only scaling of the entire page. On many sites this is fine but on others it makes reading a trying task at best.
Oh, from what I understand it may be NEVER that it gets a Java runtime. Many reasons but most important is the ARM licensing is a problem. I understand the hooks are in the OS but they cannot provide the runtime. Sad but true.
It means no online banking, many of my fav sites will not work or the non-java versions just, well, blow. Yet, again over time this could improve.
Now as for memory I can expand to the max available right now of 32gb in each slot for a total of 64gb on the N800. The same cannot be said for the N810 as it has only one card slot with 2gb hardwired into the system to make room for the keyboard. One of the least heralded differences between the two devices is the N810 has a trans-reflective display that is apparently very readable outdoors. I would not exaggerate to say the N800 does not excel outdoors...it's an indoor kinda pet. Still I'll take the 64gb (if one could afford the cost of 32gb cards right now...) SDHC cards over the display. I can always use the Clie outdoors.
It is easy to say I am one happy camper with this setup...all I need is a keg and a catheter for life to be perfect as I have my La-y-boy (which I pretend is a Herman Miller Exclusive in disguise) and my reader devices.
