Synching your N900 with Google (Mail, Contacts, Calendar) with no third-party tools or service.

Today I was thinking...that it's time I keep my phone in sync with my Google stuff (e-mails, contacts and calendar)

I started by clearing up my Google Cntacts (https://www.google.com/contacts) as they'll be later loaded into the device and because it's much easier to work from a desktop than from the device itself.
If you already have (and most probably that is the case here) contacts on your device, I'd suggest to export them in a file, mail them over to yourself and load them in Google).
Google contacts also helps you spot duplicates, but it's not the perfect tool in the world, so go scan your contact list once more.

As for the Calendar, be warned that only the main Google Calendar will be synchronized over. I cleared that a bit and moved a few events over.

I then went on the N900 and cleared the N900 calendar. You can skip this step as explained later.

To sync Mail on your N900 you have two valid options: use regular Gmail account in the default N900 Mail client (Modest) or use Nokia Messaging. The latter brings push e-mail, but if you don't care, then just set-up a Google Gmail account and you're done.
Also Nokia Messaging brings you a better control on when to synchronize your e-mail (like which days, what hours, if in roaming, minimum battery charge and intervals).

I configured IMAP on Google Gmail and configured which folders (labels in Google terminology) I wanted to sync. Registered with Nokia Messaging and entered my Gmail credentials. On the N900 it's just a matter of selecting Nokia Messaging and enter its credentials.
What's cool it's that Nokia Messaging shows as one single mail account in Modest, but it can be configured (on the Nokia servers) with multiple mailboxes (Nokia's terminology for Mail Account). I do let him handle my ovi.com account as well.

For Google Calendar and Google Contacts I use the Mail for Exchange (MfE) client provided with the N900 itself.
This client is really picky (it's a bug, but that's all we have) so follow the instructions carefully.

First of all it expects a clean calendar and a clean contacts roster.
You don't have to do either now.
Anyway, start MfE and enter you Google credentials. Note that "User name" HAS to be your full e-mail address (actually I didn't without the @gmail.com suffix, but that's what the whole Internet agrees upon). Leave Domain empty.
On the next screen type in:

Server: m.google.com

Leave the other untouched:

Port: 443
Secure connection: Tick

On the next screen UnTick e-mail (we've already covered that and it won't work anyway).
Leave calendar, tasks and contacts ticked.
As "First synchronization" choose "Delete items on device" (I found out it needs it, you may be lucky and try to leave them, but if you exported and loaded them on Google, you won't need them there now anyway).

On the Next screen tap on Advanced and scroll down to "Calendar and tasks".
If you didn't delete the N900 calendar as above, you will need to use a different one.
Tap on "Calendar" and choose "Create new". It will create a new "Mail for Exchange" calendar when synchronizing.
Keep in mind that if you get any errors and need to re-start, you NEED to have a clean calendar (either manually delete it from Calendar or Create a new one).
I never ticked completed tasks, so I am not sure it works.

Click on Save and go to the Next page.
It should synchronize everything with no errors.

When it has completed, tap on Finish and then on Details, sometimes it doesn't sync Contacts, if that is the case, tap on Synchronize Manually, it should sync them this time.

Unfortunately in my case, MfE forgets the configuration when I close it, so I don't know if it works stable over the days.
But before closing it I did try to update contacts and calendars and they were correctly kept in sync everytime I clicked on Synchronize Manually.

So, there you have it, hoe it works for you as well!

PS: later I'll update the post with screenshots and clean it up a bit.

MeeGo 1.1 Handset UX (unstable) running on the N900

Today I was thinking...that it'd be nice to share a video of the recently "released" unstable version of the MeeGo 1.1 Handset UX running on the N900.

So, with no further ado, here is the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAtS5EUVAZ4

Gary at London N900 Meetup

Jaffa at N900 Meetup

Video chat on N900

So it is possible

The mini-computer: N900

Today I was thinking...that wow! the new N900 with the latest available firmware (1.2009.41-11) is simply amazing. My main concern with the N900 is that its battery life used to suck hard when using it as it should be (multitasking, always on-line, always on GPS and stuff like that).

Two days ago I've updated it to the official final firmware and I am happy to say that I am REALLY impressed by its battery life now.

Before upgrading, I used to disconnect my N900 from the charger in the morning, go on-line and come to work. This would take (from waking up to work) up to 2 hours (I know, I love to have a slow start).
I used to disconnect the N900 after the usual morning shower, so that it could keep me company for breakfast.
By the time I arrived to work, the battery sometimes was close to be half drained!
That is, by lunch time, I had to put it on charge otherwise it wouldn't make the bus trip back home.

Today, yeah I know.. it's Sunday, I woke up to go to work. Usual routine.
But on the way to work I changed my mind and decided to walk a bit around Richmond and Kew Gardens and explore the surroundings a bit. It is an amazingly sunny day.
The way I love it. Sunny, a breeze of wind, not cold at all and wet ground.
While waiting for my girlfriend to reach me from Twickenham to Richmond, I walked around Richmond Green and took several pictures.
She arrived and we decided to take the 391 bus to Kew Gardens.
We wanted to try the food of a shop that we always see from the bus (The Maids of Honour). It opens at 12am until 5pm on Sunday and we were there at 11:30am.
Thus we went for a walk around Kew as well (amazing houses and neighbourhood).
While strolling around Kew we noticed several amazing houses for rent and we checked the estate agents websites while walking.

We went back to the Maids of Honour sometime after 1pm.
Enjoyed our brunch/lunch and then took the bus to work while she went back home.

The result of this nice morning is this set of pictures: Twickenham, Richmond and Kew on an autumn sunny day.

And this was the N900 status after all of this:


while the battery is STILL at this level:


Pretty amazing stuff, isn't it?

Now that I think about it.. isn't this the time of the year for oranges?

Aniello

It's all about choice

Extras-testing Marathon – Next Saturday (Oct 31)

Let's spread this piece of news:

Quim just sent this e-mail, please participate and test apps!
It'll be fun! :)

Forwarding this email from the maemo community council to Summit Participants with an N900. Please re-forward to anybody you know using the N900.

http://maemo.org/downloads/Maemo5
has currently 22 applications ready for end users.

http://maemo.org/packages/repository/qa/fremantle_extras-testing
contains 74 application waiting for the evaluation of betatesters -people just like you.

Imaging having 50 stable applications from the community by sales start: 75? 100?
You can help. Help pushing at least those apps you are using frequently.

Thank you!

********************

Extras-testing Marathon – Next Saturday (Oct 31)

Are you a lucky N900 owner? Want to help the Maemo Community?
This call is for you.

In the next Saturday (Oct 31) from 14:00 till 19:00 (UTC/GMT) we will host a testing marathon at #maemo-testing@Freenode, in order to make more awesome community applications available for end users.
This marathon will be also a test for our community Q&A process [1], we want to test it and improve it before the N900 hits the shelves.

If you’re a developer, make sure your applications are in good shape before the testing marathon.

More info: http://www.valeriovalerio.org/?p=289

Join the discussion here: http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=33164

[1] - http://wiki.maemo.org/Extras-testing

Best regards,

-- Valério Valério Maemo Community Council Chair
http://www.valeriovalerio.org

N900 as modem for Ubuntu 9.10

Today I was thinking...that's been a while no post.
Thus here I am showing you how to use your Nokia N900 as a broadband modem with Ubuntu 9.10.
It's as easy as connect it via USB and choOse the "PC Suite mode".
A Wizard should appear on Ubuntu with few easy step to configure the modem with your provider (attached are the screenshots to document the process).
If the Wizard does not appear simply go to Edit Connections... and add a new mobile broadband connection.

Enjoy the screenshots!


Choose "PC Suite mode"


Choose your Nokia N900 as mobile broadband device.


Pick your country.


Choose your provider from the list of known ones.


Choose your plan among Contract, Prepaid and TopUp and Go available for the chosen provider.


You're done, click apply to save the profile.


Give it a name and save it.
That's it!