What is MeeGo? A new OS? The name of a very important partnership? What happens to Maemo after this? Is Symbian still in the picture for Nokia? Maemo 6?

MeeGo is the result of Intel and Nokia’s broad strategic collaboration announced in June 2009. Today, they have come together to create MeeGo, a Linux-based software platform that will support multiple hardware architectures across the broadest range of device segments, including pocketable mobile computers, netbooks, tablets, mediaphones, connected TVs and in-vehicle infotainment systems.

Maemo …

In a significant development in the convergence of communications and computing, Intel Corporation and Nokia are merging their popular Moblin and Maemo software platforms. This will create a unified Linux-based platform that will run on multiple hardware platforms across a wide range of computing devices, including pocketable mobile computers, netbooks, tablets, mediaphones, connected TVs and in-vehicle infotainment systems. Called MeeGo, the open software platform will accelerate industry innovation and time-to-market for a wealth of new Internet-based applications and services and exciting user experiences. MeeGo-based devices from Nokia and other manufacturers …

Nokia has just released Qt 4.6, the first release of Qt to natively support both Symbian and Maemo. Why Qt is important is because it enables the creation of applications which can run on both platforms yet be born from a single code base. In other words, the developer can make an application once and then supply it both for Symbian and Maemo devices.
This is the tool Nokia is looking at to harmonise software development across its different platforms. Qt also supports Windows 7, Apple Mac OS 10.6 (Snow Leopard) …

The image that I told you about is becoming more interesting with time. With a bit of prodding I have been able to figure out that words ‘Major Compete’ in the picture actually translate into a URL – www.majorcompete.com and that it has nothing to do with the October 23 event that Nokia is holding in London.

It is actually in the nature of an online treasure hunt. If you fire up www.majorcompete.com in your browser you will see the following page. The first word sure seems a lot like Maemo. …

We told you about the Maemo Central launch today morning and since then there has been considerable activity on the N900/Maemo front, considering the fact that today is the first day of the Maemo Summit. The N900 has been unboxed on video, we also now have details coming in about Maemo 6 (multitouch and capacitive touchscreens are a go). Nokia has announced the official port of Qt to Maemo 5 and word is out the Portrait browsing is coming to the N900 by Christmas.

If Maemo or the N900 interests you, …

A little over a month ago when Nokia introduced the N900, I asked you what new direction should The Symbian Blog take? Quite a number of you took the time to reply (thank you!) and were keen on Maemo and N900 coverage, so that settled the first question as to whether I should covered the aforementioned subjects. The next question was how do I do that? Should I expand the horizon of The Symbian Blog and include Maemo as well, or launch a new website.

I thought about it and as …

The N900 is a fresh new device with a new layout, settings and functionality. If you have been using Nokia smartphones in the past, chances are that you never felt the need of picking the user manual, the N900 however will change that. Not only will the geek in you want to read it, you might even learn a thing or two about the device.

Nokia USA has already uploaded the manual and I am happy to share the direct link (4.8 MB PDF Download) with you. Hat tip to bugelrex …

When it rains, it pours. We not have not one but two very comprehensive (read as exceptionally long) reviews of the N900 and its Maemo 5 OS. Michal Jerz at My-Symbian looks at the N900 in minute detail right from the camera with image/video samples, to the hardware, build quality, Maemo 5 and even available applications.

In conclusion he has praise for the speed and stability of the device, the quick GPS, the new Maemo 5 OS and quite a few other things. His concerns stem from the lack of Java …

Nokia World is ongoing and needless to say we will be seeing a ton on content on the N900. Some of you may have even seen some of it. Based on what you have heard/seen/read or will see/hear/read in the next few days will you buy/preorder a N900? (Pre-orders have already started in some countries).

I know I will. It will be nice to experience a new OS from Nokia. What are your reasons?

For those of you who are spec hungry. Make sure you also check out http://maemo.nokia.com/ for a complete lowdown on the OS and of course the N900.