maemo

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maemo/Internet Tablet OS
Maemo logo color.svg
Itos 2008 desktop.jpg
Screenshot of OS2008
DeveloperNokia's maemo project
OS familyLinux
Source modelLargely open source with closed source components
Latest release4.0.1 / OS2008 2.2007.51-3 / February 21, 2008 (2008-02-21)
Marketing targetNokia Internet Tablets
Available inMultilingual
Update methodAPT and Flashing
Package managerdpkg
PlatformsARM
Kernel typeMonolithic (Linux)
Default user interfaceHildon UI
Official websitewww.maemo.org

Maemo (properly not capitalized [1]) is used to refer to both an operating system for Nokia's 770, N800, N810, and N810 WiMAX Edition Internet Tablets and a set of tools for developing applications for that platform. The operating system is more correctly referred to as Internet Tablet Operating System (abbreviated as ITOS or OS by the community), but most users use maemo interchangeably. The project is sponsored by Nokia.

Internet Tablet OS

The Internet Tablet OS is based on Debian Linux and draws much of its GUI, frameworks, and libraries from the GNOME project. It uses the embedded-targeted Matchbox as its window manager, and like the forthcoming Ubuntu Mobile, it uses Hildon, a GTK-based toolkit designed for mobile devices, as its GUI and application framework.

Although Internet Tablet OS implements preemptive multitasking, the Matchbox window manager limits the screen to showing a single window at a time.

ESD is used as the primary sound server, and GStreamer is used by the shipped media player to play back sounds and movies. The formats supported by GStreamer can be extended by compiling GStreamer plugins in scratchbox (maemo SDK), which was done, for example, to bring Ogg Vorbis support to the platform. 3rd party media players can access GStreamer directly or via "osso-media-server".[citation needed]

Applications

The tablets come with a number of built-in applications, and additional packages can be installed using the Debian package manager "apt" (using network sources) and "dpkg" (local files).

Applications available for Internet Tablet OS include the Mozilla-based MicroB browser, Macromedia Flash and Skype. [2]

OS2005 Desktop

OS2005

Shipped with the 770 in November 2005, this is the original Internet Tablet OS. It came bundled with the Opera web browser, Flash 6, basic Email and RSS clients, audio and video players, PDF and image viewers, a graphical APT front-end (dubbed simply "Application manager"), and a variety of simple games and utilities.[3]

OS2006 showing Pimlico Dates

OS2006

OS2006 was released as a beta version for the 770 on June 9th, 2006 and as a final on June 20th[4]. The update featured improved performance and stability, a Google Talk client, a refreshed look, and a new full-screen finger keyboard. Because of significant API and architecture changes, existing applications required recompiling. It is the last officially supported Internet Tablet OS release for the 770.

OS2007 Desktop showing OMWeather

OS2007

OS2007 was released and bundled with the N800 on January 8th, 2007 after its announcement at the Las Vega CES 2007 summit. It featured significant bug fixes and performance improvements in almost all areas of the OS, bringing updated versions of Opera 8 and Flash 7.

OS2008

OS2008 was released with the N810 in November 2007. CPU frequency scaling (between 165MHz and 400MHz) was implemented, which gave the N800 a 70MHz speed increase, as well as much improved support for USB devices. [5] The Opera web browser previously used was replaced with the significantly more standards-compliant, Mozilla-based MicroB.

Hacker Editions

Nokia's release of the N800 in January 2007 included OS2007, an improved version of OS2006. OS2007 ran only on the N800 and Nokia initially had no plans to release it for the 770; however feedback from disgruntled 770 owners[6] led Nokia to release an unsupported hybrid of OS2006 and OS2007, dubbed Internet Tablet OS 2007 Hacker Edition, in February 2007.[7]

Nokia followed the release of the N810 and OS2008 in November 2007 with the OS2008 Hacker Edition for the 770 on February 14th, 2008. Although, due to the 770's hardware limitations and the increased CPU requirements of OS2008, performance is inferior to that of OS2007 HE in most areas.[8]

Updating

Nokia's Internet Tablet machines can usually be updated to more recent versions of the operating system by their users. This is done by turning off the tablet, connecting it to a host Linux-x86, Mac or Windows computer by a USB cable, then turning on the tablet so that the boot ROM goes into flash mode.[9] Future releases of Internet Tablet OS will support "Seamless Software Update" (SSU) to allow incremental operating system upgrades "over the air" using APT without the need for reflashing via PC.[10] Flashing a the full OS image will remain available as a "secondary method" for starting with a clean install.[11]

Security

Similar to Windows, OSX and many other typical operating systems, ITOS does not use either managed code (as used by Java) or a Capability-based security system (as used by Symbian) to run applications in an environment that prevents them from behaving maliciously, e.g. by installing a keylogger to steal email and PayPal passwords. This is unusual for a mobile operating system that allows users to install applications developed by non-validated third parties (see Symbian).[improper synthesis?]

Currently no virus checker is available for the platform [6][unreliable source?] and although ITOS does contain the usual Debian Linux firewall[citation needed], this can only be accessed by advanced users capable of writing their own scripts. Additionally, it would be ineffective as a means of preventing malware from forwarding confidential data from the machine, due to the role of daemon processes as forwarders of such messages. (Malware could use a firewall approved daemon to send data out, by-passing the need to get permission itself.) [7][original research?]

The only discussion of security in the N800 userguide is the advice not to install applications from untrusted sources, which in effect is the only security measure available to most users. [12] The maemo quick start guide for developers warns that ITOS security concentrates on preventing remote attacks (e.g. by wireless networking and Bluetooth). In particular "maemo makes use of a root account like Debian does but has a trivial default password" - meaning that a hostile application could easily seize ultimate control[weasel words] over a machine where this password has not been changed.

Despite the above, attacks on the platform seem to be rare to non-existent [8][unreliable source?] possibly due to the relatively small number of machines shipped. [9][unreliable source?]

Independent of the root password, Internet Tablet OS provides a way to lock the device's controls and display to help prevent casual access.[13]

Future

Template:Future software

Diablo

Diablo[14] is the current codename for the 3rd release of OS2008 (corresponding to maemo 4.1). This release is tentatively scheduled for the second quarter of 2008. Major features include incremental operating system upgrades without reflashing (SSU), Modest as the default mail client, a new version of the MicroB browser based on a more recent Gecko beta release, and additional support for more instant messaging providers with the built-in instant messaging framework.[15][16]

Elephanta

Elephanta[17] is the current codename for what is expected to become the base for OS2009 (corresponding to maemo 5.0). At this point no major information is known about this software or the hardware upon which it will run. Current community speculation is that this new release will run on a Texas Instruments OMAP3 SoC and provide significant enhancements in areas of speed, 3D acceleration, and media playback.[18]

QT

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In January 2008 Nokia purchased Trolltech for over one hundred million Euros. Nokia has since announced plans for the Qt libraries to be bundled with maemo by the Q4 2008, though without a platform-specific "hildonized" UI as is offered with GTK (meaning Qt applications will look different from hildonized GTK ones).[19][20] This will make porting of Qt applications to the platform easier for developers and make new applications available to users. Qt support on S60 devices will likely lead to cross-platform application sharing between the two platforms.[21][22] The announcement has met with mixed reaction in the developer community.[23][24]

Alternate Desktops

In addition to the officially supported Hildon environment that comes standard on the tablets, several alternate desktop systems are available. Penguinbait, a member of the Internet Tablet Talk community, has successfully ported KDE 3[25], Openbox[26], and XFCE[27] to the N800 and N810 (the 770 is able to run an early version of the KDE port). KDE 4 is being ported at the present time.[28]

Maemo SDK

Maemo is more accurately used to refer to the tools used by software developers to create programs for devices that use ITOS. It is based around the Debian-oriented Scratchbox Cross Compilation Toolkit, which provides a sandbox environment in which development may take place. Scratchbox uses Qemu to emulate an ARMEL processor or sbrsh to remotely execute instructions. Scratchbox-compatible rootstraps are available for both x86 and ARMEL, so the majority of development and debugging takes place on x86, with final packaging being for ARMEL.[29]

Possible use of Internet Tablet OS in phones

Despite its sponsorship by Nokia, and requests by the maemo development community [30][unreliable source?], Internet Tablet OS has not been installed in smartphones, but only in PDA-style devices with no direct ability to use the telephone network. An infected smartphone could be used to stage a denial of service attack by repeatedly ringing a selected number, with the potential for loss of life[weasel words] if an emergency service were targeted[31]. Installation of Internet Tablet OS on smartphones would make its lack of security features[weasel words] much more significant.[improper synthesis?]

Overall, the security problems maemo suffers[weasel words] are very like those warned about for the Apple iPhone.[32][unreliable source?] However, maemo--as a largely open source platform--was always intended to run non-Nokia developed applications, and has no digital key or other system for preventing this. In contrast, it is likely that the iPhone was intended as a closed system for the execution of only Apple applications for most of its development.[33][unreliable source?] Unlike Apple with the iPhone [10][unreliable source?], Nokia have not announced any intention to add security features to protect users against hostile applications on their OS[weasel words][citation needed].

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Maemo Trademark FAQ
  2. ^ Nokia N810 Specifications List of bundled applications
  3. ^ 770 Device Profile List of bundled applications for OS2005
  4. ^ Nokia 770 Tablet "OS 2006" arrives News article on OS2006 release
  5. ^ USB in OS2008 Article on OS2008 USB support
  6. ^ We're getting some feedback .. and we've got a plan now Ari Jaaksi's blog post on OS2007 for 770
  7. ^ First release of OS 2007 / 770 hacker edition out Announcement of first OS2007 HE release on Carlos Guirreiro's blog
  8. ^ Internet Tablet Hacker Edition pushed at Chinook leve Announcement of the first OS2008 HE release
  9. ^ How To Flash Latest Nokia Image with Linux
  10. ^ It's Official N810 WiMAX Announced
  11. ^ "Nokia and maemo in the new GNOME mobile context". Quim Gil. June 1, 2007. pp. p. 22. |pages= has extra text (help)
  12. ^ "Nokia N800 User guide" (PDF). Nokia. June 2006. pp. p. 42. |pages= has extra text (help)
  13. ^ "Internet Tablet OS 2008 edition User Guide" (PDF). Nokia. 2007. pp. p. 14. |pages= has extra text (help)
  14. ^ Maemo Codenames
  15. ^ What do we know about Diablo (Maemo 4.1)
  16. ^ A not so modest update to email is coming
  17. ^ Maemo Codenames
  18. ^ What would you realistically like to see in the N900?
  19. ^ Qt to be Supported in Addition to GTK
  20. ^ CTIA and Qt
  21. ^ [1]
  22. ^ Nokia Internet Tablet Get Ubuntu and Qt
  23. ^ [2]
  24. ^ [3]
  25. ^ KDE/Koffice Install made easy for everyone
  26. ^ OPENBOX-ROX Now Available
  27. ^ http://www.internettablettalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9678 XFCE Available
  28. ^ Why Not Skip Ahead? (KDE4 for ITs)
  29. ^ Overview of the software development process using the maemo SDK environment
  30. ^ [4]
  31. ^ Smart Phone Attacks and Defenses
  32. ^ Operators say 'told you so' on iPhone security
  33. ^ [5]

References

External links

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