Nokia Releases Software Update For N900

This week Nokia has been busy pushing out software updates - a second one for the Nokia N900, one for the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic and one for the Nokia Software Updater. After the minor update, which brought Ovi Store functionality to the N900, the second update in a row brings a bigger set of improvements, while the Nokia 5800 finally got what should have been there in the first place - kinetic scrolling.
The first update for the Nokia N900 earlier this week, opened the doors of the Maemo 5 section of the Ovi Store and prepared the application manager for software updates. If you have installed that update, you should get a new notification now for the second update. If you prefer to update your Nokia N900 through the Software Updater using a cable and a computer, then you can update to this latest version even if you haven't installed the previous minor update.
The update should be available to all users within 24 hours. It didn't bring portrait mode for the entire interface, which is one of the most anticipated updates, but at least we hope Nokia will keep up the pace and will not not let the Nokia N900 software get out of date.

Here's a quick overview of the changes:
-Mail for Exchange supports Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 servers
-Faster searching and route calculation in Ovi Maps
-Silence ringing by flipping face down
-Fast SMS rejection of incoming call
-Web browser screen auto rotation now available - it gets activated with a shortcut Ctrl+Shift+O
-Louder speaker volume
-Improved charging over USB
-Ovi PC Suite can now backup/restore the phone contents
-Faster thumbnail browsing in gallery
-Numerous other performance and usability improvements
-Improved calls log
-Full compatibility with SIM cards from operator 3

Full Release Notes:

Summary of SW changes from Sales Release 1.2009.42-11 to PR1.1 release 2.2009.51-1
New features
•  Hutchison SIM cards are supported.
•  MS Exchange 2003 support.
Maemo Update
•  Bootloader (Nolo) can be updated over Maemo Update.
•  Cellular software can be updated over Maemo Update.
•  Icon cache removed to allow more memory space for Maemo Update.
•  Application Manager: Available space check moved to apt-worker for more accurate results.
Reliability
•  Improvements in SGX performance and reliability.
Use-time and power consumption
•  API for status area applets to detect if they are invisible/absent.
•  Fixes to Pulseaudio timer increasing power saving when starting/closing apps.
•  Browser: Removed unnecessary serial logging.
•  Reduction of wake-ups in Desktop, Connectivity, Conversations, RSS Feed Reader,
•  Backup correctly handles directories containing pairs of symlinks.
•  Less CPU load caused during video recording.
•  Support disabling Virtual Keyboard in input field.
•  Performance improvements in Browser.
•  Lock: "swipe to unlock" will not stay on.
•  CPU idle latencies and thresholds updated.
•  Fixing eMMC data lines while sleeping.
•  CellMO power consumption reduced.
Usability
•  Volume button operation in call flipped based on audio routing (no more on screen orientation).
•  Browser: Downloading & rendering of page content runs promptly.
•  Helping to avoid capacity limits of rootfs when installing apps (make Docpurge aware of /opt).
•  Stability and usability fixes to the Profiles applet. Selection, usage and restoring of ringtones.
•  Fast call from home shortcuts.
•  Fast SMS rejection of incoming call.
•  Avoid false alarms in pocket.
•  Silence ringing by flipping face down.
•  Fix to Camera photo orientation problem: correct orientation is now written to EXIF.
Performance
•  X: performance of GLES apps improved.
•  Lower RAM consumption while capturing video.
•  Phone-UI & Msg-UI always ready to appear.
•  Application Manager UI speed improvements.
•  Email faster with large mailboxes.
•  Large file copy (SD->MMC) doesn't degrade system performance.
OVI Maps
•  Route calculation and search performance improved.
Connectivity
•  BT Secure Simple Pairing fixed for Windows Vista.
•  BT transfer progress indicated.
•  Improving WLAN connection stability.
•  Improved WLAN negotiation when going out of reach of access point.
Phonecalls
•  Add voicemail shortcut support.
•  Showing call forwarding correctly when busy forwarding is not set.
•  Call log improved.
Audio & Video
•  Audio volume control works with +/- keys in full-screen playback of flash.
•  Handling corrupted ring tone files better.
•  HW volume keys always have same orientation.
•  Media Player UI now provides feedback when tapping control buttons in video playback.
•  MIC input not clipped when loud voice in VoIP call.
•  Pulseaudio: Ringtone is heard from the loudspeaker if BT connected.
•  Ringtone played both to headset (BT or wired) and to internal HF speakers.
•  AV sync fix for recorded videos.
Camera
•  ISO EXIF value for images saved when automatic sensitivity in use.
•  Vignetting test of 2nd camera fixed, VGA sensor stability.
Battery and Charging
•  Improved charging in case of low charging power (PC USB charging).
USB
•  Fixing the USB detection and card mounting issue related to quickly attaching/detaching the cable.
•  Able to format corrupted eMMC properly.
•  Hang fixed in case of WLAN disconnection while copying files.
Synchronization
•  Activesync supports now MS Exchange 2003.
•  Activesync - fixes the forwarding of attachments showing incorrect sizes (Exchange server 2003).
•  Content copier of PC Suite enabled. Whole content backup (including Notes) can now be restored from PCSuite.
3rd party applications
•  Policy-settings: Fixes rotation transition for 3rd party applications.
•  Policy-settings: By default, 3rd party apps should have the same limits as our applications.
Calendar
•  Public API for color picker. Home widget is now translucent.
•  Set/get alarms API.
•  Syncing of task alarms supported.
Image Viewer
•  Thumbnailing faster.
Application Manager
•  Rename Maemo Extras to maemo.org and enable by default.
•  Grid view applied for the categories in download view. Added API for filtering packages.
Development Platform
•  SDK content and tools updated.
•  SDK GUI installer updated.
•  New sharing-dialog-dev package added to enable Bluetooth and email sending.
•  New wappushd-dev package documenting MMS interfaces available.
Upstream Security Issues
•  Fix for CVE-2009-2417 in curl.
Source: Maemo
GSMArena