If you are new to Maemo 5 figuring out how to install an application can be daunting. The easiest way to install programs is Over The Air (OTA) as it requires ZERO knowledge of how Maemo 5 works and uses the graphical user interface to complete all steps.

Installing of programs is limited to applications written for Maemo 5, the operating system of the N900. To do this Over The Air (OTA)

1. Touch the "six squares icon" in the upper left corner of the screen; a new screen will appear.
   
   
2. For PR 1.0; PR 1.1 only touch the "More" icon in the lower right corner of the screen; a new screen will appear. For PR 1.2; PR 1.3 skip to next step.
   
   
3. Locate and touch the App. Manager icon; a new screen will appear. Note: It may not be located exactly as pictured.
   
   
4. Touch the "Download" icon in the center of the screen; a new screen will appear.
   
   
5. Touch the "All" icon in the upper left row of icons and browse until you find a program you want to install. Using the physical keypad you can enter the name of the application if you know it.
   
   
6. Touch the program icon you wish to download
   
7. If an "I understand and agree" box appears touch the white square in it.
   
   
8. Touch "Continue".
   
   
9. Wait while your program downloads, this could be from a few seconds to a few minutes dependent upon the program chosen and the speed of your Internet connection. If the screen goes dark during this process you can re-light it by using the slide key on the right side of the N900.
   
10. "1 application successfully installed" message bar will appear.
11. Repeat steps for additional programs.
12. New applications will appear in your Applications screen by going the through steps 1 - 2 and scrolling through the applications available.Frequently the new application will be represented by a solid color square until your re-boot, which refreshes the icon cache, and then the application's usual icon will appear.

This is only one method. Downloading from the Ovi store using your Nokia N900 is another method. Using the browser on the Nokia N900 to surf to Maemo.org/downloads/Maemo5 will also work. For the person who is "into" Maemo 5 there are also command line procedures for loading programs. This guide was written at the request of someone to whom the N900 was total mystery. It is a very basic Guide but one that at least one person thought was necessary.

Adding Repositories

Applications for download are located in Repositories. These are web-based collections of applications. To enable a particular repository on your device you have to enter some information in Application Manager.

1. Touch the Six squares icon in the upper left of your display. The Applications list screen will appear.
2. Scroll through to locate "App. manager". Touch the icon. Application Manager will open
3. Touch the "Application manager" part of the status bar. A small box will drop down.
4. Select Application catalogs. A box labeled "Catalogs" will pop up.
5. Scroll through the list to see if the repository you want is listed. If it is you are done. If not touch "New". The "New catalog" dialog will appear.
   
   
6. Fill in the appropriate information for the dialog.
7. Touch the "Save" button. The dialog will close and the Catalog list will re-appear.
8. Touch above the Catalog list. The list will close and your N900 will check for updates.
9. The "Uninstall   Download   Update" screen will appear.
   
   You are good to go!
   

 Repository Dialog Entries

Every catalog has a set of information specific to it that you enter into the dialog in Step 6.

Nokia Applications

Catalog Name: Nokia Applications
Web address: https://downloads.maemo.nokia.com/fremantle/ssu/app
Distribution: ./
Components: <Blank>

Nokia System Software Updates

Catalog name: Nokia System Software Updates
Web address: https://downloads.maemo.nokia.com/fremantle/ssu/002
Distribution: ./
Components: <Blank>

Ovi

Catalog name: Ovi
web address: https://downloads.maemo.nokia.com/fremantle1.2/ovi/
Distribution: ./
Components: <Blank>

Joikusoft Products

Catalog name: Joikusoft Products
Web address: http://www.joikushop.com/joikuspot_maemo/
Distribution: ./
Components: <Blank>

Maemo.org

Catalog name: maemo.org
Web address: http://repository.maemo.org/extras/
Distribution: fremantle-1.3
Components: free non-free

The above repositories contain released applications that are generally considered stable and will not harm your N900.

Extras Development and Extras Testing Repositories

The following repositories contain software that is either under development or is not yet known to be stable. Enabling these repositories and downloading from them involves some risk to the stability of your Nokia N900. Unless you know how to re-flash your Nokia N900 back to the "out of box" state enabling and using these repositories is not advised.

Extras Testing

Catalog name: Extras-testing
Web address: http://repository.maemo.org/extras-testing
Distribution: fremantle
Components: free non-free

Extras Development

Catalog name: Maemo extras-devel
Web address: http://repository.maemo.org/extras-devel
Distribution: fremantle
Components: free non-free

Additional Nokia N900 Related Guides

Add Stations To The Internet Radio

Sideloading Music to The Nokia N900

T-Mobile 3G Devices For North America

UMTS 3G Phones For North America

Spotting A Fake Nokia N900

My only compensation for these Guides are your votes. If you enjoyed reading my Guides or find them useful please take a moment to vote.

© 2010 by Robert Chambers All Rights Reserved.

Image of pointing finger used under license from Pixmac