N900 Accessories

This list of Nokia N900 accessories is made to only list accessories that are specifically made for the N900, with the only exception being carry cases and batteries that may fit other cell phones as well. The makers name by xyz will link directly to the product on the makers page, where available. And if theres no link, you can Google your way out of it.

Contents

Cases

Hard cases

  • Aluminium Cases (compatibility with all RF [GSM, WiFi/BT, FMTX, GPS] unclear at best)
  • Colored cases
    • Rubberized Hard case for Nokia N900 - by PDair
    • Black Hybrid Protection case/cover/skin - by EMARTBUY
    • Rubber Hard Case Cover For Nokia N900 - by touch.world and/or Sak.Gaming
    • 3 X Rubberized Hard Cases Cover Skin For NOKIA N900 - by itsurprise These hard cases fit very well, and with no undesirable rubbing/interference. However the colors aren't too exciting. Black is a nice understated look. Similar cases are available from other sellers, particularly some with spectacular colors from 'londonmagic'. However this seller doesn't appear to be active (as of June 2010). Some cases will need to be shimmed (with insulation tape, etc.) for a more secure fit, and interfering edges, tabs, etc. may need to be filed.
    • Qubits Hybrid Armour rubberized two-part hard case with screen protector from Amazon UK - photos and review
    • 3 X Protective Hard Plastic Skin Case Cover for NOKIA N900 - by DinoDirect
    • Ruggedized Hard case for Nokia N900 - by OtterBOX
      • Silicone plugs provide coverage for ports
      • Access to touch screen, buttons and features
      • Includes a self-adhering protective film
      • Built-in kickstand for viewing convenience
  • Clear cases
    • Clear Crystal Skin Case For Nokia N900 - by GreyMobiles
    • Nokia N900 Crystal Case - by Accessory Storm
    • A number of vendors on ebay are selling very cheap clear cases. This particular model (the photo of a waterfall inside the packing is distinctive) is functional. The edges around the join are moderately sharp - a moment with some sandpaper smooths the edge round the keyboard, making it more comfortable. All ports are accessible.
    • Nokia N900 Hard Plastic Crystal Cover Case - by DinoDirect

Soft cases

  • Silicone

Flip cases

I have this case for my N900 (PDair vertical pouch with belt clip). The quality of the outer leather and stitching is very good, but the inner faces where the phone slides in seems to be vinyl rather than soft leather or suede. The tension on the phone body seems just right, neither too tight nor too loose. The case is possibly just a couple of millimetres too shallow to protect the N900 at the open end , but that might be just a little picky! A nice case, but not the ultimate, I'm still looking for better.

  • Tradition leather case for N900 - by Noreve
  • Black Leather Vertical Flip Carry Case Cover Pouch For Nokia N900 - by AAJ Trading

Ive tried this case from Amazon, this does not fit the N900 well, or maybe its just my case. Secondly there is transparent plastic strip which holds the N900 in place and it covers the bottom 1/3 of the screen, moving the stylus over it or even doing a slide motion is obstructive. This is my personal opinion, please feel free to correct this post if somebody had a good experience with this.

This is correct, my N900 will not even fit inside this case, the plastic part that covers the bottom will break if I try to push more than 1cm of the phone in. This is a very bad case which is a shame as it looks nice when closed up.

I agree, the AAJ Trading flip case is useless. I can't get my phone in and if I did it would cover up the USB port and also not allow the use of the keyboard. After looking at some of the pictures of other cases I see I was trying to use it wrong. The clear plastic goes over the keyboard not the screen. They it goes in okay. You still can't charge it in the case but at least it is possible to get it in and out quite easily. This case is acceptable now.

It's a beautiful leather case amde from authentic leather. The flip opens to unveil the camera lens at the back of the device. Check out the images to understand what I mean.

Cases with N810-like kickstands

  • Currently this seems to be a gap in the market.

Custom back covers to replace the original

  • Currently this seems to be a gap in the market (I.E. none spotted yet).
  • Aluminium (compatibility with all RF [GSM, WiFi/BT, FMTX, GPS] unclear at best)
    • With N810-style kickstand
    • With N900-style kickstand
  • Plastic
    • With N810-style kickstand
    • With N900-style kickstand

However there's the Mugen backcover mentioned on this page.

Carry cases

- Successor to CP-321. Ports for ports, lens etc (Light Grey)

- Bad points first - it's expensive, and a little bulky. On the other hand it's extremely well made and a perfect fit for the N900. Very tough, and great protection for your phone. A suede pad behind a stiff leather panel protects the screen. I've had mine since they went on sale (8 months or so) and despite bouncing around a workshop and a muddy 4x4 it still looks like new.

Screen Protectors

Also see: Screen protector

The "full body coverage" sadly means you get a lot of small foil parts which must be placed exactly. But even if they are put in the correct place, there are still some blank parts on the body! Especially some of the corners are not protected. Beside that, protection looks very good and handling is improved while usage of the touchscreen is not impaired.
+ Good protection
+ Clear vision
- Sticky surface as in all military type protectors negatively affecting the use of stylus
+

Holders

Holders posted here should have been specifically made for the N900 and have take its keyboard and "landscape only" mode into consideration, with GPS/map use in mind.

  • Table/desk Stands
    • Laser-Cut Stand for N900 - Landscape only table/desk stand for use with keyboard in or out, including an easy accessible stylus holder. Available in plywood (wood colored or black, and possibly other colors) and acrylic (transparent). International shipping.
  • Windscreen Car Holders
    • Brando Universal Holder - Rotatable 360 degree - For the 'landscape only' buy the wider version which can hold securely the N900 and you can even use the keyboard at the same time; it rotates 360 degree so easily can serve the N900 phone functions. The downside is that the holder is quite big.

Cables

Data Cables

  • USB Data Cable (CA-101) For Nokia N900 by CellPhoneShop
  • Mini to Micro USB adapter with Charge-only/Data switch by Brando (useful if you want to charge from a source other than a computer or Nokia charger, such as a car USB adapter or an external powerpack such as Energizer's XP8000) - Requires a Mini USB cable (available at Brando's website too). The switch does the mandatory D+/- shorting according to USB charging specs, so it's a great alternative for those reluctant to do a simple cable hack, to make all those random chargers out there work with N900

TV / Audio / Video Cable

  • Nokia TV/ Audio/ Video output cable Nokia CA-75U

Batteries

Internal batteries

Official Nokia battery

  • The standard internal battery included with the Nokia N900 is the 3.7 V 1320 mAh Nokia BL-5J providing a total of 4.9 Wh of power.

Extended batteries

  • The Mugen Power HLI-N900XL is a 3.7 V, 2400 mAh after-market replacement battery designed for the N900, providing 8.88 Wh of power at the cost of replacing the back cover and increasing the thickness of the phone by 7 mm. It is reviewed here.
  • According to an extensive thread where several types of aftermarket batteries were tested, the most powerful direct substitute of the stock Nokia battery so far (June 2011) is the 1420 mAH blue Scud battery, which performed better than its own claim, showing a real 1510 mAh capacity. This thread also discusses making a double cell battery and fitting the phone with a Mugen extended battery cover for ~3000mAh.
  • In update, as of Sep 2012 the best replacement BL-5J battery is the PolarCell replacement. It's easily available in Europe and has a better capacity (1600mAh) than the best (1420mAh) blue scud.

External batteries

Warning: many external power packs are reported not to work well or not to work at all with the Nokia N900. There are two principal reasons for this:

  1. The N900 uses a strict implementation of the USB specifications, which means you need a dumb charger (or a cable) that adheres to the spec. (However see "about D+/- short" on this page)
  2. The N900's internal battery holds 4.9 Wh of power, so charging it fully from a charger based on one or two 1.2V 1800m Ah AA rechargeable cells (totalling 2.16 to 4.32 Wh of power) is simply not possible and never will be.

Therefore, this section lists only external batteries that are explicitly marketed as being compatible with the N900 or are confirmed as such by multiple reviews.

  • The Nokia Extra Power DC-11 is a 3.7V 1500mAh external battery pack, providing an additional 5.55Wh of power. It is marketed by Nokia as being compatible with the N900. However, users report that while it can top up the N900's battery, the DC-11 is not capable of recharging it from flat.
  • The Proporta USB Turbocharger 3400 is reported to work well with the N900 both in this review and also here. It holds a 3.7 V, 3400 mAh external power pack (providing an additional 12.58 Wh of power) and provides a charging current of 700 mA at 5.5 V (3.85 W). Note that the basic version does not come with a mains adapter and so it charges only via USB. The Proporta USB Turbocharger 3400 World Pack is the same device with the addition of a worldwide mains USB charger and a car charger. This increases your charging options, but be aware that it will not increase the charging speed. I just charged mine after receiving it yesterday (2012-09-06), and it is NOT charging my N900. - npsimons UPDATE: Using the slow plugin method seems to work; I don't have a cable with shorted data pins to test as well, but likely that would work too.
  • There are multiple reports of the Energizer XP2000 working with the Nokia N900: 12
  • There are multiple reports of the Yoobao Long March Dual Port 11.2Ah working with the N900, however it seems only one port (1A) will charge the N900.

Gaming

Memory Cards

The device

The N900 has a memory card expansion slot, which can be accessed by removing the back cover. It is next to the camera lens. This is not to be confused with the SIM slot, which is under the battery, because they are not dis-similar in size. In the device's standard configuration, it does not need to be turned off while inserting or removing a memory card. Using such a card will increase available storage which can be very useful when running other OSs, such as nitdroid.

Compatibility of cards

The N900 supports micro SDHC cards, and it does not officially support micro SDXC cards.

Although there have been several confirmed reports of working Sandisk 64GB microSDXC cards, these may not work in their supplied format.

Micro SD memory cards are available in range of sizes/capacities (GB), data transfer speeds ([1]) and types. When the N900 was released, the maximum capacity of micro SD cards was 16GB (now commonly available).

The fastest cards available in SDHC format are UHS-1 (Jun 2011), and there is some suggestion that these can work in the device (TBC), but there are confirmed reports of a number of class 10 cards working well.

Maintenance

Memory cards are fragile and should be treated with the same care as any electrical device with exposed terminals.

Memory cards of this type are designed to be easy to remove and insert. However, in order to achieve an optimal lifespan, cards should be taken out of and put back into the device as little as possible. Continual extraction and replacement will cause wear to the contacts, of both the card and device.

Cards that present as malfunctioning often do so because of damaged contacts. Eroded contacts can be repaired, using a little contact spray. In order to clean the device contacts, put a litlle cleaner on a card's contacts and insert into the device before the cleaner dries; repeat if necessary.

Cards available

Unfortunately, not all cards are equal. Some perform as advertised, while others have less storage and/or are slower than advertised. This is particularly so with higher capacities and speeds. Furthermore, unbranded or unexpectedly inexpensive cards should be treated with extreme caution.

The tables below are results of experiences using the N900 with the each card. The content of the table (1) is a collation of user comments and is intended as a guide to other N900 users of what works, rather than a definitive list of which cards to buy. Many of the cards will be available in regions additional to those reported thus far. Table (2) lists any problems found when using some cards with the N900. Because card-use is very varied, it might be that a given card (size, speed & brand) will appear in both tables.

For cards >128GB it should be noted that it would be beneficial to keep backups on a more secure medium, i.e. network attached storage in a RAID setupN900 Accessories1.

Single digit values for Capacity & Speed have been prefixed by '0' so the table sorts properly.

Table (1): Cards that were found to work as expected
Brand Capacity* (GB) Speed* (class) Vendor(s) Purchased in

(Country)

Date

Purchased (Approx)

Report
Transcend 08 06 UK/US UK, USA Jan 2011 [2], [3]
SanDisk 16 04 carphone-warehouse UK APR 2011
Team 16 06 Ebay HK OCT 2010 [4]
SanDisk 32 04 Various Veitnam May 2011
SanDisk Ultra 32 10 / UHS-1 Various Switzerland Jan 2013
SanDisk 32 02 (?) Various USA 2010 [5],

[6], [7]

SanDisk 16 (?) 02 Various USA 2010 [8]
SanDisk 64 10 Amazon-Germany Germany June 2012 [9]
Komputerbay 32 10 Amazon-USA(?) Komputerbay USA May 2011 [10]
Lexar 32 10 Various USA May 2011 [11]
Team 64 10 / UHS-1 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820313310 USA Feb 2013 [12]
SanDisk Ultra 64 10 / UHS-1 (Up to 35MB/s read and write) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820171582 USA March 2013 [13]
SanDisk Extreme 64 10 / UHS-1 (up to 90MB/s read and 50MB/s write) Amazon-USA USA August 2013 [14]
SanDisk Ultra 128 10 / UHS-1 (up to 80MB/s) NL December 2015 Formatted as EXT4 (~120GB)
SanDisk Ultra 200 10 / UHS-1 (Up to 90MB/s read speed, write speed lower) Amazon-UK UK December 2015 [15]
Table (2) - Things to be aware of...
Brand Capacity (GB) Speed (class) Problem Report
LX Patriot Various Various - I/O of large files matches class rating but data transfer rates for smaller objects is much lower.

- Unexpected read/write failure and subsequent data loss.

[16]

Chargers

Wall/Travel Chargers

  • AC-10U - by Nokia
    • Input: 100-240VAC 50-60Hz, Output: 5.0VDC/1200 mA
    • OEM wall charger supplied with the US-market N900.

Car Chargers

Discussion revealed that some early or generic car lighter to USB adapters will not charge the N900 without modification. The charger must conform to a 1998 USB charger standard. If in doubt, check the product specifications to confirm that it is compatible with the N900.

Also, there are reports that high power consumption usage in the car, such as operating the transmitter, media player, GPS, etc. simultaneously, can consume more power than a basic car charger can simultaneously supply. If such usage is expected, a higher-output charger would be more effective.

  • Mobile Charger DC-6 - by Nokia
    • Input: 12-24VDC, Output: 5.0VDC/550 mA
  • Mobile Charger DC-10 - by Nokia
    • Input: 12-24VDC, Output: 5.0VDC/1200-1500 mA
    • Has retractable cord, glows blue while charging, "faster charging feature for devices that are capable of utilising the high power provided", may be too bulky for some dashboard layouts.
  • Motorola P513 microUSB Car Charger
    • Output: 4.75-5.25VDC/950 mA

Inductive Chargers

Now available are universal add on home and car chargers. The one tested required modification to short the data pins and was a tight fit under a Mugen cover when used with a double-Scud battery. http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?p=1431701 These universal Qi charge receiver pads fit in over the battery under the cover, others have adhesive to stick to the back of the phone, they have a ribbon cable which extends out, and they plug the USB port nearly flush like a protective dust cover. This system protects the USB port from dust and falls, if they have the data pins shorted from the factory or by modification they integrate with the standard N900 battery monitoring programs like a normal USB charger, they are easily and safely removable while the N900 is running without removing the battery cover for host mode, mass storage, or data/tethering modes. The correct universal charge receiver is the center port, B type microUSB plug, upward facing port. With care the ribbon cable will not be visible through the camera window. There is documentation in these threads:
http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=72753
http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?p=1253353
about permanent installation of several different types of inductive charging interfaces including Palm Touchstone and Powermat systems.

Smart Watches

Pebble

There is now N900 support for the pebble bluetooth smartwatch discussed in this TMO development thread: http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=97591 Currently supported is reading SMS, controlling media player including Pause/play and forward and back skipping as well as displaying current track, caller ID, and setting the time on the Pebble watch.

Headsets/Headphones

Wired Headphones

  • Stereo Headset WH-205 - by Nokia
    • OEM Headset supplied with the US-market N900.
    • Numerous reports of longevity issues.
    • No microphone
  • Stereo Headset WH-701 - by Nokia
    • Volume control on wire.
    • No microphone

Bluetooth Headphones

Monaural Bluetooth Headphones

  • Bluetooth Headset BH-804 - by Nokia
  • Bluetooth Headset BH-904 - by Nokia

Stereo Bluetooth Headphones

  • Bluetooth Stereo Headset BH-214 - by Nokia
    • Supplied earbuds or any headphones with 3.5mm jack may be used
    • Uses separate charger with typical 2mm cylindrical pin
    • Works with Rockbox
    • It's belt clip is really weak
  • Bluetooth Stereo Headset BH-111 - by Nokia
    • Mostly the same as the BH-214, also works with Rockbox
    • Has a overly sensitive volume wheel that moves by clothing rubbing on it
  • Bluetooth Stereo Headset BH-503 - by Nokia
  • Bluetooth Stereo Headset BH-504 - by Nokia
    • Microphone in right earpiece
  • Bluetooth Stereo Headset BH-505 - by Nokia
    • Integrated microphone
    • Uses separate charger with typical 2mm cylindrical pin
  • Bluetooth Stereo Headset BH-905 - by Nokia
    • Noise cancellation, multiple microphones
  • Bluetooth Stereo Headset BH-905i - by Nokia
    • Noise cancellation, multiple microphones
  • Bluetooth Stereo Headset MW600 - by Sony Ericsson
    • Integrated microphone, 3.5mm jack to use any headphone
Retrieved from "http://bugs.maemo.org/N900_Accessories"