Nokia's open source Maemo project has released a beta version of its next-generation SDK (software developer kit). The Mistral SDK beta aims to help developers port applications to Maemo 2.0 prior to the debut of Tablet OS 2006 for the Nokia 770 later this quarter.

(Click for larger view of Maemo screenshot)

Today's beta tools release also offers industrious developers, testers, and users an early glimpse of Tablet OS 2006. When installed on an x86 development system with a working scratchbox installation, the rootstrap included in this release can be used to cross-compile a beta version of Tablet OS 2006, albeit one lacking the VoIP capabilities most users are likely to care about the most. Specifically, today's release does not include telepathy and farsight, the open source real-time communications applications that form the basis of Tablet OS 2006's VoIP capabilities.

For developers, the biggest changes in Tablet OS 2006 are a new EABI (embedded application binary interface) toolchain and several API changes that will require all Maemo 1.1 applications to be ported to Maemo 2.0. Today's release aims to provide the necessary tools, documentation, binary rootstraps, and porting instructions to help developers port their applications.

Nokia announced its Tablet OS 2006 release in mid-May. In addition to VoIP capabilities — the top feature request from early users, Nokia said — Tablet OS 2006 promises better memory performance and a “refreshed look,” along with a Google Talk client, and a full-screen “finger” keyboard.

Availability

Today's release includes a beta version of the Maemo 2.0 development environment, for x86 and ARM, as well as documentation, porting instructions, and binary rootstraps. Users can apt-get update/upgrade from within scratchbox after editing their source_list to “mistral-beta.” More details can be found at Maemo.org.

For more details about Nokia's 770 Internet tablet, click here to read our complete Device Profile:

 
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