You might look for a super cheap old Nook HD or similar trash can ready ARM tablet to run a VNC client on. I would load with an alternate ROM so you dont have to deal with an online account or bloatware, reason is touchscreen area and the OS behind the VNC client app is not so important. Another idea for a stick computer is grab a Rasberry-pi sized ARM computer or cheap TV settop box and load with Debian, there are even small AMD64 mobile chipset(intel cherry trail)boxes, I have used them to make cheap Ubuntu game computers for kids running 10-20 year old win/WINE games and Nintendo64 emulators.

I prefer the idea of the stick computer cause it would fit under the space behind N900s screen when keyboard opened. Was thinking of making a casing where you can stick N900 in the case and to the usb and have a proper specs computer in your hands. The intell sticks have their own micro usb power port so my idea could work: to have intel stick behind N900 screen and beside it a slim external battery giving power for the stick computer. So it would be a dock where you stick your N900 when you need to have up to date machine with horsepower (as for some would may like to use it for running kali). They have in them as default the win 10 and you can get nethunter from windows store. Ubuntu can be set on it so it can probably run most of the needed tools on linux side. It has usb2 and usb3 depending on the model, 2gb ram and 32gb for storage plus micro sdcard slot. Just a bit pricy to buy if it is unsure how well it would work. But it would be easy to build casing for the stick and extra battery for them to serve as a dock.

But as I mentioned before I think I will first get to know this N810 I have.

Connection of the 2 device will be a problem.
USB on N900 is too power hungry for a always on connection, even if you dont charge or do anything. You have to pull the plug.
Running a wifi hotspot drains your battery too.
Bluetooth may work but maybe too slow for vnc.

Most usb pc arent optimized for power consumption.
So your idea with open keyboard too increase the battery space is good. But the camera may want an open spot in the "middle" of your back.

Before buying and messing with all that stuff it might be cheaper, and easier to just rent a server and vnc via 3g into that. Sadly does not work on bad connections.

Drives me crazy this "it possibly drains and consumes all the power" or "it would be easier... I'm not saying I do not believe you and I believe you know more like one should know. It's just this my problem when someone says "you can't" I feel I just have to try before believing. Getting me to trouble all the time - this mindset. Could have a much easier and peacefull life.

Ah....
But Maemish ...Pythoneye isn't saying and never said can't...
You are.


All Pythoneye and I are saying is...
micro usb ports were never built for the singular load of ONE port handling continuous power, battery charging, and everything else thrown at it ...monitors and / or vnc and / or wifi or bluetooth and / or mice and / or keyboards ...and / or os's that then need to be so light as to be past DSL (damn small linux) ....
JUST to run on this idea you have put together.

And no one has insisted you must "believe them" ...here...
The EXACT same work has been done in this attempt...before..with other devices...(my last example was maru and buntu convergence on the Nexus 5 with slimport cabling..)
This isn't about believing anyone...
I could give a tinkers damn if you "believe me" or pythoneye..
The science ...the work that has been done...the trial and error done..all has been measured inside the parameters of the tech existing...and the verdict ..for now ...is in.
Believe all you wish ....believe the earth is round...believe it is flat...
Your belief doesn't negate the findings.
Teams of devs have worked on such ideas with the micro usb port and utilizing slimport -esque cables ...
all kinds of optimizing ...
done exactly what you wish...
But the cost to attempt the same for the n900 may be too high.
and even then...
as I said...the best with all that running ..and microusb charging ...
will be a battery drain...I don't think you will maintain a holding pattern ...
No one else can ...

And this isn't a "can't" issue...
This is called no option but to work inside the box...
within the parameters of the known limits of the physical equipment that cannot be exceeded

And believe me ...
you aren't the first to have thought of this idea in our forum...
I have as well...
The only difference is ...
I would ...except for ports and their necessities ...in the body ..
and the battery...gut all else...and put another battery in the cavity..
and somewhere shove in the smallest stick pi there is ..as well..
and the only difference between your new idea
and my old idea is...
my idea may work.
Mainly because you are stuck on the n900...

Whereas I ...I am stuck on the n810

"The n810 Tank" ...solid build....separate power ...separate usb ...
may still have a drain on a couple of battery...
But I bet you can run much more...much longer.
You may even get a holding pattern or even actually charging ....

But you will most likely have to drop the idea of micro usb as the "carry all" ...and have separate power port ...instead ...to help.
Micro usb was never really designed for such load ..

But...its your choice what and how you do what you do...
and I wish you luck with the endeavour on the n900.

I wonder about this one; do you mean that the N900 chipset itself consumes a lot more power when USB is used, even if the connected device is not drawing any power from the N900?
I guess that's possible. Might be that more modern USB chipsets are designed differently.

My knowlegde of usb is limited, but currently the n900 draws about 18ma in device mode propably through pullup detection resitors (1.5K+15K) when conneted.
But it may even drain the battery fast if you just connect it to an unpowered host.

I heared usb 3 tried to improve on that. usb was never really low power.

On top of that the n900 usb hardware stack is "unique" and not simple (there may be bugs).
The n900 usb plug is in a bad spot and not robust.

Some kind of relays maybe a solution to disconnect and connect the devices. Maybe ask someone more involved how it should be done (joerg_rw for example).

There are still very few powerefficient affordable fast small linux boards. Most arent good at idle powerconsumumption and you cant turn them off cause linux still needs so much time to boot.

There is the rumor that someone used a setup with a n900 and some type of other external compute modul for some time, but i could not find any further information on that.

I've thought about pretty much the same thing, but I came to the conclusion that, while it might be a fun experience to implement, it has no practical use. Why is that?

First, think about when you want to actually use the N900 as an I/O device!
It is never when you have a "proper computer" with an actual keyboard and a monitor around. Let's face it, while the N900 can do "PC I/O", with its tiny keymat and small low-resolution screen it's very bad at it. It's so bad, that any worse would be useless.
Actually, even the tiniest of laptops will be better at I/O (GPD Pocket anyone?).

So you want to use the N900 when you need a "proper computer", but you don't have one around. This will usually be mobile scenarios when you're "on the move", where even something like a GPD Pocket will be too clumsy.
A compute stick, while being small on it's own is pretty useless in this scenario, because you'll need at least an external power supply. So at least you have to plug it into a "powerbank".
You'll most likely have some sort of bag with you if you carry an N900, a compute stick and a powerbank. So why not put a GPD Pocket (or an even more conventional laptop) in it instead?

I can imagine putting the N900 in one Jeans pocket (happens quite regularly), a powerbank in the 2nd (I don't have a powerbank, so this doesn't actually happen, but I could see myself doing it) and the compute stick (or a slightly bigger and sturdier Intel Compute Card or Zbox Pico) in a 3rd pocket. Then I hook up the powerbank to the PC from one pocket to another.
Quite frankly, I don't see myself doing this, because if I have no bag with me (that could fit some laptop), it is usually because I'm doing something where a bag would bother me. In that same situation I wouldn't want to have two electronic devices in my trousers connected to each others via a cable.

bottom line:
The N900's key strength is being a (bad) "proper computer" on its own. If you have to add any element to it to accomplish that task, you lose this feature and are better off, looking for an entirely different solution.

I measured the intel stick and it would sit nicely under the N900s opened screen. I have about the same sized powerbank. To make them sit side by side in a case with a microusb on it into witch to just slid the N900, that was the scenario. Not to have wires and stuff going from pocket to pocket. Don't make me to prove I'm wrong. I think I will wait for maemo leste to see is N900 enough as is for me or not. But the idea and the vision of running with N900 a proper compact computer don't seem to leave my mind too easily. Have got emotionally so attached to that little creature. Now writing this with N810 which gives some ease for the will of learning to use something new. Didin't expect this to be this good device.

That whole box will be a lot bigger than the N900 alone (plugs & cables).
I understand why you find that idea exiting (so do I), but from a practical POV, you'll have a clumsy ugly box (assuming your craftsman skills are as bad as mine), and still a bad keyboard and a mediocre screen at best.
Combine that with a slow device running outdated software (even if it's just the interface to the stick) and that's the point where I'd get a GPD pocket, which has a relatively proper screen and keyboard, and is just as fast as the stick without the added bottleneck that's introduced by whatever interfacing method you chose (ssh, vnc, whatever).