Ansel-A digital darkroom for N900
The N900 has a comparatively good camera, and images can be easily shared (if you’ve got a data connection). But there are limited options for manipulating the images on-the-device before uploading them to the world. However, Ansel-A is a new, open-source digital “darkroom” with numerous features, including: Filtered-Black-&-White-Conversion; RGB-Color-Correction; Brightness, Saturation, Contrast and Sharpening; Pixel-level-Cropping; Tonal Shadows/Highlights; Kinetic Photo Browser; 360-Degree-Precision-Rotation; EXIF-Browser-with-maps [and] Unlimited-Visual-Undo The application, built with Qt 4.6 and Python, is in Extras-testing and is well on its way to Extras.
FastSMS: portrait, T9 SMS writing
Davide Aimone has announced a new application, FastSMS, which allows writing SMS using an input style like T9: obviously it isn't the same algorithm, but could be a good starting point. The application is in Extras-testing, but has yet to receive any votes. Users wishing to help the author get the application into Extras, by testing it against the QA criteria, are encouraged to do so and vote accordingly.
rotatedaemon gives 360 degree rotation
Robin Burchell has written a small background application which will force rotation (in all four orientations) on Maemo 5: This application, simply put, allows you to have your applications rotate depending on how you hold your phone. Known issues that I can't fix: A lot of applications look really, really ugly in portrait/reverse-portrait mode. If they are from extras, file bugs, and hopefully the authors can fix them. Future features include blacklisting certain applications to certain directions or to not try rotate them at all (e.g. browser, which has its own rotation), and anything else that people can come up with. Its use highlights how hard it is to get universal layout whilst still providing a compelling UI; and the daemon carries some warnings about conflicts with apps which try to use Hildon's own rotation support.
MaeMoney - Google Finance client
Cheung S. H has announced a local client for Google Finance: It provides near-realtime updates for your stocks, mutual funds, etc that you have set up on Google. The package is in Extras-testing, so willing volunteers should help get it to Extras by installing it, testing it against the QA criteria and voting appropriately.
Horizontal Call for calling contacts on the move
Eitam Doodai has announced a little application, Horizontal Call, which allows the user to navigate through their contacts and initiate a phone call. The main driver (no pun intended) was that, when the phone is mounted in the car, in landscape mode, there is no simple way of searching for a contact, and dialing it. The package is not yet in Extras-devel, so care should be taken. It also means the source isn't accessible if this enthusiastic developer loses interest, something we've seen again and again.
Illumination Software Creator for easy, visual, programming
Introducing people to programming is increasingly problematic, with the old BASIC stalwarts of 10 PRINT "Hello world" not really suitable in these GUI-heavy days. One suggestion which keeps coming up is "visual" programming, where discrete blocks describing the program flow are stitched together. Programming by flowchart, if you will. Illumination Software Creator is one such (non-free) product, which can now target Maemo with its Python/Gtk output: It is a 100% visual software development tool aimed at making the creation of software approachable to everyone (even those with no programming experience) through the use of visual "building blocks".
Pen Pen SketchBook quick memo & sketching pad
Ben Lau has released a new sketching application to Extras-testing: I would like to share my N900 application to you. It's name is Pen Pen SketchBook , which is designed to be a replacement of the built-in Sketch application on N900. It is a handwriting memo/sketch book for quick note taking / drawing with unlimited size of paper. The package is in Extras-testing, so willing volunteers should get stuck in, test the application and vote accordingly (although usual caveats apply).