Most of the mobiles don't have facility to install multiple language fonts. But Nokia N900 allows you to install any .ttf fonts and its easy too. You can copy fonts from your PC to mobile. Here is a step by step How to.
How to Install Fonts in Nokia N900?
1. Connect N900 to PC through Data cable. In N900 choose "Mass storage mode" to connect.
2. In PC goto My Computer. Open Nokia N900 there.
3. Copy fonts (.ttf) from PC to Nokia N900.
4. Important : Disconnect data cable from PC & N900.
5. In N900 open X Terminal.
6. Type mkdir ~/.fonts and press enter. Then type mv ~/MyDocs/*.ttf ~/.fonts/ (Type exactly MyDocs. its case sensitive) and press enter. You may get a message like mv: cannot preserve ownership of '/home/user/.fonts/fontname.ttf': operation permitted. No problem. Ignore that error.
If you confused to type the ~ character, Press Alt key in N900 keypad once then press Ctrl Key once.
The additional symbols keypad appears. Then you can choose the ~ symbol.
7. Thats all. Open web browser on N900 and browse your language websites.
If you face problems feel free to ask in comments.
Its very clear. Thanks for the tutorial
December 2, 2010 8:46 AMI don't hv words to thank you. I was searching here & there to get Hindi Font. Thanks once again.
December 10, 2010 3:33 AMCan you tell me, how to install Nimbuzz or any other application in N900.
Suresh
my dear friend i try to which you explain. but its not installin. I never used linux os.
December 10, 2010 1:39 PMwhen i type mkdir ~/.fonts message came like cannot create directory '/home/user/.fonts': file exists
when i type mv ~/MyDocs/*.ttf ~/.fonts/ message came like cannot rename '/home/user/MyDocs/*.ttf': no such file or directory
please help me resolve this. i need to read Malayalam news and blogs
@Rajeesh
December 10, 2010 5:49 PMmv ~/MyDocs/*.ttf ~/.fonts/ (Type exactly MyDocs. its case sensitive. Don't type ad mydocs or Mydocs) . Double check the spelling of the command you gave.
thank you very much for your helpful tutorial!
December 14, 2010 1:41 PMmathias wendel, germany
This was really helpful.
December 15, 2010 5:28 AMNow I need to search for a malayalam typing application for the N900
Thank you
same error as rajeesh, typed the spelling & case correctly. please help
December 16, 2010 11:20 PMI faced same problem as Rajeesh and I check the spelling of all command also with MyDocs. I tried it many time but always faced the same problem.
January 5, 2011 2:35 AMplease tell me how can I overcome this problem.
it is saying permission denied , the message is
January 5, 2011 11:59 PM"cannot create '/home/user/.fonts/manorama.ttf': permission denied "
any way out ............
thanking u ,shaiju
Hello,
January 6, 2011 8:48 AMI tried several times to install latha.ttf, but failed. What I got when I tryped were as follows:
~ $ mkdir ~/.fonts
mkdir: cannot create directory '/home/user/.fonts': Files exists
~ $ mv ~/MyDocs/*.ttf ~/.fonts
mv: cannot create '/home//user/.fonts/latha.ttf': Permission denied
mv: cannot create '/home//user/.fonts/lathab.ttf': Permission denied
Therefore, please help me to install Tamil.
For those who have trouble to install, I will write a alternate method this week end. Please wait.
January 6, 2011 9:05 AM@Rajeesh Kodungallur:
January 7, 2011 9:36 AMThe first error tells you that the folder ".fonts" already exists. My guess is that you've tried the commands multiple times, and that the folder was created on first try. In any case, the folder exists, so just skip this.
The second error tells you that no files ending in ".ttf" exists in ~/MyDocs/ . Before you run this command, make sure the fonts have been copied to your phone.
@Fahim:
That seems a bit weird. Besides the double slash in the path (/home//user/.fonts/latha.ttf), I'm not sure.
Try to run "ls -la" from the folder /home/user. This will print the contents of the folder, including hidden files (the -a for all) and in list format (-l). In the output you can see which user and group the folder .fonts belongs to.
You could also use the following:
~ $ ls -la | grep .fonts
drwxr-xr-x 2 user users 4096 Jan 7 18:19 .fonts
I get the feeling most of you are new to terminals. One nice feature is tab completion. Often you only need to type the first letter of the name of the file or folder you're working with, and then you can use tab to automatically fill out the rest, eg.:
~ $ ls
Desktop baseq3
MyDocs int_kb_layout
Xorg.0.log remotesms_1.0_armel.deb
apmonitord.log
~ $ ls M
~ $ ls MyDocs/
20101212012808.gpx
20110102153052.gpx
Apps
Press the tab button twice if there are more than one possibility:
~ $ cd
Desktop/ MyDocs/ baseq3/
~ $ cd M
~ $ cd MyDocs
The tab button can be found on the screen when using terminal.
Hope it helps!
Rune
http://blog.listepik.net/
(who wrote this post in its entirety on his N900 :) )
Sorry, I shouldn't have used less than and bigger than symbols for the tab character -- the comment box ate them.
January 7, 2011 10:33 AM~ $ ls M(tab)
~ $ ls MyDocs/
20101212012808.gpx
20110102153052.gpx
Apps
Press the tab button twice if there are more than one possibility:
~ $ cd(tab)(tab)
Desktop/ MyDocs/ baseq3/
~ $ cd M(tab)
~ $ cd MyDocs
Rune
http://blog.listepik.net
Spemi: Any update on http://www.spemi.com/2010/11/install-fonts-on-nokia-n900.html
January 21, 2011 7:05 AMAny update for this problem Spemi?
Much of help, many thanks. :)
January 26, 2011 8:14 AMfor those it's saying " permission denied "
February 4, 2011 11:10 AMstart over..
remove fonts directory ... rm -r ~/.fonts
rm: descend into directory ...........
press "y"
mkdir ~/.fonts
mv ~/Mydocs/Manorama.ttf ~/.fonts/
it worked for me
For some reason it won't let me open the additional symbol keyboard :/ Any other ways?
February 6, 2011 4:39 PMVery helpful brother.Thank you very very much for your tutorial.
February 7, 2011 1:09 PMnjan valare sramchu, seriyavunnilla?
February 15, 2011 10:29 PMAt last I got it tanks to everyone. Who support and help me, now I can read mathrubhumi news paper.
March 9, 2011 12:12 PMI change folder name just as font not fonts.
I will try other fonts also; if it will work I will post here
Hai,
March 11, 2011 2:59 AMI followed the same step, but its not working and i'm facing some problem
I copied latha.ttf to n900 (in Documents)
~ $ mkdir ~/.fonts
~ $ mv ~/MyDocs/*.ttf ~/.fonts
mv: cannot rename '/home/user/MyDocs/*.ttf: No such file or directory
somebody please help. I need Tamil font.
sathish.
its great. now i can realise that how powerful my n900 is!
May 10, 2011 5:58 AMjust ignore the error messages and follow the instructions above.
on adition pls restart ur phone.
the uploader, thanks a lot for the kind information
hai
May 21, 2011 5:27 AMi tried with the same commands whenever i press enter after keyin the first command it shows-sh: mkdir ~/.fonts:not found
i carryon and put the second command+enter it shows
_sh: mv ~/MyDocs/*.ttf ~/.fonts:not found but iknow fonts in mydocs folder pls help me to overcome this problem &install the fonts
Hi'
July 5, 2011 8:37 PMI have same problem how to install tamil font in my N900 pleas help mee..........
~ $ mkdir ~/.fonts
mkdir: cannot create directory '/home/user/.fonts': Files exists
~ $ mv ~/MyDocs/*.ttf ~/.fonts
mv: cannot create '/home//user/.fonts/latha.ttf': Permission denied
mv: cannot create '/home//user/.fonts/lathab.ttf': Permission denied
I'M FACING PROBLEM
August 26, 2011 3:59 AMThanks a lot.......
September 15, 2011 9:54 AMThanks dear its work...
September 26, 2011 12:56 AMBut first I have to enter.. Your example not mentioned it
"sudo gainroot" then enter
any way thanks
how to use tamil fonts
October 24, 2011 7:27 PMGet the root access
December 15, 2011 2:34 AMIn the shell run "sudo gainroot"
~ $ sudo gainroot
Root shell enabled
/home/user #
then repeat all commands
/home/user # mkdir ~/.fonts
/home/user # mv ~/MyDocs/*.ttf ~/.fonts
Then go to the browser ..
Enjoy
www.twitter.com/yfmdjslash
ith vishadamaakkunna oru video aarwrenkilum youtubil idumo...?
December 19, 2011 5:29 AM