Overclocked Nokia N900 Hits 1GHz

Nokia's N900 is already the device of choice for those who like to tinker with alternative software, but how about overclocking the 600MHz ARM Cortex A8 processor by 50-percent?  That's just what Maemo forum member Lehto has managed to do, releasing several new kernels that can drive the N900's core clock speed from a mild 700MHz boost to 950MHz.  In fact, he reckons he's had his N900 going even faster.

Lehto – perhaps sensibly – isn't releasing the faster kernels until he's sure there won't be reports of bricked or burnt out N900s (and unhappy owners looking for his blood).  Still, the end result is a device that works significantly faster, though at the expense of battery life and, potentially, machine lifetime.

Actual performance can be dependent on climate, temperature and even whether you've got a "good" or "average" Cortex A8 chip in your phone.  Interestingly, the N900 uses the same processor as the iPhone 3GS, though the Apple smartphone makes for a far less user friendly hacking experience.

[via The Unlockr]