Weird...

I have not used my N900 as a main phone for maybe two years.
I went from the N900 to the GS2 > iPhone 4s > G-Note2 > iPhone 5 > Sony Xperia Z (Still using)...

Normally, you leave a phone for two years, come back and its an utter piece of crap (ios/droid/symbion).

But, I started using my N900 as my work phone this week (stuck carrying two phones, unless Neo900 will do Dual Sim - Hint Hint).

1: It's like I never stopped using it
2: Yappari!! YES!!
3: It's freaking brilliant - I does lag out but always comes back up.
4: Compared to Android (Any build) and iOS - Maemo is just brilliant.
5: I only learned how to copy from MicroB last night - So much better now!

I have said this many times in the past, but it's good to step back and then reuse it after awhile to see how good it actually is! No restrictions, no limitations..

Just amazes me that for such an old slow (by current hardware specs) it can be so good.
I stopped using N900 for awhile because I got an OpenPandora which kept my terminal needs in check

I installed the Thumb2 CSSU build lastnight, no major diff.
But I opened the camera on the N900 and XperiaZ at the same time - Both opened at the same time!
Single core @600MHZ V Quad core at 1.5GHZ+ and the little single is holding its own!!


Has anyone else moved away from the little (Fat & Old?) old N900 for awhile then come back? How it go? Impressions of an old phone with all of the new hardware?

No, but I have never been able to leave mine because of what you describe. I look at other OSs and after a little bit of fiddling you can just feel the limitations, like subtle force fields all around you, impinging on your ability to do stuff. Any stuff, how you want to do it.

I acquired my N900 in November 2009. Then left it in April 2012 for Pre 3. Browser on Pre 3 was faster but there were too many limitation (difficult to get your data off the device without syncing with Google or Palm servers), and many hacks would not work on my device. Sold that in feb 2013 and came back to N900.

Then in may 2013 bought N9, used it for 2 months and then again back to n900. It is too annoying going back and forth between touch keyboard and app. And the worst, with the tkb up, and all the bars and buttons on top, you lose more than half of the display. I have more space on the smaller N900 screen than on N9 or iPhone 5 or gs3.
Also it is very hard to get your data out of the calendar.

So now still using N900, will probably get iPhone 5 in near future because I want to make apps for that. And next year also hope to get Neo900 in custom body :-)

Ah! I had an N9! Not happy with it.

Hint noted and appreciated

As for N900 returnes, don't worry, the N900 will forgive you, and welcome you with open arms when you come to accept the N900 wisdom (yes, yes, I have stolen this phrase from MT).

/Estel

Custom back!
Any more details on release or...?
Can I buy one now - or soon??

Do you have any more pictures? Would love a custom alloy back!

Absolutely agree with M*Traceur about the limitations, I enjoy the PC with phone capabilities
A better battery would be great - I might look for a Mugen again.
I missed the full and complete terminal emu! Android one tried - But needed a lot of work, same as the entire OS. Too heavy and resource hungry.

N900 fills virtually all of my needs - Faster and less lags/lockups would help and I think the Neo900 proj (hardware AND software team) will help that.

That's okay, I said it better. :P (No I joke, I joke.) Seriously though, I am sure I got the idea for such a phrasing years ago from other sources anyway.

First time I've seen that abbreviation of my username. Nice in that it's the only one that would match it properly in a shell.

Same! I just started playing with N900 after leaving it unused for maybe close to 2 years. Kinda forgotten everything that i used to do especially the xterm commands..lol..

It is still fun..and i'm pretty sure it will always keep me entertained..looking forward for neo900 too..hopefully the hardware it uses won't be too outdated once it's ready for launch..

The difference is in philosophy, the N900 is for us geeks a small computer with phone hardware added on.
Most phones start as phones with all of the limitations assumed and eventually built in, and it can do computery functions too.
I love having a computer which has been hacked to make phone calls in my pocket. I wish there were more manufacturers out there making giant tablet-phones who would get that a % of people actually want computers that make calls not the other way around.
The truth is the polish and variety of many apps surpasses that available on Ubuntu.
I kept using my Sharp Zaurus until 2010 when I got my N900, the Z also survived because even when old it was a real Debian based computer with hardware keyboard in my pocket.

Funny thing is supposedly Web OS on Pre 3 (and Meego/Harmattan on N9) are the best OS out there. Everybody is 'stealing' from Web OS, Android, BB tablet os, BB10, Android, WP 7/8, Meego and now iOS. But still Maemo is king.
Though the card stacking on Web OS is awesome. Should be ported to Maemo. The same for touch to type.

On N900 you can start searching by starting to type on homescreen. Is it possible to change this to search through device in apps, contacts, memo and calendar?