So i've noticed a ton of posts recently about the demise of the n900/maemo5/fremantle device after Nokia's announcement of MeeGo.

I agree, fatalistic as it sounds, that the n900 will not be at the bleeding edge of tech, it will not incorporate meego, it will not get harmattan.

but does that really matter? i paid a pretty penny for the n900 almost a month back. i believe i speak for most people when i say that when you purchase a device, you do it after making a rational decision weighing the pros and cons of the product itself. of course if you're wallowing in wealth then everything can be an impulse buy.

me? i narrowed my choice down to the main contenders : Nexus One, 3GS, droid/milestone, HD2, N97 mini (for its ovimaps lifetime software) and the N900.

In the end I bought the N900 because i liked:
1. the look/shape/heft/brick-shape of the device,
2. found the physical keyboard of the N900 to be the best among the smartphones
3. appreciated the relative new-ness of maemo5, and the multi-tasking ability
4. just liked the fact that it was the geekiest device at the time!

Apart from that, I knew what the N900 COULD do pretty well (good phone calls, great IM integration, TV-out, widely-supported open-source community support, crisp screen) and what the N900 SUCKED at (less than stellar battery life, not as slinky an interface as iphone's, not as much google integration as the nexus, less apps than symbian, uncertain OS updates/creeping EOL.)

I think this holds true for any mobile device, the N900 should be regarded (and highly at that) as what it is; a device that suits the needs of some but may not cover the mainstream iphone crowd or the bleeding edge tech crowd (get a nexus one OLED snapdragon for that).

What the software updates do to address major bugs should be supported and in fact demanded by customers, customer service and device support is a hallmark and a budgeted cost of selling a product. hardware defects like the loose usb charging port is a ludicrous failing on the part of manufacturing and should be hotly pursued.

but the fact that there are other phones that do some things better than the n900? i guess that's not so much the n900's deficiencies as it is what each mobile corporation is trying to achieve and target towards the admittedly prosumer market.

i firmly believe that if you're buying a $600 mobile device, you buy it based on what it can do at the time of sale. unless express stipulations were made guaranteeing future upgrade/improved functionality, i don't think anyone can really complain.

mobile platforms are in its infancy with not nearly as much precedence of OS upgradability ala PCs which stipulate minimum hardware requirements (I believe Win7 mobile is trying to establish a baseline standard same as Microsoft did for the PC.) I don't believe any phone manufacturer will ensure upgradability of OS nor have they. Sure, you may love a company more if they promise a 5 year OS upgrade timeline and be loyal to them. But if they don't, i don't think it's a cause to berate the company's corporate/ethical practice. I don't remember upgrading my S40 nokia 6320 which i bought in 2003 for almost $500 without a contract, nor did I curse Nokia when there was no Symbian firmware upgrade for the phone.

the n900 may be a legacy device after the announcement of meego, but that doesn't make it a less capable device currently. neither does it detract from the vibrant community supporting software development any less. The N900 fulfills many peoples' needs currently, meego or no meego. It may help things along if we concentrate on what is feasibly fixable, rather than demanding bleeding-edge tech for the sake of development currency.

I think you have some very solid points for getting the N900.

For me, in a nutshell the N900 is an embodiment of all the features I've ever wanted in a phone, so if I ever doubt my decision to get this device just because a newer version is coming out, then I'm just giving in to the unrational nerd-side of me that wants to have the newest toys.

The N900 is more than sufficient for my demanding needs, so I'm happy with the device, even knowing that "better" devices will be coming out. And this is the way it always is with technology!

great to see like-minded n900 users!

Many people make it sound like "the N900 won't be the best phone on the market 2015". For me, it is the (by far) best one NOW! I love how it works now, today, this minute! I remember back in the day i Paid 1800 finnish marks (about 300€) för a nokia 3210 and I LOVED IT and it was totally worth the money! Today I wouldn't pay 20€ for a 3210 (well yes for a "brand new unused one" cuz that would just be cool to own ) but back in the day it was well worth it!

I haven't one second had any regrets when it comes to buying the N900 and I'm a student with limited economy.

Thankyou!

This is what I've pretty much been posting everytime someone writes 'Oh nokia aren't going to do so and so, this makes my fone useless..'

Meego being released on other devices isn't going to make the n900 any less capable.

I had a look, liked what I saw and based it on that. If all the repositories got shut down, and an announcement was made saying 'this is it, no more new apps' sure I'd be gutted, but I'd still have basically a palm sized linux netbook.. Pretty cool stuff...

its good to see that there are sometimes threads how nice our n900 is.i see everytime just stupid whine threads about guys that cant handle it.

Actually forget what I just wrote. There is no app to pretend you're drinking a beer. What a pile of crap...

no, it's all good. we don't have to ask Steve Jobs what type of beer is allowed before writing such an app, so i'm sure it isn't a problem.

I bought mine used for $450, and about all I missed was some early bugs

I paid $500 in Australia (used). Worth every cent!

i firmly believe that if you're buying a $600 mobile device, you buy it based on what it can do at the time of sale. unless express stipulations were made guaranteeing future upgrade/improved functionality, i don't think anyone can really complain.

This maybe was true back in the days but if we look at nearly any Mobile Phone System there are still comming Updates, new Features look at Android, Symbian, Iphone OS. I can await if i buy of this devices that i get proper support, Updates and new Features / Programms. If you look at Devices like Motorola Droid or Iphone to have close N900 Devices, you will see that this Devices dont have a EOL after a halve year. So for me its a Nokia Behavior to bring new Devices as much as they can whith a greate like fire and forget mentalitiy.

I don't remember upgrading my S40 nokia 6320 which i bought in 2003 for almost $500 without a contract, nor did I curse Nokia when there was no Symbian firmware upgrade for the phone.


Like i said before this is how Nokia acts usually. I also have some older Nokia Phones the Point is after Release they never had so many bugs like at the beginning of the N900 [permanently restart, major Calling Problem, Wlan Problem] Now i use a Nokia Slider from 2003 which is still working after one Update this would be okay for me if the N900 Update would work like tis too. Its like i bought a new House where just the walls are build and with the updates i have windows and a door but i still cant live in it, there is no light or water. And now they say we have a better way to build a House but sorry we dont will finish yours now.

the n900 may be a legacy device after the announcement of meego, but that doesn't make it a less capable device currently. neither does it detract from the vibrant community supporting software development any less.

If you look how many Bugs are set on Hartmann/Meego so they never will be fixed for Maemo5 then you change your mind i guess, I mean we have a proper Piece of Hardware and i would love to use the GPS for Example with a good Navigation Programm but there never will be one i guess maybe for Meego they will open the OVI Support to have a better selling Argument.