No, the one and only reason for it is that the build-quality of the USB port sucks.
It's a bit ridiculous to say that you can save your USB port from falling out by switching batteries rather than charging the phone.
I think you overestimate how many normal users even have a spare battery. At least I don't have one, but I could need one now, because the USB port has broken... Screw that, N9 all the way.
The USB port on the N9 looks extremely solid by the way, it doesn't make me nervous to put some strain on it.
It is not ridiculous to say that using the USB port less often makes the problem less serious. Evidence: I don't have the problem and you do.
I usually don't write in such topics, but just my point of view.
From what I have seen UI is great, HW is OK - I hate this game of CPU/SoC-s, it is not the spec sheet but overall feel and performance that matter. Also I will happily give up 500MHz and a CPU core for a day more of battery life. N9 is more mainstream and ("normal")user friendly than N900 which is required for the OS to really get wider approval. It is a welcomed launch and I think many people will fall in love with N9.
My only complain is: why not releasing both slide out HWKB and the touch-screen only VKB together? Like the E7 - N8 combo? That way everyone of us can choose what best suits his needs.
Anyway - I am strong supporter of the project and will like to help it have a chance to live on so we get Maemo/MeeGo on various form factor devices from NOKIA.
Good luck Maemo/MeeGo!!!
I was told that the decision to not release the (now named N950) developer device was becasue of the sliding mechanism.
I don't know if this is true or not and to be clear: I doubt it. Nokia made a wonderful sliding mechanism in the Nokia E7 and the one at the dev device I had to play with felt nearly the same.
What remains then as reason?
Management (read: Elop) or anything else?
If I am not a developer, not a Linux lover, why get this device if you already own an iphone? How different is it from iphone experience?
Now I know why they announced it in Asia. iphone is only now beginning to penetrate that market and they hope that N9 will give iphone crazed crowd an alternative. N9 will not sell well in the US
Sorry, but I believe that for the first time Nokia have a product aligned with the US average consumer.
Even Gizmodo and Engadget resident Nokia prosecutors couldn't talk anything but praise to it, the only thing they said that MeeGo is a "zombie" because Elop is prioritizing WP7. By the feedback online, N9 can seriously make Nokia rethink their strategy - not moving away from WP7, but giving MeeGo more chances in the spotlight.
And I wouldn't fret about the UI so much. I'm sure the community will provide all the desktop feel and Maemo bells and whistles that we all love. That way it will be ven better: the device can appeal to both publics, geek and average.
