I think Nokia is playing a rather intricate and clever game of chess. If you mentally chart the trajectory of development from the 770, through 800 & 810, and now the 900...the final 'step 5' device should prove to be quite remarkable indeed. If you don't want to be part of this ride, you're perfectly free to buy other devices...as for me, this technology really fires my imagination, so I want to be part of the experience as it happens in realtime

No, it's not. A freaking computer, as opposed to a smartphone or personal media player (PMP) or mobile internet device (MID) or even personal digital assistant (PDA) runs a freaking computer operating system. The iPhone may run something based on or like OS X but it's not OS X. The Samsung Mondi may run something based on or like XP/Vista/7 but it's not XP/Vista/7. The N900 (and the G1, for that matter) may run something based on or like Linux but it's not Linux.

There are ultra mobile PCs (UMPCs) out there, the Viliv S5 and UMID M1 for example. They run Vista, can run 7, and could run Linux if you could find all the right drivers.

I suspect device 5 will be a touch only N910. I would classify this as step 3 (1-N770, 2-N800/810, 3-N900/910, 4-Nokia tablet). I hope Nokia is moving in step 5 to a true UMPC with voice capabilities. Something with an N810 form factor N900 phone capabilities, and a CPU and SSD capable of running full Linux. I suspect the relative acceptance of the devices will push them towards a smartphone for step 5.

Well said. If you think anything without an Apple logo is going to work its way into the hands of the Jobsians you have another think coming. Oh sure there may be the odd soul, but mostly Apple users are fiercely brand-loyal. As to whether or not the N900 is another UAT, who cares? If it does what it is supposed to do and does it well - and let's face it that's pretty damned likely - then does it matter?

Oh? Never noticed the regression... My 770/N800/N810 all ran full Linux.

Hello. No point in advertising something that isn't available, now is there? What?

Even if a bunch of nerds (that includes YOU) have pre-ordered a new device, it doesn't mean that it makes the N900 any more available. To anyone for that matter.

And excuse me for reminding, but there are street ads and magazine ads for N900 already. But I must admit I see more ads for the N97 than for anything else, which kinda is good, for I totally feel like a beta tester for pre-ordering the N900. Although that has been the tune for my whole life... well you know what I mean.

No. The N900's kernel is the full, 'desktop-grade' Linux. Everything else you see and have on the device, is 'addons' to make it more useable. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux - Linux IS the kernel, the addons make it a distro/flavor. Even though the kernel can also have different 'addons' in it, it doesn't change the principle behind it.

...

Might I ask what you consider 'Linux'?

Speaking as a North American, I'm finding that the iphone thing is wearing a bit thin. Let's not forget NAs developed Blackberries too. Oh, you forgot Canada was in North America? Check out the map...

N900 is, in fact, a computer. So is an iphone. So is an N810. So was my old MessagePad 2000... What differentiates them is the ability to be a general purpose device and the extent to which one is allowed to make that happen (not very far with iphones, a long way with my N810, I expect as far with the N900 but we'll see). But it is most definitely a computer. Is it a PC? Not as common vernacular would have it, but it is ultimately rather more 'personal' than the device on my desk.

Step 5 (not device 5, btw), will hopefully finish the convergence model, but more seriously fully and finally integrate the OSS development model into the system, and enable (development and) interaction we've previously not seen. I'm less focused on capabilities of technology - for a device I think it's safe to assume we'll see lots of shiny things and it's sometimes hard to predict what they'll be - but more on the model of development and the aspect of acceptability in the 'mainstream'. If anything, that acceptability re the N900 is what's perhaps surprised Nokia, but I can't read minds and this is pure speculation.

Then don't. I know we want a good attitude on these forums, but really?

Noone is holding a gun to your head forcing you to buy. And the point of this thread - none as far as I can see, apart from allowing you to vent some latent issues you have with Nokia.

Well it's understandable to be frustrated that something as desirable as the Nokia smartphones and tablets have been is not realistically an option due to the company. I looked at Nokias last time i upgraded my phone, and just couldn't get or couldn't justify the really desirable devices because of Nokia's lukewarm presence in NA.

I can't say that's their fault. Between the proliferation of radio bands and the oppressive network control of the cell market in the US, i wouldn't blame any phone manufacturer for staying out.

However, their habit of dropping previous (expensive) devices unceremoniously when the next one comes out is off-putting.

Utter nonsense.

I reckon you don't really understand what linux is...or for that matter, what a computer or operating system is. At least, your understanding reaches no further than outward appearances.

Maemo is a perfectly legit distribution of linux. It's just packaged into a necessarily constrained environment - which is what you see and are confused by.

The N770/800/810/900 devices are computers - they compute - and their computing power is harnessed and made available to humans courtesy of the linux OS distribution called Maemo. Without linux, all that computing power would be as useful as a turnip.