could someone tell me pls what is the firmware on the production units recieved by any of you so far ?
Is it 42.11 ?

How will updates to Maemo (or the N900) be distributed? OTA, like with Android and WebOS, or would it be a download which needs to be installed through a computer?

Also, would Nokia need to control all updates to Maemo?

Updates will be OTA, and orange blinking icon will appear in upper right corner, when update is available. You can also use a program on computer to flash the device, but this will wipe all your settings/info (only be used if something terrible happens).

I would recommend using the backup function, just in case something happens. Im waiting for someone to create a program/system to create full backup of the phone. As a developer this would be huge help, its easy to mess the system when you start digging "under the hood".

Could anyone currently with an n900 comment on the using the phone functions? How is the call quality on both ends, comfortable to listen and talk into, speaker phone quality, etc...? Easy to scroll through contacts even one handed? How do voice calls affect the battery? On most of the reviews I've read they seem to give the phone part the thumbs up, but they never really go into a lot of detail.

Thanks! The waiting is killing me

Just remeber guys/girls.

In about 5 years, most "smart phones" will be internet tables/netbooks and dumb phones will smart phones (there will probably not be any dumb phones at all.

Just the same as when we had dumb phones (example sony ericsson K850i) and smart phones started to show up.

Its just that nokia started this (with being first with internet tables as phones in a reasonable size)!

eikido

But it doesn't support my Exchange 2007 setup and the error message is useless. I need to figure out how to open a bugzilla ticket for this.

I was on the waitlist at the flagship store, here in Chicago, and got a hold of my N900.

Very nice piece of technology.

Upsides:
Simple contact migration from my N95 via bluetooth. It took 30 seconds.

Simple email set up. It is by far, the easiest email system to engage.

Handles multiple processes pretty well. I have used up to 12 applications without too much lag.

Nice integration of Facebook Contact information (photos, birthdates, etc.) via the Hermes App.

GPodder is a fantastic podcast application. I downloaded a ton of content super-easily.

The Music Player, when engaged, allows you to engage the FM transmitter (you get to choose whatever FM number you want). This works well. I have had different success in the car and in my house.

The camera/video camera integrate SUPER well with Facebook. I posted a really good quality, 30 second video clip to Facebook very quickly. The same is true of photo.

The Facebook widget streams constant updates (as well as any notifications).

Qik application is super simple to use and post.

The RSS feed is good, but doesn't get a lot of real estate on the screen.

It survived a 5 foot fall from my stupid hands (stupid hands!) onto a concrete sidewalk. It has a couple of areas where the paint flaked--but--no cracks or cracked screen.


Downsides:
The Facebook widget inserts spam ads for different businesses and stuff. I really don't like that aspect.

The phone can "get confused" when in and out of portrait mode.

Leaving a menu screen means tapping somewhere outside of the menu (rather than having a button that will close the menu).

Qik video on Facebook doesn't look too good.

The Amazon app is one big ad. I don't get what value it brings.

The Ovi store is not open.

The video podcasts don't show up in the video section of the media player.


Overall:

This is a super powerful phone/tablet with much more in store as others get their hands on it (and report any bugs, etc). It is a lot of phone and not for everyone. If you want to consume content--the iphone may be superior but if you want to create and control content--I don't think that there is much else out there to compete with the N900.

Here is a screen shot of the applications that I had running when I snapped the pic and emailed it.

http://twitpic.com/qwoue

Here are some of the applications that you can download:

http://twitpic.com/qwsyr


I'd be happy to try to answer any specific questions if I can, so post away.

Well, thanks for the opinions.
Should i conclude that you couldn't find the first impressions / owner's thread?
Remember, Mr Search is your friend!

Threads merged.

just do a "tar czvf" of the root filesystem to a microSD (just don't tar up both /home/opt and /opt).