I have heard repeatedly on this website in the last few days that the N900 is not a phone. However, the truth of the matter is whether or not it is an internet tablet or a mobile computer or a geek device the majority of those who buy the device will buy it to use as a phone. Many of us buying the N900 would also not be buying it if N97 was not such a disappointing device (I returned my N97 after 3 days and went back to my N95). After all it only got released a few months ago and very few change phones every few months.

We all know there are very basic phone features missing from the device which I will not list here. I am hoping Nokia fixes these or at least the maemo community finds a way to fix them. If so this will go along way to making this a super phone. If it only has the same phone functions as the N95 then combined with its geek features it would be hard to find a better phone.

However, there is going to remain one significant problem no one has mentioned which is the lack of easy access to the phone function. The easiest way to get there is to rotate the phone to portrait mode. However, many have reported problems with this. Also when portrait mode is implemented more widely implemented in the device this feature is likely to be disabled altogether. You can of course put the phone application short cut button on one og your desktops. However, this is a very slow method as you could be on a different desktop and have to switch between up to two to get to the one with the short cut. I guess it could be possible to put a phone app short cut on each desktop to avoid this problem.

However, I think there is a much better way and I would like to know if it is possible. Can you have a permanent phone app short cut at the top of the screen where the task switcher button is. So no matter where you are on the device you can just launch the phone app? Maybe there could be space for three permanent short cuts and you can customize which ones you want. It would function in the same way as the Quick Launch short cuts in previous Windows operating systems and the task bar in Windows 7. Is this something that a hacker could do or is it something Nokia can implement?

Or press the power button and then tap "Phone".

Assuming the Phone applet is on the last desktop you accessed (or that your device isn't asleep).

In my case, usually not... so, press the power button, flick-flick-flick, then tap "Phone". Or shake N900 violently until accelerometer wakes up.

*sigh*

The power button brings up a menu that is not dependent on the desktop in any way whatsoever.

???

There's never a phone applet immediately available when I press the power button. First I get the usual virtual slider, and once that's slid, I have to click-and-flick to the desktop that hosts the phone applet.

Sooo, again:

Not an applet, sure, but a shortcut is there (which is what sjgadsby is referring to).

Power button->

Ah, gotcha. But there's still the flick of the slider first if the device has gone to sleep (which mine usually is). So it's press power button, flick slider, press power button again, click Phone button. Still too many steps IMO. I continue to desire a one-touch solution.

Maemo 9?

Skip the gimmicky on-screen slider by using the hardware unlock slider, and you'll save yourself a step.

If the keys are locked, I think it's much the same for any phone (unlock keys first, then press phone shortcut. Ok, that's one keypress less but still not only one-touch).

Precisely. There has to be a very fast way to activate the phone app. Having too many steps just isn't intuitive. I know it is apparently not a phone but it will be a phone to most people.