I love that -- why buy a netbook and hack in a touchscreen, when you can buy an expensive locked down tablet, then accessorize it with a bluetooth keyboard and folding case?!
Yeah, the advantages, of course, do exist -- for some it's about UI over functionality, for some it's about battery life (seriously, bring on the ARM netbooks already!), and there's always the detachability of the iPad if you need/want "clipboard-mode" -- but it just strikes me as hilarious, especially in light of Apple's anti-netbook stance.
Since I seem to be the only one here who has one and has used it extensively, you can check my last two blog entries: http://soandsuch.blogspot.com/
The big thing is being liberated from my desk or coffee table without having to deal with squintvision that is the n800.
But there are big issues when you attempt to do things that should he doable on this device. I would not say to not get one, just to beware and whatever you do get the stand at time of purchase.
I tried it out. It is a great consumption device if you don't already have a bunch of consumption devices.
Personally, I'm looking for more mobile PRODUCTION devices. I'd love to see a video editor, a "Gimp lite" and "Audacity lite" for the N900. The N95-1 had the video editor and I was really disappointed it was not on the N95-3.
Eric: I agree. About mid week I realized that a "touch" video editor would work very well on the iPad. Before I thought that would not be a good idea, but having used it and because I currently use a stylus to edit video in FCP I see it as being doable.
There are photoediting and creating apps. In fact there is an illustrator for the New Yorker that uses a Touch to create cover art for them. So that's definitely doable.
But as I wrote in my blog entries and as has been discussed by others, file system and network volume two way access MUST be dealt with.
I played with the ipad. It felt like a toy to me rather than a computer. My friend has one and i sat down with it next to my lap top. My laptop won, if you want a fun toy than get an IPAD but it will never replace your laptop.
For that matter why don't we compare the N900 to the same gaming PC setup. =P
Actually if the next MeeGo handheld from Nokia includes:
- HDMI out
- good bluetooth stack supporting proper headset, keyboard and mouse (at least)
- decent development kit
- decent online store (with DRM or whatever that the commercial developers requires nowadays)
It could become a breakthrough handheld\console system :P
Everyone in gaming obfuscate a subsystem or two to lock in their markets.... ie: xbox 360 has a nice system to emulate a $2000 gaming PC (back when it was released anyway), but it doesn't let you use keyboard + mouse even with a few exposed USB ports on it. Bye bye (proper) FPS.
