Hardware rumours are so boring nowadays, as the hardware is not really relevant anymore since a few years. It's all about apps and software ecosystems.
That's the reason while Nokia is struggling so hard these days, to make that switch.
Well, you don't really do anything with apps and software ecosystem if there is no interesting devices/hardware to use them. If your device is not powerful enough, or if it drains battery too quickly, it all sets restrictions on developing apps. If for example Medfield is more powerful than competitors, equally good on power consumption(which is possible since Intel is way beyond others on manufacturing process), and additionally if Nokia actually gets custom version of the chip, it will give them upper hand. Not only for expanding possibilities for software but also marketing wise. So, even if Apple style "software is everything"-marketing jargon is popular nowadays, hardware still matters.
Nokia knows how to handle hardware, their problem has been with software and especially software ecosystems. I expect this to change with MeeGo and close cooperation with Intel. If executed correctly, it should be very good PR for both Nokia and Intel.
I guess this ruins any chance of closed-source N9 apps being able to work on N900, re: the "MeeGo/Harmattan on N900" thread.
Wonder if that is Nokia's game plan, they have always said they won't backwards compatible stuff, maybe this is how they will do it. Forcing all the meego fanboys to upgrade rather than just install Meego on the N900.
From a marketing point of view, there is some merit in creating a flagship phone branded with an Intel CPU having a high clock speed. To stay in the game now, it's not about how good a phone is, it's about how good consumers think it is. The vast majority of mobile phone buyers are not concerned with the pros and cons of CPU architecture, OS efficiency, etc. when comparing specs, they only see the big number.
I don't see billboards and TV ads for Snapdragon or ARM Cortex processors, it's all Intel, everywhere. Intel is the biggest brand name when it comes to 'computer' processors. How impressed will consumers be when offered a phone with 'the same' processor as their laptop/desktop PC and an 'Intel Inside' sticker on the box?
It's like saying: "All those other phones just use obscure, puny phone processors. This baby has the same CPU as your laptop."
If Nokia can ship the N9 running Meego with an Intel CPU and demonstrate more than three day's 'real life' smartphone use out of a regular size battery, I think I'd have to take my hat off to them.
Any new rumours about which GPU plans to be inside the N9? I seem to recall old rumours saying it will beat Playstation 2 and Nintendo Wii. Plus, if the N9 trully has an x86 architecture, then it should very well be able to boot windows/wine and together with 1GB of ram, 96GB of storage (64mmc+32sd) as well as multiple connectivity and usb otg, then it really becomes a true portable laptop and could even definitively destroy the Motorola Atrix if they decide to mimic the concept and add an external screen.
But personally, I'm still awaiting a Nokia Booklet v2 (4G perharps?) with a very powerful Intel chip and Windows 7 (no MeeGo on laptops, only netbooks please...i still can't see myself replacing Windows (or any mainstream Linux distro) by MeeGo as my main primary home OS)
Wonder if that is Nokia's game plan, they have always said they won't backwards compatible stuff, maybe this is how they will do it. Forcing all the meego fanboys to upgrade rather than just install Meego on the N900.
I doubt Nokia makes it first MeeGo phone X86(btw something i don't believe will happen) just so that people on N900 are not getting all out from MeeGo.
N900 has sold so little that it makes no difference and even if it had sold something for Nokia there is much more in stake with MeeGo than thinking something like that.
