Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

Ordinarily the capitalization doesn't matter. However, TrollTech made the dubious decision to call their framework Qt, which is far too close to Apple Computer's video solution "QuickTime" or QT.

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

Perhaps its the other way around.

Besides, one of the above sucks. ;)

The .qt extension is also used by Qt more often than anyone uses it for QuickTime.

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

I stand corrected.

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

Good point, but QuickTime sucks, too. :p

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

Actually, you could do a PCMCIA or ExpressCard slot the same way you do an SD/XD card slot: you have a shallow slot that leaves the card hanging out. If you put this on the top edge of the N810, with the "top" facing the back face of the N810, then you could put various cards in, have them stick out the top, and still allow the screen to slide up (because the card's top bulge would be facing toward the back of the NIT).

So, think about a PCMCIA or ExpressCard slot right where the N810's power button is. The slot's top side is the back of the N810. It runs the full depth of the N810, except for the connector space needed at the other end of the device. The rest of the card would stick out the top of the N810.

The advantage of picking PCMCIA would be that they make caddies for both CF and ExpressCard cards, so 1 PCMCIA slot could function for all 3 device formats. But, it also happens to have the largest door size, so that's a problem. And, I would argue against CF for the same reason you argue against PCMCIA -- it seems to be a dying format. I see fewer and fewer of the cards out in the wild. Especially for things like WWAN access.

The other problem is that this would probably have to do a bit a dance with the battery, and that area that the N810 WME uses for its WiMAX radio.

Such a slot would, however, give you several things like: no need for a second SD card slot, as those who want one can just plug in an SD->PCMCIA (or SD->CF or SD->ExpressCard) card reader.

Also, it would end the debate about WWAN radio access: you'd just get an ExpressCard WWAN radio, possibly an ExpressCard->PCMCIA caddy, and then just worry about having the appropriate card drivers.

Several other custom interfaces would also be taken care of ... they probably make CF IRDA devices, and things like that, for example.

I like the idea, but I also see that it has potential for being rather difficult to implement, even WITH the expectation that cards will stick out the top of the N900. It would be easier if the N900 had 2 small batteries instead of 1 medium size battery (the two smaller batteries I'm thinking of are the ones in the Nokia 6301, for example). Then you could just have the slot be center top, descending through the back of the device. And then put the two smaller batteries on either side of it. This would also give the added advantage of hot swappable batteries.

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

And that will probably the only widely agreed upon statement wrt to 3G/WWAN on the NIT ;-)

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

Yeah.. that's what I thought. That doesn't seem very open source at all yet. I'm not even sure that it should be in conversations about open source OS's until it actually is.

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

Most cell phones make lousy phones, in this regard. In fact, I haven't ever seen a GOOD cell phone in this regard. Anything that isn't shaped like a landline handset is pretty much s**t in this regard (even clamshells). And THAT would require the NIT to be a bit bigger.

Most people use a headset of some form (bluetooth, wired, whatever), and that renders the size/shape of the NIT itself completely irrelevant to the discussion of using it for making phone calls.

And, really, in this regard, it's already being used for phone calls (Gizmo and Skype). The argument that making phone calls on the NIT isn't viable is already refuted and wasted typing. The argument isn't "should we be able to make phone calls on the NIT" ... we already can. Answered and finished. The device's shape already works in this regard. Move on.

The argument is "which types of phone networks can we use for making those calls". Right now, we can use proprietary VOIP (Skype and Gizmo) and open VOIP (SIP). What's being asked for here is extending this to cover cellular/mobile voice networks.

Except that that's a huge straw man argument. It's almost completely irrelevant.

I have a Nokia E61i. I also have a T-Mobile contract. The two have nothing to do with eachother, other than the fact that I have my T-Mobile SIM in my E61i. Everything works (except the Euro 3G, obviously). Lots of people make GSM compliant devices that just need a SIM card. And the carriers will happily sell you a SIM card (prepaid card only, contract with a free or cheap phone that you can use for backup, etc.).

And I could have just as easily used it with an AT&T SIM card. With their pre-paid $20/30 days unlimited data option.

If a carrier wanted to support the device, sell it as a contract discounted phone, whatever, great. Bully for them. But it's not even remotely required.

(and, by the way, if the card was plugged directly into the NIT, it wouldn't be "tethering" so "anti-tether" plans wouldn't matter)

It's "The Way To Do It" because the options suck, not because it's the best possible option. No one "forgot" this, contrary to your condescending assertion. You seem to be forgetting, though, that there each possibility has pros and cons, and being limited to one option means that people who don't fit that one options pro/con list are left out in the cold (or with poor half-assed capabilities).

The same could be done with a Mini-PCI-Express module, or an ExpressCard slot -- you only have to re-buy the network interface, not the whole device.

And, let me get this straight... you're defending not having to re-buy your NIT by saying "I had to re-buy my phone". So, either way, you have to re-buy a device. But with a WWAN-NIT, you only have to carry _1_ device, instead of 2.

And "yet another carrier contract" -- you didn't have to do that with your phone? If you didn't, then you didn't get the discount. Same options if we're talking about a WWAN-NIT. You can buy the NIT off-contract and use your existing SIM card and service, no problem. If you buy on-contract, you get the discount.

Really, your arguments vary between condescending non-truths, moot statements, or self-contradictory statements that end up being the same with or without the WWAN inside the NIT.

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

As I pointed out, the size of the NIT is irrelevant to it's being used to make voice calls.

And, it having the ability to make voice calls doesn't mean you have to use a voice calling plan. Tell your carrier "I've put my SIM card into a Data card, so give me a data calling plan". Go from there.

Re: What woud you realistically like to see in the N900?
 

No. It's not.

In addition to what I've said already (about not holding it to your face), the N810 is only barely a little longer than the E61i, and only slightly wider (like 1 or 2 mm wider). It's form factor is already rather close to other phone offerings.

The "it's too big" argument is just flat out wrong.