Re: n900 looks like a toy compared to this
 

I love your posting, btw. :) Particularly the "authentic Commodore 64" experience. ;)

I've been saying this all along--Nokia had the opportunity to be at the FRONTIER of a market segment that they could take the credit in saying that they recognized and needed to exist--INTERNET TABLETS! They were THERE! They KNEW people wanted tablets.. they started small, but there weren't ANY large tablets at the time and the 770 and N8x0 screens were bigger than anybody else's at the time and YOU COULD BUY THEM.. they EXISTED.

Without looking it up, I seem to remember looking at the first pictures of the N900 and I'd described it back then that they released this bastardization of the Maemo family, made the screen smaller, took away the d-pad, moved the speakers around, gave it a cellular radio... waitaminit... this is no Internet Tablet... it's a TRAP! People laughed and thought it was a cute pun. Well, it was.. but I feel like it was also an astute observation. I had then gone on to point out that Nokia decided to turn their lead in a NEW market segment that they had carved for themselves and instead decided on YET ANOTHER ME-TOO PRODUCT to compete with the iPhone. God, I hate when I'm right about these kind of corporate idiocy things.

I prefer a true open-source Linux device, and I've been saddled with half-*****ed open-core stuff like Maemo and Android. Of the two, Android was the one I didn't think I could take seriously as a portable computing platform but it's managed to pull out surprise after surprise over the past year--whereas Nokia has failed to impress in the same way even in its own heyday at the top of the tablets. Way to go, Nokia, you f*ckwits. Don't screw up MeeGo. This might be your last chance to remain relevant enough to stick around once people decide to upgrade from their cheap, old Nokia "smart" phones stuck in ovi-limbo to an actual handset device with a real application-running OS.

Re: n900 looks like a toy compared to this
 

Amazon.de is about the only place perhaps. Well that and directly from them. But no sales outside of Germany or Belgium thus far.

As it stands, it might not even be a MeeGo certified product. That's been brought up in these forums a couple of times.

So yeah... no sales in the US yet. Might as well be called the JooJoo.

Re: n900 looks like a toy compared to this
 

Interesting - but..

1) It's a Motorola so will be locked down and start to malfunction in new and strange ways after a few weeks.

2) Buy the time it is available it will have been superseded by two or three other things.

3) No HW keyboard. I know it has a dock but FFS I have a laptop for that sort of ****.

Next......

Re: n900 looks like a toy compared to this
 

Yet you have a N900, a pocketable computer with a hardware keyboard. Wouldn't that be redundant?

Re: n900 looks like a toy compared to this
 

1) How does a Motorola malfunction in new and strange ways after a few weeks? I mean.. I've got a Motorola Droid. It's run pretty magnificently so far--a lot better than i had expected it would when I got it as my first Android device. Impressively so. So, again.. how?

2) I'm sorry--I can't "buy the time"... perhaps by the time Nokia puts out their new MeeGo devices it will have been superceded by two or three HUNDRED other things. You brought up the point, lad. Don't hate the players, hate the game.

3) Indeed, you probably DO have a laptop for that sort of thing. But I'll bet you can't undock your laptop's CPU and still have a small, but high-resolution, screen that you could continue to work with, look things up and run out the door instantly if you had to. I think the idea is to make the same device as useful as possible--not to say, "I've got yet another device to do that other function!"

Ahem. Next!

Re: n900 looks like a toy compared to this
 

Dock to get a keyboard going, running mobile apps on a comptuter screen... what the hell is the point of this device? Throw in the hugely underpowered battery (1900mAh) and a version of Android not meant even for tablet use, then I just don't see 1 and 1 coming together with this device.

Don't let the seemingly high specs and "computerphone" marketing fool you. Come on, this phone is rediculous in the most negative sense imaginable. I think anyone buying this device will be so sadly
dissapointed.

BONUS critique: List to yourself the things that the N900 does that the Atrix needs a dock for.

Re: n900 looks like a toy compared to this
 

Mind you, we still don't know all of what this dock is supposed to do, but my guess...

HDMI output to television?
Full-size, comfortable QWERTY keyboard?
Out-of-the-box mouse support?
Ethernet port in dock for speed?
High resolution screen?
Peripheral ports (host mode USB, printers, etc--hey, I've seen some customized Android devices support it, I wouldn't be surprised if a "laptop-like" docked system would be set up for it)

...but OH right--N900 can't actually DO any of these, can it? Well, I guess there IS output to television. There ya go, Jethro.. your little ol' toy managed to beat it at SOMETHING: genuine 1980's NTSC TV output!

Soooooo... wow.. worse than I thought. Not even Europe-wide. That's impressive in its own macabre way, in 2011. :P

Re: n900 looks like a toy compared to this
 

You're right, on closer inspection its better to compare it to the N8.

The N8 has this as its own connector that also doubles as the USB OTG.

Just make it support BT mice and keyboards and no dock is needed!

WiFi is more practical and commonly available in public areas, if you're in your workspace then use your desktop!

To do what? Watch your SMS app? Once again: HDMI output as its own connector!

The N8 already supports external USBs so it can prolly be done again through a same connector.

Well why would you want to see Android two, point ... -_- ... yawning to jawlock two in mega high-def? Just transfer the damn movie over a cable to the desktop you have there or play it from the device!

This device just has backward ideas behind it:

"Mobile apps on PC screens, so you can use your phone through your PC"
>> I thought we were trying to leave our laptops and desktops at home so we could do everything on our phones!

Re: n900 looks like a toy compared to this
 

This is a killer feature that many people are looking for.

I used a laptop for many years as my main PC but it can be awkward travelling with it nowadays (e.g. security at airports). I also had a PalmPilot Tungsten PDA and was inconvenient keeping my data synched with both of them

I imagine many people have this problem and something like Motorola's device is a big step to solving this.

It's a great idea - one device and place where your data is stored and the ability to "morph" the device into different use cases - at home plugged into tv /monitor/cat/dog using it like a laptop or when you are travellng the same device can be in your pocket.


It was one of the reasons I bought a n900 - a computer I can take anywhere and use at home for general use via TV and keyboard.
The n900 barely manages this and was a PITA to finally get working.

Re: n900 looks like a toy compared to this
 

Well, I was wrong to use complete generalization on my first paragraph; but the point I was trying to make was on the second paragraph.

ps: btw, I did not mean the developer community as 'customers' in my original context.

Re: n900 looks like a toy compared to this
 

i wonder if the Atrix has Copy/Paste on its browser?

but nice device......and its dual core, :)

Re: n900 looks like a toy compared to this
 

You might get a Nokia phone with the same specs.

But what OS is this you speak of? Meego the "yet to be released and working on anything?" Or the very stable and working Android 2.2 as seen in millions of devices the world over with across the board support from software / app developers, hardware manufacturers and carriers? If Meego follows what Maemo did (and there is no reason it won't) it has to mature on a hand set for a year before people realise what it can't and can do. Given Maemo panned as an OS for the market, I think a year is a good guess because a lot of possible customers have walked away from Nokia after Maemo, so you won't get the numbers flooding in.

This 'atrix' phone is out in June, probably a whole year ahead of a like for like mature Meego device. And given this is Nokia we are talking about, it probably won't be a phone, it will be a "personal computer with limited phone funcationality and heavy community support required." :)

Think we are a very long time of anything like a Ver2.2 mature Meego, if at all. (I still think Nokia will pull the plug on Meego, too many changes in Nokia and not enough big name companies taking up Meego in what is a very tough year all round.)

Personally I think more of the CES was spent showing off the mini laptop accessory, than the actual phone. So I want to start seeing it on sale and reading reviews. A dual core just means more battery drain so will be interesting to see how it copes.

Re: n900 looks like a toy compared to this
 

I have no idea what the heck you are talking about.

My N900 has full keyboard support, full mouse support, a large screen, can transfer files, can do all the srtuff I want, and it has the advantage that it uses my regular wireless keyboard and my favourite wireless mouse. Best of all, there is no physical connection to break or need unpocketing.

It's called VNC.

Re: n900 looks like a toy compared to this
 

But it's rolling in the aisles funny how Nokia got out of Internet Tablets just before the tablet revolution hit, and this site cleverly changed its name away from Internet Tablet Talk -- remember, that's what brought many of us here! -- shortly before the rest of the world started caring about tablets.

Re: n900 looks like a toy compared to this
 

I think there is something everyone here needs to understand you won't see physical keyboards on many devices (beyond PC's and messaging phones) and you won't see resistive touchscreens anymore. Bear in mind I'm including Nokia in all of this. The first MeeGo phone will probably be very much like the n8 with no keyboard and capacitive screen.

Re: n900 looks like a toy compared to this
 

Too bad they squandered that lead.

Re: n900 looks like a toy compared to this
 

But this was about the portable computer/N900. Not the Symbian based N8 - which has been marketed as solely a phone.

HDMI output versus composite. Why would you switch to the N8? Just to prove a point?

Re: n900 looks like a toy compared to this
 

I want it!!! , will it work with Telcel carrier in Mexico?
I think Telcel uses the same frequencies as AT & T but I'm not sure

Re: n900 looks like a toy compared to this
 

It will probably dissapoint like the original droid did - I was very very close to buying it, but then changed my mind once the N900 was announced.

Re: n900 looks like a toy compared to this
 

Why wouldn't it have cut/paste? Androids have always had cut/paste. I'm not sure where this was coming from--did you confuse it with iOS (where they only recently got cut/paste) or with Windows Phone 7 (where they took away cut/paste after updating from Windows Mobile)?

Full keyboard support... not really supported out-of-the box, mind you. You need to hack it into doing it, wireless keyboard and all. Full mouse support... again, not supported, hacked. Large screen? Where? Uhhh, No. hahah About the ONLY good argument you made is that it does all the srtuff [sic] you want.

It would appear that our friend attempted to twist the conversation to suit his arguments and dismissed the argument he had actually made. I didn't bother responding. I was laughing to hard each time I looked at it to respond anyway. Dear, oh dear. It was an incredible maneuver that deserves a bit of comedic credit, wouldn't you agree? :)

Oops.. I think you made a mistake. The Droid didn't disappoint by any measure. Last time I checked, it was what saved Motorola from performing a flaming nosedive in the market over the past year and it's still managing to perform quite well even compared to many new Android handsets. Maybe I missed something, though. Where did you hear about how this Droid was disappointing? Disappointing to whom? Citation, please?

Re: n900 looks like a toy compared to this
 

My next phone will definitely have Tegra 2 in it :) Now lets hope its gonna be Nokia :D

Re: n900 looks like a toy compared to this
 

Prevent this...prevent that...arrrrgh.
Then these devices are useless.

HW keyboard is a must.
Best phone would be with the mentioned HW specs
(+keyboard), the hack possibilities of Maemo/MeeGo/Linux,
the number of apps of Android (with
or without paying), no Appstore dependency - simple dpkg and similar.

I'll buy my next phone if all this comes true.
;-)

Re: n900 looks like a toy compared to this
 

Sure?
:
http://androidforums.com/droid-suppo...paste-how.html


I'd say copy and paste as described in the android forum is
bullsh...
Maybe it got better since 12-08-2010?
;-)

Re: n900 looks like a toy compared to this
 

The battery issue also came to my mind.
It reminds me of the problems some people have with N900...


Afaics the dock is just a way to work around the "I do not have a keyboard. PLEEEEZE help!"
;-)

Re: n900 looks like a toy compared to this
 

Yes, I'm quite sure. About the only notable thing to point out is that they vastly improved the selection method in Swype and the new Android virtual keyboard where you get draggable flags on either side of the selected text--makes selecting text by finger MUCH more accurate.

I'm still not sure I follow you. It's a long-press then you pick whether to copy-all, cut-all or select text. You can long-press to paste too. I'm sure you've long-pressed to do things in Maemo. I know I have. In either case, you didn't explain how, as you had postured it, Android was lacking a cut/paste. Please explain.

Re: n900 looks like a toy compared to this
 

Erm... Android has cut and paste. Has for quite some time. Like danramos said... long press, select all, select text and you can select from start to finish where you want to copy; ditto for paste.

Microsoft Windows Phone 7 is the only one out without copy and paste; and that update is being pushed right now.

Re: n900 looks like a toy compared to this
 

Oh You have a device that functions perfectly. That must mean that that the devices that I have had experience with and reports from other who have suffered problems must be illusions and lies. Wonderful.
You are this threads' typo / spell checker, again, good for you, but there is no player here to be hated. All manufacturers produce a shoddy device from time to time. Consider "the game" hated.
No I can't unlock the CPU, but I don't need to and I am not alone. At the end of the day there will never be a device that fits all people for all the different things they need to do on the move or not. End of story. Simply put, this device is not offering anything, apart from maybe some more speed, than other options current or pending.

Opinion is opinion my friend. Love it or hate it.

Re: n900 looks like a toy compared to this
 

Out of 24 Droids for two of the offices I support, I saw only one bad Droid. We got a replacement in 3 days, no problems on updates or anything since.

Out of the three N900's in those very same offices, two were faulty within months, the third was returned.

I guess it's all a matter of perspective and experience. So far, my experience with Droid phones has been positive... just not positive enough to have persuaded me against buying a Samsung Captivate (Galaxy S variant for AT&T in the US) instead.

I don't think people are arguing that the Atrix is the end all/say all solution for everybody. It just does a better job than quite a few other solutions before it - N900 possibly included.

Re: n900 looks like a toy compared to this
 

Well, clearly I can't argue any of this if it's just your opinion. I'll admit that I, and my friends and family who've been following my purchasing habits and themselves purchased a Droid as well, have had very, very few qualms about the Droid and that might taint my opinion of it positive. On the other hand, not living with a Droid and predatory reading through the forums to look for complaints about the Droid taints you negative, too. In either case, it would appear from the positive sales and a healthy modding community built around that specific device, that it has had a particularly healthy and overwhelmingly positive effect on Motorola and on its users. Opinions are like that sometimes--they don't always match up with the reality. But sometimes they do for many of us.

Re: n900 looks like a toy compared to this
 

I don't agree, our n900s don't looks like toys because of this feature:
*run a full debian in my pocket*

Re: n900 looks like a toy compared to this
 

N900 made to look like a toy? I accept that, and don't think anyone disagrees, that Atrix is very powerful but to say N900 is a toy? Quite silly.
The Apple franchise is cartoonish in comparison but Maemo 5 isnt. I'd love to see Meego OS at it's peak and compared to these Google skins.

Re: n900 looks like a toy compared to this
 

Yay. So can anybody else.

OH SHI'! It runs on an Android phone with NATIVE xorg.. WITHOUT VNC!!!
http://www.androidcentral.com/meego-...amsung-nexus-s

OH NOES! What can you boast about now???

I agree somewhat with what you're saying: this is hyperbole. The fact remains that the N900 has no evolutionary replacement available yet and it's very outdated. Although community maintained open-source development would have helped it maintain some semblance of modernization, updates and improvements, Maemo isn't very open and Nokia is doing very little with the community to actually make it as useful or as capable as it could be. If you wanted to get something newer and better, your alternatives aren't Maemo or even MeeGo based. So, yeah.. the N900 looks like a toy compared to this bleeding-edge device, its specs and flexibility. To argue that the N900 is "good enough" or that it can do all the same things is religious zealous at its best and certainly doesn't ask Nokia to improve anything at its worst.

Re: n900 looks like a toy compared to this
 

Hang on a Nvidia Tegra 2 dual-core 1GHz processor.
Now I know Nvidia and there hardware can generate some heat.
I just wonder if this device will turn into a toaster before long>< :D

Re: n900 looks like a toy compared to this
 

I thought you could already use x-servers and clients with the the N900, i'm pretty sure i've seen a video on Youtube where a guy shows his mouse cursor and keyboard focus moving across a bunch of machines in his office, a N900 among them.

Re: n900 looks like a toy compared to this
 

Another benefit of resistive screens, even if you need to use ovenmints 'cause of the temperature of the device you can still use the touchscreens :P

Re: n900 looks like a toy compared to this
 

I have the feeling you didn't fully read my post. I may be wrong. I means it has full keyboard and mouse and display support via VNC.

I am referring to X11VNC server that is available for N900 just about after launch, which makes for an almost complete dock.

I fail to see how an actual hardware dock would benefit me in real life. You can't really play games over VNC but frankly if you have all that hardware one assumes you have gaming ability.

Also, typos are unavoidable on a small screen with a crammed keyboard and no spellcheck (most of my posts are from an N900). I think I have a pretty good ratio here.

Anyway, if N900 would natively support my wireless keyboard I couldn't care less. I'm mot lugging it around and I'm not re-pairing it every session.

VNC is the best thing that ever happened to N900. I have a client tree that lists all the PCs in my house, all at work (over VPN), plus a few other. Why would I squander seamless cross platform connectivity for a hardware rig? Bragging rights? I have other things to brag about.

Re: n900 looks like a toy compared to this
 

..............



[EDIT]hmmm looks nice but will be costly i think!

Re: n900 looks like a toy compared to this
 

Selecting text in most applications with the fingers on N900 is no problem (as long as you do not have very thick fingers).
Without "draggable flags".
;-)

I was just talking about the fact that even Andoid users are not very
pleased with the way of selecting.

Otoh on N900 it seems to depend on the application, if you can use all selection methods (e.g. classical sweeping over text for selection like in the xterm on all Linux machines that I had up to now).
Mailtool let you sweep over text for selection in the subject line but not in the message text, there you do it with shift-left and shift right.
What I am missing is the classical double click to select a word.
But maybe some applications for N900 do even that one.


I said that it is imperfect.
"i use the copy paste often and it does lack"
( http://androidforums.com/droid-suppo...paste-how.html )
But as I said above it depends on the application on the N900
also. :)

Re: n900 looks like a toy compared to this
 

?
First N900 is compared to a new hardware and now there is the
"sudden" knowledge that N900 came out long before that new
hardware?
;-)
Don't you think that this is a bit unfair?
;-)

And now again the fact is forgotten, that N900 came out long before this "bleeding-edge device"?
N900 would only (!)look like a toy if the "bleeding-edge device" came out at the same time.

N900 is the older device, remember?
That as a fact it made all other devices at that time to toys.
Today it may not be on par with the new hardware, but to demand
that one is unrealistic.
SW is still on par with todays devices, if the application uses all the
possibilities (see our discussion about selection).
SW is even better than that newer Microsoft crap.

Re: n900 looks like a toy compared to this
 

That sounds as if Ubuntu runs on top of Android.
Afaics this is not the case.
Also I would not be sure about VNC:
http://admin.androidcentral.com/ubun...int-htc-evo-4g
shows a similar case:
"This doesn't run like Ubuntu does on your computer. In this case, Ubuntu runs as a sub-system on your smartphone, allowing you to switch from Android to Ubuntu and back again without any trouble. You start it from the command line in a terminal emulator and then use a VNC client to connect to the Ubuntu desktop."