Re: N900 vs. Motorola Droid (Verizon Android device)
 

Eh, I'm not a fan of docks, it's nice that they'll charge the device for you but you have to pay for them. (Same reason why I never bought into Apple's iPods and all those docks) And the Droid doesn't have a TV output either (something I do plan on using). I'll take standard inputs over docks anyday.

Android isn't as optimized for multi-tasking as Maemo is. Not to mention Android has had problems due to the way it's framework is designed (video and audio codecs for example)

You don't think the same thing applies for Android? Even Android device has different hardware, different screens, etc.. if I was a developer I would just target the most common differences, not take advantage of a few devices like Droid and cut myself off from other Android devices.

Last I read those threads..

1) MMS-app it's being worked on but it's not a simple program and your done. It seems that it requires something outside of the device (but I just read the thread real quick)

2) Portrait modes, some applications already do portrait mode.. nobody cares to make a full portrait mode for the device (it seems they rather just let each developer decide if they want to do a portrait mode). I can't imagine it would be that difficult to do a rotation hack combined with the accelerameter considering the rotation hack has been done on the n800/n810 for a while now. The only problem is that when you do that then the applications won't look as nicely (and that's a developer issue not an operating system one).

3) Ovi Maps is Nokia, nothing the community can do.

4) Google Apps is Google, nothing the community can do about it. Lest Google sends us a cease and desist letter. :rolleyes:

I do believe that's Maemo's weakpoint (that Nokia will probably only offer it on their devices) and why Android will win in the long run (though it's my hope Maemo will make a big enough splash that its competitors will take notice and adopt attributes from Maemo".

E.g. not having all apps run through java, better multi-tasking, etc..

As for choice in programs, sure if you only look at n900 specific applications there's only a small amount. More if you include what existed on the previous tablets and what's possible by doing things like running easy Debian for example.

Though in the end it goes back to the whole smartphone vs computer/internet tablet thing. And if people are looking for a smartphone I personally don't think they should choose the n900, I see it having more desktop roots than phone roots.

I'm on the opposite side, I wanna see Android improve before I inevitably switch over to Android. So I'm hoping that Maemo will make a big enough splash that it'll cause its competitors to change things are done.

Re: N900 vs. Motorola Droid (Verizon Android device)
 

My one and only reservation about taking the plunge into Maemo 5:

I'm still not aware of any way to keep it sync'ed with my google contacts and/or google calendar. I don't mean with erming, I mean with the native Maemo 5 contacts and calendar. If it supported true/full SyncML, it would be a no brainer -- GooSync. But, Maemo5's SyncML support is lobotomized/castrated for some unknown reason (BT/USB only).

I might be able to do without the calendar syncing ... but not without the contacts syncing. It'd be rather annoying to not be able to directly make phone calls with a phone ... always having to look the contact up in gmail so that I can then manually dial them. That would be rather pointless. (and, google will always be the current/authoritative source of my contacts, thus Maemo5 must accommodate that, and not dictate that I make something like Ovi be the authoritative data source, nor something else equally inane).

Re: N900 vs. Motorola Droid (Verizon Android device)
 

Still, I know of no capability that all the ported and soon to be ported Maemo apps have that does not also exist on Android and many of the ports I've seen on previous tablets (like my N810) are pretty rudimentary. Android may not offer a lot more but it's got a solid lead.

I think you're right and I think this is going to be a problem for Nokia. People who buy the N900 as a smartphone are going to be finding a number of things that other smartphones do better and cheaper. On the other hand, people who are looking for a PC in their pocket can pick from a number of MIDs and UMPCs that come closer to that experience.

I''m orthogonally opposite to both of you. I want to see the next generation of devices before I take the plunge. I'd like Maemo's flexibility running on a big screen phone with a gigahertz or more CPU under the hood. The N910 maybe?

Re: N900 vs. Motorola Droid (Verizon Android device)
 

Droid is a good phone centric device and works great with Verizon 3G- wish it had Flash now rather than June/July. Still, I am returning Droid and will keep the N900 due to:

1. Keyboard SUCKS and d-pad is a dysfunctional waste of space.
2. SD card blocked by battery
3. Re-encoding videos to play on Droid is time consuming
4. Low app space
5. Not many great apps except what shipped last year and the New Navigator. Tons of Lego-like duplicate apps (due to high level SDK- apps are kind of like lego builds)
6. The camera is weak and not so sure software will fix- lense seems below average and capture speed is slow.

I love the 3G with Verizon though and wish the N900 worked with their service.

Added:

In spite of all of this, the Droid would still be my second choice (for now)- due to Verizon coverage and speed in my area.

Re: N900 vs. Motorola Droid (Verizon Android device)
 

Demo'd Droid at a local Verizon store today. Just not in the same class as n900 (at least in view of all the n900 videos showing off its features). KB not as bad as some reviews state, though the blank/dead keys are weird. Browser decent. Included apps okay. Didn't see any particular advantage to the capacitive screen. If the n900 actually performs as it appears to, then I really don't see any worthy comparison at all. Build good. It'll all seem dated in just a few months. FTM, n900 is 2nd to none.

Re: N900 vs. Motorola Droid (Verizon Android device)
 

Yeah, I see the n900's competition more as the MIDs and UMPCs with cell phone capability than smartphones that try to have PC functionality.

I would be waiting for the fight (that was my plan) but I've decided that with how busy my life is (I underestimated how busy grad school + work + a 4 hr commute both ways takes time out of your day) I need to get a device like the n900 soon just to keep on top of things.

Re: N900 vs. Motorola Droid (Verizon Android device)
 

That might be an accurate dividing line.

Android is a linux based evolution/application of the smartphone.

Maemo is a linux based MID, evolving to develop telephony.

They're aiming toward the same point, eventually (growing toward the middle, from opposite ends of the spectrum) ... and they're both starting with similar code bases ... but their starting points are definitely at opposite ends of the spectrum.

Re: N900 vs. Motorola Droid (Verizon Android device)
 

Maemo 5 includes Mail for Exchange. While MfE suffers a list of limitations, it will sync one calendar (your choice) on the N900 with one Google calendar (the first one). It also syncs the names and email addresses of contacts.

Re: N900 vs. Motorola Droid (Verizon Android device)
 

That's good to know (and, thank you for the info) ... but I'm more concerned about (names + phone numbers) than (names + email addresses). Of course, all 3 would be the best.

Re: N900 vs. Motorola Droid (Verizon Android device)
 

I've no idea if there's even an open API to use, but there's an open request for jaffa to add better Google contacts syncing to Hermes.