Finding Maemo @ TheInquirer
 

I was reading TheInquirer and they have an article about the N900 and the Maemo OS shipping with it. I found it actually a good read... unusual for TheInquirer article :eek:

http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/.../finding-maemo

Re: Finding Maemo @ TheInquirer
 

It's a good article (especially since I agree with most of its points). The one thing that everyone here needs to keep in their minds is the conclusion. Carolina Milanesi of the Gartner Group says:

"It has no appeal to someone who just wants a phone - its about developers. It's a PC first and a phone second, its design is not something that will appeal to many people. It is technology for the sake of technology, but it's very encouraging as a platform going forward. It is not fixing the problem. It is more of a proof of concept".

If that is true, the N900 may not be long for this world. The question (which most of us will not be able to answer and which those who could answer are probably not permitted to honestly answer) is whether or not Nokia views the N900 as a beta test.

Re: Finding Maemo @ TheInquirer
 

Qgil tweete that earlier today. Dave, what you quote comes after various positive and negative observations. The overal article is quite informative, even including the Gartner spokeswoman, and you could see your quote simply as phase 4/5.

Re: Finding Maemo @ TheInquirer
 

Overall I liked the article, but jeez... you just can't win against the iPhone no matter what you do:

In other words, Nokia has a device far superior to the iPhone in the ultra high end, and far greater volume than the iPhone in all other categories, but because it doesn't have a device exactly like the iPhone, it fails. Groan...


Edit: and what the hell are people who only want phone functionality doing buying an iPhone anyway?

Re: Finding Maemo @ TheInquirer
 

Superior marketing. :o

Re: Finding Maemo @ TheInquirer
 

Let me say that I don't consider her quote negative at all. But I do see posts in the N900 forum that seem to think the N900 will be or could be a mass market device. I don't see it as that and I doubt Nokia views it that way either. While it may generate buzz, I don't think you'll see the sales (or the marketing campaigns) that you see for the G1, much less the Pre, and much, much less the iPhone.

I should also point out that when I said the N900 may not be long for the world, I meant that I would expect a redesigned N910 within the year.

Please note that I'd love to be wrong. More sales would drive the price down and might convince an American carrier to subsidize it.

Re: Finding Maemo @ TheInquirer
 

There's one thing I've been wondering about the US market. If people really believe a smartphone costs $99, like they seem to do, wouldn't the market for actually cheap phones be nonexistent?

Conversely, if people are actually buying the cheaper phones because they realize they come with cheaper monthly rates, then why do they still talk like those smartphones actually cost $99?

Re: Finding Maemo @ TheInquirer
 

No, actually cheap phones are free. In fact, I've seen prepaid phones on sale for less than the value of the prepaid minutes that come with the phone.

Because Americans, in general, have no idea what "unlocked" means. They take it for granted that a phone only works with one carrier. If you change carriers you change phones. It's only in the last few years that Americans have been allowed to change carriers without changing phone numbers as well. Furthermore, there is no discount for not buying a subsidized phone from the carrier versus providing your own unlocked phone.

Re: Finding Maemo @ TheInquirer
 

Smoking some pretty weird stuff.

Re: Finding Maemo @ TheInquirer
 

Remember, a phone is also a fashion statement and a class statement.

Why do people buy any designer labels?

After all, look at Vertu's $8,500.00 phone:

http://www.cellgsmphones.com/content..._in_stock.html

(and this isn't even their most expensive model). :eek: