Poll: I am going to buy the n900 no matter what!!
 

SO lets see who is willing to get the n900 irrespective of specs and price...

Re: Poll: I am going to buy the n900 no matter what!!
 

Nobody, because whoever claims to 'buy for sure' is enthusiastic based on what is known or guestimated about the specs and price. ;)

Re: Poll: I am going to buy the n900 no matter what!!
 

I voted the last option only because I'm sure the price will be too high this side of the pond.

Re: Poll: I am going to buy the n900 no matter what!!
 

i'd be more interested in some of the stock maemo apps becoming usable, so I didn't have the need to work around the shortcomings.

modest still isn't quite good enough, but claws-mail is a good alternative.

built-in chat isn't nearly as usable as pidgin.

still haven't found an adequate calendaring app, even if you drag in google calendar. i had the opensync bits set up to the point that they were almost usable with Oracle/syncml'ish behavior, but the front-end for the calendar app with opensync support (forgot the name now) was missing a lot of basic time-zone and time/date localization options to make my calendar look sane for my area.

WPA2 enterprise support is quite incomplete, and I'm unable to use my WPA2 network @ work with EAP/PEAP/GTC/TKIP support, although I've seen people have luck with MSCHAP/v2 options.

still disappointed that the current version of skype doesn't support the camera/video on the n810, and I'm not really interested in using gizmo as an alternative when I'd rather see the skype app get video support.

finally, ssh w/kerberos support would be nice. the kerberos client tools and libraries aren't really that useful if other apps aren't actually linked against the kerberos bits.

still, maemo is very decent, and the web browser is amazing compared to any of the options (dillo, konqueror, opera, etc...) on my last linux-based PDA (sharp zaurus 5500) running GPE or QPE or the stock zaurus OS.

Re: Poll: I am going to buy the n900 no matter what!!
 

for many people the n800 or n810 are "good enough", so the tablet(ng) will have to be compelling for the price.

Re: Poll: I am going to buy the n900 no matter what!!
 

well, since the likelihood of my getting a free one has been significantly reduced, it will come down to price. But odds are I will get one.

Re: Poll: I am going to buy the n900 no matter what!!
 

What, and 2-3x the performance, OpenGL, and the ability to decode 720p aren't?

There's always those discount codes. :)

Re: Poll: I am going to buy the n900 no matter what!!
 

Yeah, if I qualified...

Re: Poll: I am going to buy the n900 no matter what!!
 

Why wouldn't you? File a few more bugs, maybe edit the wiki a little. Make sure that new blog of yours is counting to your maemo.org karma. As long as you're not employed by Nokia.

Remember, they're not just for developers anymore.

Re: Poll: I am going to buy the n900 no matter what!!
 

Yeah, good points. And I contacted Quim to see about getting the blog fed to maemo. I have a huge backlog of stuff to get up there...

Re: Poll: I am going to buy the n900 no matter what!!
 

My N800 goes pretty much everywhere I go, save for situations in which I don't have a backpack or some place to fit it since it doesn't fit well in my pockets. I just recently purchased a HTC Touch Pro and am completely underwhelmed with the WM6.1 experience (coming from a HTC Typhoon with WM2003)-- no devices I have had the opportunity to play with can match my N800 in terms of software quality and usability.

However, I find my tablet lacking in some areas that other devices excel: video performance (i.e. scrolling in MicroB) and 3d video acceleration.
I greatly await the arrival of the N900 or whatever it'll be called, but only if we are treated to the entire feature set promised by the Maemo guys at the conference.

Basically, if it can fit in my pocket and watch native DVD formats, Nokia gets a large chunk of money courtesy of my pocket.

I only hope it manifests its self before someone else ports Android completely to my Touch Pro... it would be much harder to convince myself to purchase another device if my phone ran Linux (and that is a HUGE selling point for me).

Re: Poll: I am going to buy the n900 no matter what!!
 

No need to bug Quim. ;) http://maemo.org/news/planet-maemo/aggregate_your_blog/

Re: Poll: I am going to buy the n900 no matter what!!
 

Ah! Thanks. Now I just need to find out the right filtering command for using a specific category...

EDIT: got it!

http://tabulacrypticum.wordpress.com...ng-maemo/feed/

(sorry for the OT sachin)

Re: Poll: I am going to buy the n900 no matter what!!
 

The N800 has been a fantastic productivity device for me (no, I wouldn't swap it for an iphone or an ee in a pink fit). That's largely because of third-party tailoring, Addition of GPE, abiword and OpenOffice satisfies my key uses; I would never have bought it as an internet tablet only. That doesn't leave a lot of room for a new machine. However I'd shell out again if it either supported these uses better (esp. OpenOffice), or gave me new ones. The keys for those are:
.video out (vga or dvi - or even better, wireless usb)
.wimax compatibility with Korean WiBro (unfortunately this is a minority requirement :( )
.min 512MB RAM
Any two of the three would probably sell me; one out of three would be line-ball

Re: Poll: I am going to buy the n900 no matter what!!
 

After a few months I find the n810 to be too slow (to be expected, but part of it is a SW issue I think) and not quite stable. Leaking memory and half-baked applications (to be expected if you rely so much on community). While I like linux on my desktop, my next device will probably be windows mobile again unless... nah, they won't get their act together.

Re: Poll: I am going to buy the n900 no matter what!!
 

The new aigo mid runs winxp or desktop linux. I will probably be picking one up unless the n900 is insanely awesome. I can't wait to see it.

Re: Poll: I am going to buy the n900 no matter what!!
 

You're so right! But I voted 'no matter what' because I really, really, really want an N900! ;)


}:^)~
YARR!

Capt'N810

Re: Poll: I am going to buy the n900 no matter what!!
 

The decision to buy my next device will be made on the existence of a sustainable, developer supported, software infrastructure.

I don’t care if it is a Nokia N900, Intel MID, Pandora, iPhone running Linux, Open Source Arcos, whatever.

Hardware superiority over the N8*0 will be a given, that is the way technology progresses.

OTOH if such a platform does not emerge then I shall continue to get by with my N800. Why would I want to spend good money in order to do the same thing only marginally faster?

Re: Poll: I am going to buy the n900 no matter what!!
 

It depends on what particular features a person is looking for. After all, it someone is fine with the current processor speed, and have other wants for a new device, a faster processor speed won't be compelling for them. (The reintroduction of a hard case will all but ensure I buy the N900.) And, of course, most people will have to do a cost-benefit calculation based on their disposable income and the additional features they like on the N900 over the NIT version they already own.

Re: Poll: I am going to buy the n900 no matter what!!
 

This is exactly the way i thought when the n800 came out(i had the 770), but when i switched to the n800.... boy was i wrong!!

Re: Poll: I am going to buy the n900 no matter what!!
 

well I am looking for Linux in my pocket, and this is exactly what the 770, 800 and 810 gave me. I am sure I will be happily surprised with the next release. The hardware combined with the openness will keep me coming back.

Re: Poll: I am going to buy the n900 no matter what!!
 

More "performance" isn't needed for my primary tasks - PIM, email, and SSH. OpenGL and 720p assumes I have any desire to look at anything other than text on the N900.

I'm in (what I assume is) a unique situation in that I have a very low-end cellphone (vx8350) issued by work with a very high-end plan attached to it. (Unlimited everything, including 3G tethering.)
The N810 is the perfect companion for such a situation, and any moves the N900 makes towards integrating cell-phone-like features (I include WiMAX in that) is a waste of money for me.

Re: Poll: I am going to buy the n900 no matter what!!
 

Everyone has their own use case(s), and they're all valid. :D

Re: Poll: I am going to buy the n900 no matter what!!
 

Well, since we know it will be OMAP 3 or whatever, it'll be down to price and software. At this rate, the new device will have a few respectable competitors, using similar hardware. Unless I'm just totally off the mark. ;)

Re: Poll: I am going to buy the n900 no matter what!!
 

Regardless of what we know about the processor we don't know the things which I consider deal-breakers:
We don't know if it will have a physical keyboard - and what the "thumbability" factor might be.
We don't know how well the screen will be readable in daylight.
We don't know the weight, size, or quality of construction.
We don't know the battery life.
We don't know what the physical connectors will be. (Micro USB and MicroSD again? USBOTG? Power?)

Re: Poll: I am going to buy the n900 no matter what!!
 

Though there are no specific or official details on any of these, a lot of them can be assumed based on previous hardware.

The likelihood of Nokia offering the new device without a hardware keyboard is extremely low. The virtual input methods became filled with regressions after the release of the N810, and improvements have not been forthcoming. The state of virtual input is reasonably strong evidence of Nokia not considering it an important feature for future devices. Besides, the N810's implementation has proven to be a well-received decision that they'd be unlikely to go back on.

Now, the usability of any hardware keyboard they design is certainly suspect.

It'd be safe to assume that neither of the first three will be likely to deviate overly much from existing hardware. Quality of construction, well, whatever's planned can always be undermined by unforeseen manufacturing defects.

This one is pretty safe to extrapolate to a reasonable ballpark based on current hardware and some basic information about the OMAP3. Best-case, it'll be significantly better than current hardware (as the OMAP3 at idle uses significantly less power than OMAP2 at idle—crazy, right?), worst-case, it'll be marginally worse (the maximum consumption of the OMAP3 is a bit higher than OMAP2, especially when you factor in the PowerVR—so if you're listening to music playing Quake III, you're likely to get less battery life ;)).

MicroUSB with OTG support are extremely safe assumptions. Whether it'll charge over USB, well, does the N97?

Re: Poll: I am going to buy the n900 no matter what!!
 

what do you guys think about the 3G aigo mid coming out this month?
http://www.umpcportal.com/products/Aigo/MID/8888W

will the n900 blow it away? It looks pretty awesome to me but I don't want to pick one up until I see the n900 features.

Re: Poll: I am going to buy the n900 no matter what!!
 

OMAP 3, a much better camera, and Nokia's quality build will make the N900 a must have for me.

Re: Poll: I am going to buy the n900 no matter what!!
 

I don't know if future tablets will charge over (micro) USB, but consider:

-some Nokia phones do (as well as competitors)
-it can serve to drive down cost
-it can help reduce size and weight

USB charging is an all-around win solution. I can't see it remaining as fringe use very much longer...

Re: Poll: I am going to buy the n900 no matter what!!
 

I like USB charging, but I'm not convinced it's an all-around win on a tablet with USB host capabilities. Even when using a powered hub, accessing USB devices on my N800 seems to drain the battery fairly quickly.

I like having the option of being able to charge the device while using USB peripherals at the same time.

Re: Poll: I am going to buy the n900 no matter what!!
 

For me these are nice-to-haves but not deciding factors. Also not a factor: the "HD" camera. Let's face it, it's not even going to come close in quality (lens, sensor, image processing) to the Lumix I'm already carrying everywhere.

The most important feature IMHO is the software. If Fremantle is as good as we've been hearing then the device is worth getting. If on the other hand it turns out to be as half-baked as 4.x is now (about a year after first release) I'll be tempted to give it a miss and wait for Harmattan.

Hardware things that would make the upgrade worthwhile (other things being equal) include:

• more RAM
• higher resolution display
• better keyboard
• HSPA modem (but see below)

A lot depends on the quality (hardware and software) of the added peripheral devices. I've been disappointed by the ones we've had so far (webcam, GPSR, keyboard, ambient light sensor), so I'll probably be waiting for reviews before buying this time.

Oh, and just in case they get any funny ideas: I would never buy it subsidised by (and locked to) any cellco.

Re: Poll: I am going to buy the n900 no matter what!!
 

Indeed. I'm hoping for something closer to the E90 but I'm worried we'll get stuck with something like the truly awful N97 layout :-(

Re: Poll: I am going to buy the n900 no matter what!!
 

N97 layout "truly awful"???

Re: Poll: I am going to buy the n900 no matter what!!
 

The N97 has a good keyboard layout for a compact phone, but for a tablet you really need a central space bar, dot/comma in the usual position, direct access to more symbols such as square brackets and curly braces (for C programmers), dollar/pound signs, etc. A control-key is nice for emacs users. I also like to see a separate row for the numeric keys.

Re: Poll: I am going to buy the n900 no matter what!!
 

Whilst I expect and welcome performance increases, and the other bit's and bobs.
If if doesn't support phone use it's a waste of time, I really don't want to have two contracts. One for my phone and one for my Nokia.
For me that is the _must_ have.
I am very happy with my n810 (and previous n800).
That said, If it's nice enough I'll probably get one and just tether it to my phone like I am doing at the moment - although that would be very very annoying!

Unless I'm missing something obvious? Like having two phones on one contract, is that possible?

Re: Poll: I am going to buy the n900 no matter what!!
 

@deadmalc - I think the idea with the HSPA connectivity in the Maemo5 device(s) is that you stop using your phone! If you have a decent data plan (price/Gb/month), then carry your tablet around and use a VoIP provider like Gizmo or Skype with a Call-In number. No need for a cell phone then.

I voted for the 'price' option. But that does not only mean the price of the tablet, which I hope will be for < $450 CAD. I won't buy this device if the Canadian cell providers continue to charge exorbatent rates for data. And the current 3G modems/sticks are also made more expensive with those $6.95 system access fees. I would like to see some new data plan models in Canada with the introduction of the Maemo5 device which makes it affordable to use an internet-based device (i.e. Maemo5 device) instead of a cellular-based one such as a phone. Will Nokia have enough draw/pull in Canada to make this happen - probably not - look at the iPhone 3G debacle that occurred here in the summer.

Re: Poll: I am going to buy the n900 no matter what!!
 

I'd be interested, but I'd be amazed if I could get a plan where voip via phone was cheaper (or even roughly the same) as standard phone calls.
Could anyone provide any info on whether this is feasible?

3G can sometimes take up to 5 minutes just to load the bbc news home page, just depends where you are (not always like those dodgy Iphone ads [the internet...really fast]) - so using voip over it seems a non starter, unless you don't care about high reliability - but In it's defence I guess the tablet isn't exactly a mass market device yet.

Does the quality of a 3G connection depend more on the quality of the chipset used (I know the I Phone is supposed to have a terrible one)?

I know the try it and see maybe the only option, but it could be a costly one! Help and advice appreciated.

I've done some research and if you do any amount of travelling using VOIP and data connection you will need a second morgage for the bill, data connections and roaming are horrendously expensive.
I was advised by 02 to turn off mail delivery for blackberries if you go outside the UK, so having a standard phone would be a requirement if you do any travelling.

Re: Poll: I am going to buy the n900 no matter what!!
 

Most people who will buy a N900 will not carry around a Lumix everywhere. For most normal purposes the HD camera is good enough. If you buy a new smartphone its not as if you require all features either. You look at the complete pack, and decide.

If you take the 2-3 times better performance into account: very welcome. You mention more RAM is what you want, but better processor performance also allows more swapping. Better battery life allows better performance; and better performance allows better battery life. So if you look at it from such angle, the better performance is very welcome, and you will very much appreciate it. Think of it. Would you prefer MicroB to start up faster? Would you want to surf faster? Its a no-brainer. Nokia cannot screw this part up except software-wise. And we'll know more about performance once Pandora is out (ZzZz).

Re: Poll: I am going to buy the n900 no matter what!!
 

Assuming you're not falling-back to a non-3G connection, you are probably connecting to "plain 3G" i.e. UMTS W-CDMA. The N900 is promised to support HSPA (high speed packet access). The download part of this, HSDPA, is sometimes called 3.5G by marketing people.

I have used my N800 (with a cellphone via bluetooth) on both 3G and HSPA networks, and the difference is unbelievable. HSPA browsing feels almost like WiFi, whereas plain 3G sometimes can be very clunky.

Today's HSDPA phones support maximum download speeds of 3.6 or 7.2 MBit/s but it doesn't matter much because (depending on a number of factors) you don't realistically achieve the maximum. A throughput of 2 Mbit/s is just as good whether your phone is capable of 3.6 or 7.2 MBit/s.

Roger

Re: Poll: I am going to buy the n900 no matter what!!
 

Why wait for the Pandora? We've already got OMAP3 hardware (and have for several months) to tell us what the performance will be. It's called the Beagle Board. ;)