maemo.org - Talk - Clueless

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- Nokia N900 (https://talk.maemo.org/forumdisplay.php?f=44)

- - Clueless (https://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=47931)

Hello community. I'm thinking of buying N900 but this device seem to have very unclear future and I don't want to be left with unsupported brick. I know Nokia is switching to MeeGo and if N900 is also going to be upgradeable to this OS I'm going to buy it without hesitation as it will surely be magnet for developers. But if it's going to be left with maemo5(the only device with this OS) then I don't think it's worth the money to stay with unpopular device with unsupported OS. I also want it to be worthy succesor of my trusty n95. Shortly: I want device for power users but also supported by big companies so I can use official versions of most popular apps, not only substitutes. So there is a question to you: Why should/shouldn't I buy N900?

EDIT: Hey, don't treat it too serious. I'm not gonna blame anybody If i choose wrong option. I just want some suggestions from other users.

Yeah.. thanks for your suggestions

technically the n95 has only ever had one OS in how many years?

@bartekxyz

You already stated that if it supports Meego that you will buy the device and, if not, you don't think it'd be worth a purchase. I don't intend to insult you but maybe you should consider what you want in a device and research if any devices suit your needs.

Off-topic isnt a great place to ask this and expect much in the way of responses, your question would do much better in either general or the n900 forum.
As to your question, it's entirely down to what you want from a mobile device. Regardless of whether the device gets any form of Meego upgrade, the 1.2 patch is bring Qt support (which is what will also be used on Meego) so applications that are ultimately written for meego can be packported to work on Maemo with minimal effort.
That said, if a wide range of application support is your goal, you'd be infinitely better off with an iphone/android/symbian device as obviously the application availability on these three platforms absolutely dwarfs that of maemo and will for a long time.

I think that the fear of being stranded with an obsolete device isn't realistic. The N800 and the N810, which came before, are still fun. This will be growing for a long time. It has a ton of nice features -- no technology is going to suddenly remove those features. I'm going to stay with mine no matter what -- and I am trying to buy another one, to give to a friend of mine.

A hearty +1 to geneven's comment

So I will wait little more to see how things develop

Buy it and enjoy it while you have it. Keep it in good condition to sell to fund the N920 ;)

Bartekxyz. It's already announce in Brazil that N900 will have meeGo.
Also even in the worst case scenario (No Meego for N900) it won't be a problem. You will have 2 choices, either get the comunity MeeGo (a meego that the community will administrate with no support for it from Nokia), and if you don't want that you can use Maemo 5 because as I read in PR 1.2 Qt will be implemented.
Qt is a developing platform (sorry if the term is not the most correct), and with this one nokia is trying to create a developing platform common for Maemo5/MeeGo based devices and Symbian, so theoretically you will be able to use a program in all 3 OS, of course if you have hardware compatibility (like missing features eg: multitouch, etc)
But you shouldn't care about this, because you'll never know, nobody is going to tell you his plans for the future, it's bad for business.

In the end you have to think like I do now, and like others did before buying the N900:

What do I want from my smart phone?
Does the n900 current features satisfy my needs?

I personally want Full browser experience, GPS, Qwerty but also touch, Skype, Sync, video player without conversion and with decent resolution, a decent camera, openness, real multitask,

I have to wait for my mobile to come 1 month, and I'm still not sure that I'll get it then, since Nokia can't deliver phones on time (too many orders).

Also look around in the forum to see what applications the community is developing, yes they might not be finished yet, but they are going to be in the future.
Everybody keep comparing the N900 to the Iphone 3gs and the Hd2.
well maybe they have a bigger app store, but most of the things from there are rubbish and useless. And how much time did it take them to get them that big? They don't know multi task or browser experience.

My opinion if you like what it offers at this moment you should get it.

just get it !!!!! no questions all those android phones out there are just poor childrens toys.

Quote:

Originally Posted by torres76 (Post 579872)

just get it !!!!! no questions all those android phones out there are just poor childrens toys.

Android? No, never :p It's overrated. Damn, I hate making decisions.

If you will only buy this with the expectation that it will get MeeGo which is completely and officially supported by Nokia (ie: you will get an official MeeGo flashable firmware from nokia.com), then don't. Because afaik it's still not officially confirmed at this point by Nokia.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ysss (Post 580645)

It's not that I want MeeGo and don't like Maemo 5 or something. It's just that I want product supported by manufacturer.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bartekxyz (Post 581012)

It's not that I want MeeGo and don't like Maemo 5 or something. It's just that I want product supported by manufacturer.

Ask yourself, how keen are you toward Linux computer? How much knowledge do you have about Linux OS? Do you willingly want to learn how to use and operate a Linux?

If you answer, Yes to all of them then you are ready to get N900, otherwise you going to run into problems and disappointment.

That's my advise for you.

I just don't find that much Linux-specific knowledge to be necessary.

Almost always, the most sophisticated knowledge I need is:

Open command line. (I'm familiar with this from DOS and Windows.)

Type in the following command. (I taught myself typing.)

Don't make typos.

Have patience. (I've needed patience for every computer I've ever had.)

Read the available documentation (In the DOS days, we called it rtfm.)

There might be a few other tricks, but very few.

And usually, you DON'T need the above. You just need to learn to use the environment you're in -- little or nothing to do with Linux.

I'm an old Amiga fanboy so I know something about going deep into operating system ;) Using Linux is an easy cake comparing to Amiga Workbench where I had to know every single task running and every single line of boot sequence:)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bartekxyz (Post 581012)

It's not that I want MeeGo and don't like Maemo 5 or something. It's just that I want product supported by manufacturer.

Oh I've been there, overthinking.

Let me help you the way I helped myself:

The N900 has its goods and its bads, as do all other phones. Make a list of phones you like. Cut out the dealbreakers. Cut out the out-of-range devices (too large, too expensive, too IPhone).

If you are left with more than two, max three, you're doing it wrong. Cut more.

By now you'd have some two (see? it works.). Let me impart some truth:

* No matter what you choose, it'll have drawbacks
* No matter what you choose, you will grow to like its strengths
* No matter what you choose, fixes will come, bugs will be patched, apps will grow
* No matter what you choose, that one thing that bugs you to no end will come later or never.

See the pattern? Grass is always greener and all that jab (buyer remorse, it's in the book). You're MUCH better off buying a phone you LIKE than getting that last atom in the deal, last cent, last feature because with smart phones these things change. Get what you like. Get the sexy curve, get the geeky keyboard, whatever.

I'm sure by now one looks a lot better than the other, but it's missing <x>. You'll have to live with it. Would you rather have <x> but always have to look at it wishing it was smaller/more beautiful?

For me it was simple. HD2 didn't have the hardware. Also, Nokia has a service center "near me" and a nice stand with people with bugs in devices.

With due respect to other people in this thread, Linux has nothing to do with it unless you geek it out. It has an app store, a list of free apps, a menu. You could have this phone for years and not know what it has under the hood. Few people know how many valves in their engine and they drive just fine.

Go for it.

Be prepared, Bartek, for serious drawbacks. Currently the N900 is still nice toy or gadget, it is a dream device for people loving to fiddle with OS innards, but no one can responsibly call it business tool. When you lose an incoming call because of dark screen with no button to answer (just a real example), you will know what I am talking about.

I nearly bought an android phone last year but didn't (phew!).

What swayed my decision to buy the n900 was:
(a) It runs linux and is mainly open-source. If Nokia turns round and says "f*** you we consider your n900 obsolete and thanks for the money" then it would be well-supported by the community and means software will always be available for it. Even write my own software.

(b) I needed a tv-out function. It's great for watching tv shows and movies. I don't even need to recode the video files.

(c) Physical keyboards are a must for a device to be considered a "pocket computer" - gives you more flexibility feature-wise.

(d) When I browsed through applications for the n8x0 series was impressed by the lack of "pull my finger" & "I am rich" apps. Instead I found applcations that seemed genuinely useful.

(e) I can use my wii remote to play games via emulators. Highly entertaining. You can also play Quake - I like Quake almost as much as I like cake. Of course you can play it via tv-output too.

(f) The browser is much better than other devices - it's the closest you get to browsing on desktop/laptop computer.

I'm very happy with my n900 and is one of the few successful decisions I made in my life ( unlike a career as a software developer!).

Things to consider about n900:
(a) It's not full-featured phone - most other mobile phones are far superior in this respect. In fact it is very basic but for me reliable and does the job.

(b) Camera is a bit weak and flash is as useful as a burnt-out matchstick - great photos in daylight though. My SE k800 was far better (only 3.2 megapixels)

(c) USB OTG host mode does not work at all - you cannot plug peripherals into the n900 - you could with n770 & n8*0 models.

(d) Use of bluetooth keyboards & mice is woefully inadequate and virtually non-functioning. It would almost be a "proper" computer plugged into a tv !

(e) There is no sign of the free version of OVI maps coming to the n900. I think most of Nokia's other devices have got it. Not a show-stopper for me but a little disappointed though.

(f) There are a few whiney people in the forums at the moment (Who should ideally wander the streets holding a "Jesus will save you" placard and chanting "we are all doomed") some make do make good points but some moan about "My n900 stops working when submerged in boiling water" type rants. It is a great community and do enjoy myself here making sarcastic comments like this.
Apart from that everything is ok.

I consider iPhones and Android phones to be more "entertainment" devices with regards to the available applications. That's fine and people I know have bought them and are very happy.
The n900 for me is more of a "work"/hacky type phone and that is appealing to me. Many of the applications are actually useful (e.g. vncviewer, moobox, msaber)

The above points were in my mind when I chose the n900 in December 2009 and was exactly what I was looking for.

Really think about why you need a device like this before you commit to buy it. It's a lot of money but if it fits your needs well worth buying.

Quote:

Originally Posted by R.Habrat (Post 583341)

Be prepared, Bartek, for serious drawbacks. [...]When you lose an incoming call because of dark screen with no button to answer (just a real example), you will know what I am talking about.

I've never seen that. 3rd party software? Faulty phone?