N900 - convince me
 

Ok, let me say up front I probably don't belong here. I'm not a developer, and I don't know much about linux (I'm not even sure how to pronounce it, having heard several variants!)

But I do believe in taking my questions to the people who might be able to answer them meaningfully, and I hope that's you good people.

I'm looking to replace my mobile phone, and was almost completely sold on a SE Satio. Until I spotted the n900, and did a quick "wtf?" - why had no-one suggested that?

I suspect the answers to that were along the lines that mobile phone vendors don't necessarily think too far outside the box, which had meant I'd looked at the hero, the i8910hd and the satio.

Let me say that I work my mobile phones hard. My phone doubles as email, sms, diary, shopping list, bible, library of novels, pdf and office reader, calculator, mp3 play and (particularly) camera (and probably a few things I've forgotten). It was that last which was the appeal of the satio - great looking camera, with s60 software with a massive amount of 3rd party apps.

Now, given the carl zeiss lens, I might be prepared to sacrifice the amazing se camera for a serious improvement in speed/accessibility. My problem comes down to available apps.

At the moment, the nokia site lists three apps as 'coming soon'. None of them are what I want.

So, aside from selling me the whole idea of the n900, what is the current situation as regard apps?

I read your thread about a Bible app: that's what brought me here. But frankly, looking at the stuff about using rapier, at the moment it looks like you need a fair amount of prgramming knowledge and confidence to install it. So is there going to be a Bible reader? What about, say, one for Olive Tree? I need something that will function offline as well as on - can't go online in hospital, for example.

Equally, will there be an app available for e-reader?

Does the n900 come with something that will display powerpoint? and read docs?

Here's a silly one: I've used a little java shopping list programme for years. I gather maemo won't support a java environment?

And what about a dedicated twitter app? Something like gravity?

Finally, I've seen something that will install another software 'virtually' - how does the n900 function if I do that and run it, say, as palm.. which would enable both olive tree and e-reader software to run on palm? And does that require a degree in programming?

Ok... sorry to go on. I was almost at the 'click to purchase' on the satio when I found this... and I have an awful lot of questions? Do you nice people have any answers for me?

Re: N900 - convince me
 

Listen.

Probably because Maemo's been a relative unknown until now having only recently become a cellular phone platform.

Maemo is a scary thing for the existing cellular market. It's a bit of a game changer as it's the first really open mass-market cellular device. ;)

Based on this alone, I'd say if you're the type who's at least a little adventurous the N900 will be perfect for you.

Don't worry about that. The community is hard at work getting all of their cool applications for Maemo ready. You'll see a lot more stuff in Maemo Select in the coming weeks and months.

Most of the developers are only just getting their hands dirty with Fremantle. Expect a flurry of activity to come out of the Summit and soon after. The current situation looks grim if you don't know where to look, but things are definitely happening. ;)

All it needs is for somebody to step up and make it happen. Whether that person will come can't necessarily be predicted, however.

Yes! FBReader has been on the platform very nearly since day 1. The Maemo 5 version still needs work, but it's coming along. Be aware that FBReader does not handle DRMed ebooks, however.

Documents To Go should be available, and there's always Google Docs.

Nope, but we do have Shopper (Maemo 5 version is coming).

Mauku (Maemo 5 version is coming).

That'd be Garnet VM, which is pretty straightforward to install and use. However, I'm not aware of Access's plans for Maemo 5.

Hopefully.

Re: N900 - convince me
 

Thanks for typing all that out. I'm getting lazy in my old age. ;)

Re: N900 - convince me
 

Thanks! That's tackled a good few of the questions. I'm a little uncertain about the lack of drm: I have a good library of DRM novels from ereader.com, and a fair collection of drm music files too. Currently I can use either on an n95, though neither would work on my c905 (which is one of the reasons for dumping it - the other being it's cr*p).

I will certainly defer any decisions until after your Summit and see what transpires. My birthday kindly falls just about when both these toys are released, and I'm sacrificing a holiday to some work so have holiday money to spend. Was planning to wait for the locked models to reach people's hands and find out what the response was before I actually purchase.

I really like the 'look' of the n900 and the smoothness of its handling appears to outdo anything symbian can achieve. On the other hand, if I want a mobile computer, I have a netbook in the front pocket of my handbag (and one shoulder lower than the other...)

I'll keep hunting for information!

Re: N900 - convince me
 

Depending on the formats, there certainly are options for "freeing" the DRMed stuff if you wanted to pursue that.

And who knows, we may start to see DRM-enabled commercial readers make it to the platform.

Yeah, the pocketability thing really takes it into another kind of usage, though. The netbook isn't something you can whip out anywhere to answer an email, look up a song title, check product reviews, or find the nearest drug store with. ;)

Re: N900 - convince me
 

You don't have to be a developer to be here. :)

Re: N900 - convince me
 

I agree (as an end-user). I don't know where this perception came from that I hear from new users recently that this is a forum primarily for developers!

Re: N900 - convince me
 

exactly...or do I look like an expert? :p Well, when it comes to sleeping and being lazy, shure, i can give advice...but anything else is beyond my capabilities :D

Re: N900 - convince me
 

Ok, few more questions: does the n900 have a sound recorder? I found one review claiming it does - but it also claimed mms and java capabilities, so I'd take that with a pinch of salt. One of the things I'm going to need over the next few months is a decent mp3 recorder - and I'd prefer not to have to buy a dedicated piece of kit.

In fact, to be honest I'm finding a pile of reviews with quite conflicting info about exactly what this phone does and doesn't have. Several places say java - do they just assume it will? (The same seems to go for mms). (I have also seen places that claim it will recieve analogue TV and carry two sims - but that was in the States, so I'm guessing it has a different spec out... unless I'm supposed to carry a freeview box in the other pocket...)

Another small item I can't spot is speaker phone... surely? Or is that also taken for granted? (Actually - just seen that option in one of the videos, so it would appear to be 'yes but we didn't bother to mention it' which may also be true of mp3 recording?)The same goes for 'documents to go' one review says its included as read-only - others don't mention it in the specs. I usually rely on gsm arena as the most reliable spec/review place... but I'm not confident even about them this time!

I gathered somewhere that the Nice Machine will actually be available for sale to those at the summit... can I assume someone here will get an 'as sale' version and clear all this up?

I am also assuming the nokia and friends will invest fairly big time and fairly soon in creating some Very Easy to Install Apps. Apple are selling the iphone on its range of apps right now, so if nokia are after that market, they need to be competetive. Open source is a brilliant idea... but not if you need to speak perl to actually install anything. (Speaking of apps, I see tweetdeck runs on ubuntu... now there's a port I could get behind - and if you're thinking about it, you have customer here who believes in donationware and actually does cough up a few bucks for a good piece of freeware!)

I actually dreamt about smartphones last night (including my late lamented treo 600!).

I can't help feeling that this is the nearest I have seen to what I am seeking - which is best defined as "A thinking persons iphone".

Re: N900 - convince me
 

You should read this very detailed preview of N900:

http://my-symbian.com/other/preview_n900.php