IMO, we can't compare a NeoN900 user case ownership cost to the cost related to the update patterns followed by smartphone consumers.

Some consumers would be happy to see their phone drop, get lost or stolen to find the perfect excuse to "upgrade" (read: purchase more display pixels, flatter device, faster processor core - same dull OS)

One of the reasons the the N900 has such a small RAM size is that Nokia was always weary to create the one device to rule them all for the next 10 years to come. Since the Neo900 is bound to take that away its life cycle is supposed to be much longer.

As a potential NeoN900 user the extra cost is the burden of having to babysit the device into good shape as if it were the last and only of its kind until Mobile data on GSM network becomes totally obsolete and maybe longer.

Currently I own enough parts for the N900 to be able to get on with my life the moment one N900 would be dropping out.

I don't have the budget for creating the same redundancy "peace of mind" buffer with Neo900

We can't expect mint Neo900 to be found on eBay 5 years from now (suppose it releases in 2015) for 1/10th of the launch price

If I were to own one spare backup, and I think that is the only sensible way to invest in the Neo900, the cost increases a lot.

So there are the two issues I have to follow carefully before donating to the Neo900 project.

-the above - it is risky to own an N900 - one day you have it all, the next you are borrowing your friends discarded Nexus. Would it not be better to sell everybody a double motherboard from the start and would that reduce the price to less than current price for two separate units?

-Fremantle is a requirement as the most user friendly mobile OS to date.