First there were complaints that the 700 was too slow, allowed too little external memory, lacked features, etc. So hardware improvements were implemented in the N800 that now require an OS break between the two devices.

Now the complaints are to the latter issue.

Come on, folks, it can't be both ways. As more information is revealed you should come to understand the necessity for the break. And as some have already acknowledged (while saying it "doesn't cut it") there will be an extension to maemo 2 that will bring the 770 closer to the N800. However, the devices are distinct enough that maemo 3 is warranted.

I think what misleads some people is that the generaion gap was much, much shorter than has been in the computing past. This is for at least 3 reasons:

1) development and product lifecycles are shorter;
2) this is a new type of product and will require a feature "shake out" period;
3) designers took (some) user feedback and incorporated it into the new device

I fully expect we may see one more generation of the product that possibly breaks with the N800, and then the design will settle in to the sort of maturity PCs enjoy and see OS upgrades that apply to more than one device. Or maybe the N800 will be it. But it's unrealistic to expect feature solidification at this point, guys. And even when the 770 reaches its point of no further support, that factor alone doesn't cause obsolescence; that's entirely dependent on users.

I expect we'll see some pleasant surprises in the 2007 OS, some that can't possibly work on the 770. Webcam functionality is certainly one area that won't.