Why I cannot recommend a N8x0 or N900 to general public.

1) The Nokia N8x0 is not user-friendly enough, outdated/unsupported legacy devices with unfixed problems in both software and hardware aspect while
2) The Nokia N900 hardware specifications are unknown, the launch date is unknown, while there are only tons of speculation.

Why I cannot recommend Apple iPod touch to general public.
1) The Apple iPod touch 1st/2nd generation are legacy products with unknown new hardware on the way, and a new iPhoneOS 3.0 which alters its functionality
2) The DRM and childish review standpoints of Apple's App Store staff often mean the user has to tweak around ie. use jailbreak. You even need that if you want to access the Unix-like environment under the hood. Most people do not require a Unix-like environment though. But the tweaks available are often easily installed. However, is it preferrable to stick with a corporation which more respects its customers? IMO, yes. Nokia might, with their new Linux-based or even S60-based products be able to fullfill that role. And that is why I remain interested in Maemo.

The question then becomes do you wait or do you buy something available now (including reconsidering Nokia N800, Nokia N810, T-Mobile G1, or something from the Nefarious Apple) or do you wait? We only know some things for certain about Maemo 5.0 and a new Nokia N-Series running Maemo 5.0. I decided to not wait an buy an Apple iPod touch; my first Apple hardware product I bought first hand. I wanted to experience finger touchscreen, iPhoneOS, iTunes, MobileSafari, and other Apple products to widen my experience. If you ask me, an Apple iPod touch has a longer live than a Nokia N8x0 because we know iPhoneOS 3.0 will work on it and will deliver it a BlueTooth stack, but the question if it can be jailbroken and the very need for that blurs the preference IMO.

The missing ecosystem you speak of is something we can all contribute to. But is also comes when free software community and proprietary developers accept the platform is relevant and being part of the market. For that, it needs a user base more relevant than a bunch of geeks and hackers, and for that it at the very least requires a new product release both hardware and software wise. So its kinda a chicken/egg situation, like that 5-stage plan of Nokia, it needs an evolutionary path.

As for Apple, last time I checked I was still able to import scene MP3 releases to iTunes, then syncing it with Apple iPod touch. Cause its seen as normal that a DAP can play MP3. Yet, it is also possible to simply legally and quickly buy music using the device build-in iTunes or the host iTunes. That role Nokia Ovi must fullfill. To be fair, it isn't easily possible to sync between 2 iTunes which lacking function sucks!

All in all, I found it easier to tweak an Apple iPod touch than a Nokia N8x0 because its all point and click on the Apple while on Nokia N8x0 you actually have to use your brains when editting config files and reading through threads. I think this is the same for general public. People do not want to jailbreak using SSH and doing all kind of things manually. They want to run a .bat/.sh which does that for them.