Anyway, maybe a bit off-topic but I'm curious about your critique of the "App Store Model". I don't mean to start a flame war or anything, just wondering if you'd care to enlighten me what it is that you object to in that? From an end-user point of view, the only difference between Maemo extras and other repository installs and the Android App Store seems to be that one (the Market) comes in a prettier interface than the other (at least now, perhaps N900 has a nicer interface). Both handle installation of free apps and updates to them. Why is Maemo Extras a good way of handling software installations and Android/Apple marketplaces a bad one? Is it the commercial aspect that you have a problem with?
Being the owner of previous Archos products, I have a very bad taste in my mouth from their products. The other boards are already confirming that the base Android OS and certain apps are integrated into the flash and check the encrption key that is hardcoded into the chip on the device. The same way that it prevented any of their previous devices from running updates from other sources or from running other OS, i.e. Maemo. If you want a very locked down system, i.e. no Flash 10 support, then by all means, go buy one. In have a 704wifi that is still a great DVR after 4 years, but you will NOT be able to expand it or customize it, just load the applications that they allow you to, as long as you do not try and mess with their base system. Be prewarned befor you lay out you $$$$$.