The ifone 2G was a step before the 3G. Apple didn't declare it as a step, but it was obvious that something better will come. Android 1.0 was a step before 2.0 & 2.1 and again, no one declared it as a step.

A declaration of this kind is meaningless. It's a very vague announcement that allows them to hide behind it and use it the way they want to, and to you to interpret it as the lack of basic operations and functionalities in the device is OK because it's only a step.

Every electronic device these days is a step.

If I'm buying an expensive product, and this product is a milestone, a step, and a complete product that better products will follow it - great.
But if the product is a beta, which is what the n900 feels to me, and I'm actually the one doing the QA on the device for the next device to come, that's not acceptable, although the idea of selling a beta product (in contrary to product with a beta version) is ingenious.

Maybe I haven't done my research properly, but I'm not the only one. If you feel great with your step 4 device - that's cool.
If you don't - let Nokia hear you and know that this is not acceptable by their customers.