It has been about three weeks since I've received my n900. I bought it to replace my BlackBerry Curve 8320. Despite my concern for the USB port's durability, I am pleased with the device and its capabilities. This time around, I decided to see whether it would be practical to use Skype for all my calls. I would like to share with you all my experience.

2/26: I order up T-Mobile Total Internet plan.

3/2: I receive the SIM card and promptly plugged it into my phone. So far, so good. To start, I bought an unlimited SkypeOut to US and Canada for $2.95/mo. After that, I forced the phone into 2G-only mode under the reasoning that 3G is available only in metro areas, if even that, and started calling up a couple friends of mine to test out the sound quality. While it was almost there, there was noticeable stuttering and unacceptable latency. I proceeded to switch back to regular voice service with Internet.

I am disappointed with the results of this experiment. However, my vision of VoIP on cellular networks has become much closer between now and three years ago when I first thought of such a notion. This experiment was a worthwhile exercise as it pushed the boundaries of what "normal" is. It is my conviction that humanity cannot advance without people who accept risks of doing something out of the ordinary.

I am keeping this device. I am not worried about whether we get MeeGo or complete Ovi Maps (although I hope for both). I am convinced that the Linux and open-source community have done good work and made many advances.