Mostly because it inherits from the other Internet Tablets. That alone told me what to expect, specifically:
- I would not have to work around Apple or a 3rd party to control my device.
- I would encounter a standardized environment, compatible with existing Linux environments.
- Phone capabilities would be secondary to general data capabilities, but would be more than sufficient for my needs.

The N900 is the polar opposite of the iPhone. Where the iPhone tries to mask and hide the computer nature of the device, the N900 exposes it fully. And that's why I bought the N900.