While I agree with the Nokia PR department does a lot of really stupid stuff (isn't that true of every big business though? Especially one that's as diverse in their day to day operations), I would point out that despite what the "top brass" are touting I think there's quite a bit of real world evidence to say that whoever's really pulling the strings at Nokia has a pretty darn good idea of what they're trying to do; whether it ends up working out for them or not has yet to be seen, but the fact that we've had 3 different NIT devices, a WHOLE whack of software development, a much more open and involved Maemo community experience... and look at all the behind the scenes stuff Nokia is doing to try to continue to grow in this direction. If they really didn't have any strategy at all to try to work with the "internet=free" mindset, they A) wouldn't have built tablet/"market testing devices" built around an open source model B) Wouldn't be continuing to try and develop and open up the rest of their software stacks C) wouldn't be acquiring so many complimentary technologies and turning them to a more open model (QT anyone?).

At the end of the day it always comes down to who's making the final call... you'll always get the "stick to what works and makes the most money" business supporters, and you'll (hopefully in a good business) have the "innovate and develop new ideas and products that reflect those to make a better world (and hopefully continue to have jobs and make money while we're at it)" people; keeping the balance right between those two is what matters. If Nokia was truly in a "we don't have an answer for internet=free, let's stick to shoving closed devices and content at people" organization then the NITs would have been dropped 2 years ago as unprofitable wastes of capital; instead you're seeing the opposite where far more resources and understanding are being directed this way...

Anyways, very far off topic here, but yea the N97 demo looks cool, hope the next NIT will be as cool but with a slightly more reasonable price tag ;-)

let's happily agree that we agree on this one and stop the off topic stuff in time before the authorities show up.

(is it only me or has being on/off topic only become that much of an issue recently?)

I'm thinkin' Apple makes money the same way they did with the iPod... (another "free" market others couldn't figure out.) They make hardware that works very well doing what most new users expect.

The functions of most of the "App's" in the Apple store appear to me to be just recycled J2ME. (tasks not code)
Some of these J2ME concepts have been around for over 10 years.

Manufacturers and US carriers could have sold tons of these apps if the were not so focused on controlling the connection through pay per bit billing schemes, proprietary cables, and check summed loaders.

BTW, if benny1967's posted quote is any indication of Nokia Executives current mind set, I have a much greater appreciation of how tough qgil's day job must really be.