Good point, since Android does not run embedded, but launches
the Youtube app. No built in Flash support yet. Can N900 run with an app if that is the problem? The issue seems to be during the first few seconds, which suggests a cache stream issue rather than chipset bottleneck.

N900 better hurry, I am getting used to the VZN 3G

Yes, the N900 will probably have a variety of YouTube apps that won't have the lag problem. That is caused by the non-optimised version of Flash.

Flash 10 should be much better for video watching... when it comes out... whenever that is.

Found Engadget review thanks, doesn't look competitive hardware-wise imo...

There are those who scream that Android is a greatly superior dev. platform...
I still fail to see the logic behind that, they're both good in their own ways.

I find the Cliq to be Nintendugly. It looks like it comes with a free stick of bubblegum and a balsa airplane kit.

Went hands-on with the Droid today. I had been thinking about getting one, considering the poor experience I've had with Nokia customer service of late and because of the Verizon network. Although it's a cool device - especially the navigation - I came away having decided I won't be getting it.

A few thoughts:
-- I wasn't all that impressed with the build quality. Most reviews have praised it highly, but imo my old SE K750i was more solid and well put-together (albeit not a slider).

- The device I tested was pretty laggy at times, especially with a bit of Android-style "multi-tasking." Don't know if it was just because it was a floor model, but I wasn't at all impressed with the speed or responsiveness.

-- Was able to test a few YouTube videos through the built-in player. Even for HQ versions, the quality was less than what I expected.

-- The screen is excellent for reading text

-- The keyboard is better than it looks in many online pictures. That being said, it still sucks. No feedback, tiny keys, not very usable. Plus, the two dead keys are just funny to me.

-- The magical camera fix seems to have improved the quality of pictures, but they still seem pretty mediocre to me.

-- As expected, the google services integration is really solid, especially the quality of the voice recognition which is nearly unbelievable. This is something I hope will be moved to the top of the Maemo development priority list.

-- The media interface is nothing to write home about, although the speaker sounds loud and crisp.

I realize much of this has been said by others already, but I thought another novice opinion might be of interest to someone. The Droid is nice, but the capabilities of the N900 do surpass it in many ways. Android 2.0 also offers some good benchmarks to consider for making Maemo even more functional than it already seems to be.

Good to hear the opinion of someone who's had a chance to evaluate the two of them. Glad to hear that "on balance" the N900 triumphs in the software environment. This is where the war will be won, not subtle hardware differences. But as we all know this is only a side skirmish, many battles will come...

I'm wanting to quote Churchill right about now but my memory fails me

I have to agree with most of what's being said. We own a Droid, and I'm waiting for my N900 to arrive still, so at some point both with be in my household. The Droid is a very nice device, even with some if it's limitations...but I still believe it can't compete with the features offered on the N900 platform. Which is why I've not canceled my pre-order and purchased a Droid for myself (the one we already have is used by the wife, it's not my phone).

After using Droid for one week, it is a great device, due in part to great 3G. As far as HQ video, you need to pick the option, since it is not default. HQ looks as good as desktop and perhaps "better" due to smaller screen.

32gb, no need to re-encode vids, sd slot not blocked by battery, not Android and $400 contract out from Tmo makes me stick with the N900.

Hey Guys,

Since the N900 and DROID are using the same CPU and GPU it shouldn't be too hard to port it to DROID. Android has been ported to a lot of devices already. including x86-Netbooks. There's even a live CD for pc's. It's not that hard. And this would mean a lot more people would be able to experience the magic of Maemo. So is there any community group project working on this already? If not, why?

If the access to the ROM or booting from an SD card is possible, they could use Mer.