My main reason is I wanted a decent email and browser smartphone. None of the other smart phones I've used (N95 8Gb, N96 and SEC905) were particularly easy (or nice) to use.

Didnt want an Iphone as have iTouch and not a fan. Bloke opposite me at work has an iPhone and he thinks its amazing having thousands of totally useless apps..... I don't!

The N900 looked to deliver something I think most of us expected a couple of years ago so its been a long time coming.

Impressed? Yeah. Needs lots of work but it can be a powerful new tool which does everything and more than I will ever need.

Quite interesting as there is currently an article on BBC news about these devices and not one mention of the N900! It seems geek world is aware of it but not the general public....Nokia need to jump ahead of apple as they bring out the iSlate or whatever its called.

I chose it for speed and browsing capabilities, not to mention that beeing a bit of a geek it was about time to know a little more about Linux

Linux, all the way baby! A mobile device with linux root access? How cool is that?

Becase this is the ONLY device that has ALL of the features of my N95 8GB - good GPS, Good camera, direct upload to photobuckt, ssh, games, automated timed message sending, flashlight, good quality speakrs, good Nokia build quality etc. etc. Sure I could have chosen an iPhone - but it has no multitasking, pathetic ****, and android phones are a little too limiting, they don't have the same power as the xterm on N900

And it has excellent web browsing which the N95 8GB lacked.

Within a few months this will have all the apps I need/want.

It's a little big though, would be nice if it was thinner - i.e. more metal and less plastic.

hmmm good question.
I was looking for a new mobile from august - and spent a while looking around. There are many things i would like, but one device will never cover all my needs i feel - so i tried to prioritise

What i wanted was:

• Decent camera
• Video ability
• MMS
• Good web browsing
• full keyboard for emailing
• The ability to seamlessly link to Social networks like facebook/twitter etc
• No lag on the device when being used
• Stability (Similar to the above)
• Ability to play movies
• Playing music & Podcasts
• Text conversations ability
• Customisation - i like the device to feel like my device
• bluetooth
• simple file transfer ability
• fm receiver
• fm transmitter
• decent touch screen
• multitasking

Now with my device, i feel i have all of the above except mms. It's not a deal breaker, as i never used it much before, but find it useful

I spent a good month looking at other options and pre-release reviews on the HD2, Droid/milestone and other decent'ish devices.... Every time i thought i'd wasn't one of them i realised it seemed to just not cover as many points in the same quality as the N900.

Bearing in mind it was my personal opinion ,I'm sure others have different ones

The thing i think you will agree is missing from my wish list is a decent battery life! - well - i purposely didn't mind as i knew i was hunting for a computer-like device. And with that type of device you should not expect 4-10 days up-time without a charge, at least with decent usage anyways... !

I have to admit, some bits of the device i feel can get better - and i knew that before i bought it - but the thrill of being able to use a linux device, learning how to code for it, and have a device that covers almost all of my needs was good enough!

Love it more now i have it! - but then i do have a nice working device with no faults....

I used to buy high-end mobiles. The Smart ones had a lot of issues. Always they lacked on something.
I have N900 since december, and I love it. It´s the first time that i have a mobile wich is absolutely pc-like-functional.
It has some issues, but they are minor.
Minor for two reasons:
1) because it´s linux (i am not a linux fan, by the way) and that comunity will never let die such device.
2) because this device is the most powerfull device in the market. I can´t see other mobiles, not released, not about to be released wich make the kind of inside-harmony i detect in N900.

It´s a superb mobile. The best Nokia mobile since E90 (i think even better than E90).

But, please, somebody tell Nokia to make Temporary photos, more shots options, etc.

By the way: i´m trying to upload a 6gb video on N900 via wnscp and about 4gb it disconnect. WFT!!

Great Phone. I hope it stay in good hands. It´s not a "Phone", it´s a Tablet, and for hardcore comsumers.

Sorry but at this point in time the real question is why didn't you choose N900?

- GNU/Linux
- OpenSource community (figures)
- Nokia (Always liked Nokia's)
- QWERTY
- Nice screen/resolution
- Because I won it... (but had been drooling over it since the first time I read about it/saw it)

I used to have: 9000, 9000i, 9110, 9110i, 9210, 9210i, 9500, e90 - you are still asking? ;-)

(though i won it too ;-)

Not to sound dumb (although I might be) I picked it because it looked good. Someone stole my N97 and I was bored with S60 anyway so I gave the N900 a try and I love it.

I have no idea what xterminal is for (i know what it does, but what for?) I have no programming skills what so ever.

Finally I think I would call myself a Nokia devotee.