Several months ago, I left the n900 after the screen completely died on me. I just ordered a new one for $200 on ebay. I tried an HTC One S at first (left it because of no expandable storage), and currently have a Galaxy S3. The second I get the N900 I'm selling the S3. No more flashing roms, no more having to use the PlayStore, no more sharing of my information through applications without my acknowledgement. ........and oh ya a Keyboard.

welcome back to Maemo World

Welcome back,
I also admit that the n900 is a phone that can't be abandoned. I got a galaxy note months ago after giving my n900 to my sister. But, to be honest, I am waiting for her to give up the n900 so I could own it again.

You are not welcome back until you change your signature again. :-)

On a serious note, I've been actively searching for a replacement phone for over a year now, and still no luck... Even though it's old and slow, the n900 is still a machine that can't be beat, at least for me..

.... and just in time too!

It still amazes me how crude the Android infrastructure actually is. There's this update service now devs / ROM cookers can use, but in general upgrade procedures are still "their old way". Rolling Linux distros ftw! Welcome to a world 1-2 decades ago, Android.

So there are still people using the N900 as their main device. That is great, keep it up. Still, I can't handle the resolution and screen size... I wish we could increase the size of this nice device.

Congratulations, 200 USD is a good price for a new N900.

Just a comment on the Android experience you describe.

I never left my N900 to cool down but was forced to think about how to secure the Galaxy Note 2 of my girlfriend.

-LBE Security Manager blocks all IMEI number, telephone number, contacts details, phone status, GPS data THEFT by Android apps.

Bottom side is you still need to root the device to be able to install the software.
Debate whither the closed source software by LBE is naughty itself and does everything and more than the apps it is blocking is still open.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=1422479

But checking solely its features, this seems to me the LBE software is the one application you have to install before anything else or even inserting a SIM.

and to be honnest, I would feel better if I had the option to install a similar soft on Maemo, or Symbian.

About having to use the Play Store: as an N900 user that does not download apps for the sake of entertainment, I found that it is pretty easy to find the APK (installable program files) for download and so doing bypassing the dreaded Google Play Store.

But you have to find a reliable source for APK download.

the only issue is with certain paid apps, how to get them legally without this damn Play Store and its limited payment options.

Writing to the Developers mostly does not help.

but once you have it set up I find the Android 4.xx not too bad

they even have a nice multiple account SIP Voip application that integrates with contacts like on the N900 and that is free (?).

https://code.google.com/p/csipsimple/

I am sure many still do. There just isn't anything that can do everything the N900 can.

I certainly do.

<off-topic>This becomes a must with certain Android devices, such as the cheap tablets from China that Google bans from downloading some apps, even though once downloaded and installed offline, they work perfectly fine.</off-topic>

Back on topic, I discovered the N900 completely by accident but now, even though I miss the user-friendliness of my previous phone, which I used for 8 years, I intend to use it for just as long.