Hey, can I have your n800?

Why let either disturb you? And hate for one competitor is a lot less likely to harm you than blindness for what you have (and resulting contempt for everything else.
A few issues:

• While KDE is aftermarket, HE firmwares are from Nokia; jailbreaking is not an Apple-provided "here-ya-go, but we can't be responsible" deal like the HEs. And with the HEs, they're only released after the last regular firmware for the device; there's no possibility of an official update causing trouble down the road. At this point, Apple just ditches you and recommends you buy a new device, but we haven't got there yet with the iPhone because it's new.
• Reflashing a jailbroken iPhone has not always been trivial; remember the entire iBrick fiasco?
• No one I know of acts as though jailbreaking is dangerous in itself, rather two issues:
  • It's risky because you don't know the next firmware won't break things.
  • It's unfair to simultaneously argue points about the official iPhone and the jailbroken iPhone, because you can only have one or the other at a given time.
• By and large, I don't think most of the people on here would consider themselves hackers, nor would they do those things you list. A few do, but don't paint everyone with the same brush.

I'm not sure what you're trying to say in the sentence I've italicized, but that's typical of me reading psychoanalysis attempts on groups, regardless of sentence length.

I like the Apple air. now thats a machine thats comperable to the nokia N810. Almost.

well what about the poor palm owners out there...who have seen there devises trampled over countless times heck its taken 2 years to get the lifedrive usable....look if the iphone/touch has your eye get it...let the people like me who are willing to learn and adapt to a new devices oddities learn mmmkay im new here been a palm lifedrive user for 3 years and its a love /hate relationship yes the n800.... well mine is kinda laggy...thats why i come here to learn...not to read some pompous arse expounge on something i couldn't afford...i like the n800...ive had a touch...too fragile...sorry if i have no point to my post

Karel <spit!> - Thanks, you're right. The iPhone\iTouch variant is called iPhysics.

Yabbas - Great post.

- Yes, apps can run in the background (Email, IM, music\audiobook) while you're in Safari, sms, etc. For the 'proper' SDK apps, they can implement a background daemon to keep the services running (This is done by the email app and also the planned rewrite of Apollo IM).

- I'm not particularly happy with Apple's licensing deals of the iphone (have to use AT&T, have to use iTunes), but I also can see what they're dealing with on the comercial side. * Hang out with the RIAA-bound suppliers who insisted on DRM, but also trying to please their ipod users at the same time. * Try to breakthrough the operator-dominated mobile market where device makers live or die by the operator's dictation (look at how most mobile devices are wifi and\or voip disabled). But heck, in the end it's all about profiting for everyone in the industry.

- Jailbreaking is reversible if you use the correct tool (ie: not ziphone). Personally, I wouldn't compare voiding the warranty of your own device by modifying codes on it against stealing a copyrighted software. But I also don't think much of ridiculous EULAs made by MS and the likes. So jailbreaking is OK for me, but to each his own (problems).

- Bluetooth transfers, files access limitation: Apple is definitely putting this behind to sidestep any DRM issues for the time being. They're not gonna be able to keep this up for long, so we'll see how they're going to handle it.

- A2DP, printer, (external?) GPS: http://blogs.zdnet.com/Apple/?p=1549
"Greek technology site iPhone Hellas has been combing the text strings in the recent beta of Apple’s iPhone 2.0 firmware. As we’ve seen in the past, the text strings refer to unannounced iPhone features and also mention extra steps included to prevent unlocking.

Strings were found containing “A2DP” and “HeadphoneBT” implying stereo Bluetooth and possibly a Bluetooth remote control feature. Strings for “RoleGps,” “RoleRemote,” and “RoleA2DP” allude to potential GPS navigation funtions. There’s a “Printers” directory in the /Library and a new “YouTubePlugIn.webplugin” string presumably for the Safari browser. A “Google411″ text string may reference Google Maps and local directory services.

Finally, the ominous sounding “BRICKED_AND_SIM_LOCKED_STRING” implies that Apple is taking further steps to prevent unlocking."

That may also confirm the continued game of cat-and-mouse between unlockers vs Apple.

i love all the people saying "yeah but if the phone rings the program won't work"

at least the phone rings on the iphone.

i'm an n800 supporter - but damn if it isn't a haphazard guinea pig project.

as a total newb, most answers i first go were "sudo gainroot"

where's that app? not in the extras, not stickied somewhere in the forums - it's in someone's post on some thread from 4 months ago.

i will most likely never buy an iphone or itouch, and i'm excited about the tablets - but right now it's pretty half-assed and if you can't see that you've either never launched a successful product before or really kidding yourself.

meet us halfway - the n8x0 is not ready for the public, and we, the non-linux nerd public are suffering for it. with that said, those that stick around are willing to learn, but we sympathize with those that are used to a real product with a real launch (see iphone) and expect that level of finish.

I just wanted a linux computer.
Get a2dp, video calls and 3d working and there's nothing else I could ever want.

snore.
wake me up when the iWars are over.
snore.

as a geek it was fun at first getting everything to work..trying this and that..i was hurting for a toy to play with..but now that's over and i just want my tablet to be more like what thoughtfix described in his blog a couple weeks ago.... http://tabletblog.com/2008/04/nokia-...-now-what.html

As both an iPod touch owner and fan and an N800/N810 owner and fan, I have to say ---

You have some good points but the argument doesn't stand.

The iPod touch has a decent web browser which renders pages quickly. It lacks Flash, plugin support, and more which greatly limit the web browsing experience. It has a far superior media player and music management suite, but lacks the ability to play media right after it is downloaded unless it is purchased from iTunes. The iPod touch lacks Bluetooth, GPS capability, keyboard input, an applications library, and more.

The iPod touch and iPhone are great devices for a LOT of people - but they are not SUPERIOR to the N800/N810 overall. They cater to different desires.