having to pop open the backplate and fumbling with that microsd bay door everytime you want to exchange data would stress the hardware big time. microsd cards are usually not rated for flash leveling but times of ejection before they will break.
also, most people with better cameras already spent a nice sum on expensive sd or cf cards. having to buy even more, slower flash cards instead of just plugging a cable into both devices will be a biq inconvenience.

of course i can buy a bluetooth keyboard, mouse, gamepad and whatnot for at least double the price of a similar usb variant.

of course i can use the cinch video out cable with 480i instead of the possible 1080p of an usb-to-dvi adapter.

of course i could buy a 20-pack of microsd cards instead of bringing my portable hard drive along.

but, you know what? i could also wait and buy A DIFFERENT DEVICE that supports usb host mode.

i can understand the concern for most people but i bought the n95 which had none of these features at all for near 650 and loved it. This at the end of the day is a phone yet labeled a mobile computer which i can understand the need for OTG. I'm still getting the N900 for the simple fact minus the OTG mix up this phone still have and does everything i need that no other phone on the market can do yet. Maybe when the Archos phone come out that will be another story but time will tell.

I love this community, the people who take the time out to adhere to the community on a day-to-day basis and for that alone i will cough up 650 (like i said if you don't got it you don't got it life is tough but 650 won't hurt my pockets).

I can only name a few instances in a year i would actually need USB OTG on a basis but not on a day-to-day basis. So this will not hurt me for the simple fact my school have a web environment where students can swap out files.

As far as the whole 5 step thing what I'm going to do is since we should see another device in a year i decided to divide 600 dollars in a year which of course is 50 dollars a month i will put to the side for the next big device. Also i will sell the N900 and use the difference so in a since it will be a upgrade but won't dint a pinch of my pockets cause who knows if i have the money then lol.

So I won't be able to use my external USB keyboard with this.

Question:

Sorry for the newbness, but what is it that we will all be missing out by not have USB-OTG (On-The-Go) with the N900?

Will it not be able to b used as a harddrive via usb cable to computer? Will it not charge with USB from computer?

Thanks

It will charge with USB from computer and it can be used as a hard drive, it's the other way round it won't work.
i.e. you can't connect devices to it, but you can connect it to a PC etc.

and that USB control software will be useless.

That makes perfect sense deadmalc! Thanks for the heads up..

This is a huge bummer

don't even think for a moment that maemo will just stop at step 5

there will be something better than step 5, the ultimate phone

i'd suggest waiting for that

Now I am forced to consider that 4th step statement seriously. I have also started to think about my pre-order now with Amazon. Think, will wait for few more days to see anymore NASTY surprises before I commit to any action.

It is only once in a few years that I can afford such a costly device. And I want to make a fine decision for my money.

I truly am disappointed for this. My Love for Maemo and this community still intact though.

So it's 100% positive that it's a unhackable hardware fault, not just "not officially supported" -thing?