Originally Posted by cb474

The iPhone is the best example of this. It does a lot of great things, but if it doesn't do what you want you're stuck, unless you're going to jailbreak it, which does not represent what most users are willing to do. You're also stuck, as I already said above, with Apple's capricious app approval process, including already documented cases of limiting political speech on the iPhone. Google won't be as heavy handed as Apple, with Android. They'll offer a set of applications and services so slickly integrated that it won't be worth your trouble to go outside this system, even if there's something you're missing. In fact, most users will be so complacent, they won't even realize what they're missing. This was really Microsoft's original strategy, with wanting to integrate IE deeply in the operating system. The courts shot that down, but Google is heading toward getting away with it on a much grander scale. Microsoft wanted to embed the browser and interaction with the web deeply in the operating system. Google has simply flipped this idea on its head and embedded the operating system/platform deeply in the web. The goal is the same. Completely monopolize the form of the user experience at all levels. You will also have zero privacy once you've decided to adopt the Google/Android way of doing things. As I mentioned before, everything in history suggests that this kind of centralized database of information about individuals will come back to haunt them.

Originally Posted by johnkzin

I wouldn't want an N900 with Android.

I would want Maemo ... and Dalvik. Then you get the best of both (real Linux computer in your pocket, Maemo's UI work and integration, and Android applications). And on a bigger device (a 4.1" phone with comfortable 5 row keyboard and dpad for one ... and on a 10" convertible tablet netbook for my other mobile device).

A second choice would be Android, but with a Linux user-land (terminal app, gnu bin-utils, apt-get/apt-cache, perl, etc.) added on. So that I get the "real linux in my pocket" effect that Maemo has. But I don't know how I would best add X to this (a small virtual X layer running on top of the existing Android graphics enviroment? not sure). I'm not a huge fan of X, as I think it's rather inefficient and under-featured as a window drawing mechanism ... and I'm agnostic about GNOME vs Android's "window manager". So I could probably even live without X support at all. But, again, that would be my second choice, and I probably wouldn't run it on an N900.

Third choice... not sure if it'd be Pure Maemo5 or Pure Android. I wont know the answer to that until I have my N900. :-) Though, there are a few things I miss about Maemo (from my days of using my N810). But not enough to keep using the two device model (a phone + N810). When it's Android on my G1 vs phone+N810, Android is good enough (and the two device model is inconvenient enough) that I'm more than happy sticking to Android. But, the N900 changes some of that equation (single device, better resolution than the G1, etc.). So I have to wait and see.

But if it was Pure Android, I doubt I'd run it on an N900. I'm hoping for a new Android device that has a 5 row keyboard (like the G1), but hopefully one with a dpad and a bigger screen than the G1. I was willing to consider the Motorola Sholes/Tao/Droid when it had a 4 row keyboard that had a dedicated number row ... but they changed the keyboard layout. Between that and having to switch to Verizon, not so interested anymore. The Motorola Cliq might be interesting ... but still, 4 row keyboard without a dedicated number row. But at least I don't have to switch carriers in order to get it.

Originally Posted by Rushmore

As far as N900 with Android, I said "consider". Maemo needs less cpu clock to conduct similar operations and I like the premise of the OS- it is what Android should / could have been.

Originally Posted by johnkzin

Maemo needs 3 things that Android has:

1) a mainstream programming environment -- a Java based makes for an easy learning curve for the huge base of Java programmer who consider becoming an Android developer. It doesn't have to be Java, but it has to be a common language with a common (more common than Linux, Gnome, and probably Qt) API.
2) an open and optional App Market (as opposed to no central distribution channel for 3rd party devs that older Maemos have had, or the closed and mandatory distribution channel that Apple has)
3) the HUGE marketing push and effort that Google, HTC, T-Mobile, etc. have put into Android (or that Apple has put into the iPhone).

And, it wouldn't hurt to have a huge base of devices that it runs on as well. Apple hasn't needed that, but it's helping Android quite a bit, IMO.

Originally Posted by cb474

In response to 1), isn't Qt in Maemo 6 supposed to basically serve the same purpose as Java on Android? Although it sadly also seems like Qt may be another step toward closing down Maemo and making it more proprietary like the iPhone and Android.

Originally Posted by ceroberts75

the N900 will have full PIM sync available through nokia pc suite and OVI suite.

but the android unit does not have a viable pim sync.