Because we have to get ours through legal means?

I am pretty sure that a lot of people in Nokia are pissed off at him. Although the buzz he is generating may be interesting, from what I understand, Nokia wanted the N900 and related devices to be first shown in Nokia World (surprise effect), NOT in Eldar's webpage.

Edit: I am pretty sure that he knew a lot about those devices before (there was a mention of Nokia Netbooks long ago in his site), and I think that he waited until the N900 was leaked enough so his source/s couldn't be pin-pointed easily.

He's only the GOD of phone reviewing, and my idol. I'm being very serious. His www.Mobile-Review.com is THE best place to read phone reviews, because no one is more in depth, and despite his love for Nokias, he's also probably the most unbiased and honest. He also likes the iPhone alot, and had seemed to begin favoring it, so for him to say this is "the best device of the year" and "iPhone-like" is big accollades.

Believe me, he's not "appointed", he's RESPECTED, and unbeknownst to most, he's always one of the first few people to get EVERY manufacturers' new phones for trial and review. This is the equivalent of a coup for Nokia getting a review this positive before release.

Being a Mobile-Review forum member, I can tell you he's very discreet with his reviews, and he only outed the information Nokia allowed him to. This is in response to media attention, a teaser before the Nokia World event. His footprint is big across the globe, especially in Asia and Europe. This "small" preview has made big ripples, the exact intention.

You're pro'ly right. What I should have said then was Nokia doesn't seem to have the same level of respect for any member of the maemo community.

And mrojas, I would find it hard to believe Nokia was suprised... maybe someone was embarrassed if this information wasn't supposed to be out yet.

I am not saying that Nokia should not have been surprised (and maybe he even got the green light from someone inside): what I am saying is that people there are pissed by sure. As a reference, check this:

http://conversations.nokia.com/2008/...aches-for-all/

All in all, though I am thankful for the quality reviews and previews, I think that in this case in particular, he should have saved them and waited for Nokia World.

Coming from a cellphone fanatic background, Eldar is well known in the mobile community for the last few years to always have the latest prototypes, especially Nokia and SE phones. His previews are exhaustive and very fair. He must have some crazy Russian mafia types on call to get some of the scoops he gets

Yup...

I sure hope Nokia figures out how the internet works... and soon!

I think Nokia was trying to pull an iPhone maneuver with the N900 (keep everything 100% secret until the end and them... BAM!).

Despite the leaks, they may still achieve that with the average consumer, I see many experienced users in various forums saying "No one saw Maemo coming!" (specially N97 buyers...).

please show some sideways shots - want to see whether the actual N900 is a fatty like the prototype...

I'll reiterate, Eldar is doing exactly what Nokia asks of him. This isn't really a leak. Just like the N97, which no one knew jack about except Eldar, this thing has been kept under wraps.

Nokia realizes the online press is powerful, and sees that its US centric base isn't experienced enough to "get it" about its devices, spewing "Eww, nasty" while the rest of the world seems to like it at least on some level. Eldar is a man of the globe, "The Most Interesting Man In The World", if you will, when it comes to phones. Since this is a phone, it was important that the Phone God gave his blessings before folks like certain writers from BGR cloud the water with foolish prattle. Having a Maemo Talk person expose it would've been wrong. Nokia is trying to shed its' "for geeks" image, and this site is only "for geeks", and would've been more cementing of that image. PR is a game, and Nokia's playing it big. Wait until TMobileUSA's N900 ad campaign ramps up. It'll be the first time a Nokia has been the center of a major US ad campaign since the JayZ Black Phone, and being a smartphone/web tablet above the levels of the iPhone, it'll be the buzz of the season. I just hope TMobile is willing to properly subsidize it. It must be under $249 on contract, and we'll have ourselves a real fire for the first time.