Dont understand why anyone would buy an Android device.

If you want apps go for an iPhone, if you want a hackable device with great hardware then the N900 still has no peer in the market (great little keyboard, loads of storage, fm transmitter, tv out usb host mode etc).

I've switched for a Desire Z, I was tired of the missed calls, the laggyness of the UI, the mail client which is a joke, etc.

Both phones have pros and cons.

I prefer the screen of the Desire Z, the UI is much more responsive and fast than the one in N900, the mail client is very fast, the phone functionalities are better, the UI is polished, there are a lot of apps, the browser is very fast and responsive, etc...

But the N900 has a better keyboard, has more gadgets (IR, FM transmitter etc), is more open, I have the feeling to control the phone in maemo, where in android I have the feeling that a lot of things are not under my control, the external speaker of N900 is better, the task manager is far better (no way to close an app by default in android, no preview of the apps open), etc..

Overall, I would say that android is better when it comes to use the phone only as a phone, or for average joe.
N900 is good, but annoying when it comes to basic functionalities (phone / mail / surf)

If u dont want to use a lot of time tweaking and haxing your phone go for desire. I was thinking this same question in june and If I had to choose now between n900 and desire, I still wouldnt know which one. Although I bought n900. Google for "htc vision", if you have time to wait for it, I would buy it now when i have seen n900 and desire. HTC vision 1ghz processor + qwerty

Want a phone with PC functions? Get Desire. Want a PC with phone functions? Get N900.

They are kind of uncomparable. Read reviews of both phones, go to youtube, etc.

By the way, if you love portrait, you can forget about N900. N900 is landscape only. (Despite some applications which can rotate, but desktop, menu, contacts, etc, the "main" system is all in landscape.

If you don't have landscape, then you better watch some youtube videos about both the phones and then decide. If you have a phone shop close to you (FNAC, i.e.) you can try both phones and decide which one of them fits you.

ive got n900 and the desire, i preffer n900

keep in mind that the n900 lacks a compass or voice navigation software, which pretty much all android (or symbian, for that matter) smartphones have.

if that's not an issue for you, its probably among the best bang for buck you can get at the moment, even if you never do any programming or hacking more advanced than getting preenv to work so you have some decent games beyond angry birds.

look for deals on it used. search this forum for one of the endless threads about how the n900 sucks and nokia has abandoned it and maemo is dead etc etc and make the dissatisfied an offer. i would assume theyll let it go for cheap

Certainly N900,is stable, fast,quality phone with pc fuctions.Maemo is not dead.

Stable ????

Yeah, mine is unless I'm experimenting with overclocking profiles or some other random feature that has been disabled for good reason. What are you doing with yours so it isn't?

I've got to agree. Mine is solid.