I have to disagree on two things. First: although the N900 has some shortcomings it works. You adapt to workaround some lack of features easily. Now, the great thing about it is that it is the most open and working smartphone that is generally available today. It is definitely the piece of land you want to be in.

Second: it seems it will be possible to install maego on the N900. What the bloggers and mailing lists are saying is that it probably won't be possible to upgrade from maemo 5 to Meego only. There won't be an "upgrade button", but you will probably be able to flash (with some hackery, maybe) Meego into it.

If you decide to wait for the next version, then, just before it is released there will be the other next version and so on...

hey guys, sorry th is off topic, but how do u access the mobile android/iphone version of gmail from the n900?

Don't forget no backwards compatability with existing Wm6/6.5 apps, and hardly any scope for customisation. WP7 is simply Zune Phone - nothing more. Which kind of makes a mockery all those people whinging about not getting WM7 for the HD2 - why would they want to dumb it down? Have they forgotten why they went for Windows Mobile in the first place?

Seriously. Seems M$ thinks that since no confusing multi-tasking, no copy & paste hassles, no wasted microSd slots, no removable battery to lose, an ugly UI so non-challenging and simple the simple-minded can use it, no downloads except from a single approved-by-Monkey Boy Ballmer apps store and generally tightening down the screws on the consumer 'til the threads strip has worked so well for Apple, it must be a Good Thing to copy.

Surely Apple-like success in the mobile market is sure to follow those who do things the Steve Jobs approved way. Right?

I suggest you wait for the N920 Harmattan/Meego
...but then nobody can guarranty that Nokia won't drop support for Meego one month later and announce a new OS called MeeMbian ...or something like that

I know how, you feel, as I felt the same until yesterday, when I decided to buy a N900.

I used a WM5 Mobile before, and it is still working, so I was in no hurry to make a decission.

For me the Sygic publishing their navigation sytem was the last trigger, that made me buy now, as it is one of the four "must have" features I need of my mobile.

1) Sync with Funambol
2) Navigation
3) Radio
4) Graphical Calculator

Additionally, the N900 has a resistive touchscreen. Others would mention that as a con, but for me it is a clear pro.
As with capacitive touchscreens you cannot use your Fingernails for exact pointing.

And yes, as a Linux user, I was thrilled by the Idea, to have a real Linux system on my mobile too.

I am not sure if I will buy any meego mobile. Because no one can say if there ever will be any navigation software. And I guess it will get a capacitive touchscreen too.

So waiting for meego was not an option for me.

my thoughts exactly! that is the life cycle of how these cell phone thingys go

By the time the next NIT comes out, there will be another one in the line and you will be asking the same question. In the cell phone industry there is ALWAYS another good one coming down the line in the next few months. The Nexus One just got released, we are looking at a new iPhone soon, as well and new WinMo devices. In industry terms the N900 is already getting long in the tooth, but it still blows the doors off of most of the devices out there.

The bottom line is that if it does what you want it to do right now, buy it. If it doesn't, don't buy it. Every time I second guess my decision to get the N900 over the N1, I just go and visit the forums where people complain about the shortcomings of the Android phones (and yes, they even complain about the N1), and realize that it's really just a trade off. The grass really isn't greener.

It's impossible to answer a guestion like this. If you have your doubts, don't buy it. There's tons of phones with different OS's around there nowadays.

Thought one thing i would want to say is that don't go for WM7, yet. WM7 is exactly in the same position as first Iphone, Maemo 5, WebOS, Android. Maybe most importantly it's same as first iphone so it needs the apps as that's what it's very much about(+ the software Microsoft is able to give). Maemo at least got the web browser and multitasking that are one of the best(if not the best) from the start.

With Maemo 5 there's the difference to Harmattan that most of us knew that Harmattan will be knocking the door in not long future months before N900 got announced. With Harmattan/MeeGo there's no reason yet to believe that Nokia/Intel would after a year suddenly drop the support.

Agree, I know there are other options i.e. Android, iPhone, WM 7. So what? I prefer something that is open and not waiting for someone to hack in order to do tethering or installing application. I prefer N900 since it allows me to do whatever I want it.

and of course the support of community, if you dont believe, you can put some questions about your problem in 900. within minutes, someone will answer you :-)