With the news that the N9 is most likely to be canned, I am looking around for something else to get instead.

(I'm trying to get ready for some disappointing news).

I currently use Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Maps etc. and quite like the idea of going to Android (I don't want to go back to Symbian and don't want to wait around for Meego to appear on a device -if it does at all-).

-I've used Noks all my life and so this will be quite a bit step for me


The things I need are:
Keyboard - I'm not fond of touchscreen typing
Large screen - as big as the N900 or better
Good camera with flash - as good as N900 or better
Gmail and Google Calendar compatibility
As fast as possible without having worse battery life than the N900
FM Radio
-oh yes, I forgot to add: available in the UK and works if I take it on holiday.

Things I'd really like:
A tomboy app that plays well with Ubuntu One

Is there a phone out there for me (or one likely to arrive in the next few months)?

Before anyone shouts out "yes, the N900", I'm looking for an upgrade...

looking for an upgrade? seems like a downgrade from my point of view.

I'd say that your options are either HTC Desire Z or Motorola Droid2. The good thing about Z is the fact that the UI (user interface) should be same globally (HTC Sense), while the Droid2 is in US vanilla-Android, if I recall right, and here, in Europe, it's known as Milestone2 and has Motoblur UI on it.

Why did I mention the UI's? Because those are blocking the latest updates to the Android. As far as I can tell HTC has done good work to keep their devices up to date with Android. I don't know about Motoblur but I know this : Samsung doesn't like updating. There was an article about Samsung not going to give an update to the users but rather make a new device and push the newest update to that one. I think this has happened with Sony Ericsson too?

But yeah. I'd say that you should go and try the Z and Droid2/Milestone2 by yourself. Someone moved from N900 to Z and, if I recall right, he didn't fancy the keyboard in the Z.

Hah, thought I would get that reply!

I haven't really kept up on phones since I bought my N900 about a year ago. Has there not been anything new that compares? -or anything out in the next few months?

I'd by the way remind you, that the ones that I mentioned, are from the top of my head. There might be new ones out now but I can't recall any new ones recently in the market. Z seems to be good, since it has the quite nearly instant-on feature.

Very good point on the UIs! So that rules out Samsungs, as I would prefer the updates to come through relatively swiftly.

That has given me a couple to look at. Do you know if the Z and the Droid 2 are available in the UK or not?

I'd assume they are available in there. Check your local carrier. Motorola Droid2 is though Milestone2, so you might want to remember that.

Also, I'd wait for someone else to reply to this thread too, who has some more knowledge on Android, UI's and updates. The "facts" that I posted are just what I've heard. I'd go with Z, if that indeed is the most updated one compared to the updates of Android.

htc seems to be the best manufacturer of android devices right now. camera is decent but nokia still got the top spot for image quality. for fm radio, i know there's one or two in the market but not sure about the specific model or is it gsm or cdma type and if it has a harware keyboard...

htc desire z, moto cliq 2, moto milestone 2, and xperia (?) are the latest android devices with hardware keyboard right now...

if i were you, just wait a bit more for those dual core phones as it'll more likely to get honeycomb or ice cream (?) update...

i had a look around recently, as my wife is due an upgrade soon, and there is nothing at the moment that can beagt the n900 still. Some have better cameras, some have better/faster processors, some have etter screens for looking at(still think this is the best type os touch screen unless you can get a stylus with your capacitive screen), somme have better battery power.

BUT there are NO new phones/devices that beat the n900 on more than 1 thing. If something has a good camera, it doesn't have a keyboard, or it's a symbian or something, so it's a downgrade tere.

If something has a better processor then it either doesn't have a keyboard and/or has about only 0.5gb storage and the camera is the same or worse than the n900.

etc. etc. etc.

It really does seem like no manufacturer wants to put all the best stuff on one device. Are they scared people will buy it or something, Is it perhaps they think people wont buy their next device for so long because it woulld be so good, thereby cutting their profits?

Anyway, I don't know when I will ever upgrade, as at the moment there doesn't seem to be anything to upgrade TO.
I could probably live with Android, having loads of apps etc is good, but after experiencing maemo I don't want to 'downgrade' to anything else, and the N9, if it ever appears might not even have meego now, so when will the first meego device appear? It will probably be then that other things will come out that will be candidates to upgrade to, and if something else has a killer camera, with keyboard, loads of storage, dual core processor, and, oh I dunno, a holographic image projector too? then the meego device might not measure up, even if it does have the better operating system, and just has a 'normal' camera or something.

I guess that's my problem as well. Did you have a look at the htc desire z? I've just read a couple of reviews and it is starting to sound like it may fit the bill.

I can't wait for those holo-projector phones though!