Hi Guys.
I'm looking now, again into buying a new phone.
I know that It's impossible to find an alternative to the N900 until the next NXXX appears, but something as close as possible.
I'm wiring here because I think people are much more informed than me, I was in march, but since then, work has cough all my attention and didn't had time to inform my self.
I had the N900 for 3-4 days, and it was awesome, but the fact that it had only landscape mode was a deal breaker for me (I cycle a lot and I can't use the phone with only one hand, not even as a phone, tried once, felt from the bicycle, called my operator and returned the phone.) Don't get me wrong, I loved everything about it, but the fact that I'm force to always use it with 2 hands, even for writing a small sms it's annoying and in my case extremely dangerous (I can do that with my E51, even without looking at the screen).
I could accept the all the defects of the phone, although nokia as much as it amazed me with what it can do, disappointed me by taking out basic thinks which they had on all the other phones but decided/neglected to include them on this one.
I'm a Nokia fan since they've build my last 3 phones which worked like a charm and offered me good post-sales services (maybe this is more related to my carrier).

Anyhow, I need a phone again, or I want it.
The characteriscs which attracted me to the n900 and which I want again are:
-Decent photo/video camera - rarely used
-Web connectivity - some browsing
-video playback out of the box or as easily as possible
-social networking connected
-email
-video calling (on IM; to make calls/video calls from my phone to a computer/ other phone without using my Call minutes).
-to be usable in 1 year
-GPS (nokia maps from N900 sucked)

N900 did everything I wanted to do, but until it supports full portrait mode, it's a NO.

I heard about 2/3 new Nokias N9, N8 and N9(-1).
The N8 had a kickass camera with xenon flash which was awesome.
The N9 looked cool and promised a lot and the other N9 (although I'm not sure it was an N9) had also a physical qwerty.

Should I wait for them? I mean, if it's going to take 1-2 months until they are out I can survive until then.

I was also looking at the Desire, Nexus One, HD2, Wave or the X10.

I wouldn't want go get this ones and in one month the new Nseries to appear. I would be heart broken.
The Iphone is out of the discussion, because of the same reasons you decided that you don't want it (if you had no reason to not buy the Iphone, then the reasons everybody else told you he didn't wanted the Iphone).

Do you think you could help me. I came to you since most of you are exactly like me (- the problem with landscape) which love a good phone and like to have control over his device.

Also I was looking for a phone for my girlfriend which would make chatting between us cheaper (IM/Call on VOIP or something similar) since most of the times I'm traveling or not in the same country as her, but both of us have access to high speed Wlan).

Thank you for your time. And don't hate me for not wanting an N900, I still think it's the greatest mobile thing in the world, just not designed for me.

seriously? so many people are reading this and no-one wants to help?

My friend at work has recently got the HTC desire and to be perfectly frank, I would happily swap my N900 for that phone - it's awesome....

N8 also looks fantastic IMHO.

N900 is simply too techie for me personally - no offence intended to the devotees on this fine forum, so please, no flame wars....

Portrait mode usage for the N900 has improved quite a bit. I believe there's an sms app for that, for example.

geneven. no offense, but until n900 will have full portrait mode so I can use it with a hand, it's a no go.

It's impossible to use it with one hand at the moment.

I use my n900 everytime I cycle. Granted that just means running ecoach and media player while in my pocket because sending sms and phone calls while going 20+ mph seems like suicide to me lol

emeni, what DON'T you do when cycling with the phone?
It sounds like you have pretty good cycling skills.......I do too. I would suggest you perfect riding with no hands, or get a unicycle. This way both hands will be available for texting, web-browsing etc. Then a n900 is the ideal phone for you again.

Be safe out there.

@dave999, I did that in the first post, my problem was if I should wait for the next Nseries or should I choose the phone presented.

@superkinggt: you see my point, I need to take my calls, every single one of them since they might be work related. I can't call them back later since they are redirected from my office phone, and I'm not in the mood to call someone half way around the world on my expenses.
I'm usually cruising at 45-50km/h and currently I can use my e51 on the bike with no major problems, but the e51 doesn't do voip, web browsing, emailing as I would like.

although I'm cycling at least 20 km each day to work, I can't manage to ride with no hands, I press the pedals too hard ( at least I think because once in a while they brake), or for some unknown reason too me, I just can't do it. Tried it a lot, no help. I've been biking fo the past 3 year daily.

I use bluetooth when doing anything like that. I couldn't imagine trying to sms or dial a number while cycling. As for a replacement phone, there are plenty that have most of the features you're looking for. Just go to a store and look at them. You can get all the advice you want from a forum, but since your case seems to be a special need on how it holds/handles in your hand in extreme conditions, the only way to be sure it to hold it.

Also, you probably won't find many people with advice on other phones here, since most people here are here because they have an N900 and are happy with it. I haven't bothered keeping up on every new phone release since I've got the phone I want now. I suspect most others here are in a similar boat.