Nokia N900 Black Unlocked 3G GSM Smart Phone/ Mobile Computer With Maemo Operating System

Pros: Though this is a Debian Linux based phone, one doesn't necessarily need to possess a high level of knowledge of Linux in order to use the phone. In fact, the UI by itself is quite intuitive and easy to navigate. Also, for those with higher levels of knowledge of Linux, you can add more apt sources and have access to more applications than most other people, not to mention that all of these applications are free (as in beer and as in freedom; at least until the Ovi Store opens up.) I've found the entire experience to be a lot better than what I've had with the iPhone and with the Android devices already released so far.

Cons: 1. The microphone occasionally stops working. The best workaround is to simply reboot the device. I really hope Nokia releases a firmware update to fix this. 2. There aren't many apps yet. However, it's apparently easy to port applications that are already programmed to use either the GTK+ or QT frameworks, so it might just be a matter of recompiling for the ARM architecture and making a .deb package. 3. There isn't much space for applications. Though the phone has 32 GB of internal memory, only about two gigabytes are allocated for applications. This can probably be worked around by Linux power users by repartitioning or by symlinking applications (or entire directories). 4. Again, it's still rough on the edges, there's still a few things that are not intuitive (removing contacts in your list of contacts = removing contacts from any IM services that your friends might be on. Not good.)

Overall Review: The Maemo platform still has a little ways to go, but I think it can be used as a basic smartphone for most users, and as an extremely handy tool by power users that can potentially go way beyond what the iPhone and Android platforms are capable of, merely by how free one is with the Maemo platform. The benefits of open source development are apparent in the Maemo platform.

Pros: high res, almost twice the iphone's. four home screens / wallpapers. highly customizable. running like 32 apps at once. works great. multitasking machine. notification LED is the best seen so far. IT also is customizable. youtube works great on it. got 3.5G working on t-mobile. pictures/vido recording is great. on par with the way it worked for the n95 so it doesn't lag at all.

Cons: need to tweak settings in order to get gmail to work. need to find IM messenger that will work with this OS.

Overall Review: worth every penny.

Pros: This is the most powerful and impressive phone I've had to date. Raw power it lines up close with the iPhone 3GS and Droid. Over all though it's specs trump both. The OS is slick, the features outstanding. The Internet Tablet OS, Maemo, has blossomed beautifully onto a phone and it feels all the more natural here. This looks to be the beginning of something really beautiful for Nokia. Symbian's been showing it's age, and here Linux has never looked so new. The over all experience is slick and will only get better.

Cons: While it's blossomed, it's not without blemishes. Some features would be nice, more portrait support could be useful. The software library for the new OS version is still slim as this thing JUST launched.

Overall Review: Negative reviews here over the shipping deal are pointless. The hardware and OS are what should be judged. Not Nokia and Newegg's delays on the launch. Besides, Newegg still got it out faster than some other major online retailers I can't speak of here. ;)

Pros: Great phone IF you really have a good grasp of technology and not just a wannabe geek. Magnificent UI. You can put widgets, bookmarks, contacts, and icons ANYWHERE on the 4 available desktop as you wish. It's OPEN-SOURCE. Supported by a very active Maemo Community. Not for fart apps addicts but if you are one you can always find them on the repositories or Ovi store. Video Chat through Skype. TRUE Multi-tasking(not task-switching as in Android or iOS). Unified Messaging (Yahoo, AIM, ICQ, MSN, etc.). Built-in FM Transmitter(Listen to your music in your car's radio without buying anything else) You can use it as a TV remote with its IR tx(just D/L the proper app) or use it as a PS3 remote :-) Got mine dual-booting with Android 2.1 ;-) Terrific sound and voice quality. Durable! Fell on stone floor(5ft) and just a small scratch on the impact point. THE BEST MOBILE BROWSER you can ever find in a phone FLASH-support in browser. (Yes, you can play farmtown with it)

Cons: To clarify misconceptions expressed in previous reviews: 1. Nokia EXPLICITLY EXPRESSED IN DIRECT TERMS they WILL BE SUPPORTING N900 in the future. 2. If you want perfect Google service, buy a Google Android phone. Asking for good Google service on competing product? SMART! Google Maps is available. Add a bookmark to your desktop for www.google.com/maps/m and it's right there in your face. OVI MAPS IS FREE you don't need to pay for it, people complain about free???? If you want voice guidance,, quick locking, etc., buy Sygic Mobile Maps for it. 3. Don't use a car kit not built for it. 4. Memory leaks are untrue. Media Player is okay. Haven't rebooted mine in a week unlike Android phones that reboot out of no reason. 5. There are ways to minimize battery drain IF you really have a "High" Tech knowledge. It's A SMARTPHONE! And most drain battery as fast as they can based on their capabilities. 6. N900 IS Supported by Nokia on their website. GO LOOK! One said no accelerometer

Overall Review: People really shouldn't go bashing phones if they really should be bashing themselves for not knowing what they're doing. This product has a whole lot of features out-of-the-box that you'd still have to pay for with other phones. It's completely different from a lot of other phones-it's not just a smartphone like the others-it's a mobile computer. The lack of apps can be made up for with the web browser. It's a full mozilla-based internet browser(like you have on your PC). You need an app for something? Browse for free web apps. Meego, though not commercially supported, can run on this device. Actually, THIS IS the Meego test device. It takes brains to really maximize use of this device.

Pros: * Nokia open philosophy: "sudo gainroot" gives you COMPLETE control of the OS... yours if you want it / know what to do with it... free apps (some now, many more to come) from a large & active community, if you don't. * If you hate the US wireless carriers (evil, all of them) as much as I do -- the GSM/phone part is OPTIONAL. I get by 100% on WiFi, incl. Cradlepoint CDMA-to-WiFi router, so I only need to deal with data-only verizon service. Skype VOIP quality is really excellent, noise reduction / voice clarity is remarkably good for both parties. Am getting a cheap prepaid SIM card for occasional, contract-free non-VOIP phone calls. When travelling internationally, use of local prepaid SIM cards will save huge $ over ridiculous int'l roaming fees. * Multitasking, speed, and really nice display make the user experience a pleasure, as others have noted

Cons: Early-adopter price is hard to swallow, but I have absolutely no post-purchase remorse and am glad I pulled the trigger and got it. Front face scratched somewhat easily -- use a screen protector immediately, don't find out the hard way that it ain't diamond-coated

Overall Review: Calling it a "phone" is selling this device short and actually misleading as it provides the freedom/openness to BYPASS the phone carriers to the greatest extent possible. Buying this is a vote for the hardware manufacturers, who I hope can wrest some control of the US market away from the wireless carriers, with their greedy and misleading (crippling hardware WiFi / bluetooth file transfer, the artificial distinction between "voice" and "data", etc) that threaten to cut into their obscene profits.

Pros: Multi tasking is awesome. Facebook IM chat is integrated on your phone and there's no need to sign in, just go to your contacts and you'll see who's online same as SKYPE , GMAIL and other stuff. You surf the net like you're using your desktop. High Quality Videos and Pictures' Can add additional 16GB internal storage with an external Micro Sd card on top off 32GB Anything is possible with this monster phone.

Cons: Battery Life is not so good.

Pros: I now have control of my phone. If I need more battery life, I can run top(1) and see what's eating the most and disable it. Despite the oft-professed detractions, there are plenty of apps: from widgets to turn on/off the cellular modem to games to full vnc and ssh and full X server with a modern desktop environment... to a wide choice of web 2.0 apps and messaging options. Resistive screen + stylus gives great accuracy and touch. Don't have to get a data plan. WiFi + skype / sip do the job wonderfully unless you're on an 8 hr interstate road trip. In that case, pick a plan that supports ala carte data options as needed. Much cheaper than the ridiculously expensive iphone-like plans. Centralized forums/bug system is a big win. Everything is much more transparent than any other phone except the older and less capable openmoko.

Cons: A little rough here and there, but nothing to get to bothered by. For example, I've had to restart the FM radio app now and then when it goes silent. Still some closed standard apps (like the wifi management). They could be replaced by open apps, however. Nothing like the tight-fisted control that apple wields over its devices (or worse, windows-based devices). Slightly difficult to write freely, particularly code since some symbols (like '|') are not on the standard keyboard (have to pop up a symbol table on the touch screen). That's fairly easily solved for more than just short term work by using a bluetooth keyboard.

Overall Review: Love the 32 GB standard - I haven't filled it yet, but when I do, add an SD card. I'm not a huge flash (the software) fan, but the n900 browser supports it. I agree with Jobs re: flash, if not to his degree of zealotry, but it's a fact of life for some web sites and web applications. Having the option to use it if needed is wonderful.

Pros: Good integration for gmail and sharing services like youtube and flicker. Quick email delivery from gmail, even though it is pull. IMAP4 works well without any inconsistency between my online and local inbox. Good finger friendly touch interface, vastly improved over older versions of the Maemo OS. Excellent multitasking capability, and navigation mechanism for switching between multiple applications quickly. Fantastic media support, played divx files out of the box without requiring trans-coding to a specific resolution (as long as its 800x480 or less i believe). Tons of flexibility. The N900 is a little linux machine and it has a cell phone... how awesome is that. Granted not every application is ported, but if you are a DIY kind of person the opportunity is there. Great messaging integration. GChat, skype and SIP all integrate really well and give quick notification of messages. Plain SIP support! I can finally have a portable extension to my PBX in my pock

Cons: The build quality is no where near the quality that the N810 was. The N810 was ALL METAL and it felt great. The N900 is nice, but it has an all plastic back and ... doesn't feel very "metalish" to me even though .. i think it has a metal screen frame. That said, its better than a G1 for sure. The phone is too thick. Not by a lot, but it seems like it is needlessly thick. The camera lens "slider" cover and stand seem superfluous and add about 1/8" to the thickness of the phone. Why not just make it flat? I had an N810, then an Android G1, and now the N900. The N900 is pretty close to the Android platform as far as smoothness and integration of messaging, email, etc. but it's not as polished. The keyboard layout and 3 row setup is a little odd, but I got used to it quickly. The onscreen keyboard is great too. Nokia is moving from Maemo to a joint project with Mobilin called "MeeGo", this is not a "con", but it requires some faith that Nokia will continue to support t

Overall Review: I had an N810 and I loved that hardware but wished it had a phone. When the Android G1 came out I got it, and i was happy (after i rooted it) but its not really a linux machine in your pocket. Before i got the N900 I was really nervous that it was going to be like the N810, which ran OS2008 and had a TERRIBLE UI for touch, bad mobile email and im integration etc. I can say, that as a previous android user, I am happy with the N900 on a day to day basis for email, messaging etc. As a hacker I am happy with the phones openness and well documented SDK and tools. As a consumer, I felt like Nokia abandoned N810 users b/c its software can no longer be upgraded its stuck on OS2008 forever. With the merge of Maemo and Mobilin, Nokia made me feel like maybe I made the wrong choice and was going to get shafted again by Nokia abandoning its users. Many people at Nokia say that will not happen, and I am inclined to believe them b/c the N900 is so new. For now, its an exercise in fait