My N900 arrived last Thursday. I managed to hold off from charging it till this morning, as I knew I would sit with it all weekend.
Anways, I played around with it a bit this morning and it's amazing. The screen is very responsive and I love the UI. First thing I did as a Linux geek was to open up Xterm.
Installed mplayer and mypaint as required apps.
I haven't put in a sim card yet. Will give a better review when I do. Using wi-fi for now and it's all cool. Full web-surfing is wonderful; no need for specialised apps, although I will be installing a few apps/widgets for quick access to things like trains times or FB.
Having multiple desktops is great, especially with live widgets. To be honest, am not sure how iPhone types live without a desktop.
More to come next week when I am back from holidays.
The closed parts are the phone ops parts and a few Ovi apps. This doesn't affect operating the phone as a pure Linux device. Even on my Linux at home, I have non-free apps.
Re resitive. Sure, you don't have multi-touch, but that's not really a big deal. The greater precision is very welcome, especially since you then don't have to zoom in all the time on web pages and it is perfect for drawing programs, etc. And of course, it works with gloves on.
I've used resistive touch screen in the past with the HTC offering when they where all JASJAM and JASJAR and was not impressed with them. I vowed never to get a touch screen phone again.
Then my sis in law got the Nokia 5800. I thought 'well they must have improved since then' and it was also terrible. Granted it's better with the stylus, but I think it's too much hassle to take a stick out to use my phone.
I then tried an iPhone out in the apple store and was amazed. And don't get me wrong, I hate Apple and everything they stand for. In fact as soon as something better came (HTC desire) I was off.
I don't think it's the accuracy that I'm into, it's more the sensitivity. I always found with my old HTCs that I was forever calibrating the screen as well. I use my phone with my gloves all the time in the lab as well, but they are very thin gloves.
So I don't really appreciate being told I've been sucked into Apple propaganda. I've tried resistive and I didn't like them. I like capacitive and that's the direction that most high end smart phones are going so I will stick with them (as if I will have a choice soon?)
I find multi touch is a big deal. I use it whenever I browse. But AFAIK, resistive screens are also capable of multi touch.
Well...the 5800 sucks...basically. I have it and I *hate* the touch interface. And to be fair, it was only a "pilot" for nokia. I think they were building up for something like the N900.
And as far as the htcðesire goes, I am amazed by the sense UI.
I have used the iPhone and i know its really great and all...but somehow I would like to be able to use a stylus...and not just my fingers all the time.
Having never used an N900 I can't give my own verdict on that device... but going from an appalling Nokia 5800 to a Motorola Milestone was like getting out of a Renault and into a Lamborghini.