This device is getting more and more interesting, from this video you can see that the dia-lpad has the letters A to Z like a regular keypad.

I was just browsing youtube for N900 videos.

Looks like the N900 will have external mouse support (not confirmed yet), this opens a new user base for the mobile Maemo platform. Imagine going to your office and enabling “Desk Mode” on your Maemo to a external keyboard and mouse, excellent for business IMHO.

It was reported as a “bug/enhancement” back in 2007 in the Maemo Bug log:

This is more of an enhancement than a bug. SOFTWARE CHANGES: (changes to the given release version: different kernel, additional packages…) Mostly the X server, probably requires enabling a kernel driver or two. Should probably create a configuration applet for enabling disabling external mouse. Why do this? This enables usage of the platform in a laptop replacement setting. Corporate users who are doing lots of email while travelling, or someone on vacation doing some web work will able to switch to “desk mode” with a mouse and folding keyboard (and ideally something to prop hold the Tablet up closer to eye level.)

Via [Maemo Forums]

Although these are photos taken with a N900 prototype, they look amazing. This is the one I liked the most, very clear and crisp:

Click here for the custom search

Via [The Nokia Blog]

Every day I stay up to date on Nokia news and upcoming devices, I have my feed reader refresh itself every 15 minutes (seriously) and when I saw the N900 announced with a video preview I was like WTF, very confused and happy at the same time.

The device features a 3.5 resistive touch screen, 5 Megapixel camera but my favorite feature is the RAM, it actually has 256 MB but 768 or Virtual Memory oh and the 600 Mhz CPU, the video shows just how fast Maemo 5 is with that kind of RAM available, most of the time Nokia don’t temper or deceive consumers with the response time of their devices. Click here for the full specs.

I always thought that if Symbian recoded  all it’s code and became Linux it would be more accepted, it didn’t happen but Nokia improved on their tablet to release a more appealing User Interface, the marketing and announcement of this device has left N97 users bitter, Symbian on the N97 has it’s bugs and the hardware it’s flaws (lens cover scratch), not to be a jerk but good thing I didn’t get the N97, I learned my mistake when I got the N95-3…

Maemo first then Symbian?

The acquisition of Symbian by Nokia was an investment, according to the roadmap Symbian Foundation release will be hardened (finished completely) by 2012, long wait huh? but a release of the Foundation is expected later this year, possibly an announcement in the Nokia World 2009. So my only guess is that Maemo is here to stay on tablets and to entertain us before the Symbian Foundation is finished, Nokia hasn’t given up on Symbian and they might surprise us with the first release.

N900 Linux phone

The N900 is expected to gain support by Linux fanatics, I have used Ubuntu and can say that it’s kind of Mac OS X, very fast and stable. A lot of applications won’t be needed since the browser (Fennec Firefox) might do almost everything (Facebook, RSS, Flickr etc), what I like also about this tablet is the standby screen, you can have your applications just like your desktop, something that the N97 can do but with limitations.

Final Thoughts

The announcement of the device was a success now we need to wait for reviews even though I think the device is worth every single penny, it will fill that gap of the “perfect device with nice UI” while Nokia works on their Symbian OS.

More Links and Photos:

• Official Nokia Maemo Website
• First photos and review of N900 prototype
• Official Maemo Website