There have been a lot of rants and raves about the navigation experience on N900 via the default Ovi Maps for the Maemo platform. One constant nagging issue has been the absence of offline maps, a feature which has been the USP of Ovi maps on symbian platform, so much as to push it to the top spot in the favoured navigation device in Europe.

However, the very feature which catapulted Ovi Maps to the top position has been missing from the maemo version of the application on N900. But all that is history, as Nokia have now updated the Ovi Maps loader with support for Maemo version of Ovi Maps, meaning you can now download and save maps on your N900 and be able to use the app in absence of data connection.  Catch more details on this after the break Read the rest of this entry »

With the worldwide shortage in N900 easing up and the holiday season closing-in, this is the best time to get an N900 for yourself or your loved ones (assuming you already haven’t got one).  I did cover some really cool deals on the N900 previously but unfortunately some of those offers are not valid anymore and I thought it was time I took a detour from the usual app reviews and cover the ongoing N900 deals on the web.

As you may know by now, Nokia has decided to pull the shutters on its flagship stores in the US, where the manufacturer has never been able to make an impact in the smartphone segment.It’s safe-haven in Europe is not spared either, with Nokia moving out of its flagship store on Regent street in London. Enough of the gloomy news, lets see what this means for N900 enthusiasts who are on the hunt for a brand-new N900.

As usual, the flagship device continues to retail at much higher price in the retail stores than on online stores, which is the same as with any other electronic device today. So let’s head online and see where you can get the best deal for your N900.

Amazon UK

One of the biggest online retailers- Amazon is known to bring some of the coolest gadgets at attractive prices to consumers worldwide, and N900 is no exception. The Amazon UK store is now retailing the N900 for GBP 559.99 (USD 900.99). So if you happen to be in UK and prefer having a N900 with UK warranty, you will have to shell GB 559.99 to get your hands on a N900.

Proposta Genuina

This is probably the cheapest deal, you can get on the N900 from any online retailer in Europe. Portugal based Proposta Genuina is retailing the N900 at EUR 490 (USD 701.78), making it considerably cheaper than the Amazon UK deal. So, now you know where to get the best deal for N900 in Europe.

Amazon US

Now crossing over the Atlantic, lets see how the deals look in the Americas: Amazon US is now retailing N900 at USD 649. How does this compare with other US stores. Let’s find out.

Dell Small Business Store

Dell which at one time had the best deal on N900, continues to be impressive with its pricing for the N900. At USD 549.99 its 100 bucks cheaper than the Amazon US deal.

NewEgg

NewEgg is another online retailer, which managed to pull the N900 into its shelves and now continues to offer the sweetest deal on the web for the American customer. At USD 549 its on par with the Dell offer.

Verdict

So the bottom line is N900 continues to retail at its cheapest in the US, and if you don’t give a hoot for warranty we suggest you source your N900 from the Americas. If you happen to be in Europe, then head to Proposta Genuina, which is the second best deal for the N900 on web today. Did you spot better deal than these? Do enlighten me, if you have!

The N900 saga refuses to  conclude! First came the undue delay in releasing the handset, which was promptly followed by an official launch but handsets mysteriously missing from retailer shelves, which continues to be the case even today after more than 100 h0urs of the official US launch of N900.

While the previous twists in the N900 tale have been nothing but disappointing for N900 fans, the latest twist promises to bring smiles to hordes of N900 fans in the US: Amazon US has now dropped the price of N900 to USD 479.99, making it the second most cheapest deal for N900 after that ephemeral deal from Dell for USD 441.99. While Nokia continues to price the N900 at USD 649, Amazon is giving a straight discount of USD 119.01 (18%) and a USD 50 mail in rebate, bringing down the price of N900 to USD 479.99. Now only if they would announce an estimated shipping date!

Source: Amazon US

Looks like the folks at Nokia have finally let the cat out of the bag as the blogosphere is rife with US and UK launch dates for the first Maemo 5 powered device. Rumour has it that the N900 will be launched on November 14th in the US and on November 16th in the UK.  Thats like just a week away!

After having delayed the launch on N900 from October to a previously unknown date, Nokia faced a lot of criticism from market pundits and Maemo fans alike. With the holiday season coming up and the competition gearing up with product launches in the same genre, it was hightime Nokia released their flagship handset. Responding to the market sentiments, Nokia seem to have finally decided on the shipping date for its N900, or atleast Newegg and Omia have some inside info, which the world is largely oblivious to. Read the rest of this entry »