Two-timing Nokia N900 flips between Maemo and Android
There are several enticing smartphones in the marketplace right now, and of course they all run various operating systems, each of which have their pros and cons. Think inside the box for a second, and you'll see Windows Mobile at one corner, iPhone OS in another, Android in yet another, and then Maemo in the final spot. While the significance of a few of those has been debated, the fact is they all have their supporters.
With the introduction of the N900 a few months back, Nokia updated its power-user Maemo OS in order to combine the best software features with arguably the best hardware, but for one user it wasn't enough. Stepping outside that aforementioned box, Brandon Roberts decided that it would be cool to see his N900 running Android in addition to the native Maemo 5, and luckily for us he recorded a video of the proof of concept.
Why is this such a big deal? We already know the ARM Cortex A8 processor is multi-talented, so there must be more to it than that. Of course, it's the flexibility and the apps. While both open platforms have many developers working hard to bring apps to the masses, the Android Marketplace already has more content than the niche Maemo community will ever see.
As a fellow N900 user, I hope to see this dual-boot project carried further beyond what already looks very usable. With a working keyboard, native resolution, and touchscreen already checked off the to-do list, it looks like Brandon is on his way to making many N900 users happy, along with maybe even helping Nokia sell a few extra handsets.
[Twitter]
