Nokia’s Maemo OS – The next big wave


The next big wave

The next big wave

Trends in computers come in waves. Developers are like surfers on the shore spying out the horizon looking out for the next big one. Today I write about a wave that is just now starting to take shape, looks almost innocuous, but that has the potential to be a great ride as well – Nokia’s Maemo operating system.

There have been several Maemo based devices released already, but the latest one, the N900 seems to be really capturing the imagination of lots and lots of users and, in particular, developers. And that is very significant, even crucial for a platform, as Steve Ballmer has been known to admit. But aren’t all mobile device developers already coding for Apple? Well, they might have been, and a great many of them still are, but that wave seems to be heading in to the rocks and many of its riders are looking to get off. OK, you may say, but aren’t developers more likely to get on the Google Android wave instead? Well, some have already done just that, but I have reason to believe that the Maemo wave is going to be a lot more fun to ride. Lets see why.

In case you didn’t follow the links above, Paul Graham wrote an excellent essay entitled “Apple’s Mistake”. I do encourage you to read it. On that essay Mr. Graham provides a very insightful appraisal of the current situation with lots of iPhone developers. To sum it up, they are frustrated with Apple’s heavy handed treatment and are looking for an alternative. He considers Android as lacking what it takes to really grab a hold of the mass of developers fancy. Sure, some Apple developers have jumped to it, but he thinks many are going to just hold tight and let that wave go by hoping for a better one.

So, what does Mr. Graham envision as a worthy wave to entice developers into riding it (or writing for it, if you prefer)? Well, lets take a look:

  1. The device has to be desirable as a personal device for the programmer himself.
    I think that this is where Android has failed so far. Just about all of the Android devices that have been released so far have been lacking the awesomeness needed to entice developers away from their beloved iPhones. They either felt cheap in comparison with the excellent build quality of the iPhone, were lacking in storage space, were lacking in processing speed, were lacking in application memory, etc., or all of the above.
  2. It would have something very appealing specifically to developers.
    As he says: “If you could think of an application programmers had to have, but that would be impossible in the circumscribed world of the iPhone, you could presumably get them to switch.” And what may such an application be? Thankfully, he is kind enough to tell us. “Could anyone make a device that you’d carry around in your pocket like a phone, and yet would also work as a development machine? It’s hard to imagine what it would look like.”

Well, I would love to see what Mr. Graham’s reaction is going to be when he realizes that such a device already exists and is starting to reach the masses of impatient customers right now. Not only is the N900 very appealing hardware and software wise, but it also happens to have that ability that, so far, has only been a twinkle in his eye – the ability of using your phone as a developer device. I will write more about this on a separate post.

I believe that even Nokia has been taken by surprise by the interest this device has generated. Hundreds of people have been glued to their computers following with obsessive interest the Maemo forums looking for clues as to when they are finally going to be having the device on their hands. I know that there have been people known to camp out overnight outside of Apple’s stores on the eve of a new iPhone launch. But, what has been happening surrounding the launch of the N900 is truly an event worthy of study by sociologist. Take a look if you want at some of the “monster threads” that have been brewing over at the Maemo forums.

Did your N900 ship today continued (838 replies at time of writing)

N900 shipping delayed (3,930 replies at time of writing)

OPK: N900 deliveries have now started!! (2,513 replies at time of writing)

Can you say mass obsession?

Can you say mass obsession?

In my view, the Nokia N900 is shaping up to be the beginning of a very interesting ride for many mobile developers, and for many developers that were previously not interested in mobile computing. And for the regular users? Well, they are in for a treat with all the apps that are going to be developed for this device. And I am not talking of simple unit converters, shopping list programs, car fuel consumption trackers, etc. I believe that the level of sophistication and power of the applications that are going to become available for the N900 will be rivaled by no other phone type device in existence. Don’t believe me? Well, feel free to skip this wave. But as for me, got to go, surf is up.

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Nokia’s Maemo OS – The next big wave