There is a lot of talk about the Nokia Internet Tablet N810 and how it uses maemo (yes no uppercase letter here) which marketing calls a computer architecture platform and you and I would clumsily call the operating system’s SDK. So what is so cool about this new technology? Why does this have a coolness factor that blows the iPhone out of the water?  Is it because it is open source? Well that isn’t that great an idea since you generally inhibits innovation and often more bureaucratic than closed systems. Is it the touch screen or User Interface, well it is sweet but it isn’t any really new.  Is it the price, well it is fairly inexpensive but not dirt cheap. What is cool what makes this the sexiest innovation in years is that you can play with it.

 

I remember my first computer and the manual that came with it said “Open the case and make sure all the cards are fitted tightly.” The manufacture specifically pointed out that PC’s are meant to be something the user can modify, it isn’t a sealed system. I was expected to know how to change cards, add RAM, write basic programs, and customize the configuration. With newer devices all of this has gone to the wayside, but with the Linux based OS and open source I am again empowered with the ability to make this computer mine.

 

Ron