Yes, that's the old discussion...
I definitely fall into the category prefering mature software over new software.
dhns put it correctly in my opinion:
Having a mature kernel eliminates the need for long periods of testing, and as we saw with the Zaurus project: Once the basic system finally is quite stable and feature-rich enough to make the device really useful, the manufacturer stops making the device.
So I really like the approach of this phone here.
OTOH, a smartphone without a QWERTY keyboard is not really useful for me.
I have one now, a T-Mobile SDA running Windows Mobile.
It replaces the zaurus now in some aspects, but it is a pain.
Text can only be entered using the phone numeric keyboard and using T9.
Text entry via touchscreen, as this new phone features, makes it a bit easier, but this would not be enough for real work for me.
I need to maintain databases, enter a lot of text (writing notes / diaries / web pages / papers...) and all this should be as compatible as possible to my Windows PC at work an my mac at home.
I admit this is not an easy profile to meet with a Linux smartphone. ;-)
But, as someone else said, I only need Linux on a phone if I can really make use of the flexibility, i.e. if this is my always-with-me mini PC. If I only use it as a phone, and carry a seperate "Mini-PC" with me, I don't need Linux on that phone.
Well, my 2 cents. As always, YMMV.
Nonetheless, a very interesting phone which could be einteresting for special projects and for some (!) private users.
In order to sell 1000 of then, though, I think you will need to find a larger company using this phone for a project.
Or maybe, with good advertising, this can be made a new standard phone for companies with field staff, which must communicate with each other a lot and sync with intranet servers etc...
Like the comany I work for.
Having different systems when sitting at the customer's plant makes it difficult for us to share information and PIMs.
If we all had one kind of flexible phone, which is able to sync with the Intranet server (Lotus Domino / Notes), and which allows to enter information easily and quickly (keyboard...) etc., then we all would be much happier.
Maybe we should discuss that offline ;-)
daniel