Have you looked at the (free) USB Media Channel? This allows you to play audio and video files from a USB device plugged into the back of the Roku. You can also use it to show photographs.

The interface is a little bare bones, but it works well for me. Plays ripped DVD content and legally downloaded videos. The combination of streaming and local files in a $99 box is near perfect.

My vote is for Zach Galifianakis to play rms when "Richard Stallman - The Movie" is filmed.

I have an N900 too. Yes is is awesome and open. Real Linux, beautiful screen, decent speakers, IRDA, two cameras, WiFi, etc (and runs Flash).

However, the e-mail client sucks. Slow, badly designed (new message notifications confuse rather than inform) and crucially lacking spell check. I use the N900 most of the time, and the supplement this with an iPod Touch for e-mail, Twitter, apps, etc. Joikuspot on the N900 provides Internet access to the N900.

The combination of iPad and N900 will work pretty well for me. Looking forward to using a great closed device with a great open device.

I have a N900 'phone. I love it - basically it is Linux in your pocket, with proper web browsing and a telephone. I think anyone who works with computers should consider looking into buying one.

However, as a "business" 'phone it sucks. The basic requirements of a business 'phone are:

1) Push e-mail with integrated spellcheck (you don't want typos in the e-mail back to the boss or important client)

2) Easy to use calendar (which syncs with desktop data)

3) Easy to use address book (which syncs with desktop data)

4) Easy to use 'phone (one-handed dialing, quick-lookup in address book, etc.)

The N900 does not compete well with either the Blackberry here, and to a lesser degree the iPhone. Fix those four points and the N900 becomes a serious contender for a business phone (since the business can install any damn application on the device).

Also, the Ovi Maps application for the N900 is currently underpar - hopefully this will improve later this year.

I really hope Maemo takes off. This is the platform for Slashdot readers. The N900 is a great device to tinker with.

I agree. The N900 is pretty much the ideal 'phone for the Slashdot crowd. I was pretty surprised that there was not more commentary on the N900 here - it is more open than the Nexus One or the Milestone, with more features than you can shake a stick at.

Looks like the unfortunately named iPad application will be changing it name: http://www.apple.com/downloads/dashboard/business/ipad.html As of the time of writing, this was the only result searching for iPad on Apple's site.

I agree with the Pulse Pen. What is more, you have an instant archive (paper) along with the digital audio recording and digitization of what you write. Works very well for my purposes.

If you are backpacking you want to take something that you deal with loosing or breaking. You want something that you can keep in an ordinary pocket. My advice would be a smart GSM ‘phone with Bluetooth (and maybe WiFi).

I choose a Sony Ericsson P910. The camera is good enough for blogging. I can type away e-mails on the keyboard. GSM works most places in the world. T-Mobile offers a $5 a month data plan that lets me surf the web (slowly) from all over the globe.

Plug in a memory card and you have a device you can read ebooks on (travel guides and books you meant to read that never got round to). Carry a bluetooth GSM device and your ‘phone now is every map you would need to bring.

Get a USB thumb drive that also works with your memory cards. That way you can easy transfer data from your ‘phone to PCs in a Internet café.

Ideally choose devices that charge from USB ports. This cuts down on the number of chargers you need.