I'll throw a random note in here. A common misconception is that the ARM processor is the major factor that prevents you from using all your typical Linux desktop apps on the NITs. This is really only true in a couple cases. (specifically: firefox2, openoffice, and closed source stuff/wine) . Many apps can be made to run but will not run well for the following reasons: the cpu is too slow, not enough RAM, and/or the app doesn't fit in with the desktop well because it is not "hildonized," has dialog windows bigger than the screen, or runs processes in the background that deplete the battery power. Now here is where things get interesting. Implementations of Intel's MID platform are largely based on the Intel Atom processor and seem to come with 512MB - 1GB of RAM. They run Ubuntu Mobile which uses Hildon (same as on the NITs) and parts of Maemo, AFAICT. At first glance the 800-1000Mhz CPU and 512MB+ of RAM seems like a big difference, but the Intel Atom is *not* a fast processor. Clock-for-clock it is *slower* than a Pentium III. And 512MB is more than the 128MB on the tablet, but keep in mind that Ubuntu Mobile will almost certainly be a much heavier OS than Nokia's ITOS. And, the fact that MIDs also use Hildon and seem to have similar resolution screens (800x480 in most cases) mean that they will have the same problems with getting apps to "play nicely" in terms of fitting on the screen and fitting in with the style of the desktop. The three big downsides to the Intel MID platform are: size/weight, battery life and heat. Intel's MIDs almost certainly won't be able to pull off the "always on" trick that the N800/N810 do, and as a result won't be able to periodically check your mail or idle on IM, yet still get great battery life.

If you're still not sure I recommend a wait-and-see approach to find out what the MIDs are really capable of when they're released. Intel's Atom is not a silver bullet, just a different compromise than the Omap2 in our N8x0s.