I love my N1 because it has none of the carrier-enforced sponsorware and I can use the data plan I pay for however I choose (using the built-in tethering functi

I love my N1 because it has none of the carrier-enforced sponsorware and I can use the data plan I pay for however I choose (using the built-in tethering functionality, for example). I appreciate that Google recognizes that Android is an open OS and provides an unlockable bootloader if I want to run a modified firmware. The N1 was what moved me out of the iPhone camp because I found this to be a breath of fresh air. The N1's contemporaries just aren't as open, and given the phone vendors' track records if you buy an Android phone today you're not guaranteed any software updates in a timely manner or even at all. Google made this their flagship device and was what they were using to dogfood the OS, so I was confident the N1 this would continue to see improvement for the useful life of the device. I'll probably be in the market for a new phone by this time next year, and I hope there is a decent replacement for the N1 in terms of openness with a vendor who's committed to supporting it. If my phone is going to be locked down tighter than a drum, I may as well get an iPhone, because Apple has at least established a track record that the device will get software updates through the life of the 2 year contract.