It sounds good. Why carry 2 or 3 devices when one can do it all...

This thinking works when trying to capture consumer money for devices in developing markets.

Much like the 3 or 4 in 1 printer, scanner, fax, toaster ovens did.

They sold a boat load of them because consumers in these developing markets didn't know how much the would use any one of them and it somehow made "cent$".

The fact is although they did the jobs required of them, anybody who used any one of them often learned that a dedicated laser printer and a stand alone fax was the most economical in the long run... With the advent of digital photography and USB 2.0 as well as FAX to email, I can't remember the last time I needed to scan something.

Yet I know I have at least 2 of these all-in-wonder devices collecting dust because parts are required for one of it's functions and I can't justify the expense for replacement.

The cell phone market has matured. Carrier subsidies will soon drop by the wayside and with it their built consumer rational to drop one device in favor of another with the latest feature.

Consumers may be soon realizing that cell phones are a part of their life and will eventually chose one that works for them and stick with it.
This wasn't the case 15, 10, or even 5 years ago when cell phones were considered a luxury by some. Now they are almost a cradle to grave consumer product. Hopefully this will force manufacturers to provide small yet durable phones with BT that last longer than the 18 months they average now.

I believe the same will happen as consumers discover the need for a secondary device... This device can be the "all-in-one". It will replace the need for iPODS, navigators, watchmen, PIM's, et al.

The N800 has the potential to do a lot of these things well and replace many secondary devices.


Nothing wrong with a small apps on a phone and J2ME fills that need just fine... However, 20 + years of PIM's and there is still not a reliable standard format adopted so the info can be synced and viewed on different platforms. Besides, changes need to be logged to a server and a web app fills that need nicely.