There are only a handful of devices really get it and in my opinion, the Garmin Nuvifone deserves to be part of the few.

While not perfect, the video below shows how Garmin focused on the user friendliness on the upcoming Gamin Nuvifone. We see the emphasis on finger navigation and a great use of kinetic scrolling.

This brings something which we can all talk about -- what is more important on a device, experience or features?

Watch the video*: http://blip.tv/file/1002934


*Video is courtesy of Laptop Magazine.

I say a bit of each. Something friendly to use, however jam packed with features. I think a device should have 2 interfaces. One user (noobish) friendly, and then one for the ones that are more into customizing thier desktop if you will. however I will buy a gadget on features, now matter how hard they are to use first, then ease of use second.

Experience is the top thing for me. Give me a good browser, email, and IM experience first, then add features later.

Reggie,

Then by your criteria the eeePC Nailed it.

how do you add features later? Its easier to improve the experience of existing features than add additional ones which usually requires new hardware

Never buy a device for what it could have. If the device doesn't do what you want then the chances are it never will. That is new features or ease of use.
My answer would be that it needs the features I want it for, but they have to be useable, so yes, experience first assuming it does what you want.

i agree with tabletrat...alot of times it take way too long for a device to mature into its real worth...for instance the lifedrive....if what dmitry is doing currently could have been done whene it first came out well it could have really been something...alot of devices seem to rush to release only to put out half finished products...

I bought the N800 as an iPod replacement/portable web browser. This was before the SDHC patch, FM radio, Canola and a host of other things I found out this device could do after my purchase.

Had someone described the features on my tablet now and not told me what device was associated with what they were describing, I would have had the feeling "yeah, it would be nice if my tablet could do that".

My latest "wow" program is the phonelink app. I swear each time I install something it is like getting a new tablet all over again.

Some people are just pure gadget afficionados. They appreciate the devices for the specs more so than what the device can do for them as tools in their life. In their case, great specs and imaginative 'potentials' outweighs what the device current and real value is.

I used to be that way, so I know what it's like to spend more time hacking a device trying to make it work [the way you imagine it would be] than actually using a device to make it work for you. I think the 'hacking' and 'developing' part should be left to :

a). Producer of the device.
b). Developers who has a stake on the device, whether they make a living off it or some social reward scheme that they has an accountability for.

if neither a or b exists, then the device should be categorized as a hobbyist device.

I think the NIT somehow falls into this region.. nobody seems to be making any money from developing the apps, and there doesn't seem to be a good way to make money off of it for the time being. So, for example, we often hear requests for PIMs and everyone just shouts back "Make your own or stfu".

If the NIT has a clearer direction "Yes we want it to takeover the PIM segment of the market too, so PIM is somewhere down the road but not now". OR "No, NIT will be a pure web apps delivery vehicle. We will not provide native PIM apps, we will only support offline-capable web apps".

Then I can see a NIT as a tool being forged, not just a "be all you can be, but do nothing for now" device.

PS: Yes, the garmin has a great interface.

In a way, device owners are beta testers for [the] future devices, or future software. The question is: how much impact does this have on the usability? This differs on a case by case scenario. However, I believe this was the reason for the way things happened regarding the N770 & its early adopters.