Considering buying N800

[n800maybe]

Hi, I'm new to the apparently wonderful world of internet tablets.
I'm considering buying a N800, especially because it packs a lot of features for the price.

However, a few questions remain:

Non technical:

- Have you ever had any problem with the device ? Most particularly with the touchscreen (digitizer drift) ?

- What is the quality of Nokia's support if run into troubles ?
- What is the warranty ?
- Is the microphone of good quality (ex: like a cheap computer microphone) ? Also, is it integrated within the device, or external (something to plug in) ? Can you use an external microphone with it (ex: like a cheap computer microphone) ?

- What is the overall solidity of the device ?
- Is the webcam of good quality (for an integrated webcam) ?

Technical:

- Is there any SNES emulator for the N800 ? If yes, I would like to know the performances you get (rpg, no sound, no graphic smoothing)

- Is video playback performance good ? What resolution and fps do you use, and which bitrate too ? Does using mplayer embedded in MediaBox slows it down ?

- Is it possible to install and use unhildonized applications on the N800 ?

- I know Angstrom works on the tablet. However, does the touchscreen works (any of you that tested it) ?

- Is there any possibility to recompile the linux kernel yourself, and if yes, please include a link to the howto (or whatever they call it) ?

- Is host USB and USB ethernet support reliable, or crashing ?

- Also, what Bluetooth keyboards will work (just include yours if you don't know, I'll sort them by myself)

- Is there any chance to get PowerVR 3D drivers (open source hope there), in middle-term (a year or two) ?

Thanks in advance for answering this pretty big pack of questions. I must convince my parents, so the more the better :) !

Sincerely yours, n800maybe

[GeraldKo]

n800maybe, that's a lot of questions, and I don't know that you're going to find people who want to take the time to answer so many. I'm sure you know more about the thing than your parents! I suggest you start with these lengthy reviews, show them to your parents, and maybe ask more targeted questions if you need to later:

http://tinyurl.com/yvdc8a

http://tinyurl.com/ysork7

.

[GeneralAntilles]

I'm going to take a swing at this, but only because I'm a nice guy.


- Have you ever had any problem with the device ? Most particularly with the touchscreen (digitizer drift) ?


No.


- What is the quality of Nokia's support if run into troubles ?


Well, it'll get fixed at least, but how long it takes and the kind of information you get while it's being fixed are poor.


- What is the warranty ?


This is on about every website that sells the device.


- Is the microphone of good quality (ex: like a cheap computer microphone) ? Also, is it integrated within the device, or external (something to plug in) ? Can you use an external microphone with it (ex: like a cheap computer microphone) ?


Yes (don't expect anything like a nice Sennheiser shotgun mic, though); yes, integrated; yes, there's a 3rd channel on the 3.5mm jack (or you could use USB).


- What is the overall solidity of the device ?


It's fine.


- Is the webcam of good quality (for an integrated webcam) ?


You tell me. (http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2055/2007072523_3b800f766f_o.jpg)


- Is video playback performance good ? What resolution and fps do you use, and which bitrate too ? Does using mplayer embedded in MediaBox slows it down ?


400*240 with MPEG4 at 20-30fps with 1200Kbps and MP3 audio. The second question is non-sensical.


- Is it possible to install and use unhildonized applications on the N800 ?


Short answer, yes. Long answer, there's a bit of work involved.


- Is there any possibility to recompile the linux kernel yourself, and if yes, please include a link to the howto (or whatever they call it) ?


Yes; do some research yourself.


- Is host USB and USB ethernet support reliable, or crashing ?


It's reliable.


- Also, what Bluetooth keyboards will work (just include yours if you don't know, I'll sort them by myself)


Any that support HID.


- Is there any chance to get PowerVR 3D drivers (open source hope there), in middle-term (a year or two) ?


Year or two? Quite possibly, but it's really more of a hardware limitation issue. If this is particularly important to you, then I would consider waiting on the N900.

[n800maybe]

Thanks a lot for your very useful information, GeneralAntilles.

I must admit that even I think I asked too many qestions about that. Thanks for your clear answers.

P.S.: With that, convincing my parents should be rather easy !