internet tablet price and some observations
 

Hi, sorry for my bad english!
I'm pretty new here, and I don't own a nokia tablet, also if I am really interested about these kind of device.
I own a sony clie th55 with palm OS and I am thinking about buying a n810. At the moment I use my th55 for some things: like pda (calendar, reminders and contacts), eBooks reader in a lot of formats, mp3, movies and overall writing everywhere. Sometimes I use browse on wifi, but just if I dont' have other possibilities, 'cause web navigation is not so good, and flash support really bad. Probably I'd like to stay permanent online on wifi here at work for, mails instant messaging and RSS feeds. If is it possible to have a good software for usenet newsgroup it would be wonderful!
it seems to me that a nokia tablet could replace my Th55 for everything and a nokia phone could replace the PIM applications that are not the best part of the series N tablet.
I'd prefer the N810, 'cause I write for the 95% of times just standing in the metro, so I'd like to write with the hardware keyboard instead to keep the tablet with one hand and the stylus with the other, like now with my pda.

Normally I use macintosh but I used a little linux in the past.

Do you think that the the price of the tablet worths the more possibilities that n8X0 would offer to me respect the TH55?

When should be out the successor of the N810?

Thanks in advance for your patience.

Re: internet tablet price and some observations
 

You can use a fullscreen keyboard in N800, so you don't have to use the stylus too.
Overall N8x0 is good for everything you want, but the PIM (and you already know that :).

So go for it.

EDIT: Two things are the main features of N810 which probably you should consider: the hardware keyboard and the transflexive screen. GPS is bad (yet) and one card slot less. So if you need space and can settle with the FS keyboard, get a N800, If you do a lot writing under the hot blazing sun - get a N810 :)

Re: internet tablet price and some observations
 

Hi anjin,

For Calendar, reminders and contacts (PIM), and synching with outlook/exchange functionality is very limited, although you can synch with Google Calendar using GPE. Also you can't edit office documents right now, although the ability to edit .doc files is coming soon with Abiword. If this is the main purpose then buying it might not be a good idea.

Reading Ebooks works great with the FBreader app, and Evince for pdf. Be sure to check if your ebook formats are supported. For mp3, movies and streaming there quite a few applications, though you generally need to convert movies to be playable smoothly.

Browsing and flash work quite well, as wel as RSS, IM and mail (if you install the 'Modest' program. The default email client is not so great.)

I have no idea about usenet software. I don't have experience with the hardware keyboard since I have a n800, not a n810. But for some things like clicking on links, or scrolling in some applications you still need the stylus.

You don't need to know much about linux to use this but for some things, like installing beta versions of software you need to use the commandline.

For the money the n810 offer quite a lot of value, especially if you install applications and follow tips on the forum and the wiki to get more functionality, like using a USB keyboard.

There is no official news about the successor. Since the previous versions were released roughly a year apart I guess it will take at least half a year.

Re: internet tablet price and some observations
 

mmmhhh probably I explained not so good. :( I don't have problem with writing with stylus, I'm doing just that now ion my pda. The problem is that I write normally on the metro, not sitting but normally standing up on my feet. For this reason I'd prefer the hardware keyboard: probably it need two hand but if I have to hang a support when metro is stopping I don't have the both hands busy with device and stylus like now. my th55 is pretty usured now in the screen's area when I always wrote (palm OS have a special area to write) and I notice that bad area when I watch movies or photos. I imagine that with the harware keyboard I'd limit the use of tapping (writing I mean...)

for the memory slot:I am managing 1 Gb memory stick card; I think that in both cases (n800 or n810) it'll be a huge step ahead... or not?

GPS, It could be nice, I don't own a car (for my luck...) and it could be nice to orient myself in the town. It's not a priceless feature. I could live without, but if I have it, good.

The screen is a good thing! H55 has a good screen, the possibility to use it under the sun (n810) make it better at my eyes.

Thanks for your answer

Re: internet tablet price and some observations
 

I don't need outlook/exchange sync. I use macintohs so I'd need the sync with iCal and other OSx pim app's. I'm considering to move the PIM part to the mobile phone, using the tablet (or the my actual pda) just to write, music, reading and movies.

I don't need big text editor. I don't use Microsoft Office neither. I just need a txt editor, plain text. just it. Possibly fast to run and if it would have a research function it'd be perfect.

hmmm I have a lot of books in a lot of format. Just now I am using eReader, but, considering that I am reading old books I think I could find them in a lot of formtas without big problems.


That's I already do for my clie, so I don't think it'd bother me more then now!

great, I consider this the worst thing on my th55!

Well... I use a lot the newsgroups. It'd be really nice if I could download messages at home and then reading them offline, just answer and send the posts when I have a connection...
Like I said in the other post it's not a problem to use the stylus, I am against that just for a long writing, also when I CANNNOT use a external keyboard.

I don't have too much problem with commandline, Sometimes I use it also on my apple machines: unix is a big family! ;)

hmmm it' seems that nokia stopped to sell the n800, on their webpage it's impossible to buy one, so at the moment the thing it'd be a N810 at 400 euros, without any memomry card...

Thank you for the answer!

Re: internet tablet price and some observations
 

If I were you I would buy from the USA with the echange rate being to favourable. It would save you around 100 euros.

Re: internet tablet price and some observations
 

As long as you don't mind about the warranty (you will have to ship it back to the US)

Re: internet tablet price and some observations
 

it could be an idea, but I'd have to pay taxes if the customs stop it. Then I should pay the VAT (well the european verison of vat) around 16/20% and more a fine...
it sounds me not so good... then if something goes worng with it I have to ship it back to USA to fix? mhhhh
Why am not I damned rich? Just to stop worring myself about money... :P

Re: internet tablet price and some observations
 

Writing on your PDA and writing on the N8x0 are TWO different things.

I am also a long time user of Palm and winCE and I was script writing on both, have yet 'to train myself' writing on the N8x0. I am using the software keyboard and 'poke' out the alphabet one at a time. The bottomline, either I am NOT trainable or the tablet is DIFFICULT to learn.


bun

Re: internet tablet price and some observations
 

Thank you for your intervention Bunanson, I didn't use wince so much, but I an old user of palmOS. I could say that I'm pretty fast writing on my clie. When you say you did training to write on nokia you mean that now you are fast like on palm with graffiti? And do you write a lot or just shor texts?

:)

Re: internet tablet price and some observations
 

I can offer insight from a Clie user perspective...I have an nx73v.

first no way you can completely replace the PIM functionality of your Clie yet on an N8x0.

Most of your existing favorite PalmOS apps are not ever going to be out for the N8x0 or will never have counterparts during the lifespan of the device. Though there is a chance that you can use the Garnet VM (GVM) for Nokia N8x0 tablets to run a fair number of them. HandyShopper is said to run well but I have yet to try it out.

I am also finding that the developers for Maemo apps are not remotely interested in anything beyond media related applications. A sign of the times I guess but I expected more development in the area of desktop apps like word processing, database management or just client apps. PIM stuff is in the devstream as are a small few apps of other sorts, but the majority seem oriented toward entertainment/multi-media. What I am saying is have realistic expectations of what is out there for Maemo...not much when compared to PalmOS apps.

But many can currently run via the GVM, not a perfect solution but could hold you over until better options come along.

Recently (yesterday actually) there was a post about Google Gears being close to running on the Nokia Maemo platform. Apparently there is an Alpha version out now and it's pretty slick. Basically they explained to me it allows offline use of online apps like Google Docs and RememberTheMilk (really cool app I never knew existed, sort of like HandyShopper with PIM rolled into one...I think after my 30mins looking at it...) So maybe what I am looking for in the device will be covered via Google Gears. I might even work on converting my personal SQL front end pages into a single app that will function under GG...not sure if it would go that far but it's on my ever expanding To-Do list.

Also, I am not sure of the build quality of the TH55 but the nx73v is built like a tank with a great metal case and, well, just very well thought out. I can say the build quality of the N800 is nowhere near as good as the nx73v, as in they are not even in the same league. That is not to say the quality of the N800 is not good. It's adequate but will certainly require far more gentle handling to survive as long as my beloved NX.

The ergonomics are well, different. On the NX I am especially addicted to the thumb accessible thumb wheel. But I have begun to adapt to the quite different ergonomics on the N800 and it's OK and just different. I do find it's impossible for me to operate the N800 one-handed like I can the NX. But then again few devices ever have matched that part of the NX series design.

One last issue that is significant to me is you can turn off the backlight on the Clie's and use them quite easily in direct sunlight, in fact the more sun the better, this is not possible on the N800. But the N810 does have a trans-reflective display that actually uses ambient light to improve the display, especially in the sun. So if you use it outside you might need to weigh the importance of the much greater memory capacity of the N800 vs. the far superior display in sunlight or rooms with a lot of windows. It is a factor that would be easiest to determine if you could compare the devices side-by-side.

What is BETTER on the N800 is, well, it's current and have a great core following. Despite the somewhat poor build quality for a mobile device it's solid enough. And it's better then most other mobile devices I looked into.

Obviously storage capacity is much greater on either of the N8x0 devices. But, the only capacity issues I have on the Clie is for video's or audiobooks.

Audio & video ability on the Nokia's is also much better. They can even play streaming video if properly formatted for the tablets (that really matters.) Audio streams play perfectly.

Battery life is pretty much a wash and equal between my NX and my N800. Also I have a hacked driver for my Wifi card for the NX so it has the same wifi as the N800.

Hands down the best difference is the browser and internet access portion of things. The Clie's don't even come close to the NIT's. Under OS2008 pretty much every site I have visited renders correctly. One thing the browser cannot make up for is a poorly designed web page/site. If the site uses teeeeeny fonts w/o the ability to change the size you only option will be to zoom the page. This leads to lateral scrolling which drives me batty. Still at least the page renders whereas it would either not load or look so awful in Netfront it's not worth the effort.

The N8x0 supports VoIP as well as Skype (which is actually not VoIP). No chance for that on the NX for me, not sure how well the TH55 might work there but I seem to recall it's a no-go for calls.

I like FBReader on the N800...ever nice app. Works differently than eReader but I find it an excellent application which offers excellent control over on-screen formatting. Only caveat is no DRM books. And I doubt that will ever change. But like you say one can find a LOT of content free at Baen, Project Gutenberg, and FeedBooks (more reliable editions of PG books). Also over on http://www.mobileread.com/forums/ebooks.php there is a forum where several users have done yeoman duty to create AMAZING editions of just oodles of books from PG in all manner of formats.

Ignoring the outdoor viewing issue on the N800, the display on the N8x0 series is a HUGE improvement, even over the great quality on the nx73v's 320x480 HiRes display.

Overall I love my N800 and am not sorry to own it in any way. I knew it was a niche device as well as a very immature product. But developers are improving it's usefulness. So, perhaps before I die I will get the same info management use from the thing. In the mean time I find I must carry both devices most times as I really do not like using the GVM at all as it is small, and, well, Bufugly plus Access would pull the plug on it tomorrow...I mean we PalmOS users all know how poorly every PalmOS oriented company has treated loyal customers over the past 5-years. Funny the devices are still so in demand. Heck, my nx73v is 4-yrs old and I could get $150+ on eBay tomorrow if I wanted to sell it...

Sorry for the long winded response...take it for what it is, just my opinion. I am not expert in any of this at all but do value the information management aspect of the PalmOS devices. And Sony Clie's were the best made of the lot of PalmOS devices just it was Sony who considers customers mushrooms to be kept in the dark and have, well, you know what shoveled over the top of them. ;)

Hunt around here and you will see threads about PIM packages and also over on the Maemo site you will see a few in their early stages. Now that I am aware of Google Gears for the N8x0 with OS2008 I am more hopeful of better functionality from the N800 I have. In the mean time it's a fun way to watch video on the go, browse the web on the road and also just have good time with a new device.