Re: 2009 Tablet?
 

I have to say, I don't buy into that the N810 WE is step 4. The 770 was step 1, N800 step 2, and N810 step 3, clearly. Thus, each 'step' is clearly an entirely new device. The N810 WE isn't a new device, it merely gained an antenna. It doesn't fit with the rest of the Tablet history for it to be considered an entire step.

Similarly, IF indeed the N810 WE *is* step 4, then Step 5 has no chance at being something significant, as it would seem that the steps are getting smaller. 770 to N800 was a HUGE leap in terms of hardware, software, everything. The N800 to N810 is still a leap, but not nearly as big as 770 to N800, and N810 to N810 WE is hardly what I would even call a step, really.

I agree that N isn't really any more attractive than WiMax, for most people. The tablet hardware is pretty much what I would call 'there', but it's the software that's preventing it from truly fitting in with the Nseries family, in my opinion. More to come on this in a blog post, but the media capabilities are going to need a serious overhaul.

In any case, I would say that currently, the N800 is a complete brilliant purchase. It's clearly going to be supported for at least another year, since internal hardware is pretty much the same as the N810 (processor, etc) and it was stated in the N810 WE press release that the next firmware update would be available for the N800.

Just cause it's cheap doesn't mean it's a cheap product. Quite the opposite, imo, Nokia's supporting it still because it's a very low-cost way for people to be introduced to the tablets.

Re: 2009 Tablet?
 

Ahhh, yer quibbling, guru. :p

Re: 2009 Tablet?
 

mhm... nokia pointed out the n810 is not a successor to the n800, but more of a sideline or a sibling. why would it be step 3 then? if step 5 is the ultimate, perfect, WOW!-factor device, i think we're still at step 2 with N8x0. (at least i dont see that much of a difference between n800 and n810 in terms of evolution towards the consumer market.)

or maybe the "steps" are not strictly hardware-related at all but refer to criteria they plan to meet in software, too... so one day a n810 could be step 5 as well, provided the ultimate OS will be compatible and still run on the device.

Re: 2009 Tablet?
 

Then you're wrong. ;)

We could apply the same point to the N810.

'No chance'? Have you been paying any attention to what's going on on the hardware front? OMAP3 is mindblowingly awesome, and solves all of the major hardware issues with mediaplayback—not to mention significantly improving the overall performance of the device.

Heck, if anything, OMAP3 is a much bigger jump than the 770 to N800 transition.

Perhaps if WiMAX doesn't appeal to you (my needs are covered by 3g just fine, so it doesn't particularly appeal to me, either) but, for a lot of people, WiMAX is their solution to fast all-over data access, and that's definitely a big step.

This is more of a hardware issue than anything, and OMAP3 blows that out the lock. Besides, just look at what Nokia jumped us with with OS2008—there's still a lot of time for OS2009 to really get moving, and who knows what they gonna drop when fall rolls around.

Hardware keyboard, GPS, transflective and size—those are some pretty important things to a lot of people (especially to a lot of Joe-Consumer types).

Somewhat accurate, but I think you're underestimating the importance of the N810's feature improvements. Simply because it doesn't mean a lot to you, doesn't mean it doesn't mean a lot to others, and I know a lot of people for whom the N810 was a very big upgrade. ;)

Well, sorta. Step 5 is also a generational upgrade (i.e. 770 -> N800), so, particularly with OMAP3, there are going to be a lot of very significant improvements with the hardware to go along with the software.

Quibbling over what you "think" does and does not qualify as a step is rather pointless. Nokia has definitely confirmed that the N810 was step 3, and, aside from the fact that arguing that something Nokia releases isn't actually part of their plan is, well, pointless, others here have basically confirmed that the N810W is step 4.

Re: 2009 Tablet?
 

quit your jibba jabba fool :p

Re: 2009 Tablet?
 

I'm new to the whole 5-step plan, but it reminds me of the NASA plan in the 60s.

Some would argue there was little difference between the Mercury and Gemini programs other than an additional crew member. Or that the early Saturn 1B flights weren't significantly different from the Gemini launches.

But then oh what a difference when the Saturn V took three guys all the way to the moon and back.

I'll bet the next step will be significant indeed, and don't doubt it will be step 5. I just hope that I can continue to ride on the new OS coattails and upgrade my N800 with each new step. It's been a fun ride for the past four months and I hope it continues!

Re: 2009 Tablet?
 

IMHO, and I'm not looking to stir things up, Nokia is going to encounter steadily increasing resistance above the $400 mark.

For one thing, at that point you're crossing paths with the price of solid-state subnotebook computers heading in the other directon- down. I know that many are going to loudly protest that they're not comparable, but it doesn't really matter- they ARE compared, loudly, by a great many people, every single time the price of an IT comes up, and I don't really see that going away, justified or not.

Also, Palm found out that the market for handhelds pretty much maxed out at $400 some time back, and the "smart phone" experience hasn't been that different either.

For whatever reasons, perhaps partly just the chance of loss or damage, perhaps it's just a primitive throwback to "weighing" what they're getting for their money, people seem to get reluctant to spend more on smaller devices. Once you start talking about >$1000 keychain devices, it doesn't matter any more what it does for them, virtually nobody is listening. They just say, literally, "for that little thing?". Those capable of reasoning (or willing to rationalize) beyond that are a tiny minority.

I personally expect that limit to come down in the future, not go up. I would guess that the market for a $200 device is several times the size of the market for a $400 device, and the market at $500 may well be less than half of that.

Re: 2009 Tablet?
 

I am assuming you are from america. That may be true in america because of the crappy phones which the carriers provide with a "Discount". But in europe and asia people buy brand new unlocked phones which are a little pricey compared to the $400. So yeah if you go above the 400$ lesser number of people will be interested but you just cannot say that people will lose interest. Another thing to remember is the size. That is the sweet spot irrespective of cost for mobile devices

Re: 2009 Tablet?
 

That's why keeping the N800 around (and eventually the N810, or whatever last-generation device they have) for as long as possible at a lower price point is important. Just look at the increase in users the N800's low price point brought in!

As the market expands, economies of scale will kick in more, and competition will help drive prices down. I dunno about $400, but I can't imagine Nokia breaching $500 with these things.

Re: 2009 Tablet?
 

Something that I don't believe to have been adequately addressed yet is: Is the n810 WE really step 4 of 5.

In Reggie's intro to the n810 WE he wrote " 8. No one will confirm if this if the “4 of 5.”" [1]

Perhaps I missed something, but has Nokia recently stated that WE *is* step 4 of 5? Nokia clearly stated the n810 as step 3 of 5, but it looks like they were a bit unwilling to make the same clear statement about the WE.

What does this mean?

(If I missed something then just correct me, sorry in advance)