Alternatives to N810
 

I would have been interested in buying a Nokia N810, but it is currently not available in my part of the world (south asia). Could anyone suggest any good alternatives to this?
I am basically looking for a pocket sized linux computer - the packaged application software does not matter too much, but I would like to be able to remove what I don't need.
I currently have a Nokia E90, but I have started losing interest in Symbian ever since I learnt that the OS requires you to give permissions to applications rather than processes. Plus the fact that only symbian can actually give permissions to applications.
I am looking for a device that I will be able to use pretty much in the same way that I use linux on the desktop (with the same level of freedom and flexibility).
Could anyone please give me any suggestions?

While searching,I did come across a project that allows you to remove the built in windows OS on an HP Ipaq and replace it with a Linux variation. Fascinating thought, but all the links seem to be a few years old. Not sure if the project is still active.
I have already gone through sites like tuxmobil.org but I couldnt find anything that is readily or easily available.
Thanks in advance

Re: Alternatives to N810
 

Zaurus, maybe, but they are expensive...

You could just get an N810 online.

Re: Alternatives to N810
 

A new N800 can be purchased for between $200 and $230 online, and a used one on eBay for perhaps $50 less than that. This avoids paying for GPS, which you're probably not using on your desktop anyway :-)

Initially you would be restricted to the on-screen keyboard, but a Bluetooth keyboard could be added.

I don't think you're going to find any cheaper route to a full Linux, especially if you consider 800x480 to be the minimum useful screen size.

You'll probably be interested in the progress of such things as the Ubuntu port to ARM (an article in LinuxDevices, a thread here at ITT).

Re: Alternatives to N810
 

No real (practical) alternatives to the N8xx series yet. A good and bad thing.

Re: Alternatives to N810
 

I got my N800 from Amazon. You can by the N810 from Nokia site using the "coupon code” : CHILLCAST (15% discount).

Re: Alternatives to N810
 

You may want to register for the openmoko GTA02. Should soon be available to developpers.

About the Zaurus linux palmtops: I think that their last model has been discontinued over a year ago.

OTOH, if you have big pockets, an ASUS EEEPC may be what you need. Or any one of the palmtop sized PCs which are available for sale in Japan (full PCs running windows, but I am sure some can run Linux as well). Disadvantage: the battery doesn't last very long.

Re: Alternatives to N810
 

If you can wait for a few weeks, the MIDs should start to appear - this sort of thing
http://softwareblogs.intel.com/2008/...ernet-devices/

They will run Mobile Linux

Re: Alternatives to N810
 

But the usual complaint about MIDs: They're not really that pocketable. That's why I think MIDs will be no success.

Re: Alternatives to N810
 

Neither's the eee, and that's incredibly successful; I think there's enough market in between to pick up some sales.

Not me, though; I'm after N900, or if it's disappointing, Pandora. Pocketability is key for me.

Re: Alternatives to N810
 

I have my N800 now for a year, and I still use it every day, the most useful gadget I bought in the recent years, do not want to miss it a single day!

Therefore get the real thing, even you have to order from overseas.

Re: Alternatives to N810
 

i suspect thats because of two things.

1. it has a full keyboard and familiar design.

2. while not pocketable, its quite "bag-able" without adding noticable weight and bulk. didnt toughtfix manage to fit it in a A5 "map pouch"?

Re: Alternatives to N810
 

1. Indeed, so I expect it to fall back from "incredibly successful" to "successful". But I think a lot of the eee market would have been quite happy with a good touchscreen interface. (Of course, it's a tougher sell, now that they already have an eee or clone...)

2. applies to MIDs as well; and there's not much to be gained by adjusting portability smaller than the eee until you get pocketable, so not much gain there.

So I don't expect it to do as well as the eee, or even as the various johnny-come-latelies in that category. But I think "no success" is, even allowing for reasonable hyperbole, silly.

Re: Alternatives to N810
 

Unless people think up new uses for MIDS I think most will either want something pockatable or something they can do some real work with, like an EEE.

Re: Alternatives to N810
 

You haven't seen people commenting on how hard it is to read text/watch videos on the N800? Or about x86 compatibility? (The latter, particularly. I know of no x86 compatible pocketable devices.)

I really don't see how these are worse for "real work" than the eee unless real work is defined in some wierd fashion. If your work requires a lot of typing, you'd get an external, full-pitch keyboard either way. If it doesn't, you'll take an incremental performance hit from the on-screen rather than sub-pitch keyboard input, but you'll be productive either way.

The big advantage these have over eees is walkability; an eee is best used with a flat surface, while a MID is optimized for handheld, free-roaming work.

Re: Alternatives to N810
 

x86 is, unfortunately, also a subset of the greater need to 'interoperate' with a certain market segment (probably the majority of them) with a certain compatibility requirements.

Re: Alternatives to N810
 

But there's a difference. The Netbooks (That's what they're called now. right?) like the EEE are minilaptops. Light and small. At least I can type on an EEE for a long time and you get normal desktop apps. The MIDs are smaller and all have a touchscreen with an touch interface. I just don't see the point. If I have to put the device in my backpack anyway, why not have a decent keyboard and a 8-10" screen. Still not really big and light.

Re: Alternatives to N810
 

Alright I skipped a hop in my reasoning that might not be obvious. I meant that if you want do things like coding, writing, use creative apps the Tablet formfactor is a little too small. If you still want to be very mobile you could choose the tiny laptop formfactor or MID. Even though you could pair up a MID with an external keyboard I think to many people using an external keyboard with a MID is a bit ackward and dorky. Maybe I'm wrong here. It is more intuition than fact based.

Re: Alternatives to N810
 

Zaurus is no match for N810. Go to the Zaurus forums, they are still comparing the Z to the 770. N810 is way more advanced.

Re: Alternatives to N810
 

From what we have seen so far that looks to be the case. However I am counting on the platform having broad software application support and, if need be, I will gladly trade compact pocketability for wideranging usefulness.

Of course I would rather not but, one year on, the N800 disappoints me totally in the usefulness stakes. But that is just me, YMMV.

That, too, may be the case but I find the need to carry both my Zaurus and N800 with me because the Zaurus contains a wealth of data in useful applications that are not replicable on the IT. In fact my Zaurus gets more use than the N800, apart from accessing the aforementioned data I also use it to play my ogg files since it appears that UKMP, Kagu and Canola don’t. UKMP used to but not any more.

The combined bulk of the two devices is far less than that of any MID, so if Mobile Linux encourages the development of comparable useful Zaurus-type apps then that is the clincher for me.

Certainly I will never buy another device before I am absolutely sure as to what it will do, no more optimistic expectations.

Re: Alternatives to N810
 

The MIDs will be credible alternatives, if for no other reasons that they will be pushed and supported like the NITs never were. I wouldn't be surprised if there is a full fledged marketing campaign like for Centrino, Intel Inside, etc. The question, in my mind, is whether the UI will be up to snuff. Desktop UIs just don't work well on a small touch screen device.

The last time I shopped for a new jacket, I checked the inside breast pockets and some of them are plenty big, just choose wisely. In fact, my N800 is too small for a few of them as the pocket is too deep and I have to dig down a few inches to get it.

Re: Alternatives to N810
 

Intel is putting so much into this as are many manufacturers - Lenovo, BenQ, Compal, et al - for the platform to fail on a usability level. Whether the public buy it remains to be seen.

Agreed. But isn't this where Mobile Linux, Mobile Ubuntu and the rest(?) comes in to play.

As we can see from the videos I linked to earlier in the thread.

Re: Alternatives to N810
 

x86 compatibility is probably going to make the biggest difference on the MIDs.. more existing OS can be squeezed into them (Hackintoshes, all flavor of linux and BSDs) and some ppl will see an advantage to be able to 'fallback' to their Windows OS.

FALL back. Sure.

Anyway, a backward compatibility to a known interoperability.

Re: Alternatives to N810
 

From personal experience, there are not many devices that would be a substitute to the Nokia Tablets, however, there are a few that are close in their own ways:
- the Sony Mylo: suitable and just about an N800 with a keyboard; not customizable though
- Windows Mobile PDAs: can do a lot, however those with a keyboard will be a smartphone and cost as much as your E90
- Eee PC: already stated here, you will have Linux and other items, but its not a pocket device by any means.