Yeah, just watched it again. Something in his cadence and pitch just says "I am making a plug" to me. Which is fine in and of itself, but it seems more like a plug instead of what he might really use the tablet for. Also some interesting problems with his arguments in the video. At one point he states that regular computers are problematic because they require maintenance, power, the internet etc. How the N810 avoids the need for any of the above is beyond me. The fact that you don't lug your desktop around probably saves it from the bush (mud, dust etc). So, while being more mobile, the N810 seems to me like it would be more prone to mechanical failure negating it's bonuses as I doubt there are any Nokia techs out there to fix a busted IT.

I don't think the N810 has much to offer that particular area as far as the internet goes. It's just a wifi device, and it sounds from his video like internet is slow and sparse. Having an N810 won't turn your 300 baud connection into a T1.

As for the commercial at the end which many seem so keen on, what's the point of it? The devices that disappear are not replaced by the N810 very well, if at all in some cases such as the phone or the camera. The camera in particular seemed kind of silly. From what I've seen the little camera on the N810 is nowhere near as capable as the camera shown in PK's vid. The laptop has other abilities that I don't think the tablet can reproduce (ability to type out pages and pages of text in one go comfortably, video editing, photo management etc.).

So after a second viewing I still don't like the video. You really ought to check into an OLPC for what you seem to be listing off in your video PK, as there you will find a better solution for your situation.

~!M

Quote from a few days ago and today:
Hey,

I just thought it might be fair for me to respond to a few of these comments, only because I think that in the short time frame of the film a few points got skewed. I'll make my response in a number of points.

1) A few days ago you said my film seemed self-promotional. It's not intended to be, but this IS a contest. . . Where I'm asking people to vote for me.

2) About the power, maintenance etc comment that you made. I said that because in Tsumkwe Namibia, 10 hours from the nearest town, where there are no computer technicians, it's really hard to maintain the machines that are getting used and because they're old multi-peripheral devices they do break. Also, power is a luxury which often goes out. And the battery of the n810 would be a great resource. I don't expect the internet to improve, but it is simply easier to have one wire for power (or none when using the battery) on the n810 instead of multiple cables for keyboards, mice, phone lines, power, etc on a desktop. Why do I believe the n810 instead of even the OLPC? Well, it's really a matter of interface. For people who for the most part don't speak English and who live "in the bush," it's extremely hard to teach and explain how to use mice, trackpads...etc. The n810 is revolutionary like the iphone was because you point and click exactly how you would think to do it, without a mouse. In South Africa, there was a whole project based on giving the Bushmen palm pilots with GPS capabilities running software that was entirely an icon interface to reduce the need for translations (http://www.cybertracker.org/). That program is only for tracking and hunting information, but the n810 with that same touch-icon interface could be used for much more.

3) The N810 is more durable than a desktop. And maybe in the future the Bushmen would be taking these computers out of the main town and into their villages and onto excursions.

4) To address the comments that a few other people made along with you when you say my film seems "self-serving," and someone said I should sell the iphone and gadgets in my film or that I must be able to afford a Nokia tablet because I'm a filmmaker and such. Well, I don't own an iPhone; I borrowed that and some other things in that video (it's part of the whole resourceful film school student thing), and I don't get paid to make the films in Africa or to help out on the projects I do there. It's entirely voluntary. If I had an old Nokia tablet I'd sell that for an n810, but I don't have one. If my film seems self-serving, maybe I just did a bad job telling my story- It seems I left a lot to be misinterpreted (my fault. Maybe that's the problem with a one week production).

5) As for the short ad at the end. It was meant to be a little funny, a little creative, and a little of a copy off of the Mac + Intel Ad (http://youtube.com/watch?v=ceB-jJYeaIY).

6) I also just want to mention, now that it looks like I won't be winning, that I really never expected to even make it this far. Thanks to Toughtfix and the judges for selecting me in the top 5! I originally hoped to see what people thought about technology in developing communities. I plan to write some articles about this, simply posing the question about how technology should be used and promoted in other parts of the world. Maybe some blogs will post my thoughts and get some feedback. But also, the San Bushmen in Nyae Nyae are looking for funding from technology companies to get some of their new ethnographic online programs funded and underway. Maybe if I were to win, I would be able to get Nokia's attention about some of the work going on and some of the practical ways that the internet is being used.

So when you say it seems like my film is only self-promotional and you continue by saying, "Which is fine in and of itself, but it seems more like a plug instead of what he might really use the tablet for." Well, the examples I use in my film are not hypothetical, but are actually practices of technology going on in the San community. So for anyone questioning what I've said, I'm citing actual projects that are underway and actual problems we've run into.

I hope I've responded to some of the ambiguity in my film, and I'd love to continue this discussion. Thanks for the comments,
-PKT

PKickTalk: You were voted a finalist because your proposed use of the Internet Tablet is very much in line with what the contest wanted. A lot of the mud-slinging about entries reminds me of Paul Potts' experience on "Britian's Got Talent." During the contest, it was discovered that he had a lot of classical opera training. As it turns out, all his training was paid for out-of-pocket and he had never actually performed opera for pay.

There will always be people who feel the winners or finalists aren't justified in their place, but everyone involved (Voters, contest submissions, judges, and even those watching the videos) are part of the contest. Keep the original focus: Show off ideas, discuss others' submissions, have fun, and maybe win something.

haha. Well thanks Dan!

I'm in line with that, Dan wasn't looking to start a charity. If you're a millionaire with hundreds of gadgets and your submission's the best, it ought to get votes.

Seriously, I could've filmed myself rising off of a cold sidewalk at sunrise to spange for change if I thought it woulda helped.

"With my internet tablet, I can find the nearest methadone clinic for my heroin addicted 2 year old quintuplets."

Interesting points. Gave me things to ponder over.

To point 1 -- fair enough. I suppose I disagree with your presentation style by reason of personal preference. Potato potahtoe.

To point 2 -- It would seem then that there are numerous other problems to overcome first. Safe water supply, consistent food (that may already be there, but I'm guessing not?), power if modern technology is what's wanted there, etc. It may be the internet has much to offer these people if the infrastructure to support it were actually there. Of course it is somewhat there as you state but apparently not at a level that would seem necessary to give the projects you talk about the supporting structure they need. As for obviating the need for a keyboard and mouse and all that by use of the touch screen and icons, I'm not sure if that's a good idea either. As far as I can tell the keyboard and mouse are the best way to get things done on a computer in general. Of course in some situations other methods prevail, such as moving around and using a touch interface, but most computing is stationary and best served by the old standbys. If there are no techs there to service the computers then the people there need to learn to do it themselves, and that means keyboard and mouse at least. It doesn't make sense in the long run for them to only slightly know what a computer is and kind of how it works.

To point 3 -- Not sure what to say about that PK, sounds like the equipment is either not ready to travel into remote areas or the infrastructure isn't there to support the tablet out there. Either way still seems, to me, like a non-win for the N810. Also how is the tablet more durable than a desktop? You've said it's rugged and I'm sure as far as more urbanized areas it is, but rugged enough for the African wilds? I mean if it is that's cool, I'd just like to see something in print or whatever that outlines that fact. The area seems kind of tough on the vehicles around there

I hope I haven't offended you; that has not been my intention PK. I see things from a different point of view than you and you seem willing to discuss so I have pursued that. I don't know if this is the correct thread for this discussion to be going on in at this point. I'm enjoying it, but if Dan or Reggie or whomever is in charge of this thread would prefer I'd be happy to take it elsewhere.

Keep up the good work,
~!M

I can see that you are in a tough situation. I am not sure what I would do in your place, but it just seems odd to me that people who actually participated in the contest, don't get to participate in selecting the winner because they were not registered here when they entered the contest. The contest was explicitly stated to be open to people who were NOT members of the Internet tablet community when it was said you didn't need to have an Internet Tablet to enter the contest. I don't remember seeing in the rules anywhere that in order to vote you needed to be registered in the tablettalk forums BEFORE the finalists were chosen. If I had, I would have surely registered when I made my entry. Even a finalist might not be able to vote for themselves. I guess for me personally, it doesn't really matter, because I would have voted for icerabbit and he didn't make the finals. I liked icerabbit's video because he made the kind of video I wanted to make but just didn't have the time to do. His video was exactly what I thought you were looking for, but based on the finalists who were chosen, I must have misunderstood what you wanted. Only one person that I would have chosen for the final five was there. I would have liked to have given them my vote, but it won't break my heart not to do so.

I think the contest was a great idea, and you paid for the prize, and I think you need to do whatever you think is right to make it fair. I am fine with not being able to vote myself it accomplishes that goal. I agree with what some other people have said about the videos being able to be viewed before the contest was over being an issue, but I wonder if you would have received as many entries as you did if you did it differently? I probably would not have made one. Seeing other people's videos gave me the inspiration to make my own. I also agree that seeing the poll results while the voting was going on was an issue, and it makes sense that you took it down. As this was your first attempt at this, I guess there will always be learning pains in anything anyone does the first time. I guess the main thing is you made a valiant effort and you are still trying to do the right thing, which is commendable.

I would be interested to see who would have won out of all of the contestants who entered if only people registered with InternetTabletTalk before 11/17 were allowed to vote on ALL the entries. I am not saying they should win the Tablet, because those were not the rules, but that person would be the person the Internet Tablet community you speak of would have really chosen on their own. Maybe it would be one of the five finalists. Maybe it wouldn't. Even if it were one of the five finalists, it still might be a different person than will win now, because the votes would be distributed differently.

I'd be interested to see that too, though then I'd need to find time to watch the rest of them.
I hate to suggest even more work for you, thoughtfix, but since you've got the polling with new-user exclusion and hidden results thing worked out, maybe a second poll with all the contestants could show up, just for kicks...

And, BTW, great contest, thoughtfix. I'd have entered, but I'm way too busy using my N800, and don't have a video-cam other than the N800. (I could have taken the entire video with the N800 looking at itself in a hand-mirror, but interesting is not always good, and there's still the busy issue.)
Pretty sure I would not have made finalist. If you're running another one though, and I think you said it would be easier than making a video, I'll probably play!

Being a little socio-political left-wing nutbar, I found this whole issue really interesting. There are several points.

1.) Massive amounts of new users voting for particular people (I bet this might even be limited to geography, though I don't know what data is available.)

- This is definitely not fair and definitely not in the spirit of an open and fair contest. Someone trying to skew the votes seems to have ruined it for everyone

2.) People who are new and went through the effort to enter are not allowed to vote.

- This doesn't seem too fair either. Perhaps, since results are hidden, they could 'manually' vote? Either limited to people who made the top 5 or anyone who entered. I think the later would be best, if you participated in the contest, you should be able to participate in deciding on a winner as it proves you're not just here to vote for someone, never to be seen again. How about it Dan?

So I was without internet for like 6 days ... and there still is no winner???

I could see the voting problem coming from a mile away. Initially I actually thought it was the 5 judges that picked the winner, but I guess I skimmed that part back then.

My good news is: I saw and held an N810 in my hand. CompUSA had it. Hidden. They weren't going to let me see it (open box thing) and I just said, what about a display? You have the 770 & 800 here. Why not the 810? Anyhow. The guy opened it with permission from the manager. It seemed like I was able to type on the keyboard - in powered down state - without great difficulty ... and that the keyboard extended just enough ... though a couple extra mm might help (hello Nokia?)

The bad news is: neither CompUSA would mark down the price a bit ($480 before tax) so I held my foot down and walked out of the store empty handed. They will only price match WorstBuy and CircusCity apparently and didn't want to make the slightest concession. I can live with that. But there's two main reasons why I hardly ever set foot in CompUSA or make a purchase there: location & pricing.