Nokia 770 Doing Surprisingly Well

[Ed Hardy]

Demand for Nokia's Linux-based Internet Tablet has turned out to be greater than even its creator expected.

Read more at www.brighthand.com/article/Nokia_770_a_Hit

[Mike Cane]

Read more.

http://www.internettablettalk.com/fo...3&page=1&pp=10

My ersatz blog.

[Timothy Rapson]

I have a friend who has wanted something exactly like this for years. He wants to surf casually, inobtrusively while he and his wife watch TV together. He has a WiFi desktop with broadband. He doesn't need PDA or want it. Just surfing. I think there must be a LOT of families where this will really fill a need. If it takes off, I might get one myself just for PDA use.

[sabesh]

I'm not surprised that the Nokia 770 is doing well. Most consumers understand that this is NOT a PDA replacement. I use it whenever my PC is being used by someone else and I don't want to fire up the laptop. In fact, I'm typing this lying in bed .. Web surfing on the 770 is far superior and easy as compared to my various PDAs (hx4700, hx2750, Qtek 9100).

The 770 was not meant to be a PDA, and it's not ready for that purpose as yet. PIM apps are now available for free, but they cannot be run from the storage card as yet. Also, the email app is still buggy even after the latest firmware upgrade released days ago. Eveything else works great, including the awesome browser & RSS newsreader apps. I think everyone who likes surfing tthe web should get a Nokia 770. Cheers, Sabesh.

[pixelator]

According to CompUSA, within 25 miles of me there are 5 stores, 4 of which have the 770 in stock and 1 of which is listed as 'limited availability'. Doesn't seem like it's flying off shelves in the SF Bay Area... Wouldn't be the first time marketing types used a limited run to incite demand by 'selling out' and playing up the 'shortages'. Just about any new electronic device follows this now-predictable pattern, these days.

As for the device itself, I stand pretty firmly by my original evaluation. Indeed it isn't a PDA replacement, not because it supercedes PDA functionality, but because it fails to provide it. Don't mistake leapfrogging with falling short. This device would be ten times more useful if it had an adequate input method, widely supported OS, proper PIM, proper email, regular SD, better battery life, cell-connectivity and a decent CPU... Nevermind a decent HD.

Instead, this is a sluggish, fancy looking 'fallen' PDA with annoying RS-MMC, WiFi and Linux. In short, a gadget. Nothing an old notebook or high end PDA/HPC couldn't do better, for longer and (laptop) cheaper. Except for integrated WiFi, my 'old' Sigmarion III was more practical and functional, as is my Treo 650.

[sabesh]

The Nokia 770 is not More or Less of a PDA, because it's not a PDA. In time however, it will incorporate PDA functions due to the diligent efforts of the Maemo open source community.

Sluggish? It's speedier than the new WM5 PPC devices which launch apps from ROM (persistent memory). In fact, web-browsing on the 770 is an absolute joy. Fast & full page rendering, ability to open and switch between multiple pages etc. The RSS reader also supercedes PPC's add-on apps like Newsbreak etc. PIM and emails apps are available, but are buggy at the moment. However, Nokia and the Maemo community are addressing this currently.

Perhaps some earlier units were "sluggish" due to old firmware. The new firmware is a FREE download from the Nokia website (BTW, kudos for Nokia for releasing a patch so early after the intro).

Some people just don't like change and can only cope with incremental "upgrades" to an existing system. They will not like the 770, as it's an entirely new platform. Early adopters and people with an open mind will most likely enjoy the 770. Come over, check out the Nokia 770 scene . Cheers, Sabesh.

[pixelator]

The 770 may not be called a PDA by Nokia, but it is certainly in the PDA family of devices. It's no notebook. It's not a tablet PC. It lacks a HD. It's running an ARM (handheld) port of Linux Debian. Not a full PC OS.

The new firmware might speed the device up, but I'm here to tell you, that area needs a lot of improvement. I've owned (too) many handheld devices in my day, and the two 770's I played with were among the most sluggish in terms of app launching, navigation and overall performance. Since I don't currently have a WM5 device, I can't make a direct comparison, but I have a very tough time believing the 770 with that 250MHz CPU is faster. Eric Bangeman's 770 review at Ars Technica tends to enforce that suspicion.

I hope you're not implying me when you say some people 'don't like change' because I'm a notorious early adopter and have even gone outside the country to pick out unique or especially interesting gadgets. If the 770 had a faster CPU, more RAM, folding/slideout keyboard (optional would do), proper PIM, proper EMAIL app and a regular SD slot, it'd probably be sitting on my desk right now. Instead, it doesn't pass my personal criteria in lacking those things -- As with many of its potential buyers, I suspect (despite the aforementioned 'shortage' of initial availability). I'm sure plenty of people enjoy the 770 and I'm glad there are those who are putting them to good use... I'm just not going to be one of them, at least with the current iteration of the hardware, firmware and software.

[chrispini]

Well i got myself a 770 while owning an ipaq 3970 and must say it does the job well.
I love to go to my fav pub, theres wlan and have a drink while surfing the web.