Not New - Lacking on Comparison (Score 1)

So I bought one. Not surprising, I've been looking for the "right" PDA and except for a foray once with a Nexio XP30, been trying to stay Open Source.

Impression of the 770 - I like it. Not to reiterate all that's said, but don't find it too slow, battery life is fine when considered practically, *great* screen, nice UI.

But it is lacking. Compared to my Zaurus (orginal 5500 from 01 & the SL-760 from 04), it's not close in functionality. So let's quickly look, 770 vs Z 760 -

Screen 800 x 480 :: 640 x 480; 770 wins but no dif in sharpness or brightness.

UI - Simple Drop Downs :: Tabbed Panes w/Icons; Z much easier to navigate and find once the app set expands

Mem - 128MB Flash (64 for user) :: 128 Flash (64 user) + 64 SDRAM; Z & it does make a difference.

Processor - TI ARM 220 :: StronARM 450; Z & it's an obvious difference.

Bluetooth - Yes :: Optional via BT CF card. plus on 770

WiFi - Yes :: Optional via Wifi CF card; personal, but I like the CF option as I find it gives much better signal strength then built-in.

Expandibility - RS-MMC -> 1GB :: SD -> 1 GB + CF -> ?; Z. Have a 4GB drive that plugs into the CF on the Z no problem.

Input - Screen Keyboard, Handwritting Rec sucks, Optional BT keyboards with OS drivers (not Nokia) :: Screen Keyboard, Handwritting Sucks (3yr old tech, by today's tablet standards the 770 really sucks), integrated full keyboard, Optional keyboards (usb & bt)with OS drivers (not Sharp). Z by a landslide - can actually do 3 finger touch typing quick & easy.

Apps - as everyone's said, no PIMs :: all that the 770 has + PIMs. Z. OK, everyone said it but I can't let it slide. I understand the "market positioning" crap of the uniqueness of the 770 as an Internet Tablet & maybe Nokia didn't want to muddle that uniqueness by delivering pre-installed PIMs on the tablet. OK. So put them on a CD & let people pick what they want.

First thing everyone I've spoken to or read comments from does when they get a 770 is go to the app catalog at maemo and scavange useful apps. Yeah, it's not a PDA, I've heard that one, save the marketing BS - if it wasn't on Linux, and wasn't such a growing 3rd party hacker community & Nokia hadn't want it and encouraged OS developers to write for it - taken at face value with what the "770 Internet Tablet" has configured in - only gadget collectors would buy it, and we're a minor demographic ;) Sorry for the rant, but come on - even my phone has a basic calendar & todo list. An electronic device of this size(!) that doesn't have rudimentary PIM (with MS(ack) format support) isn't going to last long. & not just PIMS - no 770 clients or servers to connect to PC's. Even my Z which didn't come with a CF wifi card had the sw so I could map network drives and telnet to it. & this ridiculous lack of root priviledges - eeuuwww.

So why did I buy it & why am I keeping it?

$379 from Compusa is not too bad a toll to support OS development from a major brand like Nokia. I'm hoping the dev tools & environment is easy enough that the app set grows quickly & people that have a phone (todos) but want a good portable browsing experience will buy in. But it's got to have more than the 770 has today. I'll keep it to see if I can contribute.

I really hope Nokia is serious on this and supports and themselves extends the core app set with branded apps (fr Nokia or 3rd party I don't care). Not even IBM behind the Z could help Sharp keep it in the market. But the 770 is half the price as the Z was ($750 for my 760, $450 for 5500). If it's not a PDA it better become one quick, because as wonderful as the browsing environment is, it's head-to-head on price with some good PDA's & while people will pay more for a first-class web experience (with games eventually), they won't pay for only browsing. imho.

If not I still have my Z and you'll be finding another 770 on eBay in the Spring. P.S. & no Java(!!), what's up with that? As prevalent as J2ME is on phones (yeah, it's not a phone... don't go there), why would you ever release a device like this w/o a VM?