Comment Re:Why is this an important niche? (Score 1) 275
If I may chime in...
I bought the N800 (the N810's precursor) in Mar 07 primarily for browsing and email. The browser is fast enough and the screen is v. v. good (800x480) and web pages are rendered in superb quality. For that alone, it has become my most used device, bar none. The built-in email client is sub-par, but 3rd party clients such a clawsmail are outstanding. Nothing like stumbling out of bed in the morning and getting your daily fix of email and ./ over a cup of coffee. Not to mention catching up on the news as well. Note that the N800 is almost the same hardware as the N810, but it has an extra sd card slot, and no built-in GPS or light sensor. So, most comments below apply equally well to both devices.
Here are some other things I am starting to love:
1. It is an excellent remote control for 'Slimserver'. You can control playback, volume and browse your albums (with album art) on the N800/N810.
2. I can use it (as a client) to stream music from Slimserver -- just connect the audio out from the N800 to your stereo receiver's aux in and it works just like a Squeezebox (albeit with a slight lag).
3. If your install mplayer on it, the videos (in avi format) are rendered in excellent quality (in 800x480) ...very close to dvd quality. Note that the included Nokia media player cannot handle this bitrate & resolution, but mplayer can. Also, there is no need to re-size the avi files -- cuts down on re-encoding time and space.
4. Install the cifs client and you can mount your samba shares! The wireless connection is fast enough to stream audio files and videos upto 600 kbps without any issues, for real-time playback.
5. The 3rd party free 'Canola' media player (audio/video/photos/etc.) is stunning in its elegance and functionality.
6. I installed an ssh server on it ..now to install software, I can simply log into it from a PC and use the full sized PC kbd/screen. Plus, if I forget the N800 at home I can simply access the files that I store on it and on its sd cards.
7.The installable FBreader is an excellent ebook reader that can read books in various formats.
8. The included native SIP client is buggy, but the Gizmo and Skype clients seem to work well. The Gizmo client allows you to use your own SIP PBX as an option, and that seems to work very well with my home PBX setup. Best of all, most McDonalds seem to have a free wi-fi nowadays. So, in a pinch, you can always leach free VOIP connectivity from them for a cup of coffee! Or use it to download local google maps of the area (using maemo mapper).
9. There is a port of GAIM messenger that seems to work well for me.
10. Has VNC viewer!
11. Can read pdf and ps files, but no office docs as yet.
12. There is no native PIM, but the 3rd part GPE PIM is somewhat usable ...although it does no hold a candle to the Palm's.
13. You never have to turn it off, it goes into sleep mode after a couple of minutes of non use, and barely burns battery juice. Just tap on the screen or log into it remotely, and it springs back to life.
My battery usually lasts for 3 hours under heavy browsing, and approx. 3 days between charges in moderate use (half hour browsing a day, an hour of local use, playing media, etc)
Now, I don't know about the person who said that the N800 is inferior to the iPhone/iTouch/Iwhatever, but the sheer programmability and openness of the device is the reason why I see new uses for it all the time. Granted, it may not be as shiny as the i-whatever, but I can vouch for the fact that the functionality is very high.
I just checked buy.com and the N800 is selling for $240. I bought this at $360, and I still think I got real value for money.
I bought the N800 (the N810's precursor) in Mar 07 primarily for browsing and email. The browser is fast enough and the screen is v. v. good (800x480) and web pages are rendered in superb quality. For that alone, it has become my most used device, bar none. The built-in email client is sub-par, but 3rd party clients such a clawsmail are outstanding. Nothing like stumbling out of bed in the morning and getting your daily fix of email and
Here are some other things I am starting to love:
1. It is an excellent remote control for 'Slimserver'. You can control playback, volume and browse your albums (with album art) on the N800/N810.
2. I can use it (as a client) to stream music from Slimserver -- just connect the audio out from the N800 to your stereo receiver's aux in and it works just like a Squeezebox (albeit with a slight lag).
3. If your install mplayer on it, the videos (in avi format) are rendered in excellent quality (in 800x480)
4. Install the cifs client and you can mount your samba shares! The wireless connection is fast enough to stream audio files and videos upto 600 kbps without any issues, for real-time playback.
5. The 3rd party free 'Canola' media player (audio/video/photos/etc.) is stunning in its elegance and functionality.
6. I installed an ssh server on it
7.The installable FBreader is an excellent ebook reader that can read books in various formats.
8. The included native SIP client is buggy, but the Gizmo and Skype clients seem to work well. The Gizmo client allows you to use your own SIP PBX as an option, and that seems to work very well with my home PBX setup. Best of all, most McDonalds seem to have a free wi-fi nowadays. So, in a pinch, you can always leach free VOIP connectivity from them for a cup of coffee! Or use it to download local google maps of the area (using maemo mapper).
9. There is a port of GAIM messenger that seems to work well for me.
10. Has VNC viewer!
11. Can read pdf and ps files, but no office docs as yet.
12. There is no native PIM, but the 3rd part GPE PIM is somewhat usable
13. You never have to turn it off, it goes into sleep mode after a couple of minutes of non use, and barely burns battery juice. Just tap on the screen or log into it remotely, and it springs back to life.
My battery usually lasts for 3 hours under heavy browsing, and approx. 3 days between charges in moderate use (half hour browsing a day, an hour of local use, playing media, etc)
Now, I don't know about the person who said that the N800 is inferior to the iPhone/iTouch/Iwhatever, but the sheer programmability and openness of the device is the reason why I see new uses for it all the time. Granted, it may not be as shiny as the i-whatever, but I can vouch for the fact that the functionality is very high.
I just checked buy.com and the N800 is selling for $240. I bought this at $360, and I still think I got real value for money.
