First look: Nokia's iPhone Killer?

 

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Posted on 25 Jan 2007 at 11:42

PC Pro has been given a first look at the N800, the latest in a series of Nokia internet tablets. Announced at CES in Las Vegas just a few weeks ago, the N800 is a slimmed down and better-performing version of the Nokia N770.

The N800 has a bright, 4.13in touchscreen, and Ari Virtanen, Vice President for Convergence Products at Nokia, claimed it provides "the same internet you are used to, in a form factor you can fit in a pocket."

The N800 is powered by a 333MHz CPU and 128MB of RAM, making it reasonably responsive. The operating system includes a web browser based on Opera 8, a POP3 email client and a media player. But there is scarce storage built-in - just 256MB - so if you want to include a decent video collection you will need to expand via the two SD card slots.

A VoIP application is also included, allowing you to set up an account with Google Talk or Jabber. The N800's party-piece is its webcam, which pops out of the side of the device.

But without wishing to pre-empt our full review (see the April issue of PC Pro), we suspect the N800's lack of 3G or even GSM connectivity will hamper its appeal. After all, the iPhone will not only offer 802.11n wireless, but GSM and EDGE.

It may be more attractive to the American audience, where it retails for $399 (we estimate a £300 price tag over here), and where most states have at least one town with a municipal 802.11 wireless network. Virtanen claimed that he didn't "see that much difference between the US and Europe at the moment", although he admitted that an N800 with 3G capability "would be an easier value proposition for most people." However, the company will be releasing tablets with WiMAX capability in 2008.

Yet, even if the N800 did offer phone functions, its form factor isn't particularly suited to being your primary communication device. Held landscape, it's 3cm wider than the iPhone, and 1.5cm higher. You can connect to a compatible mobile phone via Bluetooth, and connect to the internet via your mobile's data service.

Unlike the iPhone, however, the N800 boasts a Linux-based operating system that is "as open as it gets", according to Virtanen. "For some people, this is a product. For some it is a platform for further innovation."

Author: Dave Stevenson