Nokia 770 "Internet Tablet" available at CompUSA

Ugh, 3 hours battery life? I developed for the Newton and at least it would last a full work day. Granted, that wasn't fully wireless and wasn't color. But still, from a usage perspective if it can't last all day normal users will hate it.

I will say the clamshell flip-around case does seem like a clever idea. But I don't see any cradle options for it. And if it's anything like my 6630 phone, it'll have the power connectors located in precisely the wrong place to lend itself for use in cradle. Let alone as a wall mount. In looking at the manual it seems that since the power, usb and audio outs are along the bottom it might be possible to use a cradle of some kind. But wall mounting won't be without wires cluttering up the bottom (unless it's a cradle mounted ON the wall, not recessed)

I can't get all that excited about $400 for a device that's basically just a web browser, and undoubtedly one that won't be able to display enough sites without hassles. Couple it with crappy battery life and I'm even less thrilled. If it truly does full-screen, 30fps (or better) video playback then I *might* start getting interested. But this review doesn't hold out much hope of that:

Playback only via local media? No streaming video built into it?

Even then, only low-res gets anywhere decent frame rates:

-Bill Kearney

From the Nokia site:

Go ahead - move the Web! With the Nokia 770 Internet Tablet you can browse your favorite sites and catch up on your email - from right where you are. Whether you're relaxing on the sofa or enjoying the moment at your favorite café, if you have broadband access over WI-FI the Nokia 770 Internet Tablet gives you instant wireless access to the Web. You can also stream files, tune in to Internet radio, News Reader, or play your favorite videos and music. The Nokia 770 Internet Tablet is easy to use, and easy on your eyes too, with a truly portable design, fashionably discrete brushed metal cover, and an ultra sharp widescreen display that's optimized for viewing online content. Ready to move? The Nokia 770 Internet Tablet will only be available online, direct from Nokia. Register now to receive email updates about this innovative device - and get ready to move the Web!

Display High-resolution (800x480) touch screen with up to 65,536 colors

Applications Web Browser, Email Client, Internet Radio, News Reader, Media players, Image viewer, File Manager, Search, Calculator, World Clock, PDF-viewer, Notes, Sketch, Games

Operating system Internet Tablet 2005 Software Edition

Memory On-board Memory: Flash 128MB (>64MB for user) Expansion Memory Slot: 64MB RS-MMC (Reduced Size - MultiMediaCard)

Supported File Formats Audio: MP3, MPEG4, AAC, WAV, AMR, MP2 Image: JPEG, GIF, BMP, TIFF, PNG, Animated GIF format, SVG-tiny, ICO Video: MPEG1, MPEG4, Real Video, H.263, AVI, 3GP

Connectivity WLAN: 802.11b/g Bluetooth wireless technology (for file transfer and optional Internet connection via mobile phone)22 USB PC connectivity Memory Card expansion slot for RS-MMC 3.5 mm stereo audio out Power connector (2mm)

Specifications Dimensions: 5.5 inches x 3.1 inches x 0.70 inch Weight: 8.1 ounces Operating Temp.:-15°F to 130°F Color: Black

Language Support User Interface: American English, British English, French, German, Italian, Spanish

770 Battery Life Standard Li-ion Battery 1500 mAh -- Browse Time up to 3 hours* -- Standby Time up to 7 days*

(bit too quick with the send key...)

Don't get me wrong, I'm sure lots of folks might like it. But for that much money I'm not sure it's worth it.

What might be more exciting, however, is the effort put into developing apps that work with this sort of device. I'll run the maemo apps on a desktop PC attached to an in-wall touchscreen. Getting more apps designed for the point-and-go sort of UI this device requires will certainly be a win for HA.

-Bill Kearney

Haven't had it long enough to have an opinion (the only things I've done with it so far is flash the latest rev of the software and set my family page as its home page - does very nice imaging of my grandkids :)

However, there've been reports of better than five hours battery life (in a

770 thread in one of the HomeSeer forums). That, presumably, is active use - standby is considerably longer.

I suspect my ultimate use of the thing will be kind of like my laptop: usually tethered to a power cable at the location I use it most (a recliner in my living room), but free to move elsewhere for a few hours when required.

I expect to adapt some HA webpages to its screensize, as well as some networked camera stuff. If it works out at least moderately well, I'll probably buy at least two more for other locations in the house.

One note - I've been drooling over the Sonos stuff, but can't come close to justifying the price. The 770 is reminiscent of the Sonos remote (the most attractive feature of the Sonos system, IMO) - I'm going to think hard about how to achieve Sonos-like functionality with the 770.

- Dennis Brothers

There is a lot of talk over on the SlimDevices SqueezeBox forums about using a 770 as the perfect controller for a Squeezebox. I use a laptop on the recliner, but the idea ports well.

The latest SqueezeBox has a geekport that can do some IR blaster stuff which might be handing in a Home automation context.

Yes, I see the same sort of similarity. What's better, to make a Sonos "do more" or make the 770 do sonos-like things? For me it'd be down to battery life. If the Sonos remotes have better battery life and could be made to do other HA-oriented things then I'd go with it. Being able to browse remotely, but without a keypad AND crappy handwriting recog, thank you but NO. Thus the 770 only looks like a gadget, one too expensive to really justify.

But as I mentioned, if a device like this wakes up development of point-and-go interfaces it will certainly benefit the HA market. Take the 'lessons learned' and the code developed on this device and use it on others. Right now, besides Flash, there's no much happening with 'better UI' development for HA situations.

-Bill Kearney

Yup ;-) Six years ago I bought a surplus IBM Thinkpad 760 Industrial Touch screen ( 12", 800x600 color screen; 8.5"x 11.8" x 2.3" case; 100mhz Pentium; W95b/Office97; 12vdc, battery-backed power) for ~US$600 to run a CyberHouse client and local server over TCP/IP. It also serves as web browser and entirely functional MSOffice workstation. For security reasons, I'm not inclined to add a WI-FI card to the unused PCMCIA slot.

(One frequent comp.home.automation participant who has the hots for the Nokia was still flailing away at me in this newsgroup as recently as this year for that 'extravagant' purchase ;-)

That rugged, compact machine in its refined, black cast magnesium alloy case looks and works like new. And in the intervening 6 years, I haven't spent (much ;-) time or $ on plasticky remote thingies like the Pronto, Omni, and the like. I have cloned the hard drive (scuze me, 'fixed disk') for when the inevitable occurs. Like the Nokia 770, it won't do full screen video -- but so what? How much more does it add to see Lehrer's face when he talks?

My experience with this and other touchscreens as large as 21" is that:

1) The screen is always too small 2) The device is too often where the potential user is not 3) Interface/devices that do their jobs well actually get used in _overwhelming_ preference to devices that just barely do the job.

(In other words, initial enthusiasm for immediacy of access ("Oh -- how very handy!" ) wanes as the reality of reduced performance grows old ("What the %!#????" ).

Mis dos centavos ... Marc Marc_F_Hult

No IR/Nevo? Rats...

Dennis, I am having trouble with the RS-MMC card. According to the instructions, the card apparently goes all the way into the slot and the door closes. I can't get it to go all the way in. I certainly can't get the door to close. I'm using the card that came with the unit.

Just wondering if you had the same problem/any insight.

Thanks,

Buzz in Tucson

That threw me for a bit, too. The clue is that the card is described as "An RS-MMC card and an adapter" - if you look closely, you'll see that if you press a little nub on the back half, it separates from the front (active) half. The front half fits properly in the 770. Put the adapter back on to use the card in a full-size MMC slot, like on a laptop.

- Dennis Brothers

A-ha! Thanks for the tip, that worked perfectly.

Thanks!