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Good things come in small packages… 7.5 x 9.4 x 3.2 packages to be precise. The Nokia N800 Internet Tablet PC is one of the new breed of web-enabled devices that use 802.11b/g Wi-Fi to connect to the world with Internet calling, IM and multimedia capabilities. Is it worth the low $239.00 sale price we have featured?

The device is described by the manufacturer as including:

4.1-inch touchscreen has an 800 x 400-pixel resolution with up to 65,536 colors. You can access controls with your fingers or use the included stylus, and the N800 provides intuitive handwriting recognition and a full-screen finger keyboard.

Rechargeable battery provides up to 10 days of standby time and up to 3 hours of continuous Web browsing or media playback.

256 MB of on-board flash memory and 128 MB of RAM. It also offers two expansion slots that are compatible with Secure Digital (SD), MultiMedia, miniSD, and microSD memory cards with a size limit of 2 GB. (Adapter required for miniSD and microSD.) You can also connect the N800 to a PC using the included USB cable to update software and transfer files from the PC to the a memory card. For multimedia playback, the N800 is compatible with MP3 and WMA digital audio files (as well as AAC, M3U, and WAV), Real Audio streams, and video files encoded as AVI or MPEG4. The UPnP media server lets users share music, video, and photos with others on the same Wi-Fi network. The device uses two integrated speakers as well as a headphone jack for personal listening.

Features the Opera web browser, which provides Flash 7 multimedia support. Other applications include an RSS feed reader (for accessing all your favorite news sources), a PDF reader, image viewer, Internet radio player, and instant messenger with voice and video conferencing capabilities (using the Jabber and Google Talk services).

Built-in chat programs and easy-to-use onscreen keyboard.

While there are a few three star reviews, most self-professed “gear heads” rated this device with 4 or 5 stars. Here’s one user’s detailed review:

INTERNET – I am a little frustrated over Internet visibility, even though the resolution is excellent. When I magnify the webpage for text, the icons also magnify and crowd out the visibility of the text, so I cannot read all the information. My laptop is obviously much more accommodating. The I-phone does a better job with the visibility issue.

NOKIA DOWNLOADS – I am having trouble finding just where there might be a complete list of available downloads for this great little thing. The ones recommended within the device are good, but the list is small. I am looking for something like OPEN OFFICE, so I have good calendar and address book programs. I would also like a good Bible reader and recording software, which I am not finding.

SKYPE – I downloaded SKYPE right away, and when I call my friends, they say they can hear me just fine, so the microphone and speakers are adequate. My one criticism of the software is that I cannot type in the name of someone and just isolate that person. I have to scroll to find the person I want to call.

RADIO – One of the most pleasant surprises for me as been Internet radio. I can easily download the radio stations I want to listen to and pick them up when in a WIFI environment. The Sound Quality is excellent. As for local radio, I love the fact that I can pick up local FM stations. I just wish I could also pick up AM stations. Is there software out there to do that?

MEMORY – I appreciate that there are two SD card slots for external memory. I have downloaded a lot of my digital music, and it is easier to use for choosing selections than my daughter’s mp3 player. They say the maximum capacity is 2 gigs for each card, but I am going to try an 8 gig card in one of the slots to see if it will play all of the digital music I have stored on my laptop.

TEXT – So far, the only useful software I have downloaded is the PDF reader. Nothing Microsoft can be read by the Nokia N800 as it has come, and I have not yet found any software that will allow me to read my documents from Word, Excel, Power Point… I hope there is software that will allow me to store my documents with Microsoft software on my SD card, but allow me to read and even edit my documents on this handheld.

EMAIL – I am enjoying the email software this device came pre-loaded with. I have two different servers sending my emails to this little device, and it has been very handy for reading, but not for editing, just because the keyboard is so small.

So if you’re the type that likes to have multiple gadgets, this is a low cost option. From what I’m reading, though, those interested in the MOST power and the MOST options should probably look elsewhere. Anyone with another opinion?

Technorati Tags: Nokia tablet

Yes, my prediction is that Android, Google’s open source mobile phone software, is going to take over soon… might I say rule the world!? Ok, maybe not, but there is a lot of buzz about the Open Handset Alliance and Google’s desire to produce a mobile phone “platform” that would be available for open source application development. What’s the story?

Originally, there were rumors that Google was going to produce a “GPhone” much like Apple’s iPhone hardware. Adding fuel to the fire was the company’s acquisition of Android back in August 2005. Then, there were rumors they were just going to start producing some phone software. But (last week) Google announced its leadership of the Open Handset Alliance,

a group of more than 30 technology and mobile companies who have come together to accelerate innovation in mobile and offer consumers a richer, less expensive, and better mobile experience. Together we have developed Android™, the first complete, open, and free mobile platform. [more]

With this, they have now positioned themselves as a leading participant in an open source phone platform that can be freely distributed & infinitely customized by ALL mobile phone manufacturers. Why just stock the shelves when you can run the store, right? Of course they still have their eye on the hardware market (the Open Handset Alliance promises a handset w/ Android in 2008) but the primary goal is to provide handset makers and even individual wireless operators an easy way to develop custom applications for their users. It’s easy to imagine how the apps developed by companies and end users are going to turn mobile devices into a hotbed of 2.0 mashup applications using maps, profiles (ala Dodgeball) and geo-information. People are already putting together alpha versions of Android apps, as mentioned in this recent News.com article.

It’s an exciting time to watch the mobile world. No doubt Google has positioned itself, alongside its Android, to rule the world.

Technorati Tags: Android, Open Handset Alliance

Remember Palm, Inc. (Nasdaq:PALM)? Just a year or two ago, they offered the hottest handheld gadgets around… like the venerable Palm Pilot. Unfortunately, News.com recently reminded me that, yes, the brand still exists but it has fallen upon hard times this fiscal quarter.

…Palm recorded a net loss of $800,000, compared with net income of $16.5 million last year. Smart phone revenue was up 21 percent, but overall revenue was up just 1 percent from $356 million last year to $361 million this year.

Much has been made about the effect of the iPhone on Palm, but were that it’s only problem. Everyone’s passing Palm by these days as the company has been slower than rivals like Research in Motion, Nokia, and others to introduce updated designs…

Seeing the iPhone mentioned, I ask myself what Palm, Inc. still has to offer and, more importantly, is there an iPhone killer in their product line? After all, at this stage of its development, the iPhone is overpriced, has no-software and allows for AT&T communication only. What happened to Apple’s “anti-corporate” image? But I digress. Seeing how iPhones suck, what does a quick search of Palm handhelds show? PalmOne, Palm Tungsten and Palm TX, to name a few… The Palm TX in particular caught my attention. Check out the features and ask yourself if all of this is worth just $200:

Palm T/X Handheld PDA is anything but business as usual. Connect a portable, folding keyboard to make working on your business documents even easier. Need driving directions? Get turn-by-turn voice-guided directions with the Palm GPS Navigator (GPS requires optional accessories). Whatever you’re into, you’ll find an application you can use among the thousands made for the Palm OS. Affordable Wi-Fi is here. Introducing the Palm TIX handheld. With built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technology, this is the wireless device you’ve been waiting for. Browse the web and check email from your office, campus, or a home Wi-Fi network-and places like airports, cafes, and hotels (with ISP service applicability). Carry your Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files and get more done anywhere. Web pages, presentations, spreadsheets, photos, and videos come to life on a large color screen that rotates from landscape to portrait mode. Have time to unwind? The Palm TX handheld even lets you listen to MP3 and read eBooks.

Sound familiar? Like an iPhone, but for a lot less? Yeah, there’s no phone capability, but you already had that, right? More than 400 people have reviewed the TX and found i to be a four star product. The PalmOS has been around for years, with far, far more applications available than what’s out there for the iPhone. WiFi, MS Office compatibility, memory slots, MP3 player, etc. make this a great package for people who are about business rather than the latest marketing coup. What do you have to say?

Technorati Tags: Palm, handhelds, handheld devices, iPhone

Just a quick note to check out the Minimo browser (also available for download at Download.com…).

an open source mobile browser that acquired its name not from the more renowned Firefox browser, but from Mozilla’s much earlier project. As one Minimo forums moderator quipped, “It ain’t Firefox…”

With the rise of the iPhone, this “smaller” browser is one of only a few options. Another? Try Opera Mini.

Technorati Tags: Minimo, Opera Mini, iPhone