Nokia’s New N800 Internet Tablet

By NewsFactor Network | January 31, 2007

Before embarking on a series of reviews of the family of electronics devices known as ultra-mobile PCs, it’s worth noting that there’s much debate over exactly what an ultra-mobile PC is. Nearly every device claiming to belong to the category is different.

They range in size from as big as a laptop to as small as a large-sized Personal Digital Assistant. Processing power, memory, and the range of features are all over the map, too. Some boast Microsoft’s Windows, while others feature the open-source Linux operating system.

None of that’s stopping us from testing a gaggle of gadgets that fit the ultra-mobile PC bill, one way or another — from the Nokia N800 to almost full-sized tablet PCs like the TabletKiosk eo. Define them how you will, they share key characteristics, including wireless connectivity, touch screens, and a relatively small size.

I’m kicking off the series with a look at the N800, whose PDA-like size and $399 price tag leave it at the smaller and less expensive end of the spectrum. Unveiled by Nokia on Jan. 8, it’s a follow-up on Nokia N770, released in 2005 and offers tons of enhancements over a system that was widely criticized for limited memory and slow performance due to a weak processor.

The new N800 rectifies many of these problems, using a faster processor and more internal memory. It can also take several different external memory cards, including MultiMediaCard and SD cards.

Easy Web Access

Too bad some of the N770’s drawbacks carried through. The new model is designed to access the Web via Wi-Fi connections or a Bluetooth-enabled cell phone. But it only pairs up with certain handsets — it didn’t work with my version of Motorola’s RAZR, and while Nokia says it will work with other versions of the popular cell phone, the company wouldn’t…

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