Re: what are you using your tablet pc for?
 

N800 with 40 gigs of cards, looking forward to dual 64 gig cards.
It's my coffeehouse and roadtrip web browser and webmail client,
my MP3 player (XMMS),
my airline and tourbus video player (MPlayer),
and my concert sound system remote control (VNCviewer).
I had an N810, but traded down to the N800 for the front panel D-pad.
Any one of those functions is worth what I paid for it.

I very occasionally use it as an ebook reader or to play games,
but I like my Treo 650 better for those things,
primarily because it's always on my hip.

Re: what are you using your tablet pc for?
 

...other comments and questions:

@sachin007: does it really make sense to go to a public library and study PDFs on the N810's small screen?

@angelb: yes, tablet's speakers are way good! (I know a girl researching for audio devices for Nokia, they invest a lot on research on this sector). Modest, instead, doesn't work for me. It has tons of bugs that makes it unusable.

@Cadabena: I bought a pair of AKG K 324 which I'm very satisfied with. Numpty Physics doesn't seems to work anymore after latest update...

@davadio: do you really use the N810 camera to taking photos? I usually like to show it off too, but people doesn't really get what is it :)

@debernardis: did you try Java apps on Debian in the tablet? How does it performs compared to Jalimo? Does skype allows video calls on Debian4Tablet?

@Rider: thanks for the tips on web browsing...!

Re: what are you using your tablet pc for?
 

for reading ebooks and comic books... and for surfing of course..and one more thing I also use it to listen to streaming radio.

Re: what are you using your tablet pc for?
 

Don't forget about using skweezer.com for tablet web browsing. I know that one of the cool things about the NIT is that we have the full, unadulterated web in our pocket. But if speed and readability is what you want, skweezer.com is your friend.

(although, curiously, I haven't been able to connect to skweezer all day today :( )

Re: what are you using your tablet pc for?
 

Me too!

I use mine to:

- listen to XM Radio online over my work's wifi. Surprisingly, the battery lasts for almost 6 hours doing just this.
- tweak my volunteer fire department's web site using an ssh connection and X Terminal.
- gPodder
- OMWeather
- RSS
- email and chat
- web browsing when not home
- Skype
- video calls with Gizmo
- free SIP to landline internet phone calls with sipphone.com and VoipBuster
- mYtube
- music, photos, video
- taking notes with Xournal and liqbase
- and when I'm feeling real evil and unethical, EtterCap. Nothing is sacred on public wifi. :D

Re: what are you using your tablet pc for?
 

- Portable web browser
- last.fm radio player
- VoIP (gizmo)
- mp3 player
- Video player (transcoded DVDs, youtube and others)
- IM on the go
- Map viewer (maemo-mapper and Nokia maps)
- Note taking
- Calculator (using gcalculator)
- View weather forecast (using omweather)
- Yellow stickies for reminders (using yellow notes applet)

Re: what are you using your tablet pc for?
 

My N810 is my constant companian and personal assitant. It starts as my alarm clock and goes on from there. I use the GPE aps and notecase for PIM all day long. I'm a freelance and spend a lot of time in Starbucks where I can message, Skpe and check my email. Small bits of surfing also find there way in. I use Maemo Mapper and the GPS to go to new client locations. I write drafts with a bluetooth keyboard and have even edited web sites FTP'ed to transfer the files. I'd probably take some pictures if the camera wasn't facing the wrong direction. I could actualy go on but the truth is an open device with Linux opens up so many posibilities. My office is always with me. There's no need to take notes to do it later -- you just do it now.

Re: what are you using your tablet pc for?
 

paperweight.

Re: what are you using your tablet pc for?
 

You still use paper? That's your problem.

Re: what are you using your tablet pc for?
 

My n810 has largely displaced an older sony vaio laptop. I use it for IM (pidgin), email (claws) for 3 pop accts and gmail, play music (canola), casual browsing at home and away, gps (maemo mapper), taking notes (notecase), a few games, keeping a simple spreadsheet up to date (gnumeric), vnc control of a virtual machine at home, contacts/calendar (gpe), ...

Re: what are you using your tablet pc for?
 

- A REAL portable web browser which renders websites decently and a screen not too small (like phone browsers)
- Youtube viewer (via webbrowser and a selfmade proxy)
- as a webradio player connected to my stereo
- VoIP calling using Voipbuster via builtin application
- MSN via Pidgin
- Map viewer (maemo-mapper) with a GPS unit

This device is MUCH better than any smartphone it beats even the iPhone (the latter is too closed by Apple) and also MUCH better than Nokia or HTC phones as well.
I use my Nokia phone as a modem for it.

When my VAIO laptop is too large to take with me this is a small aletrnative.

Re: what are you using your tablet pc for?
 

I dodn't know this runs on the N8x0. I have Nokia maps on my Nokia phone (S60v3) and as far as I know the only other platform it runs on is Windows Mobile.

Re: what are you using your tablet pc for?
 

- Web Browsing and keeping up with chat via Pidgin

- Taking notes when I'm out and about, typically beer reviews

- Cheap calling to Canada with Skype rather than using my cell

- VNC when out of town to check in on the home computer (which is also my work computer)

- Occasional viewing of YouTube videos and/or listening to a file every now and then.

- Occasional radio, but that's typically more of a rarity.

Re: what are you using your tablet pc for?
 

My beer reviews always start out quite lucid, but I can never understand what I was trying to say by the end. :D :D

Re: what are you using your tablet pc for?
 

Nokia Maps won't run on the N8x0. If you want similar features and free maps from multiple sources your choice would be Maemo Mapper. N810 comes with Maps installed but to get all it's features you have to buy a license.

Re: what are you using your tablet pc for?
 

Re: what are you using your tablet pc for?
 

I bought it for traveling, but I've not actually used it for that yet. Basically, I'm still experimenting... The intent is for the n810 to be for basic email checking and the ability to VOIP in to my cellphone answering service so I can check for messages. I have learned that Gizmo will allow DTMF tones through, while Skype will not. So, GPS and general communications, plus a media player for the long plane trips (thinking about extra batteries).

But...

The number 1 use so far: Showing off :) The N810 is ultimate Linux geek, especially when used to watch pirated Myth-Busters episodes. How can you get more geeky than that? I also love the "I am free" app... (still haven't installed it though). it's a great way to explain what Linux is all about (comparing it to the $999 iPhone Ruby app).

I have a bunch of GPS apps installed, but I still haven't decided which is best. Though, Maemo Mapper is ultimately cool, being able to see Google sat images of where you are. Yeah, I know, not real-time but still cool. I'm real keen to try the GPS Hike app, the ability to snap a picture of a park-board map and calibrate it on the fly really intrigues me. I'll still carry my Garmin though. The n810 is not waterproof. There's geeky-cool, and then there's lost in the rain, which is not cool.

I am super-intrigued by CarMan - I have a ODB2 to Serial converter that I use with my laptop. I'm just waiting for a bit before I buy a serial2bluetooth converter so I can use it with CarMan and the n810. OBD2, for those that aren't car-geeks, is an interface to your car computer. CarMan reads these signals and can do some pretty amazing stuff with it, or at least it says it can.

I have an 8Gb card installed and it's packed with movies, music, and e-books. I run through some of these when I'm bored, waiting for my wife usually. Same goes for the vGBA emulator, which works not too bad if you turn the sound off. Also, the controls work much better after you realise that areas of the touch-screen, while not displayed as such, emulate the game pad buttons.

I run my own web-server with a document management system (DMS) and a project database. I use those to hold 100s of gigs of stuff, more than I could ever get through in a lifetime. I also use the DMS as a backup location for the N810.

I find that many websites have mobile pages and these are really good on the n810. Otherwise, web browsing is painful, but at least possible. Cheap drug-store reading glasses help some for long sessions on the tiny screen.

I'm currently working on getting a VPN client and remote desktop system going so I can do work from anywhere but work. I just got the VPN account today, so I'll know more about this soon. Then again, I'm not particularly keen on working when I'm not being paid for it.

I have some podcasts that I like listening to, along with some mp3 audio books. I also have stardict installed with a bunch of encyclopaedia and CIA world fact book reference material installed.

But, honestly, I'm still figuring it out. That's were most of my n810 time goes. I have two desktops at home, so the n810 is generally off while I'm there, but I do carry it with me.

David...

P.S. Thanks for the other replys, it's a very useful topic.

Re: what are you using your tablet pc for?
 

1. posting right now :)
2. server admin and monitoring via terminal
3. mobile chat(i run a company jabber server as well as google talk) as an sms replacement
4. on the go i tether via bluetooth to a palm treo 700p. i have just minimal voice plan plus unlimited data
5. sip voip via builtin client to both asterisk server at work for my extension and also a private number through junction networks.
6. casual surfing/stream tuner

Re: what are you using your tablet pc for?
 

1. Really portable complete OpenOffice device. No compromises on compatibility. I can carry Word docs, Excel sheets, PPTs... and edit them without any conversions... I then email it to my desk and continue from there.

2. Podcasts. Canola is a great mobile podcasts device. I use it for commute.

3. Backup GPS device. While I do carry a Garmin for hardcore navigation, I carry the N810 for backup with most up-to-date maps. It is tethered to my phone for routing capabilities on the go. I use MaemoMapper for that.

4. Media center for the car. I juggle between Canola and the recent 0.96.2 Mediabox. Both work great.

5. Ultimate Video player for flights. I also carry extra battery (APC mobile power). Works GREAT with the N810 and the USB adapter (just got it this week :) ). It gives at least 10 additional hours (can recharge the N810 at least twice). I encode the video for the smaller screen (800x480). Full time movie takes ~250mb.

6. "Faster than paper" - I fully agree with that slogan. I started using liqbase and the more I use it the more I like it. I found myself taking notes several times a day. I also use it for tasks - very handy.

7. LastFM machine for background music, mainly when friends are invited. It is very convenient and pretty much solved me the hassle of finding what to play for background music. I usually end up starting with either "Coldplay" for good music, "Saint German" for nice chillout music or "pink martini" for slower music.

8. On the fly audio recording. Even though I am not too happy with recording quality, it is handy and I do use it when have to.

9. Mobile web-browsing. I used to use Midory, but slowly moving into Tear which is getting better and better.

10. Email - not too happy with email clients (currently using Clows) but it does the job when needed.

11. Grumby (Chumby for Maemo) - pretty cool, but mainly to show off :)

I carry ultra-light portable mini USB keyboard to complete the OpenOffice solution and make it a truly mobile document editing device.
I also carry the extra battery (APC) always with me, just to be on the safe side :).

For the car usage, and since I hate leaving any trails for fancy devices on my dashboard, I built a Garmin-beanbag like device that allows me to quickly remove the Nokia car holder. It just stands on the dashboard and I remove it when I leave the car. Let me know if you want me to posts pics of that thing.

All in all I use it pretty much all day long. Very useful device.

Re: what are you using your tablet pc for?
 

I for one want to see your tablet beanbag. I have no idea what you're talking about.

Re: what are you using your tablet pc for?
 

:) glad I caught your attention.

It is similar to this thing in the concept, but holds the N810.

I will take a picture tomorrow and will post it back here.

Re: what are you using your tablet pc for?
 

In addition to many other uses I've posted - here's a new one-
nightstand flashlight.
I've gotten in the habit of reading before going to sleep, and put my NIT down on the nightstand. When I wake I tap the screen and instant low watt flashlight.

Re: what are you using your tablet pc for?
 

These threads are always fun... it's interesting to see how many more uses people come up with over time (I find there's a thread along these lines about once every 6-8 months).

Personally:
- Liqbase and/or browser for teaching notes. The school I teach has the instructor's PC hooked into the overhead projector with the display "cloned", so anything I have on screen is fully visible by the students at all times. Having my notes "in hand" and easily accessible in digital form is awesome
- MSN/Googletalk with built in client
- SIP calls (anyone else notice how awesome the "speakerphone" is on these tablets... even compared to most commercial SIP phones the echo cancellation is fantastic)
- SIP Video calls... yea the camera isn't great, but it's still pretty cool to do...
- Control of lighting and alarm system at my house
- Control of media player (MPD client) in my Jeep
- Telnet/ssh server and router maintenance
- Programming and control of embedded systems that my company deploys for customers at various job sites.
- Alarm clock
- Music player for my room/on the go
- Watching videos/listening to music while in flight/travelling
- And of course surfing the internet with a full browser.

Re: what are you using your tablet pc for?
 

I also use it as a 'palm beacon' - ala ST:TNG. I hold it with touchscreen lit and pointing outwards on my way down the dark staircase in the morning at home.