Re: Nokia N800 discontinued?
 

Basically you summarized my exact initial thought while reading this thread. If they have indeed discontinued the line (the fire sale single day blow outs a few weeks back were a sign something was in the wind) but if the N800 is done then it is only because the new version of that same device is due out in very short order. Nokia owes both it's retailers and stockholders to sell off as much old stock as possible prior to announcing a new model. I could easily see a new model N900(?), keeping with the Nx00 = no keyboard x 2 memory slots theme, and announced by mid-spring. That would seem very logical.

What concerns me is there are still very few applications for the N8x0. And when I bought into the product it was with the idea it was relatively new, had a new OS and developers needed more time to catch-up. Discontinuing a product before it is even very useful is just very distasteful...especially if it means less resources will be dedicated to improving the applications out there for that platform/device.

BTW, I think, given Sprint's current shakey financial position and the lack of rollout for their WiMax (whatever they finally call it) so it's really too early for a WiMax tablet device. There just is not enough market penetration of the technology to make it viable anytime soon...unless Sprint has managed to completely hide construction and sub-letting of towers for the technology only to spring it on the US tomorrow saying "...LOOK we have WiMax EVERYWHERE NOW..." nope that is very unlikely. Which I would take to mean if there is a new device with that connectivity, it's not hitting the shelves anytime soon.

How embarrasing that would be for Nokia to produce a million units then have Sprint fold up their card table and go with at Burger King??? ;)

Re: Nokia N800 discontinued?
 

I really have difficulties understanding what you mean: "the demise of the N800 was predicted, and-- it's still selling, elsewhere". Or maybe you don't understand what I am saying. I am not saying that the N800 will not be supported: obviously, the N800 and N810 hardware are sufficiently similar so that the N800 software can be expected to be maintained along the N810. I am simply saying that it looks like Nokia will not keep a 250€ tablet next to a 450€ tablet in their product line.

Now, maybe you mean that the 250€ tablet may be taken off the product line in Europe, but will be kept somewhere else, presumably because of differences in market. If this is what you mean, I do not agree. The tablets are global products, and can easily be ordered across borders.

As I said, I would love it if Nokia would keep the two devices on production, not because I am afraid that the N800 will "die", but because I believe that the two devices are sufficiently different to justify keeping the two lines going.

Re: Nokia N800 discontinued?
 

Well, as I understand it, it's currently off the product line (at least temporarily, perhaps permanently) in Europe, and it is still available on their US website (Just checked, still there at $300). So if this is the end of the N800 in Europe, then it is, in point of fact, being "kept somewhere else, presumably because of differences in market." Don't know for how long, but the possibility of gray market sales has not generally stopped companies from varying their product offering by geographic market, so it's possible.

Re: Nokia N800 discontinued?
 

Very sound arguments have been made in this thread about why Nokia will indeed likely always have at least 2 price points available, so it would be silly for me to rehash them. If you disagree, well, you're free to be as wrong as you like. ;)

Oh, and don't assume the N810 will always sell for the current price. Did the price stay the same for the N800?

As for the tablets being global products, well, technically yes they are. Now: ask some of the posters here about their experiences ordering them across borders. Not as simple as you might think. And don't presume you've covered all the bases in your singular assumption of my rationale-- you haven't. But again, it's not something I should discuss in further detail in a public forum.

And ironically, you make everyone's argument for them in your last statement. If you're capable of seeing that wisdom, don't you imagine we Nokia folks are, too?

EDIT: I wish I could share with you guys more of what's being kicked around inside Nokia's walls. I really, really do. It's terribly frustrating to read some comments here and then bite my lip. Suffice to say that while much negativity may be warranted due to the lack of communication from Nokia, the silence does NOT reflect inactivity.

Re: Nokia N800 discontinued?
 

Tex, if you are implying there will be a suite of different tablet versions available soon, I'd vote for a premium version with a SIRFIII GPS chip and the best of everything else, processor, memory, etc. I'm willing to pay more than a little bit extra for the funnest toy available! :D

Re: Nokia N800 discontinued?
 

Eh, nothing that concrete. :p

Re: Nokia N800 discontinued?
 

You live for this don't you:D

This will go on for several weeks, sigh...

Re: Nokia N800 discontinued?
 

Nah. I'll shut up now. Except to say you never know-- I could be wrong about the stuff I'm guessing on. I just doubt it.

Re: Nokia N800 discontinued?
 

Well this has certainly been an interesting and quite odd topic to read though as the posts are all over the map... but I'd be inclined to believe (and unlike some in here I don't have any insider knowledge, just my personal business experience) that the reason they're not in the European shops/have been firesold off is simply to clear stock. Could be anything from a new tablet (maybe, but I doubt it considering they N810 JUST got released) to a simple upgrade. I mean, come on, who really thought they were going to keep selling N800s loaded with OS 2007 on them guys?... Could be as simple as "get rid of the existing stock at a good price to garnish interest in the product, then relaunch with new software and targeted marketing".

Of course the other thing to keep in mind is that damn infamous WiMax that everyone brings up from time to time... Europe is a far better market to do a launch of a WiMax product in than North America for example... lol you guys think Verizon and Sprint are annoying, try dealing with Bell Canada or Telus (lol half the time you can't even threaten to switch to another carrier 'cause there isn't one that gives you coverage!).

The bottom line though would be that Nokia knows they've been ahead of the game with these ITs for a while now; this year all the buzz is about more "touch screen portable devices", so they've probably got something up their sleeves to keep themselves ahead of the curve. However, no intelligent company willingly drops a profitable product until it becomes blatently unprofitable, and the sales numbers of N800s (along with recent popularity) should be proof enough that there's a future here...

Re: Nokia N800 discontinued?
 

And in the UK. I said so in the first post. Now the question is: "are they still keeping the line in the US or does this just mean that they have not cleared the complete stock?". Just a week ago, it was still on stock on the German site. Now, it is not just "out of stock", it is just plain gone. On the French Nokia site, they write, plain as day: "hurry up, last pieces".



I agree with the arguments, that is not the problem. I note that Nokia does not keep 2 tablets at a different price point, at least in Europe.

It is a bit peculiar to discuss "why they will have 2 price points" when they don't, isn't it?


For the most part of its life: yes.


Been there, done that myself. Pretty simple.