Thoughts on the N800, owner since Jan 8, 07'
 

Hello all, I'm sure you've seen me post here and there with questions. I thought I'd post on my experiences these past 3 months with the tablet. I've owned a 770 (on day one no less) so I am quite familiar with the platform.

I will cover the positives, negatives and thoughts on improvement in here. It's by no means an all inclusive review, just things that have impressed or disappointed me.

What I won't do is ask for features that aren't feasible or that require a hardware revision, I want this stuff to happen on current hardware.

The kick-stand. Best feature ever. I prop my N800 up for video playback on flights, and everyone comments on how cool my "little computer" is.

Finger input. This is one of the strongest additions to the 2007 platform. Having it open up larger menu's when I'm digging around the menus is great, and I hope they extend this feature to applications like the media player and file manager.

That said, those are the improvements I've seen between the 770 and N800. I have a lot of gripes.

Battery life. I understand this will be improved with the next firmware update. If I leave an intensive site up and lock the screen, the battery will be dead in the morning. I'm not sure if this is a bug or what, but you'd think the N800 can suspend the processes to prevent drainage. This might be a side-effect of the "always on" approach. They should give me an option, because I prefer to have a charged battery.

Flash usage. This is a fairly low power device, so when browsing a flash heavy website (such as IGN) it slows to a crawl. A recent feature to the Camino browser, and extension to Firefox is a flash "blocker". It doesn't remove them, but places a flash logo in the place of the animations. If you want to view them, you just give it a quick tap and it starts playing. Since we're forced to deal with Flash on most sites, I think this is a great compromise and in my mind, a necessary feature on the N800 (or Internet Tablet platform).

Video playback. I love mplayer and all, but the Media Player should be extensible. Allow developers to just create a nice mplayer plugin with all the formats, and allow them to make their own optimizations (unless this is already possible). That would allow programs such as Canola to tap into more formats, and we're not stuck waiting on Nokia to license stuff (like the problems we've run into on having updated flash / opera on the 770).

Browsing. Allow finger browsing like Apple's iPhone. Double tap to focus on a column or picture. Drag and scroll smoothly as an option would be great as well. Sure the screen isn't optimized for this, but I'm sure a decent alternative could be developed.

Bluetooth support. A2DP, and headset profiles... Please =) That would be the final touch to making Gizmo (and Skype at some point) perfect for VOIP.

And lastly, what's with the built in email client? It's really quite dysfunctional. I would prefer a clean list of messages with a preview pane. Why is it opening multiple windows on such a small device =( Its painfully unintuitive. Email version 2.0 please.

In its current state, I feel that it is a "gizmo". I don't needto grab it with me all the time because its full of tiny problems. With these issues addressed, I think the average user would be much more keen on picking one of these up. Sure, there is email alternatives, bluetooth hacks, screwing with the opera input.ini to change button mappings, etc... but it will be a geek only tool without some big changes. A non savvy user is typically lost on this thing whenever I just hand it to them without instruction. They are blown away when they see me use it, and they want one until they use it for more 10 minutes.

So yea =) Thats off my chest now. I hope that at least some of you share my qualms with this device, and I really hope that Nokia addresses them in one or two firmware updates.

Re: Thoughts on the N800, owner since Jan 8, 07'
 

A better email client is in the works.

Re: Thoughts on the N800, owner since Jan 8, 07'
 

for the 770 too?

Re: Thoughts on the N800, owner since Jan 8, 07'
 

April 1st is next month...:p

Re: Thoughts on the N800, owner since Jan 8, 07'
 

I agree that a device sold to the general public should be more stable. I feel like I am a pretty savy computer user and I am having some issues with my n800. This is my first Internet Tablet and I am not yet a Linux user.

The one thing that has been most frustrating is the RSS reader applet. After about three weeks of use, the RSS reader has stopped syncing the couple feeds I have.

I think the Internet Tablet is a great platform, but still needs a little stability. I look forward to learning more about these devices and hope to be a contributor beyond just a user/ complainer.

Thanks for letting me rant a little.

Re: Thoughts on the N800, owner since Jan 8, 07'
 

The RSS reader on the N800 has many qualities in common with the email client. I would even suggest Nokia don't bother shipping the RSS reader in future updates unless it is significantly improved (even rewritten). It's appalling.

The Internet Tablets ship with three major applications showcasing internet communication - email, RSS and browser. Only the browser is of acceptable quality - the other two applications are way below acceptable quality. Nokia should focus their attention on resolving the deficiencies that exist in the email and RSS applications.

The tablets have been shipping long enough for there to be no excuse why Nokia persist shipping devices with such shoddy applications masquerading as first class examples of what can be achieved on Internet Tablets.

Re: Thoughts on the N800, owner since Jan 8, 07'
 

My RSS reader routinely goes amnesic and looses all of its subscriptions, I've given up trying to rebuild it as they will all vanish in less than a week anyway.

I really hope the new OS build does something to remedy the strange power management behavior. A simple option/button to sleep and don't wake up for updating at night would probably improve life for most users greatly.

Re: Thoughts on the N800, owner since Jan 8, 07'
 

WOW, I just bought the N800 this weekend-waiting for shipping.
When I read posts like this current one or the:
"Nokia 800 hanging on boot" or "Nokia reboot screen of Death"
I get somewhat concernend that I made the right purchase.
Are all these problems comming from people "tinkering" with the N800?

I may add "Canola" and upgrade the OS 2007(if needed) as detailed here: http://www.nokiausa.com/support/phon...1,N800,00.html
I just hope everything goes ok, I'm pretty excited to get my hands on the N800 and show it off!

Re: Thoughts on the N800, owner since Jan 8, 07'
 

I wouldn't worry too much. The nature of user forums implies that you won't get many messages of the type: "Wow! My N800 just works; I never have any problems with it." :cool:

Re: Thoughts on the N800, owner since Jan 8, 07'
 

for the record...

My RSS feeds have been working fine for a couple of weeks now. Adding and removing them, adding folders, they seem to work fine for me.

I don't know what the deficiencies in it are? maybe there are features that RSS readers have that I don't know about.

Re: Thoughts on the N800, owner since Jan 8, 07'
 

How are you able to get through a whole movie.. I have converted a couple movies from divx to the n800 with the media converter app.. Conola is just the greatest interface for this kind of device, however my setup pauses after about 20 minutes.. I can play/pause and it will go, but sound and video are no longer synced.. I can drag forward in time a bit to get it going again, but it will pause up after a minute or so.

Re: Thoughts on the N800, owner since Jan 8, 07'
 

I bought the N800 at a Compu USA on my vacation in San Francisco. I use it every day and here's what I've noticed about the device.

Design wise it feels great looks great on the software side this thing really really really falls apart even on the most basic level especially usability.

1. I'm left handed it would be really nice if we could swap the vertical scroll bars so than when I need to use the stylus to scroll I can see what I'm scrolling to. I mean seriously what were they thinking?

2. The basic apps in general are a JOKE complete and utter JOKE they feel so unpolished I though a summer student at Nokia had written them. Lets see where do I start...

RSS application from time to time it randomly deletes all my feeds, I have yet to find where to tell the applet what feeds to display on the Nokia Home (the opening screen)

The "keep this for later" check box great idea horrible implementation if a user check this box the app should suck the page down in the background instead of requiring the user to actually view the page.

Email application again horribly under featured. Basics such as FILTERS/RULES would be a nice touch. For a portable device where sceen space is limited and navigation is slow enough as it is due to lack of hardware input devices i.e. keyboard/mouse they should have made it as simple and less time consuming as possible to read email.

I have yet to use the Google chat because I haven't figured out how the N800 version works just yet.

PDF reader should have a basic bookmarking feature to remember what page I'm on.

The opera web browser is pretty good, would be nice to see a newer version of flash and perhaps better support for youTube videos but thats probably a processor issue.

I have yet to use the Camera... apparaently Nokia only thinks a camera is good for google chat. Perhaps they could have included something as basica as oh I dunno taking pictures?

Bluetooth headset support is non existant, why not???? it's huge in mobile phones, Nokia makes mobile phones. Put two and two together????

3. Why can't the entire device be navigated by the physical hardware controls that appear on the device or perhaps they can??? I haven't figured that out yet. Nokia take a page from Palms book the 5 way navigator on the Treo's is great.

Overall this device isn't polished it feels like it got rushed out the door to meet sales deadlines. I took a leap of faith with Nokia, if this the best they have to offer the iPhone is going to crush Nokia's Nx whatever device. Get you butt in gear Nokia you have a great idea but it's poorly implemented.

And yes as much of an Apple fan as I am. I'm not opposed to different things Thats why I bought the N800

Re: Thoughts on the N800, owner since Jan 8, 07'
 

Actually, the camera is pretty much only good for chat..

Re: Thoughts on the N800, owner since Jan 8, 07'
 

Repeat after me, "N800 is NOT a mobile phone and it is not meant to be one". Now doesn't that feel better?

Re: Thoughts on the N800, owner since Jan 8, 07'
 

I haven't had any problems with RSS feeds. I am using 27 feeds daily.

Re: Thoughts on the N800, owner since Jan 8, 07'
 

No, now I get a craving for a FIC Neo1973. :rolleyes:

(rumour has it the consumer version will ship with WiFi after all)

Re: Thoughts on the N800, owner since Jan 8, 07'
 

I'm eventually going to write a longer review, but here's my take on the N800 after two weeks.

- battery life is amazing. When the screen dims, the N800 is still on the net, and gets several days in this "standby" mode. I was running GAIM on my N800 and hearing chimes as my friends signed in and out over the course of two days. I've never seen power conservation + wireless connectivity done so well. A big thumbs up to the Nokia team.

- browser is very good. I was able to use it on nearly all of my regular web sites. Youtube being one of the few exceptions.

- the user interface, hardware and software, is OK but could use work. I'd like the four-way pad to be a bit raised, more like the 4-way pad on the Sony Mylo. Similarly, I'd like to see nav menus better designed for scrolling using this pad. Again, see the Sony Mylo's GUI (based on Trolltech's Qt, and one of the few places where the Mylo does it right, but that's another story).

- build quality - the N800 is solid but the buttons and battery door have enough side-to-side play in them to make the device feel a bit less substantial.

- Bundled apps - some are great (browser, chat), some are fair to poor (mail, RSS).

- handwriting recognition is awful. I think Nokia would do well to hide this feature until it's better implemented.

- the on-screen large touch keyboard is great. One suggestion - make it semi-transparent so I can use it with Google Talk while seeing the conversation underneath.

- bluetooth is OK, but the lack of support for audio and headsets really sets back this device for chat and VOIP.

- no hard case for a portable device like this is hard to understand. Nokia could be making a decent amount of money selling one, and it would make the device much more portable. As is, it's always slipping out of its sock sleeve in my bag, and it's just a matter of time before the screen gets gouged. (I'm aware I can hack a Nintendo DS bag, but I'm saying Nokia should have had their own for sale at launch).

- Hackability is excellent! Linux, many open source apps, combined with great developer support from Nokia puts this in a class by itself for developing handheld apps and customizing the device. Nokia's active support of several open source projects is first rate.

Re: Thoughts on the N800, owner since Jan 8, 07'
 

1. The RSS app deletes articles before you have a chance to read them (if auto-update is enabled)
2. The RSS app deletes entire feeds for no apparent reason

Given the above, it's absolutely rubbish - it's also been fingered as a possible cause of reboot loops. The RSS app is seemingly designed to self destruct if someone sneezes - it's hardly a robust and well designed application considering it's high profile nature on an Internet Tablet.

I get the impression it was whipped together by an undergraduate student on work experience. And judging by the comments from Nokia in bugzilla, Nokia aren't particularly interested in giving it any care and attention.

Re: Thoughts on the N800, owner since Jan 8, 07'
 

My Computer isn't a mobile phone but all my bluetooth devices work fine with it.

Re: Thoughts on the N800, owner since Jan 8, 07'
 

You know whats funny just as I was reading this thread... my N800 rebooted itself I only noticed because I saw the bright wite background with Nokia on it during boot up... turnes out it was self rebooting GREAT!!!!

Re: Thoughts on the N800, owner since Jan 8, 07'
 

Well, I wish someone would tell Nokia that. I went to their site to register my new N800, and they kept calling it a phone. I could not register it without providing a service provider (cellular) and a cell phone number. I do NOT use cellphones. At the end after I finally was able to register, they thanked me and told me to enjoy my new PHONE ! So if they think it is a phone, why can't I get any of the "phone" features to work. Even so I love it. I bought it because I like the performance of the browser, which works fine for me.

Re: Thoughts on the N800, owner since Jan 8, 07'
 

@zippy: The idea of a semi-transparent large-screen keyboard is excellent. It would make a good feature much better. Please Nokia, take note!