I've been thinking again about what I'd like to see in the "next generation NIT", and I thought I'd update it here.

1. I'd actually like to see a distinction between the N8xx series and an N9xx series.
   • I'd like to see the N8xx series continue to be "shirt pocket" sized (same size category as the N800, N810, and iPhone). I'd like to see the following variants (the model numbers are suggestions):
     1. N820 - N800 with revised layout
     2. N830 - N810 with revised layout
     3. N840 - N800 with WiMAX
     4. N850 - N810 with WiMAX
     5. N860 - N800 with GPRS/EDGE/UMTS/HSPA and/or LTE
     6. N870 - N810 with GPRS/EDGE/UMTS/HSPA and/or LTE
     7. N880 - N800 with 1x/EVDO
     8. N890 - N810 with 1x/EVDO
     (so, N8x0 where x is even for keyboardless, odd for with keyboard)
     While I list those data protocols, I purposefully haven't specified voice capability on those devices. That's optional. Though, SMS/MMS would be nice.
     Note, when I say "N800" and "N810" in that list, I don't mean exactly the same physical layout as the current N800 and N810 products. I mean "keyboardless" or "with keyboard". I'll get to what I would like the physical layout to be.
   • I'd like to see the N9xx series be a MID platform, that is slightly larger than the N8xx series (perhaps as much as 50% larger, but no more than that). It should have A LOT more battery, it should have 3 SD card slots (either micro or full size, not mini; one for shadowed OS, one for internal but removable data, one for external data), a lot more RAM, dual cameras (small user facing chat cam, and a non-user facing photograph cam with better resolution/clarity and a flash), micro-DVI video out, usb client, and perhaps distinct ports for usb host and usb otg. The N9xx would also try to use a chipset like the Qualcomm "every wireless in one" chipset: bluetooth, Wifi, WiMAX, 1x, EVDO, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSPA, and LTE all in one device, with the user picking which ones to activate or not (and including things like LTE as they become available, so perhaps the first N900 doesn't have LTE, but the N910 has all of those plus LTE). If that can't be done, then multiple per-protocol variants (as I specified above for the N8xx series) would be acceptable, but not preferable (but, just to be clear, they should all support bluetooth and wifi, no matter what other protocols the do or don't support).
2. Both the N8xx series and N9xx series should have the following layout (the N900 just being larger). The keyboardless N8xx would be the same, just without the sliding screen and keyboard:
   
   
   
   
   
   (possibly move the d-pads to be HIGHER up on the side-boards, so that they're more like the N800's d-pad placement, which I think is ergonomically better, but perhaps not as aesthetically pleasing as having them be centered ... definitely do NOT move them to be lower, like the N810's placement.)
   
   No kickstand, USB ports on the bottom edge (so that it's easy to access them while holding/using the device). The dual d-pads are programmable, with one being an 8-way dpad (4 way if the N8xx series is too small to support 8-way), the other having the 3 button cluster items and one or two "soft buttons" (as most cell phones have); the center button on both d-pads would always have the "select" functionality that the current d-pads use for the center. The screen slide/tilt mechanism would work as in the following Nokia patent:
   
   Just the screen sliding mechanism, not the rotating camera, not the side-mounted d-pad.
   
   The tilting screen replaces the need for a kickstand.
   
3. Whether the N8xx series has 1 or 2 card slots, whether they're micro, mini, or full size, doesn't really matter as much to me. Though, I think the ideal would be 3 micro-SD slots (as they're loadable in any SD card slot, no matter which device you're working with; you just need an adaptor), as I said for the N9xx series. The first card would be for storing the OS (which could be loaded into memory at boot time), so that it's easier to upgrade/maintain the OS without disrupting the running OS image, swap out multiple OS versions (stable, bleeding edge, experiment with an upgrade, etc.), have larger OS installs than the basic RAM image allows (via multiple partitions), or upgrade an OS image via an external host's card slot instead of using the tablet itself. The OS card slot would definitely be an internal card. This first card slot would be internal, but as accessible as the N800's internal card slot (behind the battery door, but not behind the battery -- removable while running). The second card would serve the same purpose as the N800's internal card, and the N810's non-accessible card -- static data such as GPS data ... though I would add /home/user to that card ... it should be behind the battery, so that it isn't removable while running, but it should ultimately be removable (so you can upgrade the amount of storage if you want). The third card would be an external card.
4. Both the N8xx series and N9xx series should have usb client ports, used for both making the device available to a host as a mass storage device, and for charging. No more custom charging cables. It should be on the bottom edge so that you can handle the device while it is plugged in to charge. Whether the device is in mass storage AND charging mode, or charging only mode, should be selectable via an on-screen setting.
5. The N9xx series should have a bottom edge USB Host port, so that you can easily plug in a keyboard, mouse, ethernet adaptor, non-OTG data card, etc. It should be capable of providing enough power to It should also have a micro-DVI port, for hooking up a monitor (that port might be on the top edge, or bottom edge; I'm agnostic about that). I'd like the micro-DVI to support DVI-A, but that's optional. If the USB Host port is going to be piggy-backed on the OTG port, then it should be done in a way that is easy/convenient for the user to select behaviors. None of the bottom edge ports (usb client, usb host, usb otg, possibly micro-dvi, possibly the external data card slot) should be hidden behind a kickstand (which I already said should go away).
6. Possibly the N9xx should be x86 based (via the Via chipset? I don't care if its true intel, as long as its low power consumption, and binary compatible with a desktop linux box). It would be fine if the chip runs faster when plugged in than when it's running on battery (it would probably be preferable). There's a trade-off here between the N8xx and N9xx being software compatible vs the N9xx being software compatible with a desktop/laptop ... I lean toward desktop/laptop, but I can see the decision going the other way.
7. The N9xx should have more video ram than what its built-in display needs, so that when using the micro-DVI port, it can use larger monitors for full display. The software (both drivers, and GUI) will need to support that.
8. Speaker placement should be the same as on the N810 (perhaps slightly lower on the sides), but, if voice handset capability is to be supported, then the microphone(s) should be on the opposite corners, facing off of the ends of the device. This lends itself to being held like a handset. The dual microphones aren't for stereo input, but for ambidextrous use. If one needs to be disabled, then let the user pick which orientation is assumed (or use a sensor to detect the device's physical orientation).
9. The N9xx series should be capable of acting as an infrastructure mode wifi access point (so it can lend its WWAN protocols to being a personal-hotspot for other devices). It should also be able to act as an ad-hoc access point, if necessary, and as a bluetooth DUN and bluetooth PAN server (in addition to being a client for all of those protocols). The WWAN enabled N8xx series devices should do as much of that as they can, but it's not as necessary.
10. VERY optional: if it's possible to accommodate the size, and power, after doing all of the above, the N9xx should have a 1.8" SSD "hard drive", possibly in place of the second microSD slot (so, you'd have a swapable OS card, and an external card, but static data for /home/user settings/documents/music/etc., GPS data, etc., would be on the SSD). I really don't expect to see something like this on the N8xx series. If this can be done, then that device should also be able to act as a Bluetooth FTP server.
11. It would be nice to have both series capable of acting as a bluetooth keyboard and mouse for a laptop or desktop device. I know there's a keyboard add-on, but it's not a versatile as I'd like (can't be used with a Mac for example), and I don't know if it'll utilize the N810's physical keyboard. Plus, I'd like to see this supported by the core device, and not as an add-on.

Obviously, and as I indicated in some of my statements, some of those just wouldn't be practical for the smaller N8xx series devices. For the N9xx series, do all of that (the larger size and larger battery should help support it). For the N8xx series, reduce what you can only in as much as you're making size and power accommodations.

That kind of describes what I'd like to see on the hardware side (though, the last 3 list items were really more software than hardware, but I still thought they sort of belong here). I'll post my software desires elsewhere (another post here at a later date, or maybe in a new thread).