Hello All.

I've read several of the other posts, and I'm sorry if this post duplicates some other stuff. I know the n800 v. Touch issue has been done pretty much to death, but I haven't been able to find all of the information that applies directly to me and my situation. I'm really, really hoping for your help here.

My wife just bought me an iPod Touch 16GB. I hadn't planned on getting anything new in the PDA or MP3 player arenas for at least another 6 months, so this is a total surprise that has thrown me for a loop. I need to decide between an n800 and a Touch very, very soon.

Here's what I currently have and how I use it. I consider all of these to be "essential" functions for me and I'd like to get away from my current two(and a half)-device solution.

PDA: HP Ipaq 1945. Carried around in my pocket on a daily basis at work.
Used for:
- Calendar function with alarm
- PDF reading
- Notes (usually through Pocket Word, but it's pretty much simple text - I could improvise with any text reader)
- Spreadsheet (Pocket Excel - not absolutely essential, but I use it fairly often and would definitely miss it)

MP3: Creative Zen 30GB. Carried in the car and left in all weather (I imagine an n800 or a Touch would go in my pocket like my current 1945)
Used for:
- MP3 listening in the car (with all that entails: quick boot, relatively easy navigation, esp. "eyes-free" navigation)
- Playlists are a must.
- 30GB is nice, but I could get along with 16GB if I had to. Is it possible to do two 16GB cards in an n800 to get to 32GB?

Now, all of that said, I also look forward to internet browsing with these devices. I get the impression from the posts here that the n800 (esp. with OS2008) has superior browsing. My typical sites are:

newsarama.com
thedigitalbits.com
games.ign.com
mail.yahoo.com

I'm also a bit concerned about future-proof devices, and I often see the term "planned obsolescence" thrown about with iPods. I can handle annoying set up, but I don't really want to deal with complicated operation of the "basic" tasks above.

I'm very sorry for the long post, but $400 is a lot of money for us and this is a big, long-term decision for me. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Eric
ericteall.blogspot.com

PS - I can do calendar functions with my cell phone, but I don't usually carry that around with me at work (I leave it in my jacket), and that would be yet another thing to carry around. Just FYI. -ET

I bought a N800 and two 8GB SDHC cards and an iGo Bluetooth keyboard for a total of less than $310.

The touch is a nice MP3 and video player, but unless you hack it to add other applications you're limited to what it can do.

The N800 on the other hand needs a little more work to get working how you like it, but the browser (after adding Adblock Plus) and a couple of other tweeks works very well. There are other applications such as Maemo Mapper which you would have had to pay $$$ on the Windows Mobile platform. The eBook reader (FBReader) is also excellent if you have compatible (DRM free) files. MP3 and video playback aren't quite as smooth as the iPod, but with Canola2 things may get pretty close fairly soon.

There is currently no PIM applications to match the PocketPC apps like PocketInformant, but there are enough to keep you going. There are spreadsheets and note apps to meet your requirements.

Hope this helps.

PJE, your post was helpful, thank you. The price thing is definitely something to consider.

I just use the basic PIM stuff on a PocketPC. I don't need anything beyond what was available on my old Handspring Visor 8 years ago.

What do you mean that playback isn't as "smooth" as the iPod? Are you talking actual playback, or are you talking interface? A simple, functional interface is all I need - after all, my current MP3 player is a b&w Zen Xtra from 2002 or so.

So there are PIM apps for N800? Can they ring an alarm when it's time for an appt?

Are there good text entry apps for N800? I've heard that Google Apps are good, but I don't want to be always tied to hotspots.

Eric

Touch is the King of convenient music playing (if you don't mind being locked into iTunes and restricted formats). Movies are pretty nice also - smaller screen, but more colors and great sound. Touch is smaller with nice interface. N8xx is better for sharing music/movies with built-in speaker and stand. It's also best for internet radio.

ITs have the browsing experience down. As long as there is support, they can pretty much keep up w/ the web. But the Touch just had an update that allows for more video sites than just Youtube, so that is another point for it. If they open it up, like it's said for Feb. '08, then it may surpass the Nokia in some, or maybe all, web browsing options.

I'd have to say keep the Touch. The 800/810 with 2008OS is nice but not ready for the linux newbie as it calls for a lot of "tweaking". What apple has down is the "it just works" experience. With the new 2008 OS there are a lot of usability improvements and a fair share of "issues". The fact that most apps have to be redone in order to work is a big issue and many are not yet availalbe.
The Apple SDK will be availalable by the end of Jan and with the greater number of users for the Touch/iphone than the 800/810 there will be many 3rd party apps available .
If what you want is a good PIMP (Personal Internet Meda Player)
then the Touch is a better fit. The N800 is more of a linux hacker/hobbyist device. The next generation (N9X?) device should be better but it won't be out till next year.

from owning an iphone and an n800....

i find the n800 to be far more functional. rarely will you get to a website that you cant navigate through. the iphone is great, because its a phone, browser, email....but if it was just the iPod Touch, id say get the n800 instead. without the phone function, they are both on an even playing field. n800 is more practical...assuming you can tether it with a phone.

I won't be tethering it, but I honestly don't feel the need (nor do I wish to pay for the data plan). I have wi-fi in the house, at work, at hotels, etc. That's not the issue.

Can anyone answer the memory question? Is the n800 totally SDHC compliant? Are there 16GB cards available?

Also, what about the apps? I assume there are text editors and spreadsheets for the n800, but I don't know what they are.

I have both!

The Touch is sexy, great for music and video. The size is a bonus. Safari, the Touch's web browser is good but lacks Adobe Flash support. A few neagtive points are, any video must be re-coded to a format the Touch uses and there is no loud speaker. You can only use WI-FI to connect to the WWW.

The N800 is great for all things internet related, the resolution of the screen is a bonus when looking at web pages. It's interface is not a slick as the Touch but it does what is needed!

Try to have a play with both before you buy!

yeah i must say after using a nokia 770 for awhile i was impressed what you can do with it (power user wise). But there's just something about the iphone's interface that screams, "Sexy! Easy! Smooth!"

I sure did not get that with my nokia 770, however, the n800 series surprass that model by a longshot, so its getting tougher everyday to choose.... keep my current phone + n800 or iphone for the all in jack trades of them all!

its a shame the SDK doesn't come out till feb, by that time i'm sure the n800 has matured way more than it has now.

but from the "web apps" i've seen for the iphone, damn even they are that impressive without an SDK, imagine the possibliies!

plus it kinda edges me out that the two has simliar specs!

n800 = 400 mhz iphone = 600 mhz (although the firmware underclocks it to 405 mhz atm)

n800 has the better extra .5 inches of LCD and the massive resolution support, but the phone/touch has more colors (16 mil vs 65000)

the only thing i see over the iphone is the price, the iphone is in massive demand right now and finding one for cheap will prove tough. The n800 is a bargin atm.

I don't think the Touch will handle all of your requests. It is a closed system, on a smaller resolution screen. Music & Video playback should be superior, because of smaller resolution it doesn't have to work as hard. For browsing I find the resolution too limited.

The Nokia Tablet series have a higher resolution screen and you can install a mix of applications. I've done a fair bit with my N800 and it is a very capable device. For video you will have to recode or optimize the clips, pretty much. Actually same goes for iPod. The N810 gets the bonus keyboard and GPS (with slow GPS lock at this time). N810 > $400. N800~ $200.

My personal vote is for the IT series. But then, like many here, I'm biased due to the fact that I'm an IT user.