It is not the next 770.

No, but this might be.

Dailytech lists the Nokia 330 as the next generation replacement for the 770. Though it doesn't appear to be as good of a device for websurfing from what I can tell.

http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=4687

Nokia 770 Successor Spotted

Now with GPS capabilities...

British gadget site T3 has the scoop on Nokia’s upcoming successor to the previously released Nokia 770 tablet. The Nokia 770 successor is expected to pack more entertainment features into a smaller form factor.

Early images of the user interface show the device as being named Nokia 330, which would actually suggest the new device is a step down from the Nokia 770. New to the Nokia 330 is GPS navigation capabilities. The Nokia 330 also features a 3.5” screen for DivX video and MP3 audio playback. There’s also a photo viewing option as well. The new device will almost certainly sport a touch sensitive screen again, as there only appear to be five external buttons.

As with the current Nokia 770, the Nokia 330 doesn’t appear to possess mobile phone capabilities. Like other Nokia devices, the upcoming device seems to run a proprietary OS, likely Nokia OS 2006.

Earlier this year, Nokia announced that it would partner with Google to integrate software like GMail and GTalk into the Nokia OS, and specifically the Nokia 770.

The DailyTech article appears to be pure speculation. I sincerely doubt this is a sucessor device to the 770. It may be a companion device, however...

I hope someone from Nokia will read this...

Basics. Stick to basics. The beauty of the 770 is that it doesn't have a giant HDD, camera, cell capabilities, and GPS built in. While I'd like the HDD and possibly the camera, I flat out would not spend the money on cellular and GPS technology I'd never use. More bundled components means more to break. Think modularly. GPS via bluetooth is great. VOIP via cell-link is great. HDD via USB is great. People need to pick and choose which components they want. The freedom wrought by choosing Linux and opening up development should spread to freedom to choose hardware accessories as well. That's one of the most attractive features of the 770, the freedom it gives.

*steps off his soapbox*

(I just shuddered thinking of calling someone on the next gen tablet, having it search the 80gb HDD for Family Guy voice clips to read out my current GPS co-ordinates so the person I'm talking to knows where the picture I just took/sent them is from... until I drop the tablet, break the camera, knock the platter of the HDD askew, and am out $2300)

HDDs are seriously overrated: my Archos PMA430 has one (30 gigs), and while it's nice to store lots of movies, the moment you start using the PMA as a PDA, that fractions-of-a-second lag quickly becomes seriously annoying (and the PMA runs Linux, it's not as if it's a Palm LifeDrive). Huge memory cards, that's what we need for the 770; I'm talking 8 gigs here.

As for the camera: I'd rather invest in one of those Nokia phones with excellent cameras.

I agree that at this moment Nokia should do two things for the 770: open up the Bluetooth and the USB ports. The former should be easy enough, as everything seems to be in place; I'd advise a Nokia-branded powered USB-hub plus a software update for the latter. In both cases there have been serious efforts from the community, which Nokia should -- if they're really serious about this open source thing -- endorse.

The USB and the BT problems are two instances where a tighter cooperation between community and manufacturer are necessary. If Nokia doesn't step up within a reasonably short period of time, it should be pretty clear that they don't really believe in the community and useres should draw their conclusions from this. I know I will...