I've only heard about the N800 fairly recently - when stories about the iPod Touch came out, people mentioned that the N800 is a much better device.

And it certainly seems like it would be - the feature set looks great, and I've yet to see one negative review.

But here's the main difference (as far as I can see) between the iPod Touch and the N800.

I can go to an Apple Store and play with the iPod Touch to my heart's content. I've yet to see an N800 at a store, let alone actually play with one. Heck, most stores have no idea what it is. Even when I explain what it is, they still have no idea.

I've tried all the Big Stores - Best Buy, Circuit City, even Walmart. Nothing. I've tried small stores, and nothing. I'd try CompUSA but they've all closed.

Does anyone have ANY idea what store might carry the things?


TIA!

Try Fry's. If not, your option may just be to order one online with a 30-day money back guarantee just in case you don't like it. All you end up paying is the shipping. I got mine from CompUSA before they closed.

This tells me that Nokia should take a lesson or two from Steve Jobs marketing book: they have a superior device (in fact they've had it for two years or more already), yet, outside of geek circles, nobody knows it, as if thet wouldn't like to really sell it. Meanwhile people enjoy being sodomized by the closed feature set of the iDevice du jour, where everthing they do outside of it will be wiped out in the next firmware update, and an open device, where the only limitation you have is dictated by the hardware, is collecting dust in some warehouse due to the incompetence of nokia marketing department.
Sorry for the tirade, but I cannot stand collective stupidity.

We don't have those in Minnesota. We have Microcenters, which look a lot like what I think Fry's is like, but they don't have N800s ):

Only place I've seen any Nokia tablets was CompUSA.

Amazon will ship you one, and the price is right.

They look like the pictures, the quality is what you'd expect from Nokia, and the OS is Debian Linux compiled for the ARM. Go for it.

Yeah, I know. I know where I can get one, that's no problem, but I really want to actually play with one. I am /well/ aware that, on paper, it's a FAR superior device to the iPod Touch. FAR far superior. It's also a lot more expensive (especially if you push the storage up to 8/16 gigs) and the browser on the iPod /is/ really nice, and that was my intended use for the thing until I heard about the N800.

Still leaning heavily toward it, but if I could actually see one I'd probably have bought it by now.

N800 has 800x480 resolution vs iPhone has 480x320
I tried iPhone and iPod touch many times at the Apple stores. At a resolution of 480x320, it is somewhat small but browser is decent. I wanted a device mainly for browsing the web while sitting on my couch or away from desk. I picked Nokia N800 because it has a resolution of 800x480 which is much better.

N800 at CompUSA vs Amazon
I went to my local CompUSA store (they sell it for $399). They refused to allow me to try it out as the N800 box is sealed. I picked one up and went to the checkout register. After the girl at the register scanned it, their computer popped up a screen and she said I need to give them my phone number, name and address. I asked why do you need it as it is not a cell phone. She called her manager who told me that they can not sell it unless I give my name, address and phone number. I said fine, I will get it from somewhere else and left it at the checkout register. I then came home and called the CompUSA store manager and he said that they create a profile with your information when you buy a computer and they won't sell it to you unless you provide them with all your information. I try to explain to him about data security breaches in the news all the time but he said if I have to buy from them, I have to give all that information. I also emailed their customer support a couple of times but they never responded. Then I went online and ordered it from Amazon.com for about $358. I still had to give my name address information but it cost me less by ordering it online. I ordered with free shipping and it came by UPS the next day (yes! the next day!)

I love the N800 so far (small improvements in software could make it even better)
I am very happy with my purchase of N800. The browser is much better due to higher resolution and it does have touch scrolling (but not multi-touch and the kinetic scrolling that iPhone has) which still works fairly well for me. I use the back of my index finger nail touch to scroll which is very comfortable. I left the original screen protector on which is somewhat scratched by now but its fine. You can use Fellows write right screen protectors too by cutting them to the right size. To be able to fully utilize the power and features of N800, you do need to be comfortable with installing other free software but it is not that difficult. It is pretty good right out of the box (you might have to download the firmware update though). Under my normal use, the battery lasts about 4-7 hours. I successfully tested using my cellphone as bluetooth modem with N800 and if needed, I can even use N800 where there is no wifi to still get online using my cellphone data plan. With maemopad plus (download), I can use it to write notes using the stylus. The PDF viewer is OK (just doesn't do hyperlinks in PDF files and you have to learn button shortcuts when using in full screen). It is better than $299 Sony Reader (which I returned the next day because it sucked) for 8.5x11 size PDF's. I downloaded the remote desktop software on N800 so that I can connect to my PC in the other room while sitting on the couch (talk about laziness!). Maemomapper (download) allows you to locally download maps (remember to download map repositories). I have a GPS in my car so I don't really need it but you could use it to download the maps of your area for the time when you aren't near a wifi access point.
The simple fact that I can download and install (or even write my own software) on N800 makes it a much better device for me compared to iPod touch.

I Would Say Buy A Second Hand One From Ebay..... For That Price The N800 Is Always Worth It.... And With The Next Version Coming Soon I Am Sure You Would Upgrade Once You Become A N800 User.... So In That Scenario You Would'nt Lose Much Money

All In All You Will Never Be Disappointed With The N800. Promise!!!

I too wanted to lay my hands one one before I paid my money. But as best as I can figure, that is impossible unless you know someone who has one in Canada. The N800 is _only_ available via mail order.

That said, I did like many others here suggested, and I took a leap of faith and ordered one from Amazon. For the most part, it is a wonderful fun little machine.

As a linux junkie, I would like to see more command line linux apps installed (iwconfig, strace, bash, ldd). But that is my bias.

It comes with a nice set of included applications (such as Opera browers with Flash, and Skype, as well as a video conferencing app that works with Google Chat (just tried that last night, it is cool!).

I know this won't help you get your hands on one, but I hope it allays your fears about buying one.

Craig...

Wait, wait, it /doesn't/ have all the commanline utilities? But there IS access to the commandline, right? And surely you can get standard utils like bash/ldd for it?

The Linux thing is the major selling point for me and the main reason why I didn't just go get an iPod Touch as soon as they came out.