As it turns out I may not be able to get the money for the N810 and am now looking at the N800 as a potential alternative.

My understanding, and please correct me if I'm wrong here, is that the main differences between the two units are;

a) The 810 has a physical keyboard,
b) The 810 is a little bit faster (400 vs 320Mhz),
c) 810 has a USB 2.0
d) Memory...810 has 2gig internal memory vs 128Mb in the 800...but it seems like this issue can be overcome with using memory cards
e) 810 has GPS, 800 needs to use an external GPS device

So...the way I'm thinking about the topics above..in order to 'justify' an 800...

a) I could potentially get a BT keyboard down the road if the virtual keyboard becomes too much of a pain,
b) Speed should not be that much different..Is it?
c) Hmm...am I correct in that the 800 has the slower 1.0 USB connection? Is this an issue for anyone?
d) Is it an issue for any application/OS to have only 128MB internal memory?
e) No big deal for me.

It seems to boil down to the questions:
1) Can I run the same OS and applications on the 800 as I can on the 810?

2) I'm a big gamer..are many games now requiring the physical keyboard to work?

3) How much of pain is it too use the virtual keyboard on the 800 to do emails, browsing etc? Will it drive me nuts having it block 50% of the screen?

You 800 users out there happy and using your 800 for emails, chatting and web browsing?

This is wrong. They both have 128Mb internal "flash"; but the N810 has 2GB internal "memory".

Because they both have the same amount of flash so there is no issue for the N800 vs the N810. I have both, N810 and N800. I prefer the N800 over the N810 because I seldom use the N810 keyboard. If one need to use a physical keyboard then should buy a bluetooth to pair with the device.

The N800 has two SDHC slots. One is inside and the other is outside. Suppose you can afford to buy the biggest SDHC cards, 32B. You can have 64GB + 128MB total. The N810 has only one external slot for miniSDHC.

corrections:
b) Both N800 and N810 runs at 400MHz ones the N800 is flashed with chinook or diablo.

c) Both have usb 2.0.

d) The memory issue is a bit muddy. The N800 have 128MB attached directly to the cpu (a solution called package on package), same with N810. However, where the N800 has two full sized SD slots (one under the stand, one behind the battery cover) the N810 have 1 mini-SD, and one 2GB SD-as-chip soldered into place behind the battery cover. In either case, only the 128MB PoP memory can be used for programs, unless the user takes steps to clone the os onto a SD (or in the case of the N810, onto the soldered 2GB).

I have both the nokia n810 and n800... I am no nerd or anything, im only 14 but I think its easy to use the virtual keyboard, little time to get used to. The phsical keyboard is faster, less annooying bc the virtual has to pop up every time you want to type. In my opinoin, everything is about the same overall... Just everything is slighly better on the n810..

Yep

Thanks for the great replies.

One thing to add...I just 'discovered' the Nokia 770 which may be an even more realistic (read: cost) option for me.

Can I run the same, latest OS on the 770?
Can I use Skype and full browser on the 770?

Anyone here actually own or used a 770 and can weigh in on 800 vs 770?

Thanks, you guys are great!

It's actually 256MB.

ouch, now you got me wondering what i have wasted it all on

The 770 and the N800 are lightyears apart. With the 770, you're either going to be using the last supported OS release, OS2006, which is 3 years old, or a totally unsupported and unstable Hacker Edition release of OS2008.

The 770 is slow, it has limited memory and it's not going to provide an experience anywhere near that of the N800.

Well, about 128MB of that is the OS, and it doesn't take many desktop-sized libraries to fill up the rest.

Thanks and yes, I did read up more about the 770 and watched some youtube videos about it and it seems like you're right in what you wrote.

I was considering a Sony Mylo Com-2 before I stumbled upon the N800/810's - now I can't stop picturing a Nokia tablet in my poor little hands