It looks like they will be send on Monday January 22d see
N800DeveloperDeviceProgram

"If you didn't get an invitation after the first wave and you *really* think to be in the group of top 500 humans deserving one, you will have an opportunity to push yourself as a candidate. More information will be provided next Monday 22nd."

I have to thank gnuite for the mapper app..it downloaded and worked fine for my N800 and I'm a real newby with this thing..found out however that you really need to download from repository. Other than the mapping program..after a couple wks with this "toy", I really don't see much use for it..it doesn't do anything my laptop can't do and a LOT less-just a lot smaller. Anybody have any suggestions on what I'm missing with this gadget?

You're right; Maemo Mapper is a lot like using Google Maps on a laptop, except that Google Maps requires constant access to the internet. With a GPS receiver, Maemo Mapper turns into one of those cell-phone-based Google Maps applications, because it can give you turn-by-turn directions to where you want to go. You do have a GPS receiver, right? Because, without a GPS receiver, I think Maemo Mapper would be more or less useless, except maybe as a map browser or as a novelty.

What exactly can you do with your laptop that you want to be able to do with Maemo Mapper? I'm always open to new ideas, although many ideas (like "integrate with kismet" or "render a 3D map") tend only to unnecessarily add memory and/or CPU requirements, and I prefer Maemo Mapper to be lean and mean.

I think he means the internet tablet in general.

Heck I use it as it's intended: portable internet. The other day I was on the road and needed to know where a certain restaurant was. Connected my N800 to the 'net through my phone and bam, had it. Of course, I used Google maps...

Texrat is correct..I mean the tablet in general. Regarding your situation on the road and needing to know where a certain restaurant was..that could have easily been accomplished by accessing the wireless internet on my cellphone..open google maps..do a quick search...and there you go..what advantage was it to use the N800?

I guess my problem is that I don't have a cell phone.

The UI is possibly nicer than your cell, though I too have gotten pretty good at "dialpad text entry" on my cellphone.

I'm using the N800 for:

• A quick surf on the couch (more convenient than my PowerBook) for checking on an auction, forums, imdb during a movie, etc.
• Less obtrusive to bring into a meeting to surf for facts or connect to my desktop and pull up a document
• Hanging in the airport (games, surfing, etc)
• Keeping a shell open to a process running on a remote machine while I wander in/out of the lab
• Bluetooth on the road when I'm away from my CarPC
• Storing tech docs while at a customer site
• Audio note taking

Like you say, yes I could do all this with a laptop, but why lug 8lbs around when I can get away with a whole lot less? Sure, I'm not going to write a spec on it, or even do a post this size to a forum, but I've made notes in code during a meeting; started a build; programmed my TiVo; cleaned up a customer's hacked install...

I like the lil' fella'. But it may not be for you, and that's why you've got a return policy.

One thing I've used my TomTom nav. on the T3 for is to 'bookmark' shops and restaurants when I'm in a new town. Maybe I'm walking around town a Friday evening, trying to find an open restaurant to get something to eat. Often I will pass by interesting shops that I want to visit later, or other restaurants, pubs and so on. With the BT GPS in my pocket I just whip out the T3 and sets a 'favourite' in TomTom at the current GPS position. Later I can find it again. TomTom isn't really suited for this though, because the maps keep rotating when you try to find the way to the address later (rotating maps are good for driving, terribly for walking).
I don't know if "bookmarking" is possible in Mamo Mapper, but it's one of the more useful uses of GPS applications IMO.

I think you can "bookmark" where you are by holding down on the stylus and create a POI on that spot.

(offtopic)

Cripes, the screen on my N80 phone is way too small for me to do that, and it's awkward to use that way. No thanks: I'll use it as a modem and read the N800's larger screen.

But that was simply one small example that came to mind. Recently my wife wanted to make some dish and needed the recipe. Instead of printing a few pages out that I might then lose or throw away, I searched the 'net using my N800, found the recipe, propped the tablet on the counter and away we went. Just one more small example out of way too many to list.

It's all about convenience for me.

And at the very least, when I'm waiting somewhere and my tablet is handy, a good game of Sudoku sure helps pass the time...

Back on topic, maemo mapper is an excellent use for the N800 IMO. I believe remote controls, gaming, motion detection and numerous other upcoming applications will definitely make it very useful to many people.