To me it looks to be a very early prototype whatever it is, by the look of the fit and finish of it. The only real branding or print on it is the Nokia N series labeling, the edges etc. the over look of it just smells of prototype. And I agree with an earlier poster and definately with Thoughtfix about a few things as well, if it was just a phone on most Qwerty keyboards that are phones as well in the center section anyways that usually has the 1-9/0-*-# for dialing(in the US usually) and if it was a IT only where are the zoom keys, other missing buttons and especially the stylus slot. Unless this is Nokia's answer to the iPhone as HTC has done with their Touch, and umpteen other Korean, Japanese and Chinese Mfg's are and have been doing. So I don't think it would be too far a reach to think that Nokia at least would have at least kicked around the idea of a "completely" touchable interface hybrid device with the option of still having an attached Qwerty keyboard, possibly giving the user/consumer the best of both worlds since that was, even today one of the biggest gripe's from alot of tablet users(that they had to buy an add-on BT keyboard)and even alot of iPhone users, that they still like the tactile feel of a REAL keyboard.

I have to agree a separate BT GPS works best with Nokia Internet Tablets... let's face it, I don't need a GPS fix when I'm sitting on my couch, but when I'm out in the car I can use the GPS that lives in the glove compartment. Or if I need a GPS when out walking I can drop one in my pocket. Separate GPS hardware far out performs devices which have GPS functionality tacked on.

Shamlessly stealing from the iPhone, one thing I'd like to see in the design of a future Nokia Internet Tablet is a totally flat facia - this prototype (of whatever it is) has a facia which is raised from the glass touchscreen. Make the whole thing flat from one edge to the other. Just like the iPhone. I'm sure the Nokia engineers are up to it.

I'll take 2

OMFG this device looks ugly as sin. Granted, it appears to be a VERY early prototype, but whatever maroon thought to put the D-PAD on the slide out keypad should be fired. I could stand to have the D-pad on the back side on the screen, but having it on the keypad section pretty much forces you slide it open to use it for just about anything. Although others may disagree with me, I don't want to sacrifice one bit of useability or functionality in order to build in a crappy chiclet key keyboard into an IT. I personally find no good justification for a keyboard 95% of the time and the other 5% of the time I have to hammer out a four paragraph email I would rather use a moderately sized bluetooth keyboard.

I earnestly hope this is not the successor device to the N800. Nokia really needs to get it in their head that what we want is a well supported PLATFORM, not a unpolished new product every year that as one commentator noted "resets the clock" and alienates users and 3rd party developers (who add much of the value to the platform) alike.

Strange device. However, as thoughtfix stated in his own review, the only things this device has in common with the N800 is the silver front plate and the screen (from what we see on the pictures).

Is this enough to assume it is an internet tablet?

I would find it strange if Nokia would drop the stereo-speakers after introducing rhapsody and positioning the IT-line as multimedia capable devices. (Then, it was also very strange they dropped the hard cover for the N800 after trying to make people think its a mobile device...)

The one thing I could think of, if its an IT at all, that they might want to fork the line and develop both a business branch (keyboard, reduced multimedia) and a branch for home users. while this would be great because it'd give us more choice, I seriously doubt the market is big enough for this.

Hang on guys.

Even if that's real, the form factor is too different to call it a successor. Instead, it would be an extension.

Besides, that scheme looks more like an E series device...

...marked as as N series on its back, tough

I think it is a phone.
The menu button in the lower left corner looks like the S60 menu item, so that would suggest a nokia phone. (not an IT)
IF it is a phone than the location of the D-pad suggest that you could use the device without it. So I think touchscreen.
because there doesn´t seem to be a stylus, I think this is Nokia´s answer to the apple iphone : finger touch interface for use with a S60 phone.
It has a hardware keyboard (rare on nokia phones), and they would have to have updated S60 for use with touchscreen devices. I don´t believe the touchscreen S90 OS used in the Nokia 7710 is developed anymore.

If it's a phone, where are the call initiate and hangup (green and red handset) buttons?