Even for my old eyes I like the size of the N8* screen considering the size of the N8..

Perhaps you want something like this: http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/softwar...tm?omnRef=1337

iDon't

Love is blind.

If you see text on a paper the same size as the default web page text on N8xx, you wouldn't tolerate it. Moreover, most web pages are not designed for such a high density screen and not optimized for NITs anyway.

I love my n800, but will probably be looking at something more like a tablet PC in my next mobile device. Maybe with a screen size around half that of a sheet of paper. One of the main tools that I use on the n800 is Xournal, and note taking on the n800 screen is just a little too cramped. If I had an n810 with a built in hardware keyboard, I might be a little happier. I have a USB keyboard for 800, and an iGo Stowaway, but neither of those is perfect for every situation.
Ultimately, the question of whether or not the n800's screensize is good or not is completely subjective. When I'm not in Xournal, the n800 is usually great. There are a few webpages that are difficult on it, but most render well.

Say what!?

If I understand correctly, you're implying that those who say the screen density is why they got the N800 are really just in love with the N800 and therefore don't see its faults? Maybe those who are in love with it primarily for other reasons... But if that's why you got into it, I think it's a safe bet that while love might now be blinding you to other faults, you actually indeed like high-density screens...

First, that's a software issue, not a hardware issue; hence completely unrelated to the "screen is small for resolution" issue. You can print webpages on a 600 DPI printer, and they're quite legible; so you could certainly obtain good results by setting the default font size larger (or just zooming in...)

Second, it's a presumptious, and WRT me, at least, wrong, claim. I opened a text file in the web browser (I'm not wasting time looking for an html file/page with no font specifications; I assume the fixed-width font used for text is similar height to the proportional font used for html.), and measured the height. 9 pixels -> 0.04 inch, or 1 mm.

I don't mind text of that size; there's plainly readable text that size on my driver's license, Visa card, and school ID. (And I believe the marginal notes in my pocket Bible, though I haven't got that with me at the moment.) I'll admit that if you ran text that size off of most printers, with default settings, I'd be irritated; they can't usually produce that sharp of text with default settings, but that's a problem with them. I routinely scale text to that size for one-sheet/one-notecard exams. My optomechanical zoom (move paper or tablet closer) works just fine, so while you (and perhaps most other people) wouldn't tolerate it, it doesn't bother me at all.

Short treatment:
Well, most websites are designed on a pixel basis, and for 800x600 or 1024x768 screens. That's the whole point of the 800x480; especially back when the 770 was released, this allowed web pages to display normally without elaborate tricks to make things work on a small (pixel-wise) display, which inevitably break some pages. They don't need to be optimized, as you can still get around on a standard page, with the stylus if needed. And 80% zoom brings most 1024x768 designed pages to just about fit, too.

Long, thorough, semi-rant treatment:
There's two issues with site design: Density dependence, and assumed page-width. Density independence is important to display things well on a high-density (but normal width) screen; but "honest" interpretation of density-independent pages that assume normal width on a high-density, low-width screen will result in excessive scrolling. One solution is to lie, and claim that you have 72 DPI, or some such. (Which essentially tosses the density dependence, to give you the simple situation described below...)

On the other hand, if you have density dependence, and assumed normal width, then you're actually assuming normal pixel count, and a high-density, low-width screen with normal pixel count will display cleanly, but small; this is what the tablets do, and as long as you have zoom (faster and more flexible zoom would be nice, btw), it's about the best you can get out of those pages.

On the third hand, if you actually have density independence, and no (or minimal) width assumption, it can be laid out with literal (or nearly so) density; maybe a factor of 1.5 or 2, to compensate for differences in distance. The lack of width assumption means that content will be flowed sanely into any reasonable width, so it can fit without horizontal scrolling. This, IMHO, is the best design approach for normal web pages. Density dependence could exist (specifying fonts in px, for example), and could readily be accomodated, though the results may not be pleasing.

So I'd like a browser with at least three display modes, readily swappable, and easily configurable. I don't ask it to recognize these categories, but I'd like to be able to switch. (Maybe that means I should learn to write an extension...)

what's wrong with it the screen res is amazing.

Thanks for the thorough write up on page rendering logic, Benson.

On the usability side, I always find that on probably 70% of web pages that I read, the true 'content' only takes up from 35% to at most 75% of the page's width. Many sites split up their screen to 2-3 columns or sidebars, and use them to display ads and links to pimp their other contents. This is the reason that I think a good (smooth and quick to use) zooming function (yes, like iPhone's safari PLEASE) would be an asset on the N800 to view 'normal' web pages. We have great screen on the NIT to display ad and stuff we don't need?

PS: About my 'blind' comment; I was taking a jab at an earlier poster that seems to always blindly support NIT, not wanting to talk about negative aspects of it, or positive aspects of competing products... even in an effort to improve the NIT.

Who might that be?

Anybody has any idea on how to change DPI setting ? I would love to see that screen at the same resolution, but bigger texts by increasing DPI - everything would look better.

Not worth trying at this point. Everything will break, and hard.

Maemo is moving towards resolution independence, but it's not quite there yet.

Not you, GA :P
You're been pretty fair..