They have both I believe qole.. I know for a fact USB... but it uses it like a modem - I'm quite sure it WOULD work with the NIT if you run Debian... there are several pages out there on getting Debian and other linux's up and running with these data cards.

But a USB data card / modem is an entirely different beast than an internal antenna and SIM chip I believe.

I've actually thought about tossing my blackberry in favor of one of those.. but there isn't really any way i can find to "carry" the NIT comfortably with a USB stick hanging out of it and not break anything... not to mention when you put the USB adapter you can't close the stand =-(.

With the direction that wireless data is going, I suspect they won't be conceptually "different beasts" for much longer, but I have to agree that USB is not a terribly good way to connect devices to the NIT at the moment; it gets the job done, but it is very inelegant.

Precisely. I am primarily concerned with the poisoning effects of even MORE non-open and soul-sucking locked hardware and software. I would rather have an add-on so that if I feel like 3G is being displaced by the new, say 4G/WiMAX... or the new 5G.. or the new 10G.. whatever, I can always just replace the radio and HOPEFULLY it'll be designed with a simple open interface in mind like PPP to the device the way a lot of EVDO devices seem to work on laptops--which incidentally work great in Linux. I've had to put up with enough closed-source crap and the hassles of being at the mercy of a company's interests in supporting their users. I would LIKE a platform where the company AND the users are involved in the product users want.

I don't mean to imply that there shouldn't EVER be a cell radio. I do mean to imply that it shouldn't be forced on those of us who'd rather not have one. I also imply making it a module you can slip into the unit and not a USB dongle to hang out there like an erection waiting for an accident where it can get snapped off--OUCH! Maybe, just maybe, by being expandable--this might also open up the realm of possibilities for OTHER neat third party add-ons that could do all SORTS of amazing things, so long as Nokia made it a standard and open interface. If they just close it and make themselves the only entity that can make something for that interface--then we'll have all the same whining and nashing of teeth that we're already hearing about these unbelievable hardware and parts SUPPLY issues.

Like I've repeated all along, give the customer what he needs or else someone else can come along and sell it to them and you might possibly lose that customer forever.

I say--no radio, but make it so that I *CAN* get one. Better still, make it expandable! The best thing the desktop PC ever did was open up the ISA bus to third party developers alllll those years ago.

There's a USB connection in the back, you know... Maybe an alternate battery cover with built-in data connection? (Alas, it's only a 4-pin port, so either a mini dongle just to force OTG mode, or software switching, is required...)

That can be fixed, for the future, with an additional radio slot; maybe USB, maybe not, but some dedicated connection under the back cover, so the cover can be replaced with a bulged one for bigger battery and an extra radio.


Honestly, I can see this working great even on existing hardware, as outlined above, but I'm not quite sure enough it's what I really want to go buy the modem and try hacking such a thing up, and I'd have to do some battery-hunting as well.

What I really want is for a high-speed, wide area data network like Wimax to spread across the world, and for the tablets to get a radio for it. This would give me access to all of the current VoIP / IM / e-mail / whatever, everywhere.

Nokia has already demonstrated willingness to step up to the plate (with their N810W), but there's very little incentive for current phone companies to build out such a network because they'd be slaughtering their restrictive, proprietary cash cows (you guys have heard about the 15c per text message in Canada, eh?) for a dangerously open and unrestricted network. I would actually say that there's a disincentive for telcos to do it. I get the feeling that telcos only offered high speed internet (DSL) when the cable companies started offering it. I think the only hope of such a network blossoming is if a group of electric companies banded together, put antennas on power line poles everywhere, and started offering something like Wimax. That would force the entrenched companies to compete.

The only big downside--in the future there will be faster and better and you're stuck with the new thing from this decade instead of the next decade's tech.

You can STILL hook an old 486 up to ethernet and get Linux installed on it and actually still use it for useful things (I used to use one for hping packet mangling to test equipment from vendors trying to sell us devices to deploy in our network.. and I'd successfully use it to hack their equipment to report what I'd require them to fix in order for us to consider their products).

I want something like the tablet to be able to be as expandable.. not stuck with a radio that nobody will want later. For example, how much longer do you think anyone will want a first generation iPhone now that there's a 3G iPhone? How many fewer will want it once EDGE is turned off because the telcos will no longer support a fading technology?

Such is the way of technology. Here today, binned tomorrow.

Right. The difference is that if I'd bought an iPhone and wanted to rebuy now, I would have gone for an iPhone 2 because it only makes sense.

But in the case of my N800, which I'd bought back at the beginning of February of 2007, I used and abused it all the way until now.. and just repurchased another one and gave my sister the old one since it's still very usable. (Kickstand was broken so I removed it, touchscreen is somewhat innaccurate too--but still very usable.) I still prefer the N800 over the N810.. but they're both quite good in their differing ways.

I'm not sure I could have that with many other devices--this is more like a good laptop/computer than a disposable phone device that I wouldn't think twice about getting something else to replace it.

Is there anyone still selling N800s, other than eBay? Sigh... Although I see N810s are coming down to $330 here in Canada, and 8GB micro SD cards are only $43, the N810 is looking a bit more competitive...

EDIT: Hmm, that $330 price is gone... oh well

One of mine was from that blowout here, the other was from our Buy & Sell forum...

No, I don't think any commercial outfits are still carrying them, but there's plenty of folks upgrading to N810s, so you can find one if you got the patience.