Wow, first post and to talk about replacing my Windows Mobile device.

Some background:
Well, I've had a N800 for about five months now and love it. I have done the mods to boot from internal SD card. I've installed XFCE and KDE and played lots and lots with them. I've installed so many programs and tried them all even ones from red pill mode or is it blue? But, I also own a Windows Mobile device with VGA screen and integrated GPS (Fujitsu N560). I wish, wish, wish that I could replace it completely and use my N800 but simply cannot. The N800 is way too darn slow when it comes to looking up contacts. Browsing and looking at PDF manuals that I have stored on the device also is a bit of a sore spot too. And then there is the GPS and the software that I use at least 4 times a day since I visit different businesses in different cities five days of the week.

Can the N810 replace my WM device?
If I were to make a decision to switch away from Windows Mobile to the new N810 I would have to say that nothing has really changed from the N800 in this respect. In fact, now that programs that ran fine on the N800 no longer work on the N810, until they are recompiled for the Chinook 2008 OS, then I'm moving even further away from my target. The GPS that is included doesn't do navigation without paying $130 for three years? WTF? Maemo Mapper, which I've tried to use, doesn't work since I don't have internet connection to get routes while on the road. The Nokia contact manager takes about 40 freaking seconds to finish showing my list of contacts and is useless. The GPE contact manager doesn't import my Outlook contacts correctly. The Nokia file manager takes about 12 seconds to list all of the PDF's in one directory and is slow to navigate to the correct folder. From videos I've seen of the GPS navigation software, it takes minutes to look up POI's because the lists are slow too. Is the only thing I can do is to leave all of these programs running and then switch between them? AAARRRRRGGGHHHHH!!!!

The N810 seems like it will fix the following problems:

1. Smaller form factor allows me to carry it on me everywhere
2. Keyboard will, possibly, make key entry faster
3. Nicer screen will allow, out in the sun, work to get done
4. Chinook OS2008 brings the CPU speed up to 400MHz (faster)

But the N810 will have the following problems too:

1. Programs have to be recompiled to Chinook
2. Keyboard has been criticized as being kind of awful
3. GPS software costs $130 for three years
4. You wont initially be able to boot from SD card
5. My normal sized SD cards are now useless (Mini SD used on N810)

Does anyone have suggestions for the following??

1. Fast, functional GPS software
2. Fast Contact Manager for over 100 contacts
3. Fast file browsing and PDF viewer with landscape option
4. Syncing with Outlook for Calendar, Contacts and ToDo?

Sorry, this turned more into a rant than "Can the N810 become my new business device". The answer is, I doubt it.

This is a huge barrier. I was just discussing the inability to 'sync' with Outlook Calendar today. (crazy - really I was...)

It's not so much email that is the problem, but it's the rich calendar in Outlook. I have this exact problem with Mozilla Thunderbird on the desktop.

As far as actual office apps - have you tried the GPE apps? GPE Calendar is really nice....

BTW what speed memory cards are you using? And does anyone know if mem card speed has any difference on the speed of listing directories and/or PDF reading? (Where's the bottleneck, etc.)

I've been using the o-hand contacts. It seems to run alot better for me than the gpe contacts and the crappy contacts that came with the os. I dont know about outlook. I havent used it in years. I did import contacts from Vcard format so maybe you can export them from that. I dunno..... I love the n800 about as much as I hate it....

I am in quite similar situations except I do not travel as much as you do, and also 'depends' on my winCE (a Dell) on my business. I also tried very hard to leave my winCE at home but I cant. I have not been able to txf contacts to the Nokia and I have to use Citrix and a drug book, both have not been ported to the tablet yet . Other than that, I use everything with my 770. With everything you mentioned above, the GPS system is the least of your problem. Maemo maps does not require internet to use, one just have to dl the route into the tablet before trip, with being said, it is much convenient to have inet access during use. The Nokia 130$/3yr is for an upgrade service like voice turn-to-turn, i.e., most people may not opt for that.


bun

IMO, the answer is "not by itself". :| However, chances are good that you are using some sort of cell phone with your N800. If you add that to the equation and make a good choice then I think you'd be there.

I use a Motorola Q / N800 combo. I have over 200 contacts on the Q and of course it does full Outlook syncing, etc. Also does Slingbox, Google maps app, Live Search, etc. As for "fast browsing" and "pdf", I use my N800 for browsing and PDF, and expect the OS2008 update (or the N810) to be even better. By using PDAnet with the Q I also get bluetooth DUN for the N800 without teathering fees. I'm sure other phones would fit this description as well.

Just a thought.

It depends on the "business". If you travel, and only need access to documents and e-mail for reference... yes

If your "business" requires that you update documents and databases while on the road... no.

My business is 24/7 and dynamic. But it primarily manages people and projects who's activities and scope have already been defined. For this management, I need access even when I'm traveling for pleasure. (Unless I want to deal with a Monday morning ShytStorm cold. )

For me, the tablet has completely replaced a notebook, and assorted wires and attachments in this regard. The pocket PC never did do connectivity or browsing well so it was never an option.

Not carrying a notebook has also improved my quality of life as I would tend to "work" on documents that could wait until Monday.

Wow, thanks everyone for being very helpful and not attacking or making fun of something I said. I saw what happened to the guy who accidentally wrote N8100 instead of N810.

Spacey:
The syncing / quick usability of the tablet is definetely a HUGE problem that Nokia seems to refuse to acknowledge or take strides to improve. I believe Nokia is losing business because of these inabilities. Especially when I tell people who have asked me point blank, "can it sync with Outlook".... NO!!

I do use GPE Calendar and that one is pretty good other than no direct syncing. I found that there is a free downloadable javascript that will take Outlook information and create an ".ics" file that can be imported into GPE Calendar. Even though you might already be using it, here is the link for others:
http://www.ryanwatkins.net/software/

Oh, and booting from different SD cards seems to make little difference between the actual cards themselves. But, just booting from an SD card in general does dramatically improve the booting of the N800. It doesn't seem to help the Nokia's file-managers ability to navigate around.

RioT:
Oooh, thanks for that tip on o-hand. I installed it and it sees all of the contacts that I have already imported into the Nokia Contact Manager. It is much faster on bringing up my list of contacts taking about 8 seconds to display them all as opposed to 40 or so with the Nokia's. Why can't it be 1 second like on my Windows Mobile device? This is definetely an improvement on usability and speed but far from a perfect solution. Hopefully a newer verison will bring even more help.

bunanson:
Thanks for the tip on pre-downloading my routes. My problem is that I usually am not sure where my next customer will be until I finish up the current customer. I would need to download a new route, on the spot, to get to the next location. Maybe the soon to be released version 2 will add offline route planning? That would rock.

Oh, I might have misread the statement about the $130 every 3 years. I thought it said for "route planning" you need to pay for that option. Turn-by-turn is good but the route is paramount. I'll wait it a little bit longer until some clarity on the subject comes along.

Moonshine:
True, the N800 is good in syncing with a Bluetooth phone and getting data. My problem is the speed of my T-Mobile Edge/GPRS connection really bites. So, when I am in need of getting into my vehicle, receiving my location for the next customer, typing it into my GPS and then going, the whole process is much slower. I truthfully haven't given this a try, and it might be an excellent solution. So during this week I'll see how it turns out.

The "fast browsing" isn't meant to be an attack on the Internet browsing functionality which I believe is awesome on the N800. It's meant to be an attack on the Nokia's File-Manager which takes forever to finish "Updating..." as I browse through folders. It almost seems that Nokia purposely put delays into the code when listing folder contents. It's not the Maemo file system as I can be in Xterminal and type "ls" to list 100 files in a second. But, if you tried to list the same folder in Nokia's file manager it would take about a half-day to finish.

YoDude:
Excellent points you make. There are some phenominal applications on the N800 such as Claws Mail for email, the various web browsers (Opera, MicroB, Minimo), Pidgin for instant messaging (I wish it used the camera though), plus many more. Just it depends on who needs what and if it is ported to the tablet yet. In most of my cases, the tablet has replaced my laptop too, it's just it hasn't replaced my Windows Mobile device,,, yet.


Thanks everybody. It seems a few of us agree that Nokia is kind of blowing it with the lack of PIM connectivity. I know that there are a million other rants on this subject in this forum but I'm still looking at whether the N810 is going to improve my situation or not. ** sigh **

Munk, this issue alone has probably made the N810 a no-go for me. Personally, I think it's a terrible rip-off. You're actually looking at a $600.00 N810, not a $480.00 device.

Jeff

Jeff...
This point has been made clear in many other threads... And again I can't see how Nokia giving you something you didn't have before for free is a rip off.

>> http://www.internettablettalk.com/fo...5175#post85175

This is an enthusiasts site, and you are enthusiastic about your point of view. My advice is that should enthusiastically not buy the dang thing.


Munk, good luck with your intended use. More and more web 2.0 apps are coming on-line everyday and I hope you can find one that fills your needs.

BTW, Nokia's new Mosh >> http://mosh.nokia.com/ may somehow help with future syncs.

In other words STFU?

Sorry, I don't see it that way. It was vocal 700/800 users that brought about changes leading to the N810. This is nothing more than a management decision that could easily be rectified before the N810 ships. It's software, not hardware, and Nokia folks read this forum...perhaps expressing my opinion will help change policy.

Enthusiastically,

Jeff