I expect this might divide the lines here but I'm interested in the response.

I've got an N770 - had it since more or less it came out. I've got it nicely configured for what I do and with a BT keyboard I can actually use it to do my dev (I'm a PHP programmer) without anything else to hand.

My question is this. In the UK at the moment we are mere days away from the launch and availability of the 810s. Consequently the price of the 800s is bottoming out on a daily basis as retailers try and shift old stock.

Hopefully someone like ThoughtFix etc will see this and make comment but here's my big question:

If I can get a new N800 for £150, is there a substantial difference between the N800 and the N810 from a hardware and usability stand point (and no the keyboard doesn't qualify) to justify spending £300 on a new tablet?

I know either will be a big jump up from my 770 but the question is one of price (and whether I get two presents for xmas or just one!) compared to each other.

Is the N810 twice as good (in usefulness terms if not in hardware punch) as the N800?

Cheers
AndrewF

Apart from the keyboard, you should consider if the GPS stuff is really important for you. If not, I don't see any other aspect that can do the N810 a winner over the N800 regarding the price gap between both.

Look up the recent "800/810 comparison" threads, they will help you decide.

I'd say if you're happy with your BT keyboard and don't need a GPS (or don't mind an external one) you might go for the 800.

You're basically paying all that money for a built-in GPS (but NOT the ueber-cool software!) and a thumbboard that isn't stellar.

Since you already have a BT keyboard (which is actually usable for normal text-entry) and BT GPS receivers are almost given away for free with a loaf of bread, and keeping in mind that the layout of the N810 is vastly inferior to the N800 -- and even more so to the 770 --, I'd say: Keep your money, wait a couple of weeks and buy yourself a N800 with ITOS2008.

But hey! don't listen to me...

For the most common GPS application - driving a car - an external GPS is actually better, as the best in-car reception will usually be anywhere but at the best spot for the display. The N810 GPS qualifies it as the better hiker, biker and pedestrian device, though.

I never considered the N800 because I had a 770 that was released WAY too soon for me to consider dropping another couple hundred bucks. Now that the N810 is out, I still don't want to consider the much cheaper N800 because it's too much like the 770. If I'm going to upgrade, I want something beyond speed and a crappy webcam. The thumboard on the N810 sold me. It's just a matter of when christmas debt is paid off and I can afford to squirrel away some money for a purchase.

I haven't had an N810, but pretty well agree with Karel on this. Except...
I'd say: Buy an N800 now, and flash it with ITOS2008 in a few weeks.
But then, I always was an impatient fellow.

One point not mentioned here is the SD slots. 2 of them, with 16 GB cards available now, is up to 32 GB. You can't get 16 GB mini SDs right now, and the N810 has only one slot -- the internal is 2 GB, if I remember right, but can't be changed.

And hey! don't listen to me either...

Really? I haven't used a GPS for hiking yet, but I'm sorta planning on going down that road (ooohh!! look, a pun!) and it seems to me that a separate BT GPS unit would be better than an all-in-one device: Better battery life for both devices and you can always velcro the GPS on your backpack. The only advantage the N810 has is its daylight-visible LCD, but I'm confident someone will come up with a solution for N800s for that (and yes: I was the first to suggest replacing the N800's screen with a N810 unit).

To be honest, I've more considered a paper map and a dedicated, simple GPS unit, but I'm a luddite. So there.

The resolution available on the paper map is phenomenal. It also works in the rain (wax coating), or when there's no battery power. With an ancient analog device called a "compass", you can even determine where you are on the map fairly easily. I'm with you 100% on this, although I'm a bit of a technophile luddite. I was reading an ebook last night that I also have in paperback format and wanting to hate it, but I just couldn't. I love having a physical book collection, but the ebook advantages are just so undeniable.

Regarding the GPS, I stated this elsewhere, but if the options were N810 as is and N810 without GPS, I would absolutely go for the latter. Especially if the lack of the GPS hardware meant they could manage to make the second MMC card accessible.

Hi guys,

Thanks for an absolutely stellar range of responses. That was really useful and much more responsive than I was hoping to get as I was bracing myself for a bit of an N800 / N810 showdown.

To me is seems like the three killer features are all either sellers or not depending on your individual requirements.

Some of you are dead keen on the inbuilt GPS. I got my nokia GPS with my 770 with the Navicore pack and I'm really happy with that and I know the GPS device will work with either N800 or N810. And I know Navicore have an update for N800 software wise.

Keyboard definitely isn't a winner for me because I'm 6'4 and have hands the size of a bunch of bananas so a tiny little keyboard doesn't do it for me - neither does tapping in with a stylus which is why I have a natty iGO BT keyboard. Either device will do that.

Finally the storage card issue. To be brutally honest, I have a 4GB card in my 770 and I have music on that as well as all my maps etc for Navicore and all my software etc. Dual slot 16GB whilst gives you a massive amount of storage for a small device I'd be hard pressed to think what I'd do with it.

So functionality wise it appears as though the N800 will do what I want but there is one more question:

Does the N810 "feel" nicer than the 800? By this does the OS perform quicker, feel nicer in the hand or are they much the same?

That isn't necessarily a winner for me as £150 is a lot to pay for "feel" but I've had my 770 for over 2 years and the next one I get will last that long as well so it would be nice to have something that I was as happy with as my 770.

What I don't want to do is upgrade and have the "vista" experience and go back to XP.

Cheers
AndrewF