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Geez. While you're waiting, spend $200 (or less) on one of these instead!

Linux kernel ... check.
Touchscreen interface ... check.
Firefox ... Gecko-based browser, so check.
Skype ... check. Also all the other IM protocols.
Wifi ... check. Also Bluetooth to my EDGE phone.
Headphones, mike, camera ... check.
Google Gears ... still waiting. But I have abiword.
About $100 over the target price, but not bad.
http://www.nseries.com/products/n800/#l=products,n800

I'd like a bigger touchscreen, but then it wouldn't fit in my pocket.

> the mythical device convergence we've been hearing > about for ten years.

I have one, it's called the Nokia N95. I looked at buying an iPhone, I have several friends who made that choice. However, the fact that Apple locked it up was a deal killer for me. So I bought an N95, and honestly, it really delivers on those promises. I got rid of/don't use my digital camera, iPod, eeePc or (obviously) old cell phone. Since I got a VKB laser keyboard I don't even take my laptop with me much anymore (since Putty and GMail are the two biggest apps I use.)

No, it supports Flash 9, just as regular desktop Linux (32-bit, that is). That doesn't mean that some flash sites wouldn't be too heavy for it, but that's hardly surprising - some flash sites seem to completely hog the processor on my desktop computer as well.

that's why i bought the nokia n95 instead of the iphone, it has 3g hdpa as well as edge as well as pretty much all the same features
- posted from my nokia n95

Flash video (flv) is a container around codecs, like AVI, OGG, and even MPEG is. The codec typically used in Flash is by On2, I believe. I guess Jobs is complaining about Adobe's mobile implementation of the decoder.

However, Adobe recently added support for H.264 in Flash. H.264 is more widespread and there are hardware-accelerated implementations for it in the mobile field. Youtube has started supporting that codec as well (add &fmt=6 at the end of video URL to try, if that video has been converted)

Hell, I worked on a mobile chip which includes MPEG4 and H264 encode/decode acceleration, which has been included in a recently announced Nokia smartphone, and I can confirm that On2 aren't accelerated (and Microsoft's VC1, used in DVB-H, is only partly accelerated), and thus have to run on the ARM core, at the expense of higher power consumption.

If you really want to travel light the nokia n95 offers a 5 Megapixel camera, and gps navigation, and it can play mp3's, also the Asus Eee is the best(and cheapest) compact notebook i have seen in ages, and if you are not planning on playing crysis, it should do everything you need.

If you feel the advantages outweigh the limitations of a camera phone, you can certainly make due with high-end models. I recommend checking out the N-Series from Nokia. The top-of-the-line models are GPS-enabled, have multimedia playback, and decent optics. However, in terms of picture quality the Cybershot line of camera phones from Sony Ericsson have continually taken top honors for producing more accurate colors. The N-Series photo processing tend to create more saturated and vivid pictures which some like and others don't. I was very impressed with the photos taken with the SE K790a/K800i, a friend brought with him on our camping trip. The photos certainly didn't match the quality of the ones he took using his Canon Rebel, but they were still very good.

However, GTK+ is what Nokia is currently using on its N-Series tablets. I hope they stay that way.

So the issue is how to get out of the current muddle and to cut ties with these carriers. Of course, we can use Skype or various IM and video conferencing tools to talk to people without making a traditional landline or mobile call. The coming deployment of WiMAX networks will increase our ability to use IP-based devices for calling.

The forthcoming FCC auction of the 700MHz spectrum, now scheduled for January, will introduce more openness into the bidding process, and should enable a company such as Google to develop a competing service. Assuming that happens, there will be an alternative our dependence on the incumbent carriers, which will have its ups (price, flexibility) and possible downs (advertising, privacy concerns).

There are also numerous efforts underway to create devices based on open source software. The Nokia N800/N810 http://www.nseries.com/ is a Linux-based device with a useful developer site http://www.maemo.org/. The OpenMoko project http://www.openmoko.org/ is aimed at developing an open source phone. These devices are, of course, unlocked. When OpenMoko has advanced a little further, you should be able to take anyone's SIM chip, put it in your OpenMoko phone, and make a call. For now, though, the best you can do is to have an unlocked phone. (I have about 8 SIM chips from different countries, and switch them when I travel, thereby avoiding the extortionate international roaming charges of the mobile carriers. You can easily buy "pay-as-you-go" service almost everywhere, including in the US.)

So we can already take various steps to loosen our ties to the cellphone carriers. With some luck, many of us will be able to extricate ourselves completely. It's only then that the cellphone carriers will feel the need to improve their products and services to attract and retain customers.

According to the specifications from Nokia's site, you are correct. That is disappointing, but not a deal breaker for me.

Um.. the specs say that the N810 has a TI OMAP 2420 at 400mhz as compared to the slower 330mhz cpu on the N800.. So it's the same CPU, but clocked faster.

http://www.nseries.com/nseries/v3/media/sections/products/tech_specs/en-R1/tech_specs_n810_en_R1.html

I want it both ways - I want continued updates and improvements to my new mobile computer from Apple, and I want to be able to do other interesting things with my new mobile computer that fill a niche that Apple understandably wouldn't be writing software for.

Is it unreasonable for me, an Apple customer and shareholder, to want this?

When I'm buying a technology product, there are several factors that weigh into the decision. One is the quality of the technology. Just as important is the future outlook. Is there a good chance that missing features I want can be easily added later? Are there a lot of people, either in a company or on their own, working to improve it? Will I be able to adapt it to some niche problem that I'm working on that may not be important to most people, but is important to me?

Apple has a great technology, but lacking those other ingredients I just can't get too excited about the whole package. In a year's time, there will be other very similar phones on the market:
http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/29/nokias-iphone-no-seriously/

And some of those will likely be infinitely customizable. Nokia is already running with this Apple blunder:
http://www.nseries.com/index.html?l=campaigns,open

So Apple, am I going to feel like an idiot for buying into a closed platform when similar but open models come out from other companies?

Barring a shift in policy of some kind, such as a released api or "binary application approval program", I am thinking it's time to get out of AAPL and think hard before buying more Apple products.

Nokias 'open' site is coded in.... Flash!

http://www.nseries.com/open

Any of the Nseries devices from Nokia can do the things you list, except for GPS which currently is only on the N95. Memory can be upgraded by mini/microSD cards, they support music(mp3/aac/wma/wav/midi as well as streaming realmedia), voice dialing, all have minimum 2mp cameras that can record 320x240 mp4 video(N93/95 support VGA or 640x480 res. video),sync contacts and calendar with Outlook/Notes (theres recently a new free 'Mail4Exchange' app available for download for Exchange email), pop3/imap email,MMS,bluetooth,infrared(on some of them) 3G/edge.Except for N70,N72 and N90, the rest use the S60 3rd edition OS, with its improved browser that can render full websites and supports RSS. The included free version of QuickOffice lets you view (but not edit) MS Office documents. One suggestion-always buy unlocked phones, and dont get stuck into one operator/usage plan.

I think this will be my next device, the N95.

I'm using my own N95 http://www.nseries.com/n95/ as:

• an IRC client: http://mirggi.net/ (native Symbian software)
• a SSH client: http://s2putty.sourceforge.net/ (Putty is ported to and runs on Symbian natively)
• a podcast player: Nokia Podcasting (http://blogs.s60.com/nokiapodcasting/). I can download new episodes on the fly and listen to them when I want. I don't need a computer to download the episodes. MPEG-4/H.264 video podcasts work too.
• an Internet radio (Shoutcast) client: http://opensource.nokia.com/projects/s60internetra dio/index.html All the Internet radio stations just when I want. Open Source.
• an FM radio and MP3/AAC player. Any headphones with a 3,5mm plug work fine.
• a 5 megapixel digital camera: http://www.flickr.com/cameras/nokia/n95/
• a 640x480 30fps MPEG-4/AAC video camera.
• a modem for my laptop. Thanks to HSDPA (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hsdpa) I get about 120kB/s downstream and 44kB/s upstream (yes, kilobytes) with the current 1,8Mbps HSDPA network. 90ms pings. I have an unlimited packet data contract from my mobile operator. The operator is currently software upgrading the base stations to support 3,6Mbps HSDPA, which doubles the downstream speeds.
• a SIP VoIP client: The SIP standard is supported by the device natively. And the Internet call functionality is well integrated to the user interface. I can use the normal phone book to call via the Internet. Instead of normal voice or video call, I just select Internet call from the menu. Internet calls work over 802.11g 54Mbps WLAN at home, and over the mobile packet data network on the go, thanks to HSDPA. Works great with Gizmo (http://www.gizmoproject.com/), for example.
• a web browser and RSS feed reader: RSS feeds are supported by the excellent S60 web browser, which is based on Apple Webcore/KHTML: http://opensource.nokia.com/projects/S60browser/. It's a full featured web browser and not a toy. Web sites can be zoomed in/out to fit the screen. Opera can be installed on the device too.
• a gaming device: I'm not a enthusiastic gamer though. I'm just playing the preinstalled games. btw. N95 has got hardware accelerated OpenGL by PowerVR: http://www.imgtec.com/PowerVR/Products/Graphics/MB X/index.asp
• a Push-email client. I receive email as soon as it is available on the IMAP server. I can open ZIP attachments, Word/Excel documents, PDF files and view them on the device.
• a GPS and a map: N95 has got an integrated GPS receiver. Nokia Maps software is preinstalled on the device. Free detailed maps for over 150 countries are available. And Google Maps works on it too: http://www.google.com/gmm/. I also use N95 to track my work-outs with Nokia Sports Tracker http://research.nokia.com/research/projects/Sports Tracker/.

I can install any S60 3rd edition and Java ME software on this phone. No restrictions. Also the SDK is available freely: http://forum.nokia.com/ Symbian is also fast, and supports multitasking of applications natively. I can program it even with Python (http://wiki.opensource.nokia.com/projects/PyS60) if I want.

Hot-swappable 2GB Micro SD cards work as stora

Sorry M$, just like Apple, you are way behind Europe. Nokia for example already has that kind of products out. TV out put, content sharing etc. Look at this product for example http://www.nseries.com/products/n95/index.html#l=p roducts,n95

The Nokia N800 is a pretty nifty device, a WLAN-enabled "Internet tablet" with a nice high resolution screen, running the open source Maemo platform based on the Linux kernel. Maemo has a very healthy open source developer community, and tons of the best applications have been ported to it. What is missing, however, is a GSM chipset, or indeed any non-WLAN networking capability. Nokia apparently does not want its "Internet tablets" to compete with its smartphones. I am waiting, then, for an "N1000" that combines these capabilities. Perhaps OpenMoko will be successful, but it doesn't have the WLAN chipset.

Any device that combines these three factors - open source and full hackability, phone, and regular networking - will be a killer app. Hackability does not mean that it has to be difficult to use: with a Debian-like system for software management, users can experiment with new apps easily. Of course, many of the current economic models around cell phones (ring tone downloads, background images, specialized content portals) are not really sustainable, and so the market may be biased against that innovation. But a smart company will recognize that by maintaining strategic leadership within an open source ecosystem, they will create many more business opportunities for themselves than in a proprietary, locked down market. It's too bad that Apple doesn't appear to be that smart company. I hope that Nokia is.

What happenned to Microsoft's origami.

Origami was an interesting idea that was waaaaay too expensive.

Look at Nokia's N800 for an Origami-like device at a much better price point. Fewer features, better price and it looks like it's selling ok.

If Intel can come out with their "Mobile Internet Device" for around $400 or less, they might have something.

From their "Careline":

In response to your inquiry, please be advised that the Nokia N800 Internet Tablet will not be released within the Australian market. However, it is released to the European and United States market.

We suggest that you use the following link should you wish to make a purchase online: http://www.nseries.com/products/n800/#l=products,n 800

Kindly be informed that the warranty is limited to the country of purchase.

Enjoy.

DVB-H, for one ...

Here are the specs on the older Nokia N92 model: http://www.nseries.com/nseries/v2/media/product/te ch_specs/en-R1/tech_specs_n92_en_R1.html What is notable about this one is it supports DVB-H. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVB-H and: http://www.dvb-h.org/ It's Digital Video Broadcasts for handhelds.

To answer your specific questions:

50MB internal memory. The mini-SD memory card reader accepts cards up to 2GB.

3.2 megapixel (2048 x 1536 pixels) camera, Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens, 3x optical zoom, MPEG-4 VGA video capture of up to 30 fps.

Power Management

• Battery: Lithium Polymer battery BP-6M 1100mAh
• Talk time: up to 3.7hrs (WCDMA)/up to 5.1hrs (GSM)*
• Stand-by time: up to 10days (WCDMA)/up to 10days (GSM)*

I've been waiting my ass off for the Nokia N80, out of the same series of phones. It shares many of the same features. While lacking the Carl Zeiss lens, it gains wireless LAN (802.11g). Combine that with a keyboard accessory, the N80 could be very handy for remote on-the-go system administration (via whatever Series 60 SSH client exists) or blogging while on-the-go with the built-in 3MP camera. For the geeks, the N80 seems a bit cooler and isn't quite as crazy of a form factor as the N90 (though sliders might still be a little off-beat).

AAGH MY BRAIN!

[gets a mop]

Linkage for those curious. . .
technical specifications
N Series overview