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Nokia to Put Google Talk on its Linux Tablet

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the lots-of-things-to-like-here dept.

prostoalex writes "The next version of Nokia 770 Linux-based Internet tablet with WiFi support will feature Google Talk with VOIP in its next release, MSNBC reports. The device is priced to sell at $390, and both Google and Nokia agree that right now it might appeal only to niche markets. In related news, however, it means Google's GTalk client will be ported to Linux, even if it's Nokia 770-specific software architecture."

97 comments

  1. Will be ported to Linux... by Homology · · Score: 0

    but still just a binary blob.

    1. Re:Will be ported to Linux... by catch23 · · Score: 3, Informative

      if you want to source, go to jabber.org and download one of the many existing clients.

  2. no GSM by Dainutehvs · · Score: 0

    i had an intention to buy that thing until i discovered that you are in fact unable to make phone calls with it. i would suggest R&d of nokia concentrate more on this issue. they're phone company after all.

    1. Re:no GSM by Jussi+K.+Kojootti · · Score: 4, Insightful
      By your logic Nokia should still make all their products out of rubber -- they used to be a rubber manufacturer after all.

      More seriously, Nokia doesn't want to end up as a puppet for the telcos, and moving to products that work over IP is one of the ways they can achieve that.

    2. Re:no GSM by hitmark · · Score: 1

      nokia is much more then a mobile phone maker (and to me thats not the same as a phone company. a phone company is something like AT&T), they are allso making stuff like satlite tuners and other electronics.

      allso, this device comes with bluetooth. get yourself a CDMA or UMTS phone with that and you can surf from anywhere that have mobile phone coverage.

      --
      comment first, facts later. http://chem.tufts.edu/AnswersInScience/RelativityofWrong.htm
  3. Are they going to patent it? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Nokia are a bad smell.

  4. gtalk = jabber + voice by endx7 · · Score: 5, Informative

    The google talk protocol is little more than jabber with a few other goodies thrown in such as voice chat. So really, right now, the only thing you miss under linux with the google talk service is the voice chat since you can use a client such as gaim or any of the multitude of other jabber clients under linux.

    1. Re:gtalk = jabber + voice by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This isn't strictly speaking true. Psi has experimental voice support as well as Tapioca-Voip and Kopete (I think). There are even binaries of the latter two.

    2. Re:gtalk = jabber + voice by mattyrobinson69 · · Score: 3, Informative

      Google Talk is jabber, with their voip extension to jabber. Their voip extension to jabber was released as an open standard, and is-being/has-been integrated with gaim.

    3. Re:gtalk = jabber + voice by michael186 · · Score: 5, Informative

      Kopete and Gaim are both working on voice support for Google Talk. Who's to say that Nokia aren't going to use one of these projects?

    4. Re:gtalk = jabber + voice by nurmr · · Score: 5, Informative

      And the Psi team have a working implementation of Jabber-Jingle (the standard evolved from what gtalk are using) running on Linux. They've successfully made calls from Psi to GTalk, etc.

    5. Re:gtalk = jabber + voice by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting
      Kopete [kde.org] and Gaim [sourceforge.net] are both working on voice support for Google Talk. Who's to say that Nokia aren't going to use one of these projects?

      For the last year Nokia has been paying Collabora to work on the Telepathy and Farsight projects. Which is a new approach to IM, using dbus, etc.. There is currently no desktop interface (only the 770 interface), but from what I've heard, some people are trying to make a desktop interface... So I guess that's what they are going to be using.

    6. Re:gtalk = jabber + voice by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Is it just me, or is parent begging for -1 overrated?

    7. Re:gtalk = jabber + voice by Baloo+Ursidae · · Score: 2, Informative

      BZZT! Wrong! GTalk=Jabber - vCard support. Google's lack of user directory is what's preventing them from joining the IM Federation right now. Jabber has voice support, it's called Jingle. Google contributed it to the XMPP standard.

      --
      Help us build a better map!
    8. Re:gtalk = jabber + voice by endx7 · · Score: 1

      I was refering to Jabber The Protocol, not Jabber The Client.

    9. Re:gtalk = jabber + voice by Trejkaz · · Score: 1

      Whereas some of your comment may be true, much of it is unrelated. Having support for vCards and support for an open user directory are two completely different things.

      For one thing, a server can have vCard support and no user directory. In fact, the vast majority of open, public Jabber servers fall under this category, including many of those still listed on that IM Federation site you linked to. But also, a server could have a user directory with no vCard support.

      Google are already part of the XMPP network as far as the XMPP federation is concerned. Actually, isn't that other IM Federation site run by a company who makes a competing Jabber client? Wouldn't you expect such a company to come up with arbitrary reasons why a major competitor shouldn't be listed on their site? It does seem awfully convenient.

      --
      Karma: It's all a bunch of tree-huggin' hippy crap!
    10. Re:gtalk = jabber + voice by Baloo+Ursidae · · Score: 1

      Yes, and so was I. Jabber has VOIP functionality as part of the standard. It's called Jingle. Read the fucking JEP.

      --
      Help us build a better map!
    11. Re:gtalk = jabber + voice by ciroknight · · Score: 2, Informative

      Well you could have at least linked to Jingle, the library you are talking about. There are also standards available to implement your own version, if you don't like Google's code.

      --
      "Victory means exit strategy, and it's important for the President to explain to us what the exit strategy is." G.W.Bush
    12. Re:gtalk = jabber + voice by ciroknight · · Score: 1

      Funny you should mention Jingle/Jingle-Audio, especially seeing as Google not only wrote the primary implementation, but the standard itself. While Google is lacking on vCard at the moment, I can see it quickly being tied into Gmail, which would allow a great deal of interoperability, but these things on the scale Google is doing them take time, and that's time I'm willing to allow them; I would much rather they released something great and usable infrequently than a piece of garbage repeatedly.

      --
      "Victory means exit strategy, and it's important for the President to explain to us what the exit strategy is." G.W.Bush
    13. Re:gtalk = jabber + voice by mattyrobinson69 · · Score: 1

      Yes, Jingle, i couldn't remember its name. Also, your sig: There's nothing wrong with having a monopoly, Microsoft were convicted of abusing their monopoly position to gain ground in other markets (leveraging their OS monopoly to gain a web browser monopoly).

    14. Re:gtalk = jabber + voice by jesseross · · Score: 1

      Likely they'll use Tapioca, since that's being developed by the Nokia Technology Institute (INdT). It already runs on Linux, and, from what I've read, has been built with mobile devices in mind, specifically the 770.

    15. Re:gtalk = jabber + voice by nyri · · Score: 1

      Kopete and Gaim are both working on voice support for Google Talk. Who's to say that Nokia aren't going to use one of these projects?

      Well, Google, of course. Google wants to see their client and their logo in 770. They are going to make Nokia a offer that it can't decline. For example, building the whole thing and giving some kind of support for it.

  5. Sweet! by j2crux · · Score: 1

    Honestly I dont like the gaim interface *that* much. I really like the Gtalk interface for windows, this is great news!

    --
    j^2
  6. does it matter? by Walter+Carver · · Score: 4, Informative

    I don't think it's important. Since Gtalk uses the Jabber protocol, there are already good clients for Linux. Google even explains how to make Gaim work with Gtalk.

    1. Re:does it matter? by ajdlinux · · Score: 1

      Google really isn't making any money out of Google Talk yet. This may be a start.

    2. Re:does it matter? by Walter+Carver · · Score: 1

      I will not object to that. But they are not making money from Gmail and GoogleEarth too.

    3. Re:does it matter? by GuyWithLag · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Oh, they do make money from gmail all right - they sell ads. Targetted, usually relevant ads, but they do get paid for them.

    4. Re:does it matter? by Walter+Carver · · Score: 1

      Yes, you are right. I missed this one because I don't click on the ads. And with GoogleEarth, they provide a "Pro" version which requires a fee. So even GoogleEarth is not entirely a venture they do entirely for free.

    5. Re:does it matter? by abnerf · · Score: 1

      For sure ... Actually linux is already to talk with GTalk. The Tapiooca-Voip framework can talk with GTalk(voice and IM) without problems. Landell project (http://sourceforge.net/projects/landell/) is developed in C# using tapioca-voip framework too and it works fine. I think is not necessary has GTalk ported for linux, but is necessary make a better voip client to make the things more easy for the user, because, in my opinion, linux has great IM clients, not VOIP clients.

  7. In Related News... by gral · · Score: 4, Interesting

    With Gaim already ported to Nokia 770, you can talk to people on GTalk servers through Jabber already, provided of course you already have a Jabber account.

    --
    Scott Carr
    1. Re:In Related News... by dean.collins · · Score: 1

      yep not that big a deal, check out www.savaje.com and www.mexuar.com on Tuesday for a release announcement at JavaOne in SF about their voip capabilities. for 3rd party developers this will be a much bigger deal (and will also make the recent Pangean WM 5.0 announcement look like small times) Also if you really want to see what nokia have planned look at their Java CDC compliant handsets they have in the pipeline for release in about 4 months from now..... lol - also ask why they didn't want announcements coming out before JavaOne. Dean

    2. Re:In Related News... by ploss · · Score: 2, Informative

      But you cannot _speak_ to them, which is the real news. You can still chat using the Google Talk servers through gaim (which is what I do currently, see this article for setup information.)

      Lack of built-in VoIP was the only thing keeping me from seriously considering buying one of these cool little devices, as well as lack of a built-in keyboard, until it was pointed out that a bluetooth keyboard would work. This would be a very handy device to have, if not only for random web-browsing in-between classes and such, checking email, etc.

      --
      What are the odds that some idiot will name his mutex ether-rot-mutex!
    3. Re:In Related News... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, you can [i]type[/i] to people on GTalk servers. Talking to them would require a port of the client.

  8. Not necessarily GTalk... by Jussi+K.+Kojootti · · Score: 3, Informative
    it means Google's GTalk client will be ported to Linux
    Not necessarily. The maemo roadmap has said for some time that the next release will have Telepathy support -- which means a GoogleTalk client. That's not necessarily GTalk...

    1. Re:Not necessarily GTalk... by k-s · · Score: 1

      Telepathy is great... idea, http://tapioca-voip.sf.net/ is a great, working software, you can run on your system now and will be able to run it on your 770 as soon as you have GStreamer 0.10 running there, and this is the next version of maemo!

      Really, try it out, it's really cool so far. Jabber and GTalk support is exposed in GUI, but SIP and others does work with underlying framework, just need some GUI work to make it available to users.

  9. MOD +1 INFORMATIVE, I'VE BEEN LIVING UNDER A ROCK! by mkro · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    You might as well start the sentence with "For all of you that are annoyed about Netscape crashing all the time, I've been using an alternative called Firefox lately..."

    No, wait, you were being sarcastic? Now I feel stupid :(
    --
    I shall go and tell the indestructible man that someone plans to murder him.
  10. Invite? by tepples · · Score: 3, Funny

    Gtalk requires Gmail. Does a Gmail invite code come free with each purchase of a tablet?

    1. Re:Invite? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah, all those early adopters with Nokia tablets most likely won't have a cell phone, much less a gmail account already.

    2. Re:Invite? by Rude+Turnip · · Score: 2, Informative

      You don't need an invite anymore for Gmail. My guess is because Google's engineers got sick of reading all the "can someone send me a Gmail invite?" posts while slacking off on Slashdot, Fark, et al. Honestly, the Gmail invite requests were almost as annoying as those free iPod links.

      --
      Bill Clinton: Pimp we can believe in. - The Shirt!!!
    3. Re:Invite? by jounihat · · Score: 1

      No, but I can sell you one for $390.

  11. Gaining ground by Seriously,+who · · Score: 0

    Seriously, who can still claim that Google Talk is a flop at this point? With the GMail integration, connection with AIM and adoption by Apple (iChat) and Nokia, Google Talk is looking more and more like serious competition every day.

    1. Re:Gaining ground by reldruH · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Has Google Talk finally been integrated with AIM? I heard about that last year and I'm still waiting for it to happen. As soon as it does I'm ditching AIM completely, but I haven't heard anything new on the AIM front for a while. In fact, the last thing I heard was that there wasn't going to be complete integration. Here's a good summary

      --
      I've always pictured the color of OS zealotry as a sort of bright flamingo pinkish hue
  12. Re:MOD +1 INFORMATIVE, I'VE BEEN LIVING UNDER A RO by slashdotmsiriv · · Score: 2, Interesting

    That was the most informative post I have ever seen in /. ... Gaim supports Jaber, gtalk is Jaber, all gaim needs to do is support gtalk's extension for voip. Wow man thnx for letting us know, +1 informative from me too. Every morning, every day more I learn ... Seriously now, democracy sometimes does not work well and /.'s new moderation system is an example of this.

  13. Great, but ... by Qwavel · · Score: 4, Interesting

    That sounds great but it leaves some big questions:

    - Will the new software be available to users of the current Nokia 770?

    - The article says that users will not be able to call regular PSTN phone numbers. It is understandable that Nokia would want to prevent this, but how can they stop users from using GoogleTalk with a generic VoIP to PSTN service (since GoogleTalk uses SIP).

    - Will this GoogleTalk be available to users of Desktop Linux? Will Google be open-sourcing GT?

    I guess we'll have to wait till Tuesday (at least) until there is much to say.

    1. Re:Great, but ... by LiquidCoooled · · Score: 3, Informative

      Regarding question 1,

      From the Nokia 770 site:
      The Nokia 770 Internet Tablet's software is upgradeable and currently runs on the Linux-based Internet Tablet 2005 software edition. There is a planned launch next year of an operating system upgrade - the Internet Tablet 2006 software edition - that will support additional services, including Internet telephony (VoIP) and Instant Messaging.

      As for your second question, I would think that a "normal" user couldn't do it, but since as you point out the protocol is open, its down to whatever can be built for it.

      I would imagine that the gTalk port won't need lots of private code, but to be sure find Chris DiBona and have a word.

      --
      liqbase :: faster than paper
    2. Re:Great, but ... by bodosom · · Score: 1

      (since GoogleTalk uses SIP)

      Except it doesn't. It uses the moral equivalent of Jingle.

    3. Re:Great, but ... by Schraegstrichpunkt · · Score: 1
      Will this GoogleTalk be available to users of Desktop Linux?

      Who cares? As far as I know, the protocols are open, so we can create our own implementations. It's far more important to have an open protocol than to have some official-but-binary-only Linux client.

      --
      http://outcampaign.org/
  14. MSNBC? by nneonneo · · Score: 1

    It's odd how this is being reported on MSNBC...I thought Microsoft hated Google?

    1. Re:MSNBC? by prencher · · Score: 1

      Heard of unbiased news sources? I guess you people are too used to Fox...

  15. No.. only by raz0 · · Score: 0, Redundant

    everybody's favorite chair-throwing monkey-dancing "developer"-chanting Google-killing Steve Ballmer hates Google.

  16. More memory? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Will the new 770 have more memory? I would buy one in a second if it had 128MB or more.

    Support for Google Talk seems less exciting. No doubt the community would have provided a Jabber/Jingle client soon enough anyway.

  17. hmmm by Mad_Rain · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Right now, I'm seeing a number of different posts saying "so what? Gtalk is just jabber, and it already works with eleventy-hundred other IM programs. Just use Gaim or Kopete or something to connect." The point that is interesting to me is that the Gtalk client, and specifically the VOIP component of the Gtalk client will be ported to Linux. Currently, if you want VOIP, you have to use the Windows client. Please, Google, get this done, and make it possible for other IM clients to use the VOIP as well. Gaim and Kopete have been taking forever to get this functionality into their clients.

    --
    "What do you think?" "I think 'What, do you think?!'"
    1. Re:hmmm by shutdown+-p+now · · Score: 1

      I have not tried it myself, but here is something that might work for you in the meantime.

    2. Re:hmmm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The VoIP component has already been ported to Linux. Its called Libjingle and its open source. There are working implementations on Linux (Psi and tapioca voip) and even a bare bones window client (MyJingle). Google have done more than enough. With some luck the Summer of Code should bring about some good progress in this department.

    3. Re:hmmm by Mad_Rain · · Score: 1

      After I posted my remark, I started doing some more digging around again. I did run across Psi, and was going to examine it further, but it some source compiling. Kopete appears to have similiar functions available to connect with a Psi client, but it requires svn access and more compiling. While looking further, I checked out Tapioca which had simple instructions to get it going (and a number of packages for whatever linux distrobution you use). It installed, it runs, now I just need one of my friends to test it on. ;)

      --
      "What do you think?" "I think 'What, do you think?!'"
    4. Re:hmmm by ciroknight · · Score: 1

      Sorry to rain on that parade, but Google has already made the code available for any Linux/OS project that is willing to support Google's license (which I believe ATM is Berkeley-style, very relaxed for Google). A number of primary and existing Linux clients are already working feverishly to include support for libjingle.

      --
      "Victory means exit strategy, and it's important for the President to explain to us what the exit strategy is." G.W.Bush
    5. Re:hmmm by Mad_Rain · · Score: 2, Informative

      I amend my previous statement. But like many users, I was holding out for a "it just works" solution. I find that Tapioca has "won the race" (at least for me) to incorporate VoIP functionality. To my knowledge, more popular IM clients have not managed to do this. Gaim has been working on incorporating this since October, and it's still not going to get done until after the 2.0 release, which has been in beta for about 6 months. Psi is a little closer, but requires some compiling to complete, as does the plugin for Kopete. Tapioca has debian/ubuntu packages and Fedora/Suse/Mandriva rpms ready to go.

      --
      "What do you think?" "I think 'What, do you think?!'"
    6. Re:hmmm by abnerf · · Score: 1

      If you want to test tapioca just talk with the tapioca guys on IRC channel. Try it on irc.freenode.net channel #tapioca-voip.

    7. Re:hmmm by abnerf · · Score: 1

      As I sad in another post, Tapioca-Voip framework is already to talk with GTalk. What we need, in my opinion, is a better VOIP client to make the things more easy for the user. Linux has a lot of IM client, not VOIP clients. IE Landell project http://sourceforge.net/projects/landell/.

  18. Tapioca by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Just use Tapioca in linux!
    http://tapioca-voip.sourceforge.net/

    Connects to GTalk network, and has all the voip protocol implemented. Who needs gaim?!

    1. Re:Tapioca by iamstan · · Score: 1

      Exactly, Tapioca has already implemented the voice part of GTalk on Linux. There are packages for Ubuntu Dapper listed here: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Tapioca/

  19. Don't want any more Google. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    TIA sucks. I am into metasearch now-- finds more, too!

  20. They do hate Google, but... by Wooky_linuxer · · Score: 1

    They love Linux you know.

    --
    Where is that guy who'd die defending what I had to say when I need him?
    1. Re:They do hate Google, but... by Marcos+Eliziario · · Score: 1

      Nokia 770 is such a stupid device, than telling anything about it (and making sure people knows it runs GNU/Linux) is the perfect thing for a Microsoft affiliate to do. Nokia 770 problems are not because of Linux, of course. But surely MSNBC wants business people to do the linking in their minds.

      --
      Your ad could be here!
  21. Great by fredistheking · · Score: 1

    With the brand recognition of Google maybe the cell providers won't be able to simply disable the feature and pretend they are selling the same phone.

    1. Re:Great by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      With the brand recognition of Google maybe the cell providers won't be able to simply disable the feature and pretend they are selling the same phone.

      Not an issue.

      That's what is Big Picture Cool(tm) about this. The 770 is not a phone in that it does not have GSM or CDMA aboard and does not interact with (or require) a telco at all. Imagine the PSP except built by people who are not obsessed with fucking over the end user.

      Currently you might by a camera phone and find that, while it takes fine pictures, you can't get those pictures off without paying extortionate data rates. The reason is not that Nokia (or Mot or Samsung...Sony/Eriksson is a different story) wants to screw you or that they can't easily provide a standard USB cable. The reason is that they sell their phones to the carriers and the carriers DO want to screw you.

      Enter the 770. The carriers have no more say in what this device does than they do with my laptop. T-Mobile can't say "break the WiFi or we won't sell it" because they couldn't sell it anyways. There's still a need for VoIP provisioning and routing but neither that provisioning nor the device itself is bound to a provider the way a traditional cell phone is. This is exactly the device that the carriers have been panicking about.

  22. Only nine countries by tepples · · Score: 1

    The Gmail cell phone invite service is not available in Western Europe.

    1. Re:Only nine countries by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Is it really so hard to relocate to Malaysia? Quit your whining.

  23. GPLTalk by Doc+Ruby · · Score: 2, Informative

    If Google releases a Linux GTalk under GPL, the rest of us can make it work on other hardware. Like a Treo running Linux.

    --

    --
    make install -not war

    1. Re:GPLTalk by k-s · · Score: 1

      You may try Tapioca-VoIP http://tapioca-voip.sourceforge.net/. It can talk with Google Talk and runs on open software, with GStreamer 0.10 and DBus being major components.

      It's still in development, they support SIP, but not in GUI, just the underlying framework.

    2. Re:GPLTalk by Doc+Ruby · · Score: 1

      That looks pretty cool. I can't quickly tell from the project docs whether it can talk to a standard SIP server, or whether it needs the server bundled with the project. And whether that standard SIP server can be something really standard, rather than only GoogleTalk. IE, can the client work just like a regular SIPphone, like the popular X-lite client? And has it been tested across (latent) radio networks like GPRS/EDGE/EVDO/UMTS/WiFi?

      --

      --
      make install -not war

    3. Re:GPLTalk by etrunko · · Score: 1

      I have already successfully compiled Tapioca in Maemo without the voice capabilities as it requires GStreamer 0.10, which is not available (yet) in the platform. But I got some problems on running Tapioca, because of the old version of DBus present in the device. So I compiled the required version of DBus and I could not figure out how to have the two versions of DBus running in the same machine.

  24. Yeah, but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Isn't Google Talk and Gmail still beta? Yeah yeah, I know Google's approach to beta is different than everyone else, but still. It's still possible that it breaks then the integrated chat in the phones is rendered useless permanently?

    1. Re:Yeah, but... by Jussi+K.+Kojootti · · Score: 1
      a) It's hard to permanently render useless a solution that is entirely software-based (Nokia can always give out an update).

      b) The software is just a client that supports Telepathy -- if Google stops their servers there will be others. My guess is that the client has nothing to do with Google (except using the same protocol): I believe this co-operation is mostly a PR effort.

      c) it's not a phone. It's an Internet Tablet (with VOIP in the future).

  25. 770 sucks it hard by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    As an owner of the 770, I can say the platform software is lousy.

    Reasons:

    1. Recent firmware update came with no release notes.
    Users had to figure out what was added and what bugs were fixed.

    2. Wireless does not interoperate properly with WPA and encryption.

    3. Wireless *still* disconnects at what seem to be random intervals.

    Save your money and let other people be early adopters.

    1. Re:770 sucks it hard by int19h · · Score: 2, Insightful

      If that are the main reasons for lousyness, I think I might buy one.

    2. Re:770 sucks it hard by Bob+Loblaw · · Score: 1

      1. While annoying, I would much rather them spend the time to put out the new 2006 firmware release that is scheduled to include VoIP and a proper update manager than make generic ("fixed a few bugs in component x" release notes for a simple bugfix release.

      2. I have never had any problems with WPA-PSK and my 770 ... you may be using an odd configuration.

      3. I'll bet those "random" disconnects coincide with you (or your neighbour) talking on a 2.4 GHz cordless phone or using a 2.4 GHz microwave oven and also coinice with all your other wireless gear dumping their connection too. At least that is the only time my 770 has any connectivity problems.

      While I will agree that some of the included and third-party software is not mature, I am finding my 770 extremely useful and it is getting better on a daily basis as I find new utilities and learn the best way to use it.

    3. Re:770 sucks it hard by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      3. Wireless *still* disconnects at what seem to be random intervals.

      That is not a software problem -- you have a broken device (I had that too with my first device).

  26. 770 is great, but not perfect by any stretch by donscarletti · · Score: 4, Interesting
    As a Nokia 770 user, I say none of those things are an issue
    1. Recent firmware mainly fixed bugs, I didn't really care what was in it
    2. Wireless works great with WPA over here, full support out of the box, unlike most PC linux distros. I don't know what problems you are having.
    3. Wireless remains connected until one either shuts it off or closes the cover, unless you have a usage timeout set.

    My main objections would be:

    1. Though it is very power efficient when running (6 hours with just the screen on, 6 hours with just wifi or 4 hours with both), standby consumption is so great that it needs to be charged every three days even if used only sporatically, the device shuts down completely if left in standby for a week. My Nokia 1110 can do triple that.
    2. Although both the onscreen keyboard and the handwriting recognition is done well, neither of them are anything compared to a good keyboard, but the 770 cannot have a keyboard that isn't bluetooth (expensive).
    3. I think the file manager needs a little bit of work, it tends to become just a tad unstable and/or unresponsive when browsing files, especially over bluetooth.
    4. The bus between the CPU and the screen is awefully slow, it kinda makes it sucky for being the "multimedia device" it is advertised as. Videos need highspeed fullscreen transfers, that's all there is to it.
    5. The zippy DSP is no substitute for a big fat main core, the DSP is especially useless for an open souce targeted system since the SDK for said chip is expensive. If this is such a multimedia capable device, give us a nice fast ARM core like a recent Intel XScale (maybe Monahans), or maybe even an ARM with an FPU (yes, they exist) so we can get some performance with flash.
    6. RS-MMC, WTF? I have only ever seen one of these elusive creatures and that is the tiny one that shipped with the 770 itself. I desperately want a GiB of extera flash, but I can't find it anywhere in Sydney, it totally sucks. If only they had allowed it to be a milimeter fatter in breadth they could have stuck a full size SD card reader in it or left it the same size and supported MicroSD or hell, even left it the same socket but allowed it to read with its door open so it could support a real sized MMC hanging out the back of it.
    7. The GTK fork they use is a little infuriating, mainly it is exactly the same as its full size cousin, but sometimes there is something they just changed a little and it will piss you off for days before you find out what it is, like how they butchered trees or their abominable new widgets that have no signals that can be attached, WTF? That's plain AWEFUL!
    8. They use GStreamer, awesome, that means it will support all of the extensive array of codecs GStreamer does right? Well no actually, it doesn't support OGG in its core media subsystem for one. Apparently Nokia didn't trust the legalities of OGG, but if that is the case, they should make it easy to install a plugin yourself, they don't. All GStreamer plugins should be able to be installed whether Nokia likes them or not, if you don't want to be associated with something, that is fine, but don't stop me from installing it.
    9. The user base is very small, so if you write something cool, hoping people will use it, that is not as likely as you might think. I spent days writing a game specifically for it but it was very hard to get anyone interested in testing it. That kind of made me depressed to think that possibly the total amount of time people will spend playing it is less than the time it took to write. I'm not sure how much more development work will happen with it.

    But all in all, despite some of these weaknesses, it's a great little gadget, it is fun and actually verges on the almost useful in rare occasions. If you want something that lets you have the web, email and some multimedia in your pocket along with some games and the l

    --
    When Argumentum ad Hominem falls short, try Argumentum ad Matrem
    1. Re:770 is great, but not perfect by any stretch by ChanxOT5 · · Score: 1

      Hey man,
        I've used your game (downloaded it two days ago) :)
      It was a blast figuring out what the weapons did. Big ol' Pile o dirt rocks :)

      Anyways. I kind of agree with you - the 770 is a nifty little toy, but the software that's out there right now is terrible. The lags on the UI are insanely frustrating. Even with tiny horsepower they could at least have a better instant feedback mechanism to show you that it's TRYING to do something.

    2. Re:770 is great, but not perfect by any stretch by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      6. RS-MMC, WTF? I have only ever seen one of these elusive creatures and that is the tiny one that shipped with the 770 itself. I desperately want a GiB of extera flash, but I can't find it anywhere in Sydney, it totally sucks.

      That would be (by far) my main gripe with this device. Although, to be fair, I was able to find some RS-MMC cards (128 MB and 256 MB) and even some of them using the right voltage (yes, there are different models - just to add to the confusion).

      9. The user base is very small, so if you write something cool, hoping people will use it, that is not as likely as you might think. I spent days writing a game specifically for it but it was very hard to get anyone interested in testing it.

      You did not provide screenshots. It may seem ridiculous but when you are offering a game for download, you should also have some screenshots. If the screenshots look nice, you would probably get 10 times more users.

    3. Re:770 is great, but not perfect by any stretch by Xedium · · Score: 1

      I liked Blitzkrieg Onslaught - I also have ATanks and Scorched3d - fun fun. I also think you should implement different land colors and being able to buy more armor/health, but I'm just a lazy complainer/feature requester ;)

    4. Re:770 is great, but not perfect by any stretch by despisethesun · · Score: 1

      I'm just posting to echo another post about screenshots for Blitzkreig Onslaught. I don't have a 770 but it would be nice to see what the game looks like. You've got some neat apps on that page though, they've piqued my interest in the 770. :)

      --
      This poo is cold.
  27. Great news by jasonspiro · · Score: 1

    This is great news! First NetHack for the 770, and now this! What else could a person need?

  28. Well this is a disappointing announcement by sean@thingsihate.org · · Score: 1

    Nokia's been saying for some time now that the next release would have VOIP...

    OK. And now we find out that it's.... GChat? No SIP? I get VOIP, but I can only use it with other users of GChat?

    --

    One of the many things I hate. thingsihate.org
  29. GTalk by oztiks · · Score: 1

    In related news, however, it means Google's GTalk client will be ported to Linux

    About frigging time!
  30. Re:Tapioca (PLEASE MOD PARENT UP!!!) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I never knew that... GTalk voice is already implemented and tested using Tapioca, and guess what: It's been developed by Nokia!! This software has been developed at the Nokia Technology Institute at Manaus in the heart of the brazilian Amazon and that's the reason of its name. Tapioca is a typical brazilian food from Manaus.

    http://tapioca-voip.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php /Tapioca

    Great news huh?

  31. Google and Gaim by hackel · · Score: 1

    Doesn't one of Gaim's lead developers work for Google, specifically with the goal of porting GTalk's voip capabilities to Gaim?

  32. VoIP - where is the mike? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Maybe it's just me, but the 770's specs don't mention a built-in microphone or jack. There is only word of stereo-out.

    So wouldn't that make VoIP a bit one-way? Or will the revamped 770 suddenly include the forgotten mike? (Which would suck because I just broke the shrink-wrap on my 770, and I didn't see a voice memo app yet.)

    1. Re:VoIP - where is the mike? by abnerf · · Score: 1

      I saw the 770's specs and don't found a mic too, but for sure, it has a built-in microphone.

  33. Where are the big cheap tablets? by Forge · · Score: 1

    Every once in a while you are left to wonder: "where in hell is this product".

    In this case the "product" is simple enough. A large screen tablet pc at a low price with few features.

    Really all it has to do is surf the net, read "e-books", text, ODF and PDF files. Even sound is optional. Network connectivity is not, a little Ethernet, and a couple of USB ports to the the world.

    In other words. A palm pilot expanded to have a 12" diagonal screen.

    Ohh... and did I mention cheap? No reason why it needs to cost more than $250.

    I just want something to save me from printing stuff I download or hauling a $2000 Laptop computer into the bathroom. (Did I mention that it's a 3.5 Year old Dell Inspiron 8200 ?)

    --
    --= Isn't it surprising how badly I spell ?