the Nokia 770 is an “internet tablet”. I know this is a new term to most of you, but it comes to us by way of two more familiar words: Internet (as in websites, e-mail, rss, and IM), and Tablet (as in a portable computer built into a screen). Put ‘em together, and the definition is exactly what you’d think: A small, portable computer, built into a screen, that is meant to access the web!
It looks like a PDA, but it’s not. PDAs handle contacts, calendars, and to-dos. This puppy’s all about the Net with some bonuses on the side (we’ll get to those later). It’s main applications are accessing webpages, reading rss feeds, and checking email. Before we get too into things, I have to tell you the coolest part…
It runs Linux! A version of Debian to be exact. I ask you, how cool is that?
The Web, Anywhere
The 770 receives its connectivity wirelessly through 802.11g. It also can mate with your bluetooth enabled cellphone to place data/dial-up calls. While data calls are slower than a wireless LAN, it is definately a wonderful feature to have when you are not in range of an open Wi-Fi hotspot.
the many ways to connect
The browser is a version of Opera, and it renders pages like no other handheld ever has. The display is a crisp, bright 800×480 65,536 color touch-screen beauty. At 4.1 inches, its screen is about the size of a Sony PSP’s. It displays websites, photos, and videos vividly and crystal clear. On a side note, I’ve read that a few reviewers were disappointed that they had to “scroll sideways” on webpages to view all the content. A few seconds of research found be the “optimized view” option in the menu. Voila, perfectly formatted text that can even be zoomed as large as you want , all without horizontal scrolling. I might also add that this baby is a dream come true for reading web-comics since the screen is so beautiful and wide.
Lay of the Land
On the desktop there is a feed reader, internet radio, web shortcut, and clock. All of these can be customized or hidden. The internet radio is a bit superfluous, but everything else fits nicely. The system tray is along the top-right and has brightness, sound, connection, phone-link, and battery indicators. In the screenshot below you’ll see a custom indicator at the far left that I installed. It’s a cpu/memory plug-in that takes screenshots too, but we’ll address customization in just a bit. Desktop icons are along the left and include the browser, email and the program menu. Below these, running applications are displayed.
the desktop
Hand-Eye Coordination
Input is done via touchscreen and stylus. The included styli are flat, which is new to me, but they have more surface area than my clie and visor styli and seem to cause less fatigue to my hand. When you’re not using it, the stylus stowes away in a compartment in the back of the unit as usual. Text can be input through either the on-screen keyboard, or handwriting recognition.
on-screen keyboard
The keyboard is faster for me, but I’m getting faster at the handwriting as I tweak the characters I teach it. A quick button tap switches input styles.
handwriting being converted to letters
On the front of the Nokia 770 there is a d-pad with select button for navigation, and a back button for exiting out of menus and going back when in the browser. There are also home and menu buttons, guess what their functions are, heh. Along the top are widescreen, +/- rocker, and power buttons.
the top buttons (L to R: power, rocker, full-screen)
The widescreen button is very useful when in the browser, viewing pictures, and watching videos. The power button isn’t used too much as the 770 is designed to sleep when not it use. Close the cover to set it to standby, and open the cover to wake it up. The rocker button’s main function is zooming, but it has another great use I’ll discuss in the next section.
Goodies
application menu
In addition to the browser, rss feed reader, and email application, the 770 also has an audio (and internet-radio) player, a Video player (which BTW comes with the Ice Age 2 trailer that looks absolutely stunning on the screen), PDF viewer, image viewer, calculator, sketchpad, notepad, and a couple of games.
I’ve added a few videos to my MMC card and they looked really amazing. Hitting the full-screen button gives you a display that knocks out the iPod, though video playback isn’t always as smooth.
The media formats it supports are:
- Audio: MP3, MPEG4-AAC, WAV, AMR, MP2
- Image: JPEG, GIF, BMP, TIFF, PNG, Animated GIF format,SVG-tiny, ICO
- Video: MPEG1, MPEG4, Real Video, H.263, AVI, 3GP
Did Someone Say Open Source?
The real clincher on this baby, for me anyway, is the ability to customize it. No, I don’t mean adding thousands of pink rindstones to it like a pathetic-looking sidekick, I’m talking about free software via a super-supportive and thriving development community. This thing runs Linux, remember!?
There is a python port for the Nokia 770 (tres cool) but most development is currently being done with the maemo platform. There are already over a hundred ports, applications, and games available for the 770 on the maemo wiki alone, and more are coming out every day. Instalation is a breeze with the package manager, simply click on a link to a package and hit yes when asked whether you wish to install it or not.
reading an ebook
I spend a lot of time checking out sofware to add to mine, as well as looking at different used people are putting theirs to. For example, some people have coupled theirs with a $70 gps receiver to create a GPS solution for their car, or hacked an iPod cable to be able to mount their iPod and watch all their movies on the big widescreen display.
I prefer to use my Nokia 770 as an ebook reader. After a quick download and install if FBReader, I can open an ebook, turn it sideways, and hit the full-screen button to turn it into a more than capable reader that kicks the pants off my clie. To scroll pages I just use my thumb on the rocker switch.
Under the Hood
RS-MMC card and slot with cover open
The Nokia 770 is a bit underpowered, I assume in order to keep the price tag down, and although it doesn’t impair use much, I wouldn’t have minded a bit more RAM and a faster processor. As it is we have a Texas Instruments OMAP class 250 MHz processor, and 128 MB RAM with 64 MB for the system and 64 MB for storage and applications. Memory can be expanded via the RS-MMC flash memory slot, which comes equipped with a 64MB card. There are tutorials online on how to crate a swap partition on a larger RS-MMC card to boost performance. I’ve yet to try it, but be sure that I will in the near future.
Bad Press
I apologize, but it’s time to do a little ranting. I’ve read a lot of mixed reviews on the 770, and all the bad ones pretty much complain about it not having telephone capability. Although it will have a stable VoIP program soon, they are missing the point. They think that because it is made by Nokia, the fact that it doesn’t have a phone means it is somehow crippled. The iPod doesn’t have a phone, so what? I don’t hear anyone bitching that it doesn’t have a keyboard, phone, or PIM suite. It is meant to do one thing, and do it well. So is the 770, and it does. Please stop trying to pigeonhole Nokia, thank you.
Every device that comes out does not have to be some all-in-one convergence solution that does your laundry and calls your grandma on her birthday. Part of what makes gadgets so fun is that they are all unique and do different things.
“Yay a wifi-locating key fob!”
“Does it have a bottle opener?”
“No, who the hell cares?”
How boring, not to mention pointless, would it be if one owned even 4 gadgets that all were telephones and multi-function (web, PIM, etc) devices? Some things need to be specialized. I like being on the web, and I don’t want to carry around a 4lb notebook to do it, so this baby is a dream come true.
*Sigh* if you still want to use it as an organizer, there are a couple of PIM suites available, and more are sure to come.
The Cons
Of course, the Nokia 770 does have it’s shortcomings. For one, it has an inadequate 128MB of memory, causing it to hang while loading some applications or when too many browser windows are open. A 1GB RS-MMC card can solve the lack of storage to an extent, for an extra $70.
It also boasts a less-than-staggering processor speed (250 MHz). I know clockspeed isn’t the only determinant factor in a processor, but a 500MHz would definately pep things up a bit. I believe these decisions were made to deliver a lower-priced product, and the trade-off seems worth it. Also, it should also be noted that all non-application processing should be handled by web servers (as per it’s intended usage) anyway.
Unless you get really good at the handwriting recognition, text input is slower than it would be if there was a thumb keyboard. Not including one keeps the footprint of the 700 to a pocket-sized minimum, but if you desire a faster input method, for writing blog posts for example, I suggest picking up a cheap bluetooth keyboard (thumb or fullsized, your choice).
La Conclusion
In summation, if you want near-constant access to the internet wherever you go without lugging around a bulky notebook pc, the Nokia 770 is your device. Its screen is beautiful, its very versatile, and it’s super convenient. Besides being somewhat lean in the CPU/RAM department, only shortcomings are the ones you’ll find if you want to make it be something it’s not (ie: use it as an all-in-one such as a pda phone). I love mine, use it every day, and am more than 100% hapy with it, if thats mathematically possible. It’s not a replacement for your desktop PC, but it is a pocket-sized portal to the web, and I have no real urge to own a notebook computer after having this. Nokia is big on open source software, and has, in my opinion, hit the nail on the head with this specialized device that fills a niche previously left void.
Extra Credit
For more information on the Nokia 770 Internet Tablet, visit these fine folks:
Nokia’s 770 page
Nokia’s feature list/specs
Internet Tablet Talk and their forum
A couple hacks at nokia770.xantus.org
The Zack eXperiment: Usability Experiments On The Nokia 770
The maemo website, wiki, blog, and application list.
The 770 Fan blog has great articles,
as does Connecting Geeks
and mulliner.org
nokia770.com has good news stories,
so does The Syncing Apple
Somebody made a customized version of Google maps for the 770, it fits perfectly when you zoom the screen to 150%.
Guides on how to rip DVD movies into your 770 are at the maemowiki and thoughtfix.
All photos copyright 2006 Thomas S.E. Gagnon.
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