Nokia 770 reviewed

If nothing else you've gotta hand it to Nokia for trying something new with the 770, which the venerable Howard Chui got his hands on and put it through the paces. He apparently well liked the browsing and multimedia experience (the last couple times we tried the thing out we too noticed it'd been vastly improved), and thought the device might be nicely complementary in your already stuffed-full gadget bag. We're still not sure what we need is yet another screen in there—especially one intended only for surfing the web and light multimedia (or the occasional round of Doom)—but we'd definitely return to talks if they'd put some PIM software on the thing and let it sync to your PC like a normal handheld.

[Jeremy Roush @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

1. When/where can I buy it?

[Rod Elder @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

the applications for this device are endless.... its been a year in the making.... I second the question WHERE and WHEN will Nokia actually make it available?

[young sir @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

i also want to know when i can get one. i want 3 of them!

[902SH Guy @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

The initial reviews on the pre-production unit was pretty hash on the speed. I wonder if it has been improved. If there is a Jabber client for Google Talk, I am sold.

FSM is my master

[Staplebox @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

I can't wait for this to go on sale. I've been waiting for something that I can use to surf while sitting in my living room. The laptop makes my lap top too hot. It will also be much easier to use in the bathroom- since I tend to lean forward on my knees. That reminds me of its e-book function, another gadget I've been wanting. Because of its open source goodness I am sure there will be more applications than I will want. I pray that they don't try to add a camera - too tempting in the loo...

[David Talmage @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

Info for developers is at http://www.maemo.org/

The application catalog (http://maemo.org/maemowiki/ApplicationCatalog) claims to have a port of the GPI PIM suite. Last time I played with GPE, about a year ago, its PIM suite wasn't ready for prime time. Maybe now?

[MrFloppy @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

I'm interested in this one too.
Pretty good gadget.

[Nauthiz @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

This is what the iPod Video should be.

[crysalis @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

uh.. i'm typing this from my psp right now... better screen, mp3, WAY better games, sharpass movies (umd) all for 150 less

[hashashin @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

http://www.answers.com/venerable ? I think you're venturing beyond your vocabulary. Perhaps you meant "honorable"; he doesn't look that old:
http://www.howardchui.com/modules.php?name=Sections&op=viewarticle&artid=33

[theflew @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

#8 wrote "uh.. i'm typing this from my psp right now... better screen, mp3, WAY better games, sharpass movies (umd) all for 150 less"

Actually, this device has a 800x480 screen with a display 0.2" smaller than the PSP. Display wise I don't think the PSP can touch it. Games are probably the one area the PSP wins, but given the open nature of this device it will live alot longer than the PSP. This device is what people wish the PSP was (minus the console game ports).

[Russ @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

i want to get my wife one of these.. she has saved 100s of HTML recipes on the PC - and halfway thru cooking dinner she is always running into the study (pushing me off the PC) to see what the next step is..

[NS @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

It will be available by the end of September 2005 for Developers. For the general public, it will be available in end of December 2005. I hope there are no delays or revised dates.

[Russ @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

there's a page on the nokia site about it now: http://www.nokia.com/nokia/0,,74866,00.html

i'm pretty sure there wasn't last time I checked. says that it will "be available for purchase online at nokia.com, planned in the 3rd quarter of 2005 in selected countries".

[Virtuous @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

I wonder if Palm and Apple will introduce their own tablets.

[hall @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

only 65k colours..? it needs more

[Roger Sperberg @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

Sure hope you have your info correct. Can you be more specific about the "official information" you received about the launch being postponed?

[crysalis @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

11: dude, the psps screen is better than most laptops.. this thing has only 65k colors, to start with. what can this thing do that makes it worth the 150 extra? waste of money.

[Ryan Block @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

hashashin,

No. Use a real dictionary. Oh, and don't bother being a grammar nazi on here anymore, ok?
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?r=1&q=venerable

[matt h @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

My question is : If I connect this device to my nokia 6620 and browse the web on the EDGE network, will Cingular charge me for useing my phone as a modem? Is the 770 considered a laptop or a PDA?

[Bindler @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

To the techies
Do you Know if this terrific tablet will be skype compatible (Linux version?) and will have enough of everything to be able to use it as a phone VOIP (good audio)over WiFI
thanks

[Bindler @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

To the techies
Do you Know if this terrific tablet will be skype compatible (Linux version?) and will have enough of everything to be able to use it as a phone VOIP (good audio)over WiFI
thanks

[Bindler @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

To the techies
Do you Know if this terrific tablet will be skype compatible (Linux version?) and will have enough of everything to be able to use it as a phone VOIP (good audio)over WiFI
thanks

[Viking @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

How to connect external foldable keyboard/mouse and projector?

Anyone who can compare this with PSP?

Nokia has failed severel times with things that are not mainstream mobiles....how to trust them this time?

[Roomba Review @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

Being released in the U.S. on November 10th?

http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000300066736/

Awesome!

[Riskable @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

Bindler, yes it will have a VoIP client:

http://www.minisip.org/

Screenshots here: http://www.bilien.org/~jobi/minisip-maemo/

Expect many more clients to come. Since the device is open and runs an X server (unlike the Zaurus which used the embedded QT display server), many applications that are already available for Linux should be easy to port.

Don't expect a Skype client though. Skype is proprietary and this thing doesn't run on an x86 processor.