Nokia 770 OS upgrade now available

As promised, Nokia has just posted the Internet Tablet 2006 operating system for download -- although as of this writing you get redirected to an error page -- giving 770 owners access to those handful of new features announced last month. You'll recall that instead of dropping a QWERTY-equipped version of the tablet as we were hoping/expecting, Nokia disappointed more than a few fans by only unveiling a software upgrade that adds an on-screen keyboard along with the Google Talk client. Even worse, Nokia warns that "installed applications designed for OS 2005 will not be compatible with OS 2006 edition and will not be restored even from backup," so kiss your old apps goodbye if you're planning on upgrading. Still, current 770 owners will probably want to take plunge just so they can run programs developed exclusively for the new OS, and hopefully the software 'board will suffice until Nokia takes our advise and changes up the input style in the next generation of WiMax- and webcam-sporting tablets.

[Thanks, Alessandro Z.]

[TheZodiac @ Jun 30th 2006 11:08AM]

This bitch needs a slide out KB. :)

[phi @ Jun 30th 2006 11:24AM]

Doh, is it really released if you can't download it yet?

[Simon @ Jun 30th 2006 11:26AM]

The Nintendo DS Lite is $130 and the Opera browser is $30. The 770 and DS basically have the same funtionality and you can't attribute the extra price to the OS (b/c it isn't Windows!) ...Why is this thing so expensive?

[phi @ Jun 30th 2006 11:32AM]

Simon, resolution.
DS = 256 x 192 pixels
n770 = 800 x 480 pixels

plus, the n770 has an open OS so you can hack it much easier than a DS. Then again, I own both, and they both have their strengths and weaknesses.

[KawF @ Jun 30th 2006 11:35AM]

Why can't you charge for an operating system just because it isn't windows?

The OS on the Nokia770 has been under development for, what was it, at least three years at Nokia and a few other companies delivering bits and pieces to them. Development is not free. Neither is licensing.

[OlivierB @ Jun 30th 2006 11:35AM]

I get your point Simon but this thing has WPA capabilities which the DS lacks (and incidently makes it a no-no for me).
What you have with this is 800*480 screen which is unheard of in Nintendo world.
All in all a pretty capable machine that's partly let down by hardware not beefy enough to make this thing play decent videos at decent frame-rates, lacking keyboard, and software which lacks PIM functionnality (nevermind the sync ability).

I am holding back for rev 2.
BTW, I though Nokia had promised true SIP client for the 2006 release, Gtalk just wont cut it for me.

[Ross @ Jun 30th 2006 11:59AM]

The 770 isn't designed to be a PDA so it doesn't have a calendar, full contacts application, task manager and so on. It's a web tablet, so has a good web browser and im/voip features.

Of course if you want a calendar and a decent address book then I can suggest some (http://projects.o-hand.com/dates and http://projects.o-hand.com/contacts, being ported as I speak).

Nokia had never promised SIP functionality for a future release, and no company would ever promise any features for something that isn't done yet. They said VOIP, and you have VOIP, in the form of GTalk. The VOIP framework allows extra protocols to be used and http://opensource.nokia.com/projects/sofia-sip/ could be added easily.

[Jeff @ Jun 30th 2006 12:12PM]

I'm considering one of these instead of a laptop. I'm leaning towards the laptop since it's less than $200 more for huge gains in every aspect but I really like the size of this.

Is there a good website for software for the 770? I'm specifically looking for VNC and Windows RDC clients. Also, I assume you can tether it to a bluetooth cell phone for wireless when a 802.11 access point isn't available?

[Ross @ Jun 30th 2006 12:27PM]

http://maemo.org/maemowiki/ApplicationCatalog2006 is the Maemo Application Catalogue -- it's for Maemo 2 and will grow quickly as more stuff is ported.

Yes, the 770 will happily connect via GPRS over Bluetooth to a phone in your bag/pocket/whatever when you are not on a wifi access point.

Navigating your way home with Maemo Mapper and Google Maps over Bluetooth/GPRS is fun...

[Chris Lord @ Jun 30th 2006 12:37PM]

Jeff - Yes, there's a good web-site for 770 software: ( http://maemo.org/maemowiki/ApplicationCatalog2006 ). Also, yes again, you can use your phone's GPRS (or whatever it uses) to access the internet when there isn't any wifi available.

I highly recommend getting one of these, although only $200 more for a laptop sounds like you're getting ripped off on the price - maybe shop around a bit?

[jlh @ Jun 30th 2006 12:45PM]

Where is the link to the upgrade download? Engadget loves self-linking but rarely if ever links to the site/company/product that they are posting about. A real nusiance.

I just logged on to Nokia and the latest update is 2005 NOT 2006. Maybe a bit of premature postitis?

[eleongonzales @ Jun 30th 2006 1:19PM]

I happen to be selling mine. I got it as a laptop replacement and now i'm selling and my mac mini and getting a macbook.

Anyone interested - email mbartgis at gmail dot com

[Mike @ Jun 30th 2006 1:57PM]

Nobody whose been following the device expected a hardware upgrade so soon. Even the original techdigest report you guys sourced the keyboard claims on said there would be a major software upgrade this summer (read: first) and a hardware upgrade "later this year" (read: early next year).

Plus, I will be extremely disappointed if they do integrate a qwerty thumboard. You can't fit a great screen and a great keyboard into a great form-factor. Of the three, the keboard is the right trade for a web-oriented device because the screen-needs are more demanding than for an e-mail oriented device. Blackberries and Treos are great for e-mail, but awful for anything more demanding because the screen is useless.

[Jeff @ Jun 30th 2006 2:16PM]

thanks for the links to software!

Regarding the price - it's $350 for a Nokia 770 and $500 for an Acer Travelmate with a 1.6ghz celeron m 380, 14" display, 40 gig HD, and 256 mb ram. Add $40 for a 512 meg stick and it's $200 more to buy a fully functional laptop over this.

While the idea of having an almost pocket-sized internet terminal appeals to me, the limited storage/speed/functionality doesn't seem to be worth it. If this were to be in the $200 range, I'd snap one up but since the price is very close to a laptop it just doesn't seem as appealing.

[c @ Jun 30th 2006 2:21PM]

where is the link to the upgrade??
I cant find it on Nokias site

[morcheeba @ Jun 30th 2006 2:22PM]

Is that really the "Internet Tablet 2006" version? It's dated April 18th (a month before the May 16th features announcement) and describes itself as "This update includes small feature enhancements and corrections which provide improved performance."

I haven't downloaded it yet...

[Erik Drost @ Jun 30th 2006 2:43PM]

I just found the 2006 release on the Maemo website (http://www.maemo.org/downloads/nokia_770). I have not tried it yet though.

[Steve Skinner @ Jun 30th 2006 4:04PM]

I couldn't find the download link on the site. It still shows the last update (5.2006 13-7). So, I decided to "take one for the team" and call support. The said that it was supposed to be released but has been held off because of a couple of issues they discovered recently. The support rep would not say what they found and would also not specify when the new 2006 OS would be available for download from their site. I did get the impression that it won't be long though....

If you can't wait, get the pre-release here:
http://www.maemo.org/downloads/nokia_770

[Weeble @ Jul 1st 2006 8:08AM]

The comments along the lines of "for $xx more I can get an .... insert laptop name" are off track. If you have the bucks for this or a laptop - buy the laptop. If you want a cool gadget to quickly pick up and check a server or a TV listing or even an email - then buy this. I keep one in our TV room for when I need a little internet fix or to turn the kids internet onn/off.

[ossi1967 @ Jul 1st 2006 8:46AM]

"Nokia disappointed more than a few fans by only unveiling a software upgrade" - i think they'd have disappointed thousands if they'd done anythink else. - after all, customers had only just bought their devices and would probably have felt betrayed if Nokia had revealed some kind of new hardware instead of the long promised (!!) software upgrade.

[Arturo Soto @ Jun 30th 2007 7:27PM]

damn... stop bitching people... I remember when I bought a dell inspiron 5100 and the video driver didn't work for Win2000... they could fix the problem with a Bios upgrade or maybe a Video Card flash, and did they release something??? NAH ! Nokia did something that not a lof of big companies do