Nokia working on new MID for this year, wild QWERTY tech for next?
By Chris Ziegler 
posted April 9th 2009 12:48PM
posted April 9th 2009 12:48PM
Let's start this out with a word of warning: TheStreet.com's latest report allegedly from deep within Espoo's most secretive labs contradicts itself on a couple occasions -- and Nokia has a decent (though not stellar) track record of keeping most prized secrets under wraps -- so we're bringing this up with a good deal of caution, healthy skepticism, and cold, hard reality on our minds. That being said, some aspects of the report seem totally plausible, particularly a new bit about a fresh MID (likely to replace the aging N810) in the works with a sliding keyboard and 4.2-inch display targeted for release before the holidays this year; Maemo 5 development is well underway, so we'd actually be kinda surprised if this didn't happen. Odds are it wouldn't be that rumored Sparrow-powered device, though, since we'd heard 2011 for that one.Here's where it starts to get a little strange -- next up, the report mentions a "Nautilus project" intending to create an ultra-thin touchscreen phone of some sort that uses a "sensor" (you know, a "sensor") to motorize the keyboard in and out of the body; what's more, the keys would rise up when deployed for better feel. This sounds unlikely at best, considering the added weight, complexity, bulk, and reliability concerns around that kind of a mechanism, not to mention the fact that it'd serve almost no practical purpose whatsoever. At first, TheStreet says this is a device, then later changes its mind and says "the first Nautilus phone isn't due out for another year" -- but whether it's a phone or an entire range of phones, we're just not seeing it; it'd be fun to play with, yes, but we think this is the kind of thing where the engineers would putz with it for a while and realize that it's a really, really bad idea.
[Via Unwired View]
I will never miss my N810.
After handling an iPod Touch the thing was just...gah.
SO MANY cool ideas, just so damn clunky to use on a daily basis.
I went netbook ultimately, and I haven't looked back...until today...but I'm done now.
whaa? hmm, just give the N810 a faster processor and some eyecandy and keep the price under 250, and Im sold.. :D
If it can't make (and receive) calls it's a still born project.
The all point of having a smartphone is not to need a to carry a MID ( and a PMP and a videocam/camera, and a voice recorder, and a GPS), my touchHD and my Samsung Omnia are nearly there but definitely not quite.
I hope the N97 will bring me closer to the device I dream of, or maybe HTC's Thoth or Super Star, or SE Idou, or maybe tha Archos/TI.
But I must admit that if the N810 would have offered the possibility of being used as a telephone I would have bought it long ago.
When I read that it reminded me of the Psion 5's keyboard from back in the day. When you opened the lid, the keyboard kind of popped up allowing almost laptop feeling keys in a PDA. Psion -> Epoc OS -> Symbian OS -> Nokia .. there's a tenuous relationship at least ;)
Seems like one more thing to break on your phone.
I don't think it should be that hard to raise the keys, that kind of stuff has been invented in long past already, just have a layer underneath the slide, offset slightly to the regular slider casing, that raises the keys. Should not be a huge technical hurdle but might be a way to stand out from the crowd.
Rumors alone will not keep u alive nokia, remember third world countries as well as developed are losing interest in your products.
Now more than ever actions speak louder than words, innovate already ,. Use apple blueprints, they seem to have key for success.
Why would anyone want this thing instead of an iPod Touch or iPhone?
When I worked for Nokia I had a N8xx device, but haven't ever taken it from office to home - because it was so an uninspiring gadget
Alex
Tell me one thing the iPhone/Touch do that the Tablet can't do beside make cellular calls and iTunes. I laugh at the iPhone commercials that say "We have an app for that". They have to have separate apps because the interface doesn't allow for more complicated apps that do more than one thing "easily"
"because it was so an uninspiring gadget"
What?! I'm sure you could have put it alongside the kettle of hope, the dish-rack of dreams, or the washing machine of a world without hunger or poverty!
The replacement for N810 isn't that far fetched.
The price of N810 was dropped in february, probably in the anticipation of the new device coming out.Also the killing of WiMax version makes more sense if there's a new version coming out. Might be to give time for changing a factory production line for new device.
If you look announcement, nokia 770 was announced 2005, N800 and N810 2007, so a new major generation for 2009 looks likely.
Actually "N900" isn't even a secret Nokia already stated that the next tablet with MAEMO 5 is coming. With OMAP3, OpenGL-ES2 accelerated graphics in ARM hardware and high end camera(that probally means 5mpx-8mpx sensor form some of their phones). I'm sure with those specs the not yet seen Maemo 5 will look great and be fast.
http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/17/nokia-details-maemo-5-os-hints-at-next-gen-internet-tablets/
By far the most intresting device i'm looking at from Nokia for sure. Need to remember that N800 is already really old device and N810 was just repacked N800 so i'm all in for the next generation tablets from Nokia.
Plus there have been lots of sources saying that Nokia is moving Symbian to mid end and Linux(probally Maemo) to high end phones that also makes lots of sense, but only rumours of course.
I mean really. Does Engadget got some kind of Apple answering machine like this account?
Keys that rise up won't add bulk if they are using EAP keys (electro active polymers).. which is the stuff of artificial muscles fiber.
Hmm clear EAP's on a touchscreen .. that could enable creating "buttons" or at least ridges on screen on demand.