Nokia's Maemo 5 tablet shows up again, ready to play
By Chris Ziegler 
posted Aug 19th 2009 12:16PM
posted Aug 19th 2009 12:16PM
Please note: If you're a current Engadget commenter, you do not need to re-register. Simply login and you will be prompted to select a username.
this and omap3 will be awesome
check back mobile-review.com tonight for the full preview
Eldar posted on the Maemo board that they have decided to hold back on releasing more information before Nokia announces it. So, it doesn't seem likely that the review will be available tonight.
Also, he confirmed that it is a resistive screen. Damn Nokia - D'oh!
It might be the best looking, but it has a more cramped keyboard, and a much smaller screen than previous models.
So this will be competing directly against high end big-screen cellphones, instead of the slightly larger-device MID market.
And really, I want a mid, and I want one with 4-5" screen. Nokia has placed themselves out of that :/ Which is a really shame because spec-wise and OS wise this product is looking really good so far. Hopefully there will be more models with larger screens now that Nokia seems to think they've polished it enough, some of the earlier tablets were even said from Nokia to largely be experimental devices.
So yay to Nokia for making this, and boo for not making it bigger ;)
After checking out the preview on mobile-review.com, I take this back. I want one.
9:00 pm, GMT +0. The hottest preview of nokia rx51 will appear on www.mobile-review.com.
I wish nokia ould put Maemo instead of symbian on their phones.
I see a lot of people say that, but I wonder how many of them have actually used Maemo
@AI: It can't be as hard to e.g. install apps on Maemo, can it?
Actually, maemo is awesome. It's very usable and very customizable, which are two things that rarely show up together. Maemo was the first OS that had anything that resembles an App store back in 2006 or 2007.
@Kimmo: installing apps on symbian is supposed to be hard?
what's so hard about it?
@Al, for the first time, I can actually agree with you, silly Nokia fanboy. The current Maemo has nothing over S60 and we don't even know how good Maemo 5 will be; why are people hyping it like the second coming of Jesus?
@G: I'm talking about all the fuss caused by the certificates. It's a hassle to apply for a dev.cert. and then sign every single good unsigned app you've got - or to hack the phone. Just thought that as a Linux 'distro' the Maemo would be easier to customize to meet your demands.
hey chris isn't there a rumor they're going to launch this thing at nokia world in a few weeks?
that looks like a god awful keyboard to type on.... look at the key placements of the lower row... and why the f@#$ is the space bar placed over there? FAIL.
Since most people type with two hands on either side of a device, the spacebar should actually be located in an easy-to-reach place for thumbs. N97 users and reviewers have said that once they adapted, it's actually faster (and easier) than a four-row device. This keyboard layout is a study in ergonomics and logical UI trumping straight imitation of a full-size keyboard.
..... or rather: "two hands, one on either side of the device"...
Yeah, when I tested N97 the space was just under my right thumb and it was really fast to use, much faster than if it would be in the middle.
Fremantle is close but Harmattan will be the thing.
Aaaannnd.... Now I have a new device to covet. N97 out, RX51 in.
Looks like an iphone, pass.
This device doesn't even remotely look like an iPhone.
Yeah sure it does not, black face, centered screen, rounded edges and corners with a chrome lining, yup that's not remotely identical to what an iphone would look like if it had a sliding keyboard.
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&um=1&sa=1&q=nokia+rx-51&aq=f&oq=&aqi=
Like the iPhone design is so original? GTFO
dont think. just buy.
The new hotness !
Been following this on mobile review for a while now... interesting.
Eldar is also speaking about RX-56 - another Maemo device?
I used to own a N800 and it was really great for its time. However, it has been a long time since they updated their lineup for the internet tablets and even then it doesn't seem like there has been much innovation lately. While I am glad that the people over at nokia are continuing to create internet tablets, my focus is now on the open pandora. I felt a bit burned when nokia stopped supporting my device and I had no power to change things for myself. Anyway, the guys over at open pandora are trying to put together the best console/handheld computer imaginable. I don't get the feeling that they will phase out support for their device meerly a year and a half after it debuts.
is that a capacitive screen? what is the processor?
for the price it will go.. i might as well get an N97 + a netbook
or you could just get a Viliv X70...really good device with XP...
resistive touch. OMAP 3 I suppose. The price will be N97.price + 10% max
N900/Rover got OMAP 3430, but as important is the hardware 3D acceleration that's example missing on Pre. That gives this device some more umph and Maemo 5 should be taking all out of it.
If anything i can't wait how will the UI look with hardware like that!
And it is a phone. Eldar has already said that half a year ago and has stated it over and over again in Mobile-Review.com or in his twitter. FCC report says it too and so have been saying other insiders over the web. There's actually not much that would say otherwise other than Nokia not admitting it
The spacebar placement makes no sense at all. Left in the middle it would still have been within thumb range, but more importantly, nobody would have to relearn how to type just for this device. Yet another Nokia blunder in the seemingly endless parade.
I shall quote my previous post @ 12:44 PM ET verbatim, with one copy-edit for clarity:
"Since most people type with two hands (one on either side of a device), the spacebar should actually be located in an easy-to-reach place for thumbs. N97 users and reviewers have said that once they adapted, it's actually faster (and easier) than a four-row device. This keyboard layout is a study in ergonomics and logical UI trumping straight imitation of a full-size keyboard."
The screen is NOT resistive.. I know this for fact.
I'm sure once the apple tablet comes out, Nokia will put out an updated N800 / N810 with a larger screen. :)
Looks like a neat device, but I'm a little worried that tmobile's abysmally small 3G coverage area in the US will relegate this device to a novelty.
here it is and in English straight from Mobile-review
http://www.mobile-review.com/review/nokia-rx51-n900-en.shtml
oops that was fast :)
http://mobile-review.com/review/nokia-rx51-n900.shtml
English: http://mobile-review.com/review/nokia-rx51-n900-en.shtml