Nokia pushes back N900 Net tablet
Nokia has delayed the release of its N900 Internet tablet.
The N900 was previously set to arrive in October--and Nokia's preorder site still states that. However, it is now set for release "during November," Peter Schneider, head of Maemo marketing at Nokia, said Thursday in a post. Schneider did not state the reason for the delay, but Reuters reported that the company is waiting for more feedback from developers.
N900, which costs $649, is part cell phone and part computer. It's considered a potential game-changer for Nokia, which is pushing it as "fusing the power of the computer, the Internet and the mobile phone."
The device uses Nokia's Linux-based Maemo 5 operating system to offer multitasking, Web browsing via Mozilla, a touch screen, and slide-out keyboard. It includes an ARM Cortex-A8 processor, 1GB of application memory, and 32GB of storage (expandable to 48GB with a MicroSD card). It measures 4.4 inches by 2.4 inches and features a 3.5-inch widescreen display.The device also sports a 5-megapixel camera.
Natalie Weinstein is an associate editor who works out of Austin, Texas. She spent a decade as a reporter and editor in the newspaper industry before joining the CNET News staff in 2000. E-mail Natalie. 
Nokia playing catch up to Apple!
And how can it be a major game-changer when the price tag is twice that of a high-end iPhone? The camera and extra storage specs look nice, but I would want a real digital camera for taking photos.
"If it's been around so long, why hasn't it been hyped up more?
And how can it be a major game-changer when the price tag is twice that of a high-end iPhone? The camera and extra storage specs look nice, but I would want a real digital camera for taking photos."
Original Nokia 770 was really, really a niche product, and not even intended to be mainstream. It was truly designed to be a developer plaything to figure out what are the benefits and drawbacks of such device and operating system concepts. Your beloved Apple would never release such a device, but Nokia doesn't have need to imitate Apple, at least to change opinions of those that are known to be practically impossible to convert from their own religion.
Latter Internet Tablet devices developed the concept further, but still kept the devices without cellular radio and phone functionality. To large extent this made sense, since Bluetooth tethering and WLAN are viable options on markets where operator competition actually works - where manufacturer features are not intentionally crippled by operators. Majority of the world market works this way. Obviously this decision marginalised the device because it wasn't a phone, but a companion - but even so, to my knowledge the tablets have sold millions. It's a pretty large number for a niche product.
Anyway, before N900 the tablets weren't really ready for user experience expected from a device also used as a phone, and thus, in my opinion, it made reasonable amount of sense not to include it in them. With N900, it has changed thanks to hardware and software, and market has changed also so much that the device makes much more sense.
And one thing about price: I guess you're from the US? Have you compared unsubsidized price of iPhone with price of N900, which is specifically unsubsidized? iPhone is actually more expensive. Reasons for the delusion that iPhone is particularly cheap option for a phone stems from the fact that American cellular market is horribly, horribly broken, and companies that largely rely on their home market like Apple and AT&T really know how to take an advantage of that. Nokia has pretty much lost its faith in US, but you have to remember that non-US markets, particularly the European market, have an environment where products can thrive with other merits than grace of US big business.
Yeah I was thinking the same thing.
"N900, which costs $649, is part cell phone and part computer. It's considered a potential game-changer for Nokia"
Wasn't that the General price of the iphone before the AT&T subsidy, and isn't that what the iPhone is? As far as game changing...., i would think that their law suit against apple would be more game changing..., if it succeeds.
but there's also the fact that it does a lot more than the iPhone
like true multi-tasking,Runs live Widgets, it has flash support in the browser
and much more, sure there previous phones have lagged the iPhone in terms of usability
but this will probably fix most of the problems that S60 touch phones have
Phatetic!
It's Linux? And it does NOT support ogg vorbis files?!?
If you want, it's trivial to install the Ogg codec on the device.
You seem to be a bit touchy about these statements.
What do you have "Invested" in the commentary here?
While I have no personal preference and a casual observer, I tend to lean apples way by observation of what I see above.
You seem to be well versed in Nokia's line up.
So one would assume by your statements that if apple did come out with a tablet, they would be copying Nokia?
http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_7700-570.php
http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_7710-921.php
http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_6708-1518.php
SonyE
http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_ericsson_p800-326.php
http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_ericsson_p900-544.php
http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_ericsson_p910-846.php
Oh yea, all the original PDA's came out before iPod Touch, that's includin Sony clie.
cell makers pay Nokia royalties for patents, why not Apple?
Now go and play with your Fart App.
Secondly, Portal Internet Devices have been hugely popular in foreign markets for close to a decade and Nokia isn't the only company that has been making and selling them. They just haven't had a real market in the US because having wifi access was until recently very rare.
Third, Apple was the last one to the table in terms of portable internet devices and cel-phones and they are currently being sued for patent infringement because of that fact. Apple is simply really talented at propaganda, evidenced by the fact that so many commentators here had no idea that Apple was the last company and not the first company to make a PID.
Fourth, kind of an aside, Sony had announced earlier that the next generation PSP (the one after the Go) will have the same 3G TX board. The "game changing" aspect will depend entirely upon the American telecoms and whether they start jacking up the rates of data only plans to the same price as cell-phone rates. Because I personally can't see paying any of the telecoms $100/month for data only service especially not when they are making a profit at the current rate of $20/month.
but saying Apple is all about propaganda is a fanboy thing to say
here's the thing everyone had portable internet deices before
but it was the iPhone that actually made mobile internet mainstream .
the iPhone also forced other companies to come out of their shell and compete
the pre iPhone days I still remember how every phone manufacturer
would come out with a new phone every month
the only difference would be higher megapixel counts and large memory ,but that was about it !!!
there wasn't any real innovation like we are seeing now !
Opinion. I'm pretty sure RIM made it mainstream. I remember a lot of surfing going on long before the iPhone.
- by Nokia_Retail October 31, 2009 1:06 AM PDT
- THE FACTS! - Nokia N900 UK delivery date and network availability.
- Like this Reply to this comment
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(33 Comments)As the independent operator of Nokia Retail stores in the UK, I can advise that we are expecting our N900 stock mid November - No exact date has officially been announced for UK release by Nokia. At launch the N900 will exclusively be available only from Nokia Stores and Nokia online and connection is to the Vodafone network ONLY. A full list of Nokia stores in the UK can be found at www.nokiaretail.co.uk
Importantly, I was interested this week to see at least two UK companies offering deals of the N900 connected to O2 and Orange. This is news to us and my recommendation is don't buy, especially if you want a proper UK supplied N900 anytime soon.
As soon as Nokia announce the exact launch date for the shops, it will be shown at www.nokiaretail.co.uk