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Google partners with Nokia to Release Web-Surfing Device

cio.com — Google and handset producer Nokia are teaming up to release an updated version of Nokia ’s 770 Internet Tablet, which will enable consumers to conduct voice conversations or send instant messages while surfing the Web, The Wall Street Journal reports.

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  • cybe, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3Still unclear whether it is a hardware update too. I certainly hope not.
  • BloodJunkie, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7Mobile Click Fraud ++
  • wpholmes, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4I'd love to see an apple subnotebook like this.
    iTunes, iChat, iPhoto, TextEdit/Pages on the go!
  • elusive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I hope this is just a firmware/software upgrade. They would change the model number if it was new hardware, right? I bought one as soon as they came out (for $340 new, not $390 like in the article). I still use it all the time for browsing the web and it fits in my pocket so I can take it anywhere. It's also easy to hack on since it runs a modified version of Debian Linux and GTK2. This is not the device you want to use if you are going to do a lot of typing, though, since you either have to use the on-screen keyboard with the stylus, use the below-par handwriting recognition, or use a bluetooth keyboard (pricey).
    • liquidcoooled, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1From the Nokia site:
      The Nokia 770 Internet Tablet's software is upgradeable and currently runs on the Linux-based Internet Tablet 2005 software edition. There is a planned launch next year of an operating system upgrade – the Internet Tablet 2006 software edition – that will support additional services, including Internet telephony (VoIP) and Instant Messaging.

      http://europe.nokia.com/nokia/0,,75023,00.html
  • arestme, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1http://europe.nokia.com/nokia/0,1522,,00.html?orig=/770
    • elusive, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1Just to be clear, this is the original Nokia 770 and not the one referred to by the article. This doesn't have GTalk or any other chat software included.

      Edit: read liquidcoooled's quote above.
  • soccerboi00, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1This doesn't seem like it will be a bad deal. Let's hope they have the dev kit free for non-commercial use, so we can get some more apps.
  • Ryan229, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Sounds like a Nokia 770 running Linux with a Google Pack installed.
  • steveoa3d, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5I think the thing is very cool, I did not know the device was out there at that price. And it runs Linux, thats a got me drooling....
    • ianam, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I bought mine virtually new from ebay for $280, and there were several others selling near that price. Lots of folks buy these and then find that they don't use them as much as they expected to. (I use mine a lot, mostly for streaming music, and some ebook reading.)
  • blaker, on 10/12/2007, -7/+2Nokia sucks. This will end up like there NGage flop.
    • revka, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3although you drive a very convincing arguement: It has been out for a year or so. The community is incredibly useful. I can not vouch for size, but community activity is nothing like I have seen before.
  • skynetos, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I actually own one of these very nice devices and I love using it via blue tooth through my EVDO Verizon phone. I check/send my e-mail via TLS/SSL, check my news feeds and browse the web on an 800x480 screen. It's a wonderful thing. I can't wait to see this thing gain more attention.
  • quadvods, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2For the love of god, make it with a keyboard.
  • Supergeek, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I have owned a 770 for quite a while now, and, within a defined area, it is amazing. As a portable web browser and ebook reader, it is the best thing out there for size/capability. If they released a clamshell case for it that included a keyboard, it would be a great portable terminal for network admins.

    Unfortunately, because of the system specs, it will never replace a portable laptop.
  • jacqueschirac, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Wow this can really shift Windows to Linux migration! Go Nokia!
  • xbill, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Great Device-

    Sometimes CompUSA will have them on sale for $300-$350
    for the original 770.

    I love playing Mahjongg on the 770 while on the subway.

    On the downside:

    -the USB port is really funky. You can put it in master mode-
    but you have to have 5V somehow since the 770 won't give it to you.
    You can rig up a cable or solder something to get
    USB devices to work (and USB keyboards *do* work great)

    -the distro is a bit strange too. It is like a snapshot in time-
    without all the package info so you can't easily apt-get to remove/tailor
    the default packages easily. Right now it is flash the whole thing
    in one shot- all or nothing.

    But all in - a great little device. It is not a laptop - but
    a much better experience than a cell phone or a Windows PDA.
  • markos, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1This is big. You heard it here first.
  • macewan, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1This is interesting considering that Google Talk isn't currently available for Linux.
  •  

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