Release early -- and party
Party time
We organized two blogger events – one in NY in Tuesday, and another is due in a few hours in SFO. Drinks, snacks, a lot of discussions and 770s. We wanted to meet those people like Reggie and Michael, who have strong opinions about 770, maemo, and Nokia's open source approach.
When we announced the 770 and maemo back in May 2005 I said that we have just started something new; it is a good start and we’ve got many interesting things ahead of us; and now we want to learn. Meeting with these interesting people was/will be one good opportunity for us to learn.
Developing products
Now, how do you develop a product such a 770? How do you work in open source in general? You
1) release early,
2) get feedback – including code contributions,
3) improve your product – all very openly, and letting others to participate
So we have #1 already. Now we are doing #2., and with the maintenance and next major software upgrade releases we’ll do #3. This all sounds very familiar to us who are into creating software with open source. But it is also a pretty neat idea in a context of and entire product family, such as the internet tablets.
#1 is right – what’s next?
We know we’ve got the basics right. We’ve got the right operating system, right middleware components and the overall architecture. The main use cases, such as browsing, work better on 770 than in any other mobile pocketable device I’ve ever used. But the 770 is not perfect. We need to work on memory management, add better support for main stream internet formats and use cases, tune usability, etc. So the situation is extremely exciting and motivating.
The next software upgrade will not be perfect. Neither the one after that, and ….. We will need to work ridiculously hard and we never have enough resources.
We also need to keep the focus and concentrate only on things that matter for the mainstream users. We are building mass market devices; that is where we are going big time! But I believe we can keep the momentum and the focus. Through #1, #2, and #3.
You gotta believe in what you do, eh? ;-) I do.
We organized two blogger events – one in NY in Tuesday, and another is due in a few hours in SFO. Drinks, snacks, a lot of discussions and 770s. We wanted to meet those people like Reggie and Michael, who have strong opinions about 770, maemo, and Nokia's open source approach.
When we announced the 770 and maemo back in May 2005 I said that we have just started something new; it is a good start and we’ve got many interesting things ahead of us; and now we want to learn. Meeting with these interesting people was/will be one good opportunity for us to learn.
Developing products
Now, how do you develop a product such a 770? How do you work in open source in general? You
1) release early,
2) get feedback – including code contributions,
3) improve your product – all very openly, and letting others to participate
So we have #1 already. Now we are doing #2., and with the maintenance and next major software upgrade releases we’ll do #3. This all sounds very familiar to us who are into creating software with open source. But it is also a pretty neat idea in a context of and entire product family, such as the internet tablets.
#1 is right – what’s next?
We know we’ve got the basics right. We’ve got the right operating system, right middleware components and the overall architecture. The main use cases, such as browsing, work better on 770 than in any other mobile pocketable device I’ve ever used. But the 770 is not perfect. We need to work on memory management, add better support for main stream internet formats and use cases, tune usability, etc. So the situation is extremely exciting and motivating.
The next software upgrade will not be perfect. Neither the one after that, and ….. We will need to work ridiculously hard and we never have enough resources.
We also need to keep the focus and concentrate only on things that matter for the mainstream users. We are building mass market devices; that is where we are going big time! But I believe we can keep the momentum and the focus. Through #1, #2, and #3.
You gotta believe in what you do, eh? ;-) I do.
posted by Ari Jaaksi at 10:04 PM
54 Comments:
Great article!
I just wanted to say my 770 arrived yesterday and I am loving it. You guys are really onto something.
I wouldn't say you have #1. Your early release was a monumental f-up. I preordered on the 15th. Called when the "confirm or we'll cancel your order" email arrived and still nothing. I suspect most of the people who wanted to be early adaptors and who signed up to the web site ended up buying them when you started selling them at CompUSA stores. What the hell was the web site even for? The pre-orders meant nothing and no one ever received any information or emails from it as far as I know.
I am sure the device is great and all the reviews from those lucky enough to get one seem to show that. I just wish I could get one. Why do you make it so damn hard?
Re your article - I totally agree, I think the 770 or its immediate successor has a future in the mass market living room.
Re the previous comment, the lauch has been most peculiar and I think it is especially galling to read of 770's being handed out at blogger events when by definition these people already own one! It is as though the friends and family of these bloggers (or whoever they choose to hand their gift on to) are more important than the paying customers who are still waiting for delivery of their 770.
I see - and I like - the point of the approach. (and I like the 770, have it since two weeks). For software, it's fine - and there's a lot of experience around, even if not (yet) for Nokia.
What might be even more bleeding edge is: how could such an approach be applied to the hardware?
By you experts listening to feedback from the users (like: complaints about main memory ar lack of a microphone), and then you release another product months or years later? By providing extensibility (same case: memory card slot and having bluetooth for headset with microphone). Allowing anyone modding the device (which is an issue since not every one is an engineer able to handle these microscopic internal physical parts). Completely modular devices like IBM compatible PCs in the 80s?
I'm waiting until the 770 will be widely available until I begin to build a business plan based on it. When do you think that might be?
Two things I think you must build into the 770 roadmap are WiMax, so that the 770 is not just portable but truly mobile, and a separate battery pack that can be worn by the user and connects to the 770, powering it through a full day of work.
I doubt that anyone reading the 770 blogs will agree that these two things are necessary but people who would otherwise be able to use a 770 in their work will not be able to if it cannot maintain power all day long and if it cannot keep an X session as the 770 moves from one wireless access point to the next, exactly the way in which a cell phone keeps its connection as it moves from one cell tower to the next.
If you do these things then the working people of the world will find the 770 useful but if you will have missed the biggest opportunity that the 770 represents. I, for one, could not build any vertical market software for the working people if it won't run all day. A working person would not think twice about wearing a separate, day-long battery pack if it allowed them to use the 770 throughout an entire work shift.
You might also support tests as to which wireless access points provide the greatest range and the easiest setup.
The external battery pack already exists:
http://www.batterygeek.net/pspbattery.htm
The PSP15 Sony PSP Battery works with the 770 and at 6000 mAh, it's 4 times the capacity of the built-in battery. It's not too expensive either.
>>>I think it is especially galling to read of 770's being handed out at blogger events when by definition these people already own one!
I didn't yet. Add to my guilt!
http://www.internettablettalk.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4218&postcount=4
http://www.internettablettalk.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4280&postcount=8
Feel better now?
Who decides how much memory the device gets? and if this is a cost sensitive issue, why not pass it to the end user to decide with two or more models? (eg 64mb or 128+) ? the included 64mb card should be optional or traded for more system ram. with so much software flexibility please allow more with the h/w. or tablet classes / new models. me ill take the 1k euro device that does everything even if 80% of the time those features are not used. its knowing they are ready when needed that counts...
Anonymous (post #3):
As far as I know, Ari is responsible for the 770 software, so you're barking up the wrong tree.
My suggestion: abandon X11 and develop a new windowing system.
Here's why, part 1.
Here's why, part 2.
I've responded to the sentiment expressed here that you need user and developer feedback to improve the 770, at the Internet Tablet Users blog.
My suggestion is at:
www.internettablettalk.com/blog/?p=207
To the fellow above who says forget about X, I'd like to ask this: How in the world are you going to have hundreds and even thousands of people in a mobile environment such as, for example, a hospitality environment, all working together, collaboratively, in real time, each with a 770, but without X?
With X it's very easy for hundreds and thousands of people to remotely access a vertical market application like the one shown here but without X I really, really want you to tell me how to do this.
If using mobile devices to empower groups of people everywhere to live and work more efficiently isn't your bag then that's fine, but you should not be asking Nokia to cripple the 770 by removing a critical component whose value and usefulness to the rest of the world you don't comprehend.
How in the world are you going to have hundreds and even thousands of people in a mobile environment such as, for example, a hospitality environment, all working together, collaboratively, in real time, each with a 770, but without X?
Maybe with Xynth. It's specifically designed for resource-limited devices.
Exactly. Without X you can't offer mobile devices based on free software that people can afford and that people can use to work collaboratively. You can't do it, not as long as time to market matters, not as long as reality matters. The 770 is the first device in a new era and as much as people love it now, when they grasp its value as a device that makes it easy for them to work in collaborative workgroups they will love it even more. That is not only possible because of X, but it is inevitable because of X and all that this implies. Game Over, man.
don't have one yet, but expected sales would take of when it hit the streets. Being in europe, a routeplanner (tomtom r66 or ...) would be a 100% reason to buy one.
further quick checking of stockprices. hope the service for stock quotes from www.alphatrade.com will work great
It seems that VPN support along with rdesktop would open a whole new world to the 770. A VNC variant could be very useful as well.
Other wishes:
1. better support for bluetooth keyboards
2. a VoIP client
3. a PPT editor
I think all of this would make the 770 very useful both in the living room and on the road. With some sort of presentation editor, you could make last minute slide edits and then use bluetooth or USB to load your file on someone elses laptop for presentation. Don't think I'd ever take my laptop on a short trip again.
Some of the above comments may be ignorant as I haven't actually received my 770 yet.
And so, 2 days after I comment on this blog, I get an email telling me that my 770 has shipped! I'm guessing coincidence but one never knows :) I really cannot wait to get it - I have been trying to explain the point of it to my mates but to no avail (but in fairness these are the same mates who didn't "get" the interent as seen via a very expensive compuserve UK dial up account all those years ago). I am now literally like a child at christmas...
You know, the more I see the 770, the more I realize that marketing does not have a clue about it.
Let me explain. It seems to me that Nokia had this plan about the 700: “Wifi is going to compete with UMTS. Let’s make a wifi phone (maemo 2006 with voip). But we need to beta test it first, so let’s sell it as a portable web and e-mail machine for a few months, to see how the network works in the real world”. Then we bring in voip.
BAAM! They sold a lot more than they expected.
Marketing guys, people have been expecting a machine like this for years. The more audacious imported Sharp Zauruses from Japan. Yet Sharp would not sell them in Europe. Go figure.
So there is a market for this gadget. Let me see:
On the go: E-mail, of course. But why can’t I use a bluetooth keyboard? Web and streaming -> works. Chat? (where is my bluetooth keyboard, again…)
Games-> somewhat works (the idea to include flash was brilliant), but needs some polishing
Music and Video -> somewhat works, but the only solution to compete with the Ipod would be to associate with Apple and iTunes. Maybe Apple wouldn't say no, the iPod cannot surf and they need a palmtop...
On my home wifi network: A streamer for my upnp music server A way to control other equipment.
A toy for the kids -> somewhat works, maybe a few new skin with kiddies themes is all what is needed. It would also be a good idea to use the multi-user functions of Linux to be able to create separate accounts (although at the price, each person can have its own, but if the multi-user thing is easy, why not?).
There are also more specialized uses, like a POS terminal, a way to connect to an enterprise server (where is my vpn?), or a machine for school web surfing (no viruses, the price is right, but no keyboard and the screen is a bit small). And of course, it is the hacker dream come true...
However, as things go today, I suppose that the 770 only makes sense if marketing can convince the user to pay for some kind of service bringing “continuous cash flow” (as the phone companies say…). But there is a problem with that. People don’t want to pay for a service here, another contract there and a third contract there, and still another here (in that respect, the idea to use your existing phone via bluetooth was a good idea).
Just think about it: if you want people to use premium services (voip, network games, web storage, e-mail, networked games, even wifi roaming), you will need to provide an integrated service. Something like Apple’s .mac system, for example.
Last but not least, what defines the usability of a machine is software. If the machine is going to be successful, this is going to be through third party applications. Every successful "computing device" became so because people could find software for it easily: the PC, the palm, even game consoles. As a counter example, the N-gage was not successful because people felt that it did not have enough software (the limited collection of game cards was seen by the average user as the only offer, even if the N-gage can install all series 60 software).
This is where the 770 fills a unique niche: because it uses Linux, people will believe that they can use free software from the Internet for it. This makes the machine tremendously more attractive and Nokia should consider associating with this in its marketing (for example by linking to soft like abiword, etc...): Of course, it means that Nokia will generate less revenue and more problems from this, but in the end it is the only way this gadget can become more than a niche product. MS and Apple did not make their system successful by trying to control the software market, but by making sure that a vast choice of affordable, sometimes even free software was offered by third parties. And they did not have a disclaimer like "no warranty for non-Apple software on your Mac".
This is where I see the biggest problem as the 770 is quite a paradigm shift for Nokia. Nokia is used to cell phones and people paying 2$ for a ring tone, a new skin or a little game. That won't work with a device that is not a phone, but a computer.
Some pretty good insight here, Ari. Did you see that link to that other handheld terminal? The GUI you see on that terminal is not from any application running on the terminal but from a group of otherwise unrelated applications running in various places on the net. The X terminal's GUI only provides to the user a perception that what all these apps on all these computers is managed by the GUI. The GUI itself can even generate its own applications and GUI extensions to provide access to integrated services (what used to be called software). It's the combination of the GUI as an access method to the otherwise unrelated software services and the mobile X terminal that is the magic. There's no QT, no GTK, no Java, no RDP, no Citrix, no VNC, no bitmaps.. There's just network transparent X.
There is so much opportunity here and I'm trying to help you see a part of it that I doubt you can yet see because people typically don't understand applications, GUIs and software services in this new context very well, in spite of all the things that they do understand. When they see it they do recognize that it's the way the future will unfold, however.
According to this report Microsoft has accepted the inevitability that graphics have to be done the way X does them. That's one of the biggest news stories of the past twenty years because it is an admission that they've been doing graphics in a way all along that will never allow for rendered graphics the way X does.
The connection between these two paragraphs is that if you want to, you can be the biggest software services company on the planet. The opportunity is there for Nokia. Microsoft has admitted its pants have fallen down to its ankles. The remote X GUI and the will to exploit this is all you need. You're doing almost everything right. Put the key in the ignition and turn on the engine, why don't you?
I've been using my 770 for about a month now, and love it, but it really isn't what I expected (in a good way!). It's small enough to carry everywhere, but the screen is still very useable. I frequently find myself using it with one hand as my 3-1/2 month old son sleeps in my arms; try that with a laptop! I bought a Nokia BT keyboard, but rarely use it (I also bought 512MB RAM, something so cheap that it should come installed - see below).
I'm not entirely convinced with the "release early" claim (wasn't Q3 2005 supposed to be the release?), but can understand why Nokia may want to be cautious in getting the machine to market - assuming it isn't just a series of corporate blunders causing the delay.
The more I use the 770, the more I agree that it's a great device for reading text. I have been working on a music editing app for it, but am not sure it would really be useful (not to mention it's been a hugely difficult task with no support and limited documentation). Instead, I see the 770 as having huge potential in the education market. Let me explain...
Computers have been slowly infiltrating the classroom for ages, but there are big issues with cost and maintenance. I'd love to see a slightly ruggedized future 770 to fill this role. Think waterproof and rubberized, omit the RS-MMC in favour of a decent level of installed RAM (even with net storage, it needs more RAM, and cost is not a significant excuse), get rid of the USB port (WiFi is just fine, thanks), and use induction charging to seal everything up. That would be something that a kid could throw in a bag without worries.
This new device would be useable throughout school or at home on a wireless network (geez, GIVE the wireless infrastructure away), enabling students to read texts, complete assignments, etc., all on a small, inexpensive device. Lose/break the device and it's a much smaller problem than a lost laptop. I'm currently working on a Master's curriculum that is based on exactly this model, and the market for such services is huge. At a college/university level, students will often pay the price of a 770 for textbooks for ONE COURSE.
The kicker? Nokia already has experience with this model through their BridgeIT research. I'm sure new partners would not be difficult to find.
Even better, this would get young people exposed to the Nokia brand at an early age, and if you treat them well, you'll have a future stream of happy customers (or revenues, if you prefer to think that way).
Finally, remember that linux is a great tool, but cannot be the point of the 770. People, specifially users, are the point. Keep it simple.
Software Requests ...
1. SSH remote file access built into the libs for transparent access. It is nice to get access to my music and photos via a web server. But it would be better to have access to ALL my data via SSH.
2. Better handwriting recognition. Better handwriting recognition. And, better handwriting recognition.
3. A presentation player for OASIS (Open Document Format / OpenOffice.org) and Microsoft Presentations.
4. Talk to TI about a TI branded Nokia 770 with the full suite of applications from the TI Voyage 200. With handwriting recognition for equations and mathematics.
5. A Nokia website for 770 users were we can share links to our favorite internet radio and movie sites. A place where you can click to listen to the station and then click to add it to the 770's favorites.
Hardware request.
1. More memory.
- mark arrasmith
a little piece of software I'd love to see in it is a universal remote control software. It would fit even better in my living room with this. Plus it would be less "geeky" and more open to everyone
I'm not sure the bluetooth port enables IR though...
email notification: only chance to capture some of the blackberry market.
I consider myself a "power user" and "early adopter" when it comes to consumer electronics and especially Linux devices. I just got my Nokia 770 last night and already it serves it's intended purpose - to check on "alerts" when I am away from the computer (relaxing, exercising, cooking, sleeping?)
But with a Debian core, I know there's so much more I need to experience. I'll give you a wish list of my first impressions:
- PDA functionality with Outlook synchronization - even if it requires purchasing a third party product. To replace the PDA would add value to the tablet and it has more than enough power to handle the job.
- Aftermarket "slider" covers that can serve to both protect AND enhance the tablet with hardware options like an extended battery, charging cradle for desk use (maybe with a speaker output?) right-side buttons for gaming, or a keyboard
I am considering making a "power-user" blog of my experience with the Nokia 770 just as I did for my Zaurus SL-5500 and my iPaq h6315. The Zaurus started strong but fizzled and the iPaq was a NIGHTMARE. The question - would anyone READ it?
---Daniel Gentleman
thoughtfix [a] gmail [.] com
I have been using the Nokia 770 quite intensively for the past month. At the train, at home, at work,...
Here are my comments:
On the hardware side:
1) although the more memory and CPU the better, I think that with the current state of technology having 64 Mb and the current CPU speed is enough for many applications.
2) I have never used a PDA before and I am realizing that the screen is getting scratched from the stylus. I have installed a screen protector (the ones for the PSP are almost perfect in size), but I certainly need a better one that does not degrade the screen resolution, I wonder if this exists...
On the software side I believe that given the limited hardware there are not that many more things that the Nokia 770 can do. But I do think that the present software should be improved:
1) Mail browser. I do wish I could stop the popup windows from showing up like in Mozilla/Firefox. This is a small annoyance on a desktop, but a very time consuming task on the Nokia 770. More than that, some popup windows have this animated stuff (probably flash) that make the browser crash. Obviously making the browser more stable is also nice to have. A MUST is allowing other zoom sizes besides 100 and 150%, many web pages need an in between zoom which is not available.
Another feature I miss is being able to browse the web easily using just the keys and not the stylus.
Another, not so important feature, would be tabbed browsing.
Another comment, the Nokia 770 web page linked to the Yahoo mail ad does not work on the Nokia770.
2) Notepad. This was really buggy and I had to stop using it because it completely hanged the Nokia every 10 minutes or so and I had to reboot the machine. I have not tried it with the latest firmware version (I got really scared of using it now). Better support for regular text files would be nice to have. I gave up on it and now I am using joe on an xterm.
3) Since the device is hardware limited, and although this is not a mass market application I do think it should support ssh -X with correct X windows support. Now the windows cannot be minimized, only closed, because they disappear. Once connected on the Internet, you can use the Nokia 770 as a terminal of your home computer and X windows allows you to display those nice figures you want to look at. So basically this "extends" the range of software you can use.
4) PIM applications is a MUST. I really miss them. The GPE soft is limited and buggy. Sinchronizitation with PC soft would also be nice. Of all the PIM applications I miss most is not being able to set up an alarm for my appointments (GPE crashes when you set this up and they claim it does not work anyway because of kernel/hardware limitations). I cannot not even set up an alarm on the clock!!
5) PDF reader. As in the browser I miss zooming into some intermediate
zoom factor (again between 100 and 150%). A quicker way to go to the next page with just one button (without stylus) and without going through one menu and submenu would also be nice to have.
6) Better support for the Nokia bluetooth keyboard SU-8W. The letters printed on the keyboard (sort of german keyboard) do not coincide with the ones shown on the screen (english keyboard) for the special characters. This is very annoying and I am sure it should be pretty easy to fix.
7) The rest of the applications look OK for me. Radio stations I can listen to. Videos I have not tried.
Music stored locally I have not tried. e-mail soft I do not use (I use the web browser for this). WiFi works OK
8) Oh, one last thing, Doom works fine, but I cannot recover a stored game. It would be nice to have it fixed so I can end the game at the "Hurt me plenty" level ;=)
Cheers,
Xavier Calbet
xcalbet at yahoo dot es
fix bugs, see 770 section of my blog: http://www.mulliner.org/blog/blosxom.cgi/n770
more memory and a bigger cpu, both needed for various things (e.g. html,pdf... rendering or wifi encryption)
software modifications and/or addons where covered by other people in detail - also this can always be modified later
PS: I still want a "decent" linux based cell/smartphone
Got one, it's nice!
I buy computers to get away from handwriting, using voice recognition can be disruptive, and neural implants are for the grandkids. So do support optional keyboards as more than an afterthought, they make the device far more versatile. A keyboard is mainstream.
Perhaps third parties could integrate inovative keyboards into a replacement protective sleeve. We could have one that folds down like a laptop, another folding up for a thumb board, a third with four or five chord keys along each side or the back. Maybe a modified qwerty on the backside, right/left hands rotated +/- 90 degrees. On 770 successor products, would IrDA be cheaper, more secure, lower power? Use the rails for connector contacts?
Some suggest the 770 is too big, I would prefer larger. Paperback books evolved to their current dimensions for a reason. Something 12 by 18 cm still fits in my pants pocket (or a coat or purse). There's a lot of unclaimed territory between the 770 and a cheap 3 kg laptop.
I suspect maemo hardware will bifurcate. A large part of your mass market is on the couch watching TV. Another large part is curled up with a book. The second group would be well served by an eInk ePaper display. A slow monochrome display would be fine for text. But relatively large and high res. Palm is selling into the schools here, an open source maemo device would be much better. If you really want to be revolutionaries, get the price down to something the kids won't be mugged for. No need for DSP, except perhaps for audio. Should run for a week on a couple AA's. My Psion5m did, would still be using it if it didn't continually break down.
All maemo products should include a Python interpreter. Or at least make it easily installable without going to the developers image. Does blog.russnelson.com/770 have the issues correct on this? Could be a big win in the schools.
jgaffke at yahoo dot com
I have had one for a several weeks now... I will add my comments, in priority order:
1) Needs more RAM. Since that is not possible, better memory management and cleaner/tighter code should be priority #1. My experience with the unit is being hampered by lack of memory and the flash card cannot be used to store applications.
2) Although the hardware is weak, it *should* be possible to play full motion video at full res. Not being able to do that is a huge strike against such a unit... especially when most people will expect that it can do that.
3) PIM software. I know the market is for a portable web viewer, but if it had a personal information manager, then it really could be a PDA. Of course, it will HAVE to sync with Linux, not just MS-Windows.
4) Why can't we use the nav button to scroll through pages like a scroll wheel? Most people reading stuff want to hold it with one hand (left) and read, not have to use the right hand to scroll. It could be done with 1 hand, if there were an option to scroll with the nav. Does anyone really want to use the nav the way it is now- jumping from link to link???
5) Software updates to the unit need to be available through a Linux host, not just MS-Windows! (Maybe it will be, I don't know yet)
6) Apps should be loadable-on-demand from Flash and removable from RAM back to flash.
7) I would like to see built-in (or loadable from Flash): IRC client, IM client (think GAIM), ssh/scp client and server (with X support maybe?)
8) Why can't I access the files that are stored on the 770's internal memory (not on the flash card) with usb mass storage?
9) Include a few more pre-loaded internet radio station links. And don't treat internet radio like it is a song file- very confusing... I think of internet radio as something totally different and separate from mp3 files.
Hardware I wish the 770 had included:
1) IR port to use as a universal remote
2) Expandible RAM
3) Larger screen (keep the case the same size, expand to the top and right)
4) Ports on the side, not the bottom
5) Ability to remove/insert the stylus without removing the slid-on back cover
6) Ability to use the left function of the nav button with the back slide cover on.
7) Scroll wheel in place of one of the other buttons
8) Hard/dedicated volume control (not software/screen driven)
Some some/any of this might be helpful.
-Mark A. Davis; Norfolk, VA
I currently use a Newton 2100 and a Sony Minidisc recorder to go to meetings. As an engineer, I need to take good notes so the active handwriting recognition of the Newton combined with the ability to search all my text on the Newton is key.
-
As a meeting goer, I need a voice record of the meeting to update my notes and get them right. As a parent of 2 college students (I bought them Sony recorders as well) I have come to appreciate the value of extended voice recording.
-
To make your machine a truly indispensable students machine - whether for undergraduate or graduate students (or for an engineers notebook and calendar) - 4 things
1) improve the handwriting recognition and make it full screen if possible for extended notetaking
2) Add voice recording and a 2 gig memory card so it can run all day for going to conferences
3) Add an active indexing of text entries so that the contents can be quickly globally searched as they are on the Newton
4) Develop active desktop sync programs for linux, MacOS and Windows which would synchronize files.
As a general item, you might want to look into what has made a lot of folks keep using their Newtons 10 years after it has been discontinued by Apple. The Newton Community likes their units because they provide things newer units do not. Newer technology and Linux Open Source should let you put those concepts into the 770 and make it a real practical tool for students and engineers as well as general internet users.
David.gibson@wap.org
Is there any plan to have an LTSP client available on 770?
re: VNC and rdesktop clients...
VNC client is already available for 770. rdesktop client is in production, eta for beta version is end of Jan 2006.
I went ahead and created the blog:
thoughtfix.blogspot.com
I hope my experience helps the developers.
I was thrilled to receive my Nokia
770 a few days before Christmas but by New Year's Eve I had it boxed back up
and ready for return.
It's a reluctant decision because I *really* do like the tablet display, the
size of the unit, the fact is open-source and the impressive list of
applications. It's just that after using it over the Christmas holidays, it
soon became apparent that the applications were slow, the email application
is certainly half-baked and Out of Memory errors were often received.
A faster CPU, more memory, perhaps even something with a hard disk would
make this the killer device for the lounge...better do it fast before Apple release an iPodlet ;)
I will rejoin the community... when the 771(?) becomes available...
You have the PERFECT concept - don't look back. It will be a mass market home & 'cafe' product...
regards
Justin
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