Linked by Eugenia Loli-Queru on Sat 22nd Mar 2008 08:40 UTC
A few months ago Nokia released the third iteration of their Internet Tablet N-series, the N810. This model has some new hardware characteristics, and a brand new version of the Maemo interface. Update: I designed a clean background for you, to be used with the "Echo" theme. Download it here, check out how it looks like here.
Permalink for comment 306138
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
Member since:
2007-09-06
If you look at the basic devices, they are meant for different things.
WinCE (er.. mobile) is still a full blown PDA and smart phone. The N810 is between an internet tablet and a umpc.
WinCE has the full library of software due to the time it's been around while Maemo is very quickly growing a library but it's the new kid on the block.
WinCE has Microsft behind it so marketing it good and you know it will be designed to work with Exchange. Maemo is a linux distribution by Nokia that is mostly open source so it has a whole world of flexability.
Maemo is based on Debian so the geeks in the crowd can cross compile there .DEBs for the mips cpu if they want. It's basically a gtk/gnome user interface for the really geeky in the croud.
WinCE has the word/excel/powerpoint combo availible for it already. Maemo has gnumeric and the GPE todo/calendar/contacts/notes/timesheet suite which is evolving but very usable and easily syncronized with Evolution and the google apps.
Meomo installs and uninstalls are handled through the package manager so you simply add the repositories (there is an easy add website), search and install. WinCE follows the usual hunt the internet for the program, download it and install it through the paired desktop (download.com helps though).
On advantage I make use of is the flexability of a Linux based OS like Maemo. I have actually partitioned my SDHC card; large fat32, 1.5 gig ext3, 1.5 gig ext3. The first is for storage space the way any SDHC would be used. The second is my partition for IT2008 fully installed and configed the way I like it. The third is my partition for IT2007 fully installed as I had it before the new OS version was available. There is also the internal memory where the clean "out of box" IT2008 image remains. If I want my old OS install, I boot the N800/N810 with it. If I want my new OS, it's the default boot. If I somehow chew both OS installs, I have the base internal OS as my system restore environment. My PDA/IT is a tripple boot; bwahahahaha!
OpenSSH handles my remote shell, scp, sftp needs too and from the device. I have the MSF framework and some other auditing tools installed. Bluetooth tools and phone connectivity and some other things that just don't exist in the WinCE world. (I've never seen Metasploit on a Windows device anyhow)
Really, it depends on what you want it for. If you post your specific needed functions then I or someone else can probably give you a better response.
In my case, I love my N800 and Maemo. If I had the budget, I'd upgrade too the N810 with physical keyboard and built in GPS radio. If I needed a larger keyboard and full blown Mandriva then I'd go EeePC. Really, I'd need a PDA size device (N800 for now), a notebook size device (EeePC or ThinkPad, Toughbook depending.