Enter The N810
As you know, the developers discount code program finally went live in the U.S. And I was able too order my N810. It’s here, and let me say the out of box experience is awesome. The tablet is presented first thing with the keyboard open and fully displayed.
The N810 itself is an extremely sexy device, with the blue tinged faceplate and silver metal housing. It makes my N800 feel very clunky. The N810 is sleeker, as the ugly ‘hump’ along the back of the N800 has been removed. Key features such as the kickstand, 3.5mm audio jack, and external memory card slot are still present, though the N810 has opted for the smaller (and more future-looking) microUSB port, a fixed-position VGA video calling cam, the slide-out QWERTY keyboard, and a new key-lock flick-switch.
I have to say I’m not as big of a fan of the N810’s kick stand. The stand itself is thinner and feels slightly flimsy, though it has gained an additional stop-point, which is convenient. It’s also not nearly as easy to flip out, thanks to an extremely awkward new release mechanism for the battery door. The top of the N810 is where you’ll find the power button, up/down rocker (for volume and zoom), and full-screen button, in addition to the new key-lock flick-switch. This added feature is convenient, though I do wish they’d gone for some sort of switch that shows you the current status.
The front of the device houses the ambient light sensor, VGA video-calling camera, as well as the multi-tasking and back keys. The speakers have been moved to the sides of the device, and I can’t say that I’m completely pleased with this move, either. Sound is now directed to the sides, away from the user, as opposed to the N800 which directed sound directly towards the user.
Once you slide the N810 open you’re greeted with a beautiful backlit keyboard. I find this keyboard to be nothing short of amazing, and love using it more and more. There is no space between the keys, which are all shaped like convex chiclets. Each key has a default character as well as a secondary character in blue that is accessible after pressing the ‘Fn’ key. There are 2 shift keys, on either side of the spacebar, as well as a Ctrl key and Chr key. The D-pad has been moved down to this slide-out panel, as well as the menu button. The d-pad is now a silver ring, with a button in the middle, and due to the proximity to the bottom edge of the top half of the N810, the d-pad is not nearly as easy to use. The slide mechanism is smooth and solid, with no wobbles in any direction.
In the box was a spare stylus, stereo headset with inline microphone, a screen-wiping cloth, and the new carrying case. This case is beautifully designed as sort of a 3/4 pouch, with one side replaced by a strip of elastic, perfect for keeping a firm grip on the N810. However, the designer of this pouch was obviously color-blind, as they chose a pale grey exterior with a bright teal felt interior. Why, I don’t know. There is also a microUSB cord and wall power plug in the box.
Another phenomenal touch in the packaging of the N810 (and a big reason I’ve been so excited to get this device) is the inclusion of the CR-89 Car Mount system. This piece is designed to be either directly attached to a flat surface in your vehicle, or used in conjunction with the Nokia HH-12, which I reviewed recently here. The mount’s build quality is excellent, though I’m disappointed that the swivel portion is shipped so tight that I’m unable to adjust it without using a special tool. Consumers, I fear, would find this daunting, as the tool is not a standard hex key but appears to be a torx fitting. In any case, I love that Nokia included this in the packaging, and I’m looking forward to getting it mounted in my truck, and will have a video covering that shortly.
Hopefully that gives you a good idea of what to expect from the N810 Internet Tablet out of the box. I’ve previously covered the OS2008 on my N800, and it is identical on the N810. I’ll be covering a few new software applications over the next few weeks, but will also be spending quite a bit of time covering how the N810 will perform specific consumer-oriented tasks, as I think that will be a good measurement of how far Nokia has come from the 770 to the N810 in terms of migrating slowly towards a consumer device.
So do you feel there are enough differentiators to support buying the N810 versus maintaining ownership of the N800 and waiting for perhaps a N900 (assuming that’s the monicer it recieves)?
I’m not entirely convinced that the N810 has enough of an updated feature set to support my purchasing one. Also, there are some features that I consider detractors such as the loss of both of the full size SDHC slots and the FM Radio(not really a show stopper but I quite like using it all the same). Also, I just been reading about the GPS chipset (TI 5300)on the N810 and apparently it is not SiRF Star III which explains it’s painful TTIF issue. I do however quite like the keyboard although a slight redesign may be in order in terms of the four-way scroll switch being to close to the bezel and having to open the integrated keyboard to access it - I guess it’s a question of how often you use it.
How do you feel so far about your N810 purchase?
Crouching Hamster
Jan 28th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
[…] just got my N810 Internet Tablet in last week, and went ahead with the first impressions post, as well as a list of some of the must-have apps for the sleek little tablet. I’m also going […]