Nokia’s Tiny 770 Without Cell Phone and Run Linux OS

PDAs and smartphones can browse the Web, but small screens and poor support for JavaScript and plug-ins can make browsing a cramped and unsatisfying experience. UMPCs give you a standard browser but they’re still too big (and expensive) to carry all the time. Nokia’s 770 Internet tablet fits - not necessarily neatly - in the middle, in terms of size, price and features.

Because it’s from Nokia, it’s worth saying that the 770 isn’t a mobile phone, although the new version of the operating system (Internet Tablet OS 2006) adds VOIP support. You connect by WiFi (802.11b or g) or Bluetooth. And the 770 has a built-in Web browser, RSS reader, email client, PDF viewer, media player and games, so it’s useful straight out of the box. Plus because it runs on Linux (a modified Debian distribution with a development platform called Maemo), there’s an increasing range of extra applications you can install on the 770.

Stylish Design
Unlike some tablet PCs, the 770 is small, sleek and stylish. It fits into an average pocket and it comes with a case that you can slide off, flip over and slide onto the back of the 770, so you don’t need to worry about it getting scratched while it’s in your pocket. What stands out is the exceptionally clear and bright screen. With 800 pixels across you’ll see the full width of all but the widest Web pages; small fonts will look very small but text is usually clear and legible.

The controls are minimal. On the top edge are the power button (which can also lock the device), volume controls and a button for switching between a full-screen view of an application or turning the menu bar back on. Power, USB and headset connectors are recessed at the bottom, along with the same condenser microphone Nokia uses in its mobile phones. On the front there’s a five-way control pad, return, menu and home button, but as you can control everything by tapping on the touchscreen you’re not likely to use them much. The stylus is basic but comfortable to use and the cover holds it securely in place (so securely you have to slide the cover out of the way to get the stylus out).

OS And Applications
New units ship with the 2006 OS installed but you can upgrade any 770. You need to back up your data before you start because upgrading wipes applications and files off the tablet. Nokia provides a Windows-based tool for flashing the 770 via a USB connection; Linux and Mac OS X users need to use the tools provided at the Maemo.org site Restricted Downloads, with ROM images at Software Authentication. I used the Windows software from Nokia 770 Internet Tablet Support to upgrade my test device. The 4 MB download tool bootstraps the 60 MB OS update; Nokia suggests the whole install process will take around 20 minutes, but download times will vary depending on the speed of your connection.

Performance
The 770 has excellent WiFi capabilities. You may find nearby access points your laptop has never spotted and it copes with WEP and WPA. It is pickier about which Bluetooth phones it connects to.

Application performance can be sluggish and you can’t run many applications at the same time. The new OS lets you use up to 64 MB of an RS-MMC card as extra virtual memory, which lets you load more applications or larger data files, but the 770 does struggle with anything more than a single application. Battery life is excellent; you’ll easily get the promised three hours and more even when using WiFi and playing music from the memory card. Connect to a PC or Mac and the 770 shows up as an external drive - but you can only access the memory card and transfer files to it.

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