Nokia N800 Gets Skype, But Still Can't Save the Tablet Form Factor

If you've been waiting since it was announced at CES '07, the wait is finally over. Nokia's foray into the tablet PC got a communications boost with Skype on Wednesday. The Wi-Fi enabled tablet PC by Nokia still finds itself in an uncomfortable position: not quite a Pocket PC or Smartphone, but it's not really a PC either. Let's face it, this has been the bane of the Tablet PC and Microsoft's new UMPC - since the form was developed it's crashed spectacularly in flames.

 

Nokia added Skype to give its N800 Tablet PC a communications edge, providing a distinct albeit inferior alternative to cell phone communications. Skype is really just an instant messenger, but it has extra features like Skype Out. Your Nokia N800 connects to a Wi-Fi hotspot and you're able to use Skype instant messenger. Anyone running a skype client can text you with instant messages or you can even share voice messages through your Skype clients. If you subscribed to Skype Out (which is very cheap, but not entirely free) you can take communications one step further and make an outbound phone call through the Internet with no long distance charges or expensive mobile network fees.

 

It's a great feature, but not enough to save the Tablet PC. Skype allows you to download various versions of its client specifically for Pocket PCs and Smartphones with various operating systems. That includes Linux, the operating system used by the Nokia's N800. What OS would you expect on a Finnish device? The N800's Kernal was developed by Linus Torvalds himself. As nice as it all sounds, you can still find cell phones that can do just about everything a Tablet PC does, and inside a far slimmer form factor. Outside a niche market the Tablet PC still isn't likely to take off.

4 comments
Posted by KnockKnock on July 16,2007 at 9:31 AM

It's almost as expensive as the new iPhone. I just got one and it is cool as hell. I don't see an internet tablet doing things to quite this degree of slickosity.

Posted by Wayde on July 15,2007 at 1:09 PM

Personally, I love the Tablet form factor (pc or Internet). I've seen different manufacturers try different iterations that come and go, they never prove to be very popular to the mass market consumer. Both comments demonstrate it's a niche device.

btw Moe, this isn't a review, it's just a report that you're getting Skype included in the new N800s.

Posted by Well Well on July 14,2007 at 6:23 AM

Are you sure you are a techie? The Nokia N800 is NOT a Tablet PC it is an internet tablet... HUGE difference as to what its purpose is, if you cannot see that then you might have to consider a career change

Posted by Moe Bergeron on July 13,2007 at 10:12 PM

If the current user reviews for the Nokia n800 are any indication your dire prediction will turn out to be very wrong. As an owner of the Nokia 800 I can say the latest updates have moved this machine from fair use to excellent. I no longer need to carry my laptop along when on the road and with an abundance of open WIFI access points the world is in my hands. You have a great site in need of a more accurate Nokia n800 review.