No more than a week and a half after the device is introduced in Europe, Nokia plans to roll out its Linux-based 770 Internet Tablet device in the US. Originally slated for an introduction in the third quarter of 2005, the device features among its highlights a 4-inch, high resolution display; a broad suite of Internet related applications; Wi-Fi 802.11b/g and Bluetooth; and the ability to run 3rd party applications at will.
Partially creating a new niche, the only other device currently on sale in Western markets comparablt to the 770 Internet Tablet is the Windows CE powered Samsung NEXiO XP30. Similar to Nokia's offering, the XP30 is equipped with a 5-inch high resolution screen and Wi-Fi 802.11b, although it lacks Bluetooth. The ability to install 3rd party applications is also present, yet developers have thus far failed to take a liking to the platform, instead favouring the more visible alternative of Windows Mobile.
Based on Windows Mobile, the iPAQ hx4700 handheld from Hewlett-Packard also comes close to the specifications of the 770 Internet Tablet as it features a 4-inch screen - albeit with a lower resolution than that of the 770 Internet Tablet - along with Wi-Fi 802.11b and Bluetooth connectivity. Unlike the 770, however, the hx4700 is able to tap into a thriving ecosystem for which several thousand applications have already been made available.
Other manufacturers have previously made attempts at similar products, including 3Com with its Palm OS powered Audrey which failed to prove popular with consumers. Also, Microsoft's embedded operating system, Windows CE - upon which the aforementioned NEXiO XP30 is based - enjoys a certain degree of success in the Asian market in a similar niche, although such devices have yet to prove popular in Western markets.
Nokia did not comment on the expected price of 770 Internet Tablet in the US market, however reiterated its pricing of €350 EUR, or $415 USD, for the European market.
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