N900 is wonderful, but Nokia should bring back the Internet Tablet
Back in 2005 when the original Maemo-based Nokia 770 started this new era of pocket-friendly, mobile tablets we're now in the midst of, they were all alone. There had never been a device like it, designed to work in a landscape configuration when everyone else was going one-handed, and the 800×480 resolution was unheard of when compared to the standard 320×240 that was lighting up Windows Mobile devices. On-the-go web browsing would never be the same.
Now today we have the N900, which has the heart of the Internet Tablet, but has brought us full circle to Nokia's core product, the cell phone. During that trip, we progressed through two more iterations of the Internet Tablet, the N800 and the N810, all the while seeing the software mature and present us with an even clearer view of what was possible. That, of course has culminated in the alliance we now have between Nokia and Intel, whose MeeGo mobile platform will carry on the torch being passed it by Maemo.
After seeing this article the other day on Reuters, it got me to thinking how cool a current-spec Internet Tablet would be. With the current processors available or soon to be, imagine a 1GHz+ chip along with an LED-backlit 5-inch capacitive screen, 32GB SSD, and integrated 3G. With all the excitement surrounding the Dell Mini 5, this is the device that Nokia should be making, or should have already made. Don't get me wrong, I'm very satisfied with my N900, but it would really be special if it were made a bit larger, yet thinner by eliminating the slider aspect.
Now with MeeGo getting off the ground, I hope to see an N1000 in my future, and I have a feeling I'm not alone.
