Product Reviews

The N810 may come in the same size box as a mobile phone, and it might have "N series" emblazoned on the side, but don't be fooled into thinking this is simply a Nokia with a big screen and slide-out keyboard - it's anything but.

It doesn't have mobile data capability, for starters. You need a Wi-Fi network or a Bluetooth connection to a mobile phone if you want to access the internet. The N810 doesn't run Symbian's S60 OS, either. Instead, you'll find Maemo, a Debian-based Linux variant. This means it's relatively easy to add applications, or even to write your own.

Given Nokia's obvious expertisein the mobile data

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area, the lack of connectivity is strange. But what it does, it carries off well. We tried a number of highly interactive Web 2.0 sites, and the Gecko 1.9-based browser coped superbly. The 4.13in touchscreen is clear, although at 800 x 480 you'll find yourself scrolling a lot on websites. The keyboard doesn't feel particularly positive, but in practice it works well, too.

There are plenty of other apps pre-loaded, including a media player, file manager, text editor and an X Terminal, as well as Skype and Gizmo. There's also a mapping app that supports the N810's built-in GPS receiver. However, despite Nokia supplying a car mount in the box, the mapping software won't do in-car navigation without a €99 upgrade. And there are no built-in PIM features, either.

All this makes it difficult to pigeon-hole the N810. It's a small computer running Linux, but it's much more pocket-friendly and stylish than the Asus Eee PC (web ID: 137289). It's a handheld web-viewing device, but it's much more usable than the Datawind PocketSurfer2 (web ID: 137346).

Ultimately, it's a niche product with potential. If we'd been able to slip a SIM into it and use it anywhere, it would have been a whole lot more.