[aprssig] Nokia announces N810 Internet Tablet with built-in GPS

[Bill Vodall WA7NWP]

> On the surface, this device appears that it will be a great
> APRS platform.  Has anyone played with any of the previous
> models (N700 or N800)?

I never have time to play radio in the ham  shack.   Then last summer
I had (another) epiphany.   If I don't have time to go to the shack,
why don't I bring it with me.  So I picked up a N800 with a plan to
implement totally existing technology to bring the data and voice and
rig control of the ham shack to it.  Then whenever I have net access
(local at home or on the Internet at large) I'll be able to do radio.

 APRS is a small but integral part of this plan as it's the IM and
resource-discovery core of Amateur Radio.  Bit by bit I'm putting the
pieces together.  Key checkpoints now are getting Bluetooth onto the
mobile D700 so I can access it remotely at any time and to hook the
home Icom rigs to the net for remote access.

There's a small Yahoo group setup for Ham Radio on the Nokia Internet
Tablets.  The Nokia name for their GUI interface is Hildon so the
Yahoo group is HildonHam.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HildonHam/

The new 810 is cute but I think the n800 is going to work just fine
with an external bluetooth GPS that I can position and power
independently.

FYI - the 800 was down to $300 at Amazon and $230 at buy.com

73
Bill - WA7NWP