I went from casual to intensive last week, when, on faith alone, I hopped a plane to my client with nothing more than an N800 in my pocket. The laptop stayed at home, hooked into the network with VNC running on it "just in case".

Between what I'd tucked into the 2 onboard 4 gb SD cards and stuff I keep available on the web, I had no need to ever access that old heavy laptop. And while other consultants were looking for cables or trying to catch a wifi signal, I had clean high speed access from my phone's bluetooth modem.

This is no "out of the box" N800 though. I did a LOT of searching and testing to find just the right mix of software (both local and web apps, plus Skype and Gizmo) to meet my needs, but I think I must have sold at least a 1/2 dozen N800s last week.

When I pick up a bluetooth keyboard the N800 will be "full time" and I'll relegate the laptop to my wife as a web browsing/shopping machine.

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Add me to THAT list!

In fact, the N800 has changed what I plan to buy for my next pair of glasses! My current ones are thin metal arms, no frames around the lenses; but they don't slide up onto my forehead easliy!

My next pair of frames will be tested with N800 in hand and checking that they slide from nose to forehead and STAY there!
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I'm going to take advantage of your different use of "." and offer you $20.00

I just spent a 10 day holiday on the island of Naxos in Greece. Here is a detailed blog entry of mine on how my Nokia N800 (with 2 GB SD Card) got used during this trip

Long thread and I will make it longer.

I would call myself a sporadic user. Days will go by and I don't use it and then I will use it constantly for the next three days. Here is what I use it for:

1) As my computer when I travel. I use a Bluetooth keyboard, ABIword, and the evince document viewer and people don't know I am not in the office.
2) As an MP3 player for the airplane rides.
3) eBook reader!!!
4) RSS feed reading (I usually only use RSS as a way to fill in the gaps when traveling).
5) Route mapping for motorcycle tours. I use Maemo mapper by itself to map out a route and then connect the N800 to a Pharos GPS receiver (this combination is a trifle unstable but I have got the hang of it now) to track the route traveled and for instant self-location if I get lost. This use of the device at about 50% the cost of a full-up GPS system is worth it by itself.
6) Handwritten shopping lists with Maemopad.
7) Recipe storage via del.icio.us
8) Web surfing whenever I feel like it

I guess I use if for a lot of things. It is always on my hip in it's Nutshell case even on those days I don't pull it out. I down-sized my phone from an E61 to an E65 when I got it and I find the combination to be unbeatable.

Fred

I have found I am addicted to it. But, mainly addicted for updates to make it easier to use...ie; browsing experience and media.
I use mainly:
RSS (all the time--addicted to gadgets)
Browsing

As far as anything else, its a pain in the neck. It is what it is, a internet tablet. Unfortunalty, I dont feel it lives up toits name. I still enjoy it though.

I am not what the original poster had in mind, but I think "casual user" describes me perfectly.

What I want is a device that can serve as both a toy and a tool, that I can carry with me at all times. So far, the N800 serves my needs reasonably well, and better than other things I've tried lately. I'm fairly happy with it. I'm still looking for something that suits me better, but I don't see any likely prospects.

What I don't want is another hobby: something that requires constant maintenance, tweaking, upgrading, reconfiguring, etc., etc., etc. If I wanted those things, I would probably be deliriously delighted with the N800.

I do find plenty of disappointments and frustrations with the N800. I'm not claiming that Nokia led me to expect features that are missing. Rather, my point it is that it's the best compromise I could find, and that's a far cry from being my ideal device.

I know, I know: It's a CONSUMER device. IT'S NOT A PDA!

Who are these consumers, anyway, strictly unemployed people? Do they not have any need of any PDA features? Or are they expected to carry both a PDA and an internet tablet at all times? Something's wrong with that picture!

For myself, I do not need most PDA features, but I do need a working calendar and audible alarms to remind me of appointments. Fortunately, the N800 delivers those features. Unfortunately, they're in two separate programs, so I have to enter events twice. I think that's a good example of how the N800 often succeeds but falls flat on its face in doing so.

Still, I carry it. Sometimes I go two or three days without turning it on, but it's usually there (sometimes with a very low battery, but still functional) when I need to look something up in Sdict or connect to the wifi network at work. My mini BT keyboard works reasonably well with Leafpad, but not with Maemopad+ or Xterm. A decent word processor would be nice, but most of my writing needs can be satisfied with a good text editor.

And of course, since it runs Linux, I have access to the wide world of open source software.... RIGHT! That's why I can't even find an SNTP client. Or a BASIC interpreter. Or... but never mind, Nokia never promised those things, so I shouldn't expect them, right?

Despite all this, I like it. Not long ago, I insisted that only a clamshell device with a real keyboard would be acceptable, but now I prefer the N800. It fits comfortably in my pocket. I think I'll keep it.

Until something better comes along.

the internet tablet works well for casual internet surfing. should come in handy on the road rather than lugging the laptop around.

i predict that they will come out with one with an even bigger touch screen. maybe a slide out keyboard. the key is to keep the price sub $400.