I don't carry my N810 in my pocket, so I don't mind something that is slightly too big to be pocketable. According to umpcportal, the dimensions are:

M528: 152/80/23 mm
N810: 128/72/14 mm

So, about 3/8 of an inch thicker, 1/3 of an inch wider, and about an inch longer. You could probably still put it in your pocket.

Myself, I would rather fret over the anticipated software that it will run rather than a few millimetres of physical size.

My expectation is that it will be far more capable and versatile than the N810. In which case the extra bulk trade-off will be acceptable.

Rebski: I agree.

However, part of that "more capable" part is not just the software features, but the hardware features.

If I can't hot-swap storage while maintaining an active wifi connection (because it sounds like it might use the same SD slot for both), then that's far _less_ capable and versatile than the N810 in an area that I would consider to be of primary importance.

Same with having to use an external bluetooth adapter. Especially if the USB port is in a similar location to the N810's ... where you basically can't comfortably hold the device for thumb typing AND use any USB at the same time. If they've more appropriately put the USB port along the top edge or bottom edge (each has its advantages), or done _both_, then that's more reasonable... but still sub-optimal.

We'll just have to wait and see what the final arrangement is, though.

Hi Johnkzin, what we have been getting glimpses of so far have been mock-ups, prototypes and pre-production models. So i haven’t really been scrutinising specs too closely on the assumption that they are in a state of flux and will change by the time the actual models are released.

But what you say is disturbing. In this day and age wi-fi and bluetooth should be built in. I tolerated swapping comms cards with memory card slots on my Zaurus because 5 years ago that was all cutting edge but now it is mainstream.

As you say, we just have to see. I hope the caveat, never buy version 1 of anything, will not be case here. It will be a long wait for the second generation models.

Gigabyte M528/Aigo Patriot hands on video:
http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/08/a...side-elevator/

Looks snappy, has calendar, Bluesoleil for linux...

that calendar looks like GPE

Yup, but has a nifty desktop applet of some 3D or e17 kind

On Zaurus you (usually?) had 1 CF slot and 1 SD slot, so if you combined SD + WiFi on it, you could use your CF slot for whatever you prefer (e.g. GPS) provided you had SDIO support. The Linux kernel 2.4 (stock kernel for official Zaurus ROM) didn't have SDIO support.

For me SDIO + WiFi is of no concern. Especially not because the device includes 3G. I don't switch SD cards a lot, and I don't expect to use WiFi much either.

The integrated 3G makes this an attractive device IMO, but the price is a bit high for that. I don't like the white design BTW. Moblin also switches from Ubuntu to Fedora. I don't like that change either because I feel comfortable with APT. I'm looking forward to the first reviews of this device

Wi-fi is important to me (essential really), and I have really bad experiences with SDIO wi-fi. It's junk, compared to e.g. what's in the N8x0. The wi-fi card for my Palm didn't have a power saving mode, for example (which killed the battery in 20 minutes and also made the card very hot). There are also very few wi-fi sdio cards on the market. CFIO is another story (I also own a Zaurus and a cfio wi-fi card).

This device has supposedly entered the market, I was really looking forward to it 6 months ago but now with Maemo5, I think I can patiently wait a little while longer for next summer. I have high hopes for the next maemo hardware.

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post...n-devices.html