Nokia abandons N810 WiMax tablet

Reports abound that Finland's phone behemoth has ditched the WiMax version of its N810 Linux tablet.

Is this a surprise? Not really, for three reasons. Firstly, the N810, while doubtlessly delightful, is pretty much a geek/developer-only proposition. Secondly, WiMax is biggest in the (no pun intended) developing world, where it's much more sensible as a fixed-line replacement than as a connectivity mode for pricey gadgets. Thirdly, Nokia - like all phone manufacturers right now - is not experiencing the fairest financial weather and is probably somewhat cool on the experimentation stuff.

Ergo, little dropping of jaws at today' news. Expect Nokia to use LTE/HSDPA for future versions of the device, but also expect the company to do what it says it's doing and keep an eye on WiMax's progress.