Much before the iPhone obsession began; Nokia came with its Internet Tablet – Nokia 770. The Wi-Fi-ready, web-surfing handheld device met with a lukewarm response and not much fanfare and a lot of complaints about it being too slow and lacking in important features like IM.

A large in-your-face Touchscreen and a great display that can show off most web pages without scrolling, the 770 was a primitive version of the iPhone, except it wasn't a phone. Then in the beginning of the year Nokia launched the N800 – a follow up to the 770, which offered a VOIP system, IM and even a webcam, but the response from consumers remained lukewarm.

However, about a week back the N800 had a makeover in the form of a firmware upgrade, which can make the N800 a worthy alternative to the iPhone. The most important change in the N800 being the adoption of Skype as opposed to the earlier Nokia VOIP system. Rhapsody, more Internet radio stations, better battery life, and better Touchscreen response are also a part of the new look.

Ever since the iPhone hype started, a growing thought has been the iPhone without the phone. Now while Apple might actually come up with a product like that, for those who don't want to wait, the N800 is right here, ready and available and if someone's in a Wi-fi hotspot, they can actually call as well, so the N800 definitely has enough ammunition to draw swords with the iPhone. Plus, the N800 comes for about $ 360 (best price), which is a huge saving as compared to the iPhone, and the monthly bills are spared. The only expenditure is the SD memory card for storing media files.

Having said that, it must be added though, that despite its many advantages, what the N800 lacks is the super-cool user interface of the iPhone, which is at the moment, one of its kind.