Today we are going to take a look at two of the available portable Wi-Fi browsing devices out there and see which is better and worthy of your attention and money.

iPod Touch

This is a device that needs no introduction. It’s small, slim, sexy and packed with enough games and features to make it one of the most desired mobile devices next to the iPhone. However, while it can be good at doing many things, such as playing games, listening to great music, etc, it still lacks in certain areas especially when compared to other portable WiFi devices.

Most people who get the Touch would probably want to jailbreak it first, to break Apple’s evil control of the device and return full functionality to it. There are many merits to doing a jailbreak, such as enabling various features that Apple has disallowed such as copy & paste and changing themes.

The small size and sheer thinness makes it virtually unnoticeable when slipped into your jeans pockets, although the shiny silver back attracts scratches like nobody’s business. You’d think that in a battle between steel and fabric, steel would win. You’d be wrong in this case. Do invest in a quality protective film such as the Invisible Shield or Bodyguardz.

Nokia N800 and N810

This device trades in slim & small size for more function. Compared to the Apple, it is perhaps twice as big and thick, making it a pretty apparent bulge in your pants if you decide to carry it around. The size may turn off some people who are always on the go, or people who don’t really need the big sized screen and would rather have portability.

The resolution is good at 800×480, making it possible to view web pages comfortably and watch movies, although it isn’t as crisp as the iPod. As a web browser, it’s hard to beat these N series devices. It runs on a mobile Linux operating system, but you can conceivably install any types of OS such as the Android as long as it supports the ARM9 processor, which is used in this device.

Best of all, the Nokia device supports full Flash, making your browsing much more complete, especially with certain sites which make heavy use of Flash for navigation. The difference between the newer N810 and N800 is that the N810 has a very much welcomed slide-out keyboard, making typing a very easy and comfortable affair vis-à-vis the small and cramped keyboard in the iPod Touch. The N800 uses an on-screen keyboard, which makes it thinner, and also accepts a full sized SD card while the N810 uses the smaller microSD for memory.

These two devices are your best bet if you want a portable browsing device. The Nokia also comes with built-in GPS, although performance is not that great. However, the iPod is a more developed device with tons of applications and games available from the App Store, while Nokia is still lacking in this department. Depending on what you want from your device, each has its own merits and pitfalls. But both are wonderful for portability and ease-of-use.