The last time I felt this excited for a product release was a good while ago when the first generation iPhone was announced. I can still recall the plethora of swear words that escaped my lips as I jumped all over my workplace cubicle in sheer joy, but I was much younger and immature then... :-)
As of now I have come to conjure these exact same sensations of happiness, but at the same time I still have some reservations. As I've mentioned before in previous entries, I do have a strong preference for the qwerty bar form factor for efficient one hand usage and quick keypad access.
Nothing pleases me more than having the slim and portable E71 in my pocket on any given day to provide constant 3G connectivity via a variety of resources. I can admit that the multimedia features may not measure up to the NSeries devices or adequately replace a cheap digital point-and-shoot, but they are nonetheless suitable. Even though I can be honest about the E71's shortcomings in this regard, I still consider it to be the absolute best device that grants the most functionality of any smartphone I've ever owned through the years. After all of the many uses I have put this phone through it is certainly justified to stake its claim as a jack of all trades for me. It has been my music player, my word processor, my spreadsheet editor, my PDA, my phone, my video player, my camera, my camcorder, my GPS tracker, my email organizer, my gaming device, my tethered modem, my alarm clock, picture album and my Internet browser. I am completely aware that there are plenty of competing devices out there more than capable of the same capabilities as the E71, but its the way in which it executes its features with the Symbian operating system that makes me so fond of it. I firmly believe that the Symbian OS on non-touchscreen devices is by far one of the most stable in the mobile industry, and the Apple iPhone is definitely comparable if not better. Relying on flawless sound quality and steady 3G reception, I have been a very satisfied Nokia customer and plan to remain as such even if I forsake the N97 and keep my beloved E71!
With all of that said, I am now brought back to my insecurities about the N97. There is certainly a tug-of-war playing out between logic and impulse, much like a cat and a ball of yarn in front of a dog pound. One huge concern is for this new and largely untested touchscreen OS for the Symbian S60 (or whatever version it's going to be), for there have already been one too many hyped unveilings in the past. One moment the public could be introduced to what is supposedly the next best thing, and suddenly this introduction could result in a device that is only average and lackluster or just a plain waste of time and money. While I do hope the best for this N97, I don't think I've seen anything more than demo videos in recent days. Whose to say that this new touch interface will really garner much media attention for Nokia, especially since the iPhone and WM Professional models are so prevalent? I tend to be a bit cautious of touchscreens because of what I believe is a more vulnerable platform where mishap occurrences may have a higher likelihood. Having touch entry on a device could potentially makes it more fragile that a typical non-touchscreen. This makes a perfect lead into another likely achilles heel for certain models: moving parts. Though I stand behind the quality testing of any Nokia device, there is always a chance that prolonged usage of the slider qwerty could introduce malfunctions. Not to mention that a bad batch of handsets could be released to the dismay of the customers. Aside from this it is still that darn touch screen that worries me. I guess that I am worried about all the iPhone enthusiasts who will of course dismiss the N97 as nothing more than a wannabe once it arrives. As much as I would like to be first in line to get one when possible, I would hate to find myself uninspired and having second thoughts about the purchase. I would hate to also be an early adopter who is only fortunate enough to go through growing pains and much needed updates of virgin touch interface. Another concern is size. Will it be as big as the E90? If so, will it be worth that much for me to give up the pros of the qwerty bar design? We will have to wait and see. Will the qwerty pad be as intuitive as the E71 and provide good feedback?
Despite all of these concerns, I only wish for Nokia to do well in the future with all of its innovative efforts. A part of me just wants Nokia to come out of the woodwork and blast every other manufacturer out of the water with its uncanny ability to balance the pros of enterprise and multimedia functions in one handset. At this point I shall continue waiting on pins and needles in anticipation for this to arrive soon, and I hope that online reviews are filled with much praise for it.
TRENT
Sent from my Nokia E71
2 comments:
I think you have pretty much summarized the Nokia fanboy feeling. Excitement with a bit of reserve on top ;-)
Seconded. Too many of the new so-called smartphones are essentially soul-less; great machines that do very little to generate feelings of excitement like those you've described. Only time will tell if the N97 represents the next best thing...but here's hoping it does.
Folarin
Lagos, Nigeria
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