Even with the recent news of newer firmware being released later this year, it is wise that I not consider a third N97. After some thought, I actually decided to go for the E72 when that supposedly arrives in the late third quarter. A part of me is attracted to having all of that internal storage for media content, but I honestly don't really use it for more than just playing back music. Watching videos is rare for me and handling documents and occasional pictures is nothing that a few GBs on one card can't handle. Once I stop justifying the need 32GB, the N97 still remains a most challenging model for me in regards to its qwerty and touch interface.
Truthfully, I am turned off by the fact that the interface does not replicate the iPhone or HTC TouchFLO 3D. I find those two versions to be the absolute best for me in regards to quick and easy navigation through icons and menus. The touch S60 5th edition feels too basic and clunky, and I don't think that any sort of kinetic scrolling or other upgrade would appease me. I believe that S60 is made perfectly for non-touchscreen, and I am more than willing to revisit the ESeries line on those terms. The E71 still remains to be my most favored device from Nokia even after the announcement of the N900 and XSeries models, and the E72 may be in the cards for me...but I shall speak more on this later.
Samsung's TouchWiz UI and S60 5th edition with capacitive screen is not really much better than N97's resistive input since I had a chance to play with a friend's Omnia HD. Even with capacitive touch, I still found S60 5th edition to be cumbersome to work with. The lack of a hardware qwerty really turned me off as well and in one case made the situation much worse: the ENTIRE screen being dominated by the virtual qwerty and its touch commands, leaving only a small rectangular (CLAUSTROPHOBIC) space for entering text. The Samsung widget features only made the phone confusing and took away from the any kind of professional, business-like feel for the OS appearance. Granted, the Omnia HD is not marketed as a business device, but it would have been nice to not have to deal with a UI that seemed to be made for grade school kids with its hyper-bright widget coloring and youthful graphics. In a matter of minutes, I was so turned off by the touchscreen only variant of S60 5th edition that I immediately gave back the Omnia HD to my friend and gladly returned to using my TP2. The upcoming Samsung Omnia Pro seems to be a good candidate to complement my HTC, but its lack of 3G, TouchWiz UI, and potentially-subpar qwerty offer no reassurance to switch. Much like the old HTC Touch Pro, opening the device to landscape only reveals a set of icons instead of the normal interface desktop. Once again, HTC has done a stellar job at masking Windows Mobile and making it more user-friendly, but Samsung may have much to learn with the Omnia Pro if it still plans to use TouchWiz on it.
The Touch Pro 2 is a marvel in its own right, but it is mainly due to the ingenuity of HTC's TouchFLO 3D. The other night I decided to turn off TouchFLO 3D and try out the default Windows Mobile OS. OH MY GOD! I would almost prefer the N97 interface over using Windows Mobile in default mode again! HTC did an amazing job in covering up the complexities of Windows Mobile with TouchFLO 3D, and it looks/feels professional, vibrant and beautiful at the same time (without trying too hard). HTC single-handedly made Windows Mobile accessible to me in a way that rivaled the iPhone and NON-touchscreen S60 OS, and I will always remain a big fan. One caveat of my TP2 is the lack of AT&T 3G, and I certainly feel the pain in using data services over EDGE and not having Mac tethering capabilities. The dropping of calls in my house is still a nuisance, but one that is easily overcome by the benefits of TouchFLO 3D, a spacious touchscreen, adequate stereo speakers, and a PERFECT hardware qwerty! After finding the SportyPal application to take the place of Nokia Sports Tracker, I have finally come to a point where I can truly live without Nokia ESeries...if I wanted to.
Android, Maemo and WebOS all seem to have much potential, but I doubt they can meet the challenge of becoming integrated into my daily routine without too many compromises. I love to use my mobile device as an office processor/multimedia viewer/PDA/GPS tracker/suitable camera/Mac tether/Mac syncer, and Nokia S60 and Windows Mobile have been the ONLY versions so far that have been able to step up the plate and hit homeruns! Windows Mobile only recently joined the ranks of Nokia S60 due to the SportyPal application being so comparable to the Nokia Sports Tracker. Whether these new OS models have what it takes remains to be seen, but there is also a necessary balance that must be obtained between the hardware and software. In regards to hardware, none of the devices for either Android, Maemo, or WebOS grabbed my attention in even the slightest bit. Well, I was mildly intrigued by the N900, but was all! Even if the hardware of an OS other than S60 or Windows Mobile catches my interest, the software would have to meet my demanding routine. So far, I haven't seen anything succeed at doing just that.
Speaking of the N900, there was one aspect mentioned by a colleague that I didn't realize: the screen orientation being practically locked in landscape mode when the phone app is not in use. This could really place a damper on versatility for daily use if one must require the use of both hands for most tasks. Now that I think of it, that could have been an unbeknownst factor in why I had sold my N810 tablet years ago. Yes, the lack of support for AT&T 3G is yet another concern to consider. Anssi's mentioning of that device eventually being upstaged by a more robust Nokia OS version in the coming future does potentially add some complication. Some customers may go for the N900 while others choose to wait until the next OS announcement. Other than that, I really can't think of any other potential caveats besides the usual concern for app compatibility. Understandably, if this is meant to primarily be a tablet that just happens to have phone capability, there is definitely a chance of the smartphone side of the N900 feeling like a second thought. As much as I would like to try out a new OS, I refuse to become a Maemo guinea pig and be left hanging without app support for functions such as Mac syncing, word processing and GPS tracking. I hate to say this, but Maemo really doesn't seem to look that much different from S60 5th edition. Further opinions shall be reserved until the reviews start coming in, and I may most likely request a review unit from WomWorld Nokia.
With all of that said, the E72 seems to be the next natural move for me. I certainly favor the form factor and talents of my TP2, but every now and then I also crave the ease-of-use of the qwerty bar form factor. While I may despise Nokia S60 for touch, it is still quite handy in non-touch environments. Not to mention that ESeries devices always happen to display amazing craftsmanship with metallic housings and solid mechanisms; a contrast to the plastics of the NSeries devices. Certain newer features of the E72 also peak my interest as well, and I am glad to at least see support for the 1900 3G band. It may not officially handle the AT&T 3G bands of both 850 and 1900 at the same time, but having at least 1900 in my area still grants me access to 3G! This kind of access to faster data services could possibly place the E72 in a preferred placement over my current Touch Pro 2, but I will have to wait and see. I really have no initial worries about the E72 since I have already grown familiar with the E71, and returning to non-touch may have its initial benefits for my daily use.
Another alternative could be the Tilt 2, AT&T's version of the Touch Pro 2. That would solve the 3G access issue, but could involve more issues in regards to installed carrier ROMs packed with unnecessary games and apps. Being subjected to such bloatware and a possible chance of losing smartphone flexibility in installing apps is not acceptable. While a minor inconvenience at the most, the rearranging of the qwerty keys takes away from a layout that had absolutely nothing wrong with it! I could live with the Tilt 2 if I had to, but fortunately I can exercise my freedom of choice and go with the E72 as a backup to the Touch Pro 2.
TRENT
Sent from my HTC Touch Pro 2
TRENT SENSE blogger/netcast host
trentsense.com
youtube.com/absolon3
3 comments:
Trent says:
"I refuse to become a Maemo guinea pig and be left hanging without app support for functions such as Mac syncing, word processing and GPS tracking. I hate to say this, but Maemo really doesn't seem to look that much different from S60 5th edition."
You should look further into the Maemo OS before speaking in assumptions. A little history lesson would help.
Maemo is nothing new. It is actually just Debian Linux with a custom UI and some PIM apps built in. You wouldn't be a guinea pig, Trent. Debian Linux is an old OS, and open source at that. The Maemo community is agile and quick to fill in gaps users request. I can assure you syncing to a Mac are things long covered by Maemo devs.
The most popular apps on Maemo are Mplayer, a media player, and an SSH app. This shows the aims of the community. Also, the new OS will be based on Qt, and many of the apps on the current Maemo are Qt. Making old apps work on the new version will also be handled by the community, something they have a long history of doing with Maemo.
The entire point here is all apps for Maemo and Symbian will be compatible via Qt, the new framework engine for Maemo 6, Symbian^4, as well as Mac OSX and Windows! You'll see MORE app compatibility across all the OSes via the Ovi SDK, not less.
Also, N900 will have Microsoft Office, not QuickOffice or another app. Maemo is a desktop environment, not a mobile one. Debian Linux has been around on PCs for years. The quality of apps for Maemo reflects this.
What I hope happens is you love the N900, but wish for a portrait T9 and/or QWERTY text entry option. This is the biggest hole I see for the N900. Other than that, this is the device for US, the urban tech junkie!
You'll see, and when you do, please email me at christexaport@sbcglobal.net about it.
Thanks very much for the insightful comment. I do hope that the N900 can take the Nokia devices to a whole new level in the eyes of the consumers (including myself), and only time will tell. So far, I am really excited to realize that Maemo is a desktop OS instead of a smartphone one. Hopefully, there will indeed be much support from the developer community behind the N900.
I'm a n97 user. I'm slightly frustrated, however, based on my needs:
1. Good camera
2. Good Phone
3. Decent web browser
It does the job and I'm glad there is a firmware 2.0 on the way. I feel like the phone will have a 2nd life..
it's issues: processor, RAM and C:/ drive space and weak GPS signal can't all possibly be fixed by the firmware.
As for the n900, they do have Ovi Maps, fast processor, more RAM and recreations of the calendar, contacts, messaging apps, great multi-tasking abilities, a good Carl Zeise camera. My only concern is the battery life and stability. I'll wait for a decent amount of review regarding the n900 before jumping on that one.
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