The Competition: Nokia N900 Hands-On
Nokia's latest latest and greatest, the N900, is being shown off at Nokia World, and it again has our own NokiaExpert, Matt Miller, all shades of excited.
While some have complained about it's meager 3 rows of keys (3 rows too many for me, but I know many others like physical keyboards...) most are really excited about it's Maemo (Linux-based) operating system, and it's new user interface.
In fact, antonioj, who sent the link our way, thinks it might be enough to pressure Apple into refreshing the 2007-era iPhone UI...
Editor-in-Chief of iMore, Executive Producer at Mobile Nations, co-host of Iterate and ZEN and TECH, cook, grappler, photon wrangler.
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It looks really sweet. I wish my iPhone 3G moved around and opened things that quickly. Shush all of you iPhone 3GS users. haha.
Nice piece of hardware. Very slick, nice UI, but as was mentioned...that keyboard just looks too small.
It does seem that the iPhone is falling behind now in terms of UI. They may have started the whole revolution of beautiful, simplistic UI's...but now these companies (both software and hardware) are jumping up to do battle. And quite frankly...they're swinging hard.
I dont see the UI foregoing a revamp anytime soon for the iPhone. Simply because of the thoughts that "it just works." And nobody will complain...because even if something WERE wrong...most enthusiasts wouldn't dare speak ill of their favorite thing. It seems the "advantages" of the iPhone is dwindling down to the app store. And even that can be lost. It's never the number of apps that matter, it's what type of apps. And if Google, Microsoft, Palm, RIM can just push out that ONE app that makes a world of difference to most phone users...then well, that can shift the balance of things.
It seems Apple is getting too comfortable with their high position. They need to kick it in gear posthaste.
Keyboard is small, but there is an on-screen keyboard as well. So you can have it both ways.
Lots of stuff can be gleaned by careful inspection of the screen captures in this review: http://tinyurl.com/knowm2
I don´t agree, at all...like i said to Renee, this is a bit like a wake up call. Android and WebOS already were showing iPhone´s UI weaknesses in some aspects, but this does it even more. Apple can´t aford to remain static while the competition makes iPhone´s UI look old and boring. The "just works" thing is not enough anymore. What was a revolucionary UI is no more, so Apple has to leap away yet again. I´m 100% sure iPhone 4.0, now that the basics are covered, like MMS, copy+paste, etc, will bring ALOT of UI changes. The 3GS has hardware more than capable of alowing all the things we see on the n900, but even for the older models, stuff like a new notification system, information displayed on lockscreen, etc, should be doable.
Nokia made a nice UI but it doesn't come off as intuitive. Also, I don't see anything there that tells me that if I switch my experience will be better and I can do things easier or faster. Maybe if there was a better presentation some of my objections would be negated but beyond the UI there is nothing revolutionary there and I don't see it being a quantum leap beyond the iPhone. For me, that's not enough to switch.
@antonioj:
Actually the Nokia uses the same processor as the 3GS and it has 32gig internal memory plus 32Gig hot-swapable memory card.
You can side load applications.
So yes, I agree, Apple's whole UI needs a make over. July of next year would be the soonest you could see that.
I don't really like that UI at all.... =/
@The Reptile
If you notice...that is what the battle of the smartphone throne is coming down to. UI and apps. The normal consumer cares not of technical specs. They care not of the megapixel count in their camera. They want a phone that looks nice, plays nice, and has neat lil applications that show off how fancy their phone is. Bottom line.
As newer smartphones come out...they are mostly focusing on UI presentation and how many exciting apps they can showcase.
This device looks real nice. I do not like the keyboard one bit though. I will no give up my iPhone for this device. Plus it is probably going to cost $1000+.
Very roughly speaking, the unsubsidized price of 500 euros (before taxes) is on the same bracket as iPhone 3GS... unsubsidized, you know.
One of the things to notice on the device (seen on various videos) is how aggressively it offers multitasking and personal customizations to the users. Those are topics where iPhones are totally challenged. If the first "smartphone" you have seen is iPhone, you might never have figured out you would want those features, but many of the power users, like myself, have used multitasking on phones for well over five years. Apple really has some catching to do in this regard, sooner or later.
This is pretty much the same design concept as the htc hero. Sorry I just don't see anything here thats particularly amazing. But at the same time the iPhone OS does need a refresh.
@iDavey - so you'd drop a phone that you have paid $200 for, purchased accessories for, loaded with music and applications at the cost of ??? all for a UI if the apps are equal? Somehow, I do not think so. A UI is more than splashy presentation it's about navigation and user experience. I see the presentation in the Nokia but not the ease of use that I expect from any likely successor to the iPhone.
If the market is all about UI, then why is RIM still in business?
Ok, they are playing catch-up with Apple, but nah.
The UI may be cool, but user friendly? No. And I would really like to know what happens to battery life with a few network depending apps running in the background like they do in the demo.
Almost there, but to compete and win over the iPhone you need to do something completely new, not just do the things that winmo has done all the time that apple chose not to do on the iPhone.
I personally dont like the UI, to me the iphone can keep its current UI if they just add some degree of multitasking and make the lockscreen useful by adding notifications on to it.
looks solid.
Hmmm
Can someone explain to me why Billy Crystal is demonstrating this phone as Fernando? "This phone looks mahvelous! And you know, darlings, it's better to look good than to function good!"
Maybe it was just the presentation, but even "Fernando" seemed a little lost while navigating. The UI feels a bit disorganized, if not confusing...but there is no denying that the N900 offers multi-tasking and "multi-method communication" (I don't know the best term).
I like the way a lot of these new smartphones have a focus on dynamic communications for contacts. In one view, you are able to intelligently select the best communication method for each contact. The iPhone does not offer that. Yes you can utilize multiple methods of communication, but with the iPhone, you have no indication of what method will reach your contact effectively or timely.
Also, these new phones have customization and color. I miss the ability to change the skin or theme for my phone and the ability to organize data to my liking. I'm growing weary of black and white.
I'm not ready to divorce my iPhone. But I certain agree with those who have suggested that Apple get working on some UI changes soon.
I think the iPhone UI needs tweaking a little, firstly for notifications. Secondly for the eventual multi-tasking that will certainly come eventually. But let's face it, in the desktop OS market - Linux wins for eye-candy, but it's absolutely awful to use and many many years behind Windows, much less OSX. This Nokia = eye-candy!
cool looking phone for sure but too gimmicky for me you can see the guy is a little confused as to what to do. also i can not get past the keyboard but hope apple will start to realize how much customizing means to us customers.
The Reptile Says: "@iDavey - so you’d drop a phone that you have paid $200 for, purchased accessories for, loaded with music and applications at the cost of ??? all for a UI if the apps are equal? Somehow, I do not think so. A UI is more than splashy presentation it’s about navigation and user experience. I see the presentation in the Nokia but not the ease of use that I expect from any likely successor to the iPhone.
If the market is all about UI, then why is RIM still in business?"
This is not your typical phone, and the apps will NOT be equal. Maemo is a Debian Linux distro with a custom touch UI and some built in PIM apps. I think Linux desktop apps far exceed the apps on the iPhone. And with Qt, Maemo5 is capable of porting most of its apps to other platforms, plus, with a little recoding of the UI layers of some apps from the desktop (which is so easy it takes hours), it can run apps from the Linux library.
BTW, RIM is still around because its NOT just all about UI except in the nascent US market. Its about features and choice, and with RIM's large portfolio of devices and various price points and form factors, similar to Nokia's successful model, they've managed to become the top selling smartphone brand in America and second best selling OS. Take heed, Apple...
iBamse Says:
"Ok, they are playing catch-up with Apple, but nah.
The UI may be cool, but user friendly? No. And I would really like to know what happens to battery life with a few network depending apps running in the background like they do in the demo.
Almost there, but to compete and win over the iPhone you need to do something completely new, not just do the things that winmo has done all the time that apple chose not to do on the iPhone."
Playing catchup with Apple?!? Nokia basically invented the smartphone market, and has led the segment for almost 5 years straight. Isn't it Apple playing catchup with Nokia/Symbian??
Nokia smartphones have long had multitasking, and having 3-5 always connected apps is seen as normal usage. I regularly listen to streaming music, download torrents, IM, do P2P, and much more with no adverse effects on battery life. It was designed with this function in mind. I'm American, but will quickly admit that we just don't use our phones for much, and don't recognize the features we're behind on because of the immaturity of our smartphone market.
SpiceRak2 Says:
"Maybe it was just the presentation, but even “Fernando” seemed a little lost while navigating. The UI feels a bit disorganized, if not confusing…but there is no denying that the N900 offers multi-tasking and “multi-method communication” (I don’t know the best term).
I like the way a lot of these new smartphones have a focus on dynamic communications for contacts. In one view, you are able to intelligently select the best communication method for each contact. The iPhone does not offer that. Yes you can utilize multiple methods of communication, but with the iPhone, you have no indication of what method will reach your contact effectively or timely.
Also, these new phones have customization and color. I miss the ability to change the skin or theme for my phone and the ability to organize data to my liking. I’m growing weary of black and white.
I’m not ready to divorce my iPhone. But I certain agree with those who have suggested that Apple get working on some UI changes soon."
To be honest, I never saw any confusion in a single part of the video. Could you clarify what you mean? What I saw was someone using a prototype device he'd surely not seen before use it very quickly and intuitively. He showed the dashboard, browser, and home screens. What confused him? The lack of buttons? I thought iPhans liked sparse design?
Andrew Says:
"cool looking phone for sure but too gimmicky for me you can see the guy is a little confused as to what to do. also i can not get past the keyboard but hope apple will start to realize how much customizing means to us customers."
Again, what confusion?? Did I miss something? And since when has Debian Linux been gimmicky? Maybe it is you that is confused. And the keyboard is an alternative entry method. It also has onscreen keyboards, but hardware keys win everytime in my book. Its about preference and choice, and Nokia leads in that space, as usual. Take heed, don't hate, and think outside the Apple.
The UI on the N900 is HOT!!! the iPhone could afford a UI makeover in the near future in my opinion. I'd like to have wallpaper on my springboard without having to jailbreak...sigh...
bon caleter d'image ,
Le Nokia N900 prétend remplacer un PC miniature. Pour la première fois, il fonctionne avec l'OS Maemo 5
http://mobile-news-2009.blogspot.com/2009/08/nokia-n900.html
Hello everybody here fanboys. Nokia is not playing catch up here. iphone is not a pc. Nokia n900 is using debian linux variant which is a true PC OS. OS on the iphone is a light version os OSX with crippled multitasking because of battery issue not perfected in the iphone. Iphone hardware tech is way behind when it comes to battery life and radio signal strength. Apple is good in software UI and eyecandy screen but not yet there on smartphone technology.
@christexaport
"To be honest, I never saw any confusion in a single part of the video. Could you clarify what you mean? What I saw was someone using a prototype device he’d surely not seen before use it very quickly and intuitively. He showed the dashboard, browser, and home screens. What confused him? The lack of buttons? I thought iPhans liked sparse design?"
You saw one thing. I guess I saw something else. The guy seemed a liitle confused. What more do you need?
If you re-read my post, perhaps you will glean the positive things I mentioned about newer smartphones on the market. I don't think that qualifies me as an "iPhan" or as someone incapable of seeing beyond Apple. You have made an incorrect assumption here.
@ SpiceRak2, I'm sure you saw something else. I'm just asking specifically what you saw. I'm used the iPhone users saying things but not putting out any tangible evidence to back their claims.
"The iPhone is a pocket computer, but Symbian phones are merely smartphones. Big difference!" This with no mention of multitasking, open access to device hardware, a file browser with full access, support for more programming languages than any other mobile platform, ability to easily install homebrewed software without need for approval from a governing body, etc. I just don't understand why most iPhone users see things as they do, or upon what they base their opinion. From the points I've mentioned, I seem to be on solid ground, and I can never get an educated response or rebuttal from anyone to the contrary besides "It just works".
We both have access to the video. It is time stamped for our convenience. That being said, watch the video again, and when the user seems confused, take note of the timebar's position, and repost those times so we can review the confusion together.
I'm interested in what you perceive as confusion. I'm pretty sure it is you that is confused, but I am willing to take a second look. I don't think I know it all, and maybe I'm not being as thorough as you have been. But I've watched this video and many others, and have only seen one confusing moment on any of them, and it was related to a slow WiFi network connection, not indecision from the users.
And by the way, I called you an iPhan because this is the iPhone Blog, and you seemed to be an iPhone user. I meant it as an identifier, not a slight. I'm a Nokia fan myself. We all have our own preferences. Mentioning good things about other smartphones doesn't mean you don't prefer the iPhone, either, and it DID let me know you do have some knowledge of the competition. Not for a second did I think or imply that you had a closed view, just a faulted and possibly incorrect one. I say incorrect because you made a claim of confusion, which by definition would be a fact instead of your opinion. I haven't found any credence to that assessment so far. Waiting for your reply.
email me with your findings. christexaport@sbcglobal.net
This means Apple's gotta turn it up a notch. Its good because it creates competition and we all benefit because we get better devices.
@christexaport
I find your comments to be overwhelmingly arrogant and condescending. You also succumb to stereotyping on a consistent basis.
I have no interest in submitting a "report of my findings" to you or anyone else. I shared my opinion, like every other poster on this site. You are confident that I have claimed to state facts regarding whether a man on a video is confused. Neither you nor I can know for sure and it is more than ludicrous to debate it.
Please move on. I already have.
SpiceRak2, With the utmost respect, I don't intend to be arrogant or condescending. I'm a writer, but I'm not the best at beating around the bush or being politically correct. Forgive me if I come of that way.
I didn't mean anything by the iPhan comment. I'm a Nokia Nseries fan, and write for a blog in that space, but I'm an all around lover of tech, and I regularly read here as well.
I should've made it clear that I'm a part of the Maemo and Symbian communities. I wasn't interested in what confused the fellow. I've already spoken directly to him to see if I'd mentioned something. I only wanted to know what you "perceived" to be confusion. I don't think you imagined anything, but iPhone users are a special breed, and I am intent on attracting some of the great developer talent as well as users looking to upgrade to our ecosystems. I wanted to know what it is exactly that turned you off to the N900 in the video.
Nokia's OSes are both open source software, and it is up to us to create the best user experience possible, which includes attracting more users. What I should've asked was what should be changed in the device based on this presentation.
I apologize again, and hope you are willing to give your input for me to forward to the community for adjustments. I don't know why you seem so offended, but no offense was intended.
DOES ANYONE ELSE AGREE WITH SPICERAK2'S OPINION THAT THE USER LOOKED CONFUSED? If so, please let me know. If not, please let me know as well, becasue I think I must be blind...
what doesn't seem user friendly about the UI?
That phone ROCKS!!!!! its fast. looks sexy. multitasking just as well as my n95 and better with a waaaay better battery. truck loads of memory. hot swap micro sd. 5 mega pixel camera ( and for the record people do care about the lil mega pixels) Even copying sections that u can not edit from, and pasting. The curser thingy. FLASH 9!!!!!! does any other phone out there have flash 9 ? just curious. I think there may be one or 2 out there that i read about. Brand new UI (symbian/nokia was killing me and getting boring with it. my new phones were looking like my old phones) I think the iphone is slick too though. but it doesn't compare in these areas. but I don't think nokia is playing catch up. honestly I thought the n95 8gb gave the iphone a long kiss good night a long time ago. Especially since it was 3g ( so was the n95) and iphone was not. Not to mention video and a host of other missing things that in my opinion makes a smart phone a smart phone. I also understand why the iphone has a stronger base here in the US. The I Phone is a phone that even novice/in experienced cell phone users can appreciate and be awe struck by. It was targeted and made for the masses (smart marketing on apple's part) I mean its not marketed or designed for people like me. Most customers here in the US could care less about the specific details in which nokia over towers over the iphone and that's "IF" they even understood it. It's (the i phone) however, very slick looking. Simple... Easy to use and does lots of neat tricks. The average phone user in the US is dazzled right there and needs no further convincing. I would, however need a lil more to sell me on it. They , the I phone enthusiasts, don't need the phone to do all the things that I would need a smart phone to do nor do it to the same degree. I am not so easily fascinated by shiny things and bright colors that make noise. Just pointing out the role simplicity, newness, and attractiveness plays when coupled with existing branding and popularity in an eager market plagued with mundaneness. That alone will win the the personal preference tug of war initially every time. No disrespect to T-Mobile but I swear they sold that darn side kick over and over again with minor upgrades. They were selling customers essentially the same thing and we loved them for it. that's how hungry, how frustrated and eager we were for something refreshing in the market. The iphone in spite of its FEW yet MAJOR draw backs gave us just that. Factual data and concrete results have fallen by the waist side. But now Nokia is giving us the best of both worlds I think with thsi new device. features, looks, practicality, and even a few things we didn't expect or know we needed like the whole dash board concept (which is undoubtedly a much better experience then switching between multiple running apps on my n95 i'm sure) -Another leg up on the comp with the i phone was it's huge screen. This made everything appear to be even more simpler. For example I would recommend the iphone to my dad who is 65 and my in laws who are over 50 and just about any average cell phone user looking to upgrade before ever suggesting something like the n95 (they wouldn't know what to do with it. would be a waste of a device) or that waste of money n97 (sorry the n97 didn't deliver on the scale it should have. and the n96 was simply the n95 in a prettier/different wrapper with more memory). Anyways I am happier that this new UI on the n900 seems to be simpler and possibly faster than my n95. I am all ready to buy this phone should they produce 850/1900 3g frequencies (hell i would even switch to t-mobile just to use it) but... I'm just worried about the software. im familiar with symbian but not maemo too much. i love the option to download all kinda cool apps so I am concerned if maemo has the quantity, quality, and availability that the symbian phones have. I suppose I will be doing some more research. Last Nokia tablet i got was the 7710.. although it may not have been a tablet really since it made phone calls too, but the point is that it sucked. I am gonna wait a while to see 1.. what the reviews and my friends think about it and 2.. to see if they will spurt out a upgraded version a month or so after as usual with new products. but i am almost certain I will definitely buy this phone
The iPhone and N900 are very different, I don't think they should be compared with eachother so much. Nokia even sells the N900 as a "mobile computer" instead of a phone, even though you can make calls with it. N900 is a tablet, iPhone is a phone.
Nevertheless, the N900 looks great and I'm really excited about the Maemo OS. I'm seriously thinking of getting this piece of technical awsomeness, the price ain't so bad either!
The n900 looks SWEEEET!! I like that the user can customize their phone with different themes, and that it has real internet capability with flash...as opposed to my iPhone 3GS in which Apple decides what I like instead of me. I am very tempted to buy this phone when it comes out, and sell my iPhone 3GS on craigslist to help pay for this phone. This may really be the first iPhone killer. Apple's iPhone is so 2007, while this phone is more like 2010...finally.
i am a nokia fan. but i love tech. when the n97 was released i admitted the the omnia hd was the better of the 2 devices,yet i still bought the n97. with that out of the way...i just do not get what is so special about the iphone and why every device is compared to it. having been using a friends iphone(i had to jailbreak it for them)my feelings for the iphone just got more infuriating. "it just works"...no it doesnt. texting on the iphone was horrendous; pressing too close to one letter meant hitting another, no mutitasking,camera was so-so...jailbreaking...that was a feat by itself...after the device locked back itself...with the 3.1 update, syncing wasnt what i expected (too accostomed to dragging files from PC and placing them in repsective folders)and the capacitive screen...any little "touch" rendered to the point it was annoying...and my list can go on...dont even get me started on the 30 worthwhile apps in the app store...quality not quantity my friends... ive said all that to say this: in no way can the iphone stand up to the n900...simple...even just specs based..no... UI admittedly the n900 needs a few touches around the edges but...no one can deny that the UI doesnt look great still...and is fast... can we please compare the n900 to a real device? how about the n900 vs the SE Satio/idou? but the iphone will sell well....in america...in europe however...i think alot of people have gotten over the "hype" that once was (you know the "send that song to my phone....uhhh i cant" hype) and to iphone fans who cant wait til july 2010 for the next incarnation of the iphone with year 2001 added features like ability to bluetooth files...maemo 6 will be launching..a more powerful, more feature rich device.."the best maemo yet!" lol...couldnt help myself (and why do people call the iphone a SMARTphone? dont you know what the "i" stands for?)
Any guy who thinks that iphone is better than nokia n900 is a fool! Nokia please make an AT&T variant. Linux is very open and great! Hardware kicks ass!!! Battery and signal definitely great bec of the thickness (a necessary evil) to come up with a bigger and better battery to support more long lasting power. That's what engineering is all about not the stupidly fashionably thin and small battery iphone!
Some iphonies claim they can multitask, running a couple of apps is not multitasking it’s maybe minitasking. I’m talking about downloading a divx dvdrip to watch later without any convertion, while listening to Jabber(internet radio) and playing a game, then you pause your game because your friend send you a IM or Emails, he want you to check out this funny video on the web, so you open you web browser and right before the funny part of the video your girlfriend call so you answer, it turn out she is free for the rest of the day, so you open your contact make a couple of reservations, and voila you go back to seeing the funny part right were you left off.
Do you know why you can’t multitasking? Well allow me to illustrate you why, it’s simple we are in the midst of a new decade where your hardware and OS will be outdated, no longer fit to compete with the next generation of smartphones. and no matter how jailedbroken your iphony is, it’s hardware will just trembles by the mere thought of true multitasking.
Whe
While the N900 looks incredible and after a few plays I'm really blown away by its ability to multitask, I'm not sure if this is what everyone wants in their packet - alot of people seem quite content with a mobile device performing a few specific communication functions, very well (see Blackberry)
Nevertheless, I've been hiding out for a the n90 to come out on contract ever since I heard of it...
Patience is rewarded however as Nokia's touted January roll out in the UK has been brought forward:
Nokia N900 deals are now available on T-mobile and Vodafone - which ship immediately. Have yours by NYE 2009!
While the N900 looks incredible and after a few plays I'm really blown away by its ability to multitask, I'm not sure if this is what everyone wants in their packet - alot of people seem quite content with a mobile device performing a few specific communication functions, very well (see Blackberry)
Nevertheless, I've been hlding out for a the n90 to come out on contract ever since I heard of it...
Patience is rewarded however as Nokia's touted January roll out in the UK has been brought forward:
http://www.omio.com/phones/nokia/n900/deals