Nokia N900 or Nokia N9, who got better looks?
Tag: Nokia N900
Nokia N900 released for India in Rs 30639/- ‘Only’
So finally the wait ended by today noon in Noida. As I was reporting since long back, predictions went true and Nokia N900 seen the sunlight of the lands of Tajmahal. Told to hit the stores by June 11, 2010 in a price Rs. 30, 639/- with the same configurations and updated software, the flagship and game changing device ended with a disappointing side here in India that is, due to legal limitations, Nokia not launching it with Skype integrated as we have known about Nokia N900 since long.
Still my complaint remains that what’s the reason to release Flagships late in India that is biggest of the mobile market in the world? The question get highlighted again as Nokia not releasing any special version for India and price is still something India users not gonna absorb that much easily when Nokia N8 already one or two months away.
But at the same time, I think I should not blame Nokia as on how much less price you could have bring for a device that has 32GB Internal memory, 3.5” Amoled Touch Screen and a Full Fledge QWERTY Keypad? Moreover, probably negotiations over Skype capability with Indian Officials might be the reason behind the huge delay of almost 8 months. But still… it was supposed to have a better reception three-four months back, when there was nothing like Nokia N8 was in air.
Anyway, leave the negatives apart, definitely Nokia N900 will be known as a milestone for the mobile history and its open source OS Maemo sure has potential to change the entire mobile scenario. For me, still MeeGo or Android aren’t that exciting on that ground as with Maemo, we start like we always knew it nothing looks unfamilier.. just like desktops. It was much easier to relate and apply their intelligence with it for people knowing Linux a little and sure MeeGo even on being open source doesn’t seem to make that much promises exactly.
Many of us, still have reasons to believe that Maemo will survive even in presence of MeeGo and may be at some stage we will be able to install various OS’s on our smartphones ourselves like we do for our PCs or Laptops.
Though eagerness for Nokia N8 launch might have faded this ‘New’ device’s launch a little, but it has to be seen that how much welcome this well awaited device will get. I still have my reasons to prefer it before Nokia N8.
Nitish Kumar
Now you could download the app for this blog on your Nokia (Symbian5) via this link or widget via this link.
Why India gets things late, Nokia?
So, the wait seems to come an end by Friday Noon as it being reported once again on few blogs and tweets that a device that (Biggest bet is a Nokia N900) been long awaited finally reaching the land of Taj Mahal. As far as the hints tell, Desktop like browsing, Huge storage and still left way to expand more then out of the box DivX support, Is something remains to tell more?
I posted the same news on May 11, 2010 already in clear words, when it was told to be arriving within week but then I got mention from @NokiaIndia itself that it wont be the date (in a week), but at the same time, it wont be too far as well. You should check the post for sure that on what basis of the news was.
Anyway, coming to the point. Nokia N900, a device that has a place, which even Nokia N8 not gonna surpass that easily. The device, which makes you think twice about buying a netbook … the magic that engages you for full time, whether it be office or hone or travel, a device that calls for some addiction like people called for iPhone only.
Yes!! even if late, we are excited about the arrival of it in India and even if now days people are pretty glued over twitter and blogs to know about the launch dates of Nokia N8, I am dead sure that they are many out there, who will make their purchases without waiting for upcoming most advanced symbian experience. You think, I am stupid saying this… ??? You didn’t have touched a Nokia N900 then.
Sometimes heart asks that why best of the technology like this come to India much after being release everywhere in the world? Sometimes, we Indian thinks that why the second biggest market for mobile handsets get a second grade treatment from Nokia or likes?
The mind answers, “With the great power comes the great responsibilities”. Perhaps Indian market is the meanest one in the world, where people don’t run behind the things in name of buzz. A thing gets a place, when it actually worth it, the reason it failed iPhone badly and Nokia 5800 rocked here. The price is kind of biggest factor here and sometimes asks companies to dive much below their actual costs.
Obviously a huge market like this puts much pressure over companies as European or American customer could buy something for the buzz around the device or if its a tech icon or status symbol kind of, but luring a Indian Customer is hard. More of it, if some device fails here on Indian Standard in first attempts, then even if it get improved, it gets difficult to gain momentum again.
Still the question with Nokia N900 (if it’ll be launched here) will be of Price coz perhaps only that is the thing that matters most for consumers here. Are we going to see some features stripped to make the price point dipping to go below Rs. 25, 000/- ? Like 32 GB could be stripped to be 16 GB … lets wait till friday.. will you buy if its a Nokia N900 with price point under 25k?
Nitish Kumar
Now you could download the app for this blog on your Nokia (Symbian5) via this link or widget via this link.
Nokia N8 Vs Nokia N900-Which one you want?
The looks that will make you believe in things like Love at first sight, the price that make you fear that will you be able to get one before the stock runs out, the big amoled multi-touch shiny screen that find you only dreaming that how will be that like touching to it and a 12 MP with amazing build, which keeping you on toe that when you will get that one to make others envy. Yes!! I am talking about Nokia N8.
But hey!! wait a little, there might be another news in the corner, something else coming to India sooner than that. Yes!! that thing is known to be Techie’s best dream and opening new possibilities by each next day. Yes!! You guessed right, its Nokia N900. I already wrote that there are strong hints that it might land to India very soon and someone also said that price might be around 26-28k. So, which one you will buy? Nokia N8 or Nokia N900?
update: Nokia N900 got released in India on June 04, 2010. Though we got a price Rs. 30, 369/- not any lesser. Current market price of Nokia N900 in New Delhi as on June 30, 2010 is Rs. 25, 900/- and as this is Nokia Priority Dealer price, sure they must be better deal than this with HotSpot etc.
Interesting is that I haven’t seen a single person that might be ready to change his Nokia N900 for any other phone, either it be iPhone or any Android. Its really something that is growing like some wild fever without being hyped or even without that much backing by the manufacturer itself (unfortunately). We were really tired of hearing thing around iPhone that I got this app, I bought that app, how cool this app is and blah blah … but with Nokia N900, some new and real world seems to be opening. With a closing of around 3-4k price difference, Nokia N900 seems to be all set for keeping consumers highly confused about the choice between the two flagship models once N8 arrives.
I thought that its right to compare the two around the features offered and possibilities here as definitely a new debate is just around the corner that which one should be bought now?
1. Design, Build and UI: There will always be views that what is better, having a awesome physical keypad with you to make most of typing or having a shiny touch screen, that keeps your fingers always etching to slide on? Nokia N8 so far sure ride on the best build from Nokia so far, sure rising the bar much higher than the last Flagship Nokia N97 MIni. More of it, nothing seems more solid than a closed one piece build like Nokia N8 has. But at the same time, you can’t write off the tough male look of Nokia N900 as well. Nothing seemed as solid before. I guess it’ll be left over the choice of individuals.
Note: Beautiful pictures of Nokia N900 are courtesy @arun8GB
On the other side, Nokia N900 houses such a nice keypad that people even might crave for something like same on now days Netbooks. It will be seriously interesting to watch that how will a touch screen keypad will fair against something this much awesome, when currently Nokia seems not support multi-touch of keyboard (No Ctrl+C).
Take a look, I am comparing Touch UI’s of Android and iPhone with Physical Keypad of Nokia N900.
Definitely, for many its not a pleasant sacrifice provided the studies that says touch keypad are less efficient than physical ones and it keeps the rumors on for the next NSeries device Nokia N98 with Symbian^3, probably the same 12 MP camera, but incorporating physical keypad with same sleek design (Check the pics).
Well! personally I really wish to see that how touch UI keypad of Nokia N8’s big screen will fare against Nokia N900’s real convenience that kept me writing many blog posts directly from Nokia N900 only.
Next is about UI, honestly speaking, we haven’t seen much of exciting things about Symbian^3 except that multiple desktop thing. Reason is, it was the Russian site that prompted Nokia to go for announcing the half baked phone, otherwise when Vladislav Savov of Engadget visited Nokia HQ, then he was not presented with a proto-type with NOT working UI, sure a sign that the OS not fully operational yet.
Accept it, till now Symbian^3 might have excited the world in conversations only, yet it remained much to show off in pictures and video, where if we compare the same with Maemo, then we already seen that what wonder could be done with a mere Non-Capacitive UI. Definitely Symbian^3 needs to surprise us hard, if wanted people to forget Maemo for Symbian or MeeGo.
I will say even if lighter weight and sharp build Nokia N8 catches the eye instantly, Nokia N900 keeps the trust with majestic keypad, while Symbian^3 yet to show its full glory, definitely its gonna be hard to ignore N900’s magical Maemo.
2. Connectivity: One of the first phones to support Bluetooth 3.0, USB on the Go, HDMI and all of the other connectivity options that Nokia N900 supported, Nokia N8 is sure ready to hit the competitors big time. Many people says that Nokia like to tick all the checks in specifications and even after doing all end up doing things just ok or badly. But this time, its something seriously to be watched out. It sure beats even Nokia N900 in this department and sure lovely because at least on Symbian, we could expect a perfectly working Radio App for receiving/ transmitting and may be my personal favourite Google Maps app.
For me, I wish to see that how much battery will fair using all these connectivity options as in case of Nokia N900, I have seen that if I keep on using 3G on full go, then it ended up draining the batteries even if being continuously charged by being connected to Laptop. What about the 1200 mAh battery of Nokia N8 in comparison to 1320 mAh of Nokia N900?
3. Touch Vs. Multi-Touch: Nokia definitely has surprised many by announcing Nokia N8 in a price of around 22, 000/- even when packing other first in world features like Bluetooth and a 16GB memory. Fight will be with now more equipped iPhone 4G touch experience, but many expect Nokia be more ready this time through considerable inputs from touch design of N900.
VS 
Nokia N900 sure came to re-define the touch for Nokia and it has to move further with Nokia N8 even if that might be an entirely another OS. Multi-touch really re-defines the meaning of touch and the same kept iPhone ride on market big times. Sure, Nokia N8 with good things added from N900 will come to provide more lighter feel of Multi-touch. Perhaps much of reasons to buy it.
4. Maemo Vs Symbian: Maemo is probably the biggest reason behind the new hopes with Symbian^3, otherwise many had given up over Nokia that inspite of good hardware and best of the prices. Experts and bloggers called it Nokia’s obsession with Symbian that’s making it loose the grounds in front of revolutionary Android or iPhone OS.
Arrival of Qt was to bring some hopes and probably with Symbian^3, we could expect to see that in full glory, but still Nokia N900 will stand tall with its Open source and very much user familiar Maemo in front of Nokia N8 and Symbian^3. Probably one of the biggest reason that we are calling for some kind of comparison here. Openness of Maemo is something that couldn’t be compared with anyone. In spite of early bugs and complaints about immaturity at places, only Maemo has bring the scenario that at each next day, we hear about new people doing new things with their Nokia N900.
Many will voice my concern that they fear if with Meego, they gonna loose the same flexibility that Maemo provided and so have their reasons to stick with Nokia N900. Not only Geeks, but even normal people love Linux based Maemo, because its the only place in Smartphones, where you could expect some multimedia player playing all kind of multimedia files, where you could expecting getting some free program to record the calls as easily as you were on some Desktop, only thing that could let you check the logs if something went wrong.
Yes!! we want capabilities of Nokia N8, but still we love Maemo’s openness more. It remains to be see that who will win?
Lots could be said about these and I just wished to point the debate that would take place over web very soon, when Nokia N8 trial units will be out and people will get a feel of real things. Let’s see, who will go more strong? Will after the early excitement with Nokia N8, Nokia N900 will still keep world’s interest in it or Symbian^3 will come to change the game?
Waiting for your comments, more things that could be compared between the two, more things that could have been mentioned here.. anything that you wish to share about the two… you are most welcome.
Nitish Kumar
Now you could download the app for this blog on your Nokia (Symbian5) via this link or widget via this link.
Do Smartphones need a new category more?
Does one size fit all? Doesn’t it limit your sight, if you fail to know your real audience while selling something? What’s more worth, being specialized or doing all?
Most of the Smartphones in market seems to be classified in three categories:
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Entertainment devices: I guess most of the devices fall in the same category. General purpose what focuses on voice communication and additional features like Radio, Camera etc. I want to keep devices around 10-12k in it. Target Audience are most of the users that might not be crazy about gadgets, but still love to keep up with the changing world and also those who just wanna communication in their hands.
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Business Devices: The superior devices, whose core focus is on providing better length of talk time and making most use of the hardware for serious purposes than entertainment. Blackberry, ESeries etc fall in this category. Target Audience are business users, who wants kind of mini-computers in their hands. Their devices might not be best of the league about the entertainment, but they deliver the best about what a Communication device always meant to be. best of battery and best of business apps.
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High End Devices: Could call it the premium segment, the best of technology, the best of hardware, the best of entertainment, best of versatility and the best of price. Target audience are people, who can’t let it loose and want the technology at its best even if they need to pay a price for the same. People who wanna show off or even making most of what they can get. iPhone, Android, Nokia N8 kind of devices fall in this category.
I guess there should have been a fourth category, a category that could contain the flexible and very programmable devices like Nokia N900 and Android based devices, note that I am not keeping iPhone in this category. What about giving a name to it High tech devices.
Why I am asking for a fourth category or even if that matters for anyone?
The reason for the same is, somewhere I feel that Nokia N900 like devices are bound to loose their existence to devices like Nokia N8 that would seem to be comparable to Nokia N900 or even advanced, but we will loose the flexibility we jus seen only which it. We all techie just loved the idea Nokia N900 came up with. I mean you get a device that you could install/ re-install like some PC, could reprogram the same in whatever manner, you might be missing, flowing number of apps coz no special training required to make an app for it.
Do you want to let Nokia N90 die? Will we be able to accept MeeGo if it came to give any bit less freedom to us? Aren’t we want separate existence of devices like Nokia N900? Nokia and other compnies need to know in strong words that there is a segment, which wanted the open platforms like Android and Maemo badly and there are buyers for that.
Nitish Kumar
Now you could download the app for this blog on your Nokia (Symbian5) via this link or widget via this link.
Concept Application for Nokia N8-Contacts Redefined
Recently I wrote about next coming Nokia Flagship, Nokia N8, the crown bearer of all Camera Phones in the world. There still remains a lot to talk about the same, but real thing will be when it reaches to our hands. Admirations, amazement and long wait to explore it.
Wait must be making you crazy!!!! now you can do more than waiting, to make the jewel your own. A chance to make the next coming Symbian^3 experience even better, a chance to take things to another level. Give your idea about a new app and if it sounds cool then you could win a Nokia N8.
All the details are here. That’s is what keeping Nokia on the top since all those years. First the Device from Community Ideas and then the future Nokia device, then create your app and now this. Must say, you are heading right Nokia!!! Winning or loosing is on another side, you belong to hearts.
So, what you are waiting for? Its your chance to make it, go for it. An idea could change the life.
Like the last competition about Future Nokia, in place of taking part into competition only, my idea is to take the opportunity to present some of my thoughts, which will be very basic, very possible, just Layman’s Take, but still worth thinking for. so here I am presenting one of my ideas here that I don’t think will get voted much there (I am not popular like CJ or AAS :jealous)
Before you you read further, let me tell you that this app is not real till now like I seen this post referenced as somewhere. This was my own concept that how contacts could be improved on Nokia N8. The screenshot is obviously from an iPhone.
Contacts Redefined (Social / Geo)
The idea is not entirely new. There is already an app named Hermes on Maemo fetching info like display 
picture, numbers, webpage, birthdays etc from your social contacts and putting into contacts and calendar. I just wanted to add some more and bring it to already much social Nokia N8 in a big way.
Think about a future, where you need not to ask/ tell your friends about their numbers, birthday etc or update them about changes, because its always updated right into your phone without any manual efforts. You don’t even needed to create a phone book, when get a new phone. No one misses birthdays anymore, if not logged into social connections for a while as their phones will automatically going to remind them about upcoming birthdays or events.
Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Orkut etc. all are open with their APIs and depending on privacy level user chooses, practically its not big deal to fetch such profile information from your social connections. Though Hermes doesn’t do that but the same application could be extended to add geo info as well from Ovi Maps or Google Lattitude etc.
Think tomorrow is your friend’s birthday and at 11:45 PM, your phone rings a bell about that and after greeting him/ her in night, when you woke up in morning, at 9:00 AM, you get driving instructions to reach him/ her, if practically near.
I don’t talk about cheesy things, but for me its a very practical, basic and very possible idea to go with. If you fear about battery, then updates could be manual/ optional or of longer durations or in place of replacing/ adding info, it could be chosen to pop up as suggestions kind of (Google Buzz way). Obviously customizations possible from performance point of view or to avoid cluttering on user’s preferences, but practically unlimited contacts space needs something like this for very sure.
Not sure that Ovi will pick this idea today, but it will come to smart phones very soon, from here or there. If you think phones as your personal assistant, friend or companion, then you want this.
If you think this idea is cool then vote for it or promote it in your own ways. Its there (search for Nitish).
My Next Smartphone?
Sometimes, you find yourself hugely mistimed about things, either it be life, or be profession or about many other things. Same with me at occasions. Here I wished myself talking about my dilemma about my next Smartphone.
Technology make so us so much dependent of it that sometimes we feel like being starved, if kept away from it. In last visit to home, thought to replace the existing much older model of cell-fone at home for mom and decided to give her my Nokia 5310. Did the same and just after that sudden turn of events left me on edge of same “starving”.
One day ago, I was having a bit too many smart phones with me; Nokia 5310, Nokia N82, Nokia 5800 and trial device Nokia N900 and at the next day, I found myself left with Nokia N900 and an old model Nokia 3650 only as lost Nokia 5800 and Nokia N82 went for long-required repairs. Few more days and Nokia N900 was finally to depart. See!!! what now, just Nokia 3650 with me as Nokia N82 is not getting back to me soon from Nokia Care.
Experience with Nokia Care not going well, like many of Nokia users out there though I know there are many, who find their work good enough and apart of my case, I also been in appraising tone for their initiatives about customer services, but ……
Deprived from Internet at home (I was using MTNL now days as Idea SIM lost with Nokia 5800), I am almost out of patience about buying some smart-phone in hurry. Still weighing my options as wanted to settle for some time about these hurry and expensive purchases.
The addiction with physical qwerty keypad started with Nokia N900, not letting me settle for Nokia 5800 again, even when I literally loved it considering its amazing price tag (Rs. 13, 200/-) and the only other dependable alternative seems to be Nokia N97 only (if I am follow my instincts for Nokia only).
I actually visited a Nokia Store in Laxmi Nagar to know about, if any other device is there to suit my needs. The store was showcasing other products as well, so they showed me quite a range of products like Sony Xperia V2, HTC HD Mini, Nokia N97 Mini, Samsung Corby and some other windows based phone.
Honestly speaking, I am confused. As much, I read through reviews and features I am targeting for (obvious overshadowed with dreams of Nokia N900), I found myself relying only on Nokia N97 Mini. But when I place it against Nokia 5800, then I really get dizzy about it. Obviously, I am looking for something like Nokia N900, which doesn’t exist in Indian market till now. Even if I afford a compromise due to my most important requirement Google/ Ovi Maps, then I am not finding myself settled below than N97 Mini.
Now, although there are many positive differences starting from Internal Memory to Digital Compass or Home Screen Widgets and I found it attractively slimmer and tougher enough due to stainless steal body, but still I find myself wondering.
There is a huge difference between Nokia N97 and Nokia 5800 of Rs. 10, 000/-.
How much the qwerty keypad worth, if I am constantly reading about issues around inconsistencies?
Why 1200 mAh battery provided to Nokia N97 Mini stands below than Nokia 5800?
Why the sliding mechanism seems prone to broke down, if mishandled, why not smooth like that of Nokia N900?
Was FM transmitter that costly enough to be removed?
I almost would have bought Nokia N97 even then, but the words that Nokia N900 might be coming here in next two months made me paused. But still if it comes, its not gonna be any lesser than 30, 000/- here and I could afford one, but at such a price, I need all I required.
I really wish to have a Nokia N97 Mini in my hands for some time to know, if I could say Go for it. At least till when some excellent MeeGo device appears, which provide better alternative over Nokia N900. Wasn’t wishing so, but asked WomWorld, if they could help me about any of these two; Nokia N97 Mini for Trial or some old Nokia N900. Still don’t know, till when I will be able to hold the temptation to buy one, although I keep on reminding myself that I just lost a Nokia 5800 and money needs to be wisely spent. Nokia N97 Mini seems to be promising, but ….
Update: Here the wait begins
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Got a word from Nokia Care Center that I will be needed to wait for two three days more.
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Got a word from Paul, WomWorld, that it could be arranged to send me a Nokia N97 Mini for trial. Really great people they are. I think I could give a shape to my article about these promotion strategies.
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Got a word from DHL, that the shipment back to WomWorld is with Customs there and they would revert me back about the details as I asked for.
Although I got a few good read as well, but recently came across a video explaining about the things, which was in Nokia N97 and not in Nokia 5800 (Though its not about Nokia N97 mini, but even then works for the purpose of comparison with mini)
Nitish Kumar
Nitish Kumar's Blog 