Black is the new Black: A new variant of the N96 has hit the carphone warehouse. An all black edition, heres hoping the firmwares been updated too :)
This is odd - I’ve had a G1 for a little over a week - and I’m generally not loving it. Now its a great start for a platform - but the hardware is poor - battery life makes it unreliable as a medium use handset (forget heavy use). At least you can carry a spare (not currently available though - other than dodgy ebay ones). For me the G1 and N96 are two very very different phones. If the N96 had solid firmware it would trounce the G1 - but it doesn’t which makes life more complicated.
The G1 feels fresh - even in post iPhone expectations. But its just lacking that certain - useful ness. The App Store Android Market has nothing of real use to me. Nokia download may be pants - but at least nokia have tons of genuinely useful software to add to you N-series phone. These will come to android in time - but at the moment its missing core functionality. Video is uncatered for - I have a big lovely screen and no way of reliably watching video content - or creating any. The music player should be filed under ‘functional’ but is best avoided as it drains the battery quicker than you can say ‘kylie’s gold hot pants’.
G1 does email and cloud syncing better than ever - without the mobile me style disasters. The keyboard makes replying to emails a joy - but at a cost - even sending a short sms requires you to flop out the keyboard and jump into two handed mode. A virtual keyboard option is essential in the future (esp as some android phones will presumable have no physical QWERTY or keypad - like the rumoured touch HD with android).
Of course the physical and functional elements of these devices is nothing without a seemless, fast and pragmatic operating system/software combination. Nokia really need to follow google/yahoo and apples lead on a single user login for all services.
So the big question - which would I keep if I could only have one. Surprisingly I would plump for the N96. Though neither is an ideal choice - we’re in a post iPhone drought of inspring handsets - and I am confident 2009 is going to start with a bang (5th edition S60 phones -N97? N98? iPhone v3, RIM seem to be hitting the smart/consumer market rather than just the suits and some serious Android handsets).
Well there has been alot of fanboy nonsense about the N85 being the new world order - it seems initial reviews are less than complimentary. Hey guess what, a cheaper device has poorer build quality - what a shocker!!!
I suspect some re-evaluation and slight improved attitudes towards the N96, but I can’t help thinking neither is a long term product, and theres much more to come.
oops - I posted this RIP N96/N79 photo on my general blog back in august - and before the N96 saving iPlayer was announced. Though it looks like its spookily hitting home come halloween - as they both get an early price cut. I gave the N96 a fighting chance - and with iPlayer and its MAMMOTH marketing push/ operator support it will do well - but it’s no landscape changing N95. leave that to the next iPhone/ google variants and touch S60 5th edition N-Series.
I think its fair to say - James Whatley is not happy with the N96. Whilst I find it hard to disagree with anything he says - I feel he is being a bit OTT negative - there are some goods. But when you are trying to claim the high ground, as nokia are with the N96 - flaws are terribly visible.
Warning: Nokia N96 can receive TV. Erm no it can’t - well not in the UK where it would be an issue due to TV license issues. Further proof that the london lite is overpriced.
I found this photo on flickr - it’s of an easily removable N96 ‘sticker’ advert - with a transparent screen - it was placed on the ‘map of local area’ on bus stops in central london. I’m always in two minds about things like this - on one hand its very clever, on the other its annoying and intrusive, bordering on illegal.
Keeping it clean - these stick/attach on screen/lens cleaners are essential - I got these as freebies at the smart phone show - but I’m sure they are available all over the place - I’ve seen similar sold at tills in shops. The blackberry one is more practical as it just sticks to the phone - just a shame its got blackberry on it !!
The N96 is not supported by nokia email beta - despite it being used in the nokia email website!! read about why not here.
Ad Wars! Storm vs N96! game on. Oddly they are now pushing sky sports news as presumably a streaming 3g service - I’ll find out more on this.
