hello N96

Black is the new Black: A new variant of the N96 has hit the...

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 11:11:51 +0000

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 :)

pining for the fjords

Sun, 09 Nov 2008 10:53:49 +0000

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).

N85 isn't the fanboys delux

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 13:00:51 +0000

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...

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 12:19:00 +0000

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...

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 12:04:24 +0000

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...

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 11:58:09 +0000

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...

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 16:56:13 +0100

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...

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 14:22:20 +0100

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...

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 12:32:00 +0100

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...

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:08:08 +0100

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.

Brother and Sister - here are the N96s little siblings. I really...

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:03:25 +0100

Brother and Sister - here are the N96s little siblings. I really liked the new look/feel of the N79. The little nokia tabs and flat physical large buttons are a winner.

Here’s a photo of a N85 taken with a N79! For me the N85...

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:01:20 +0100

Here’s a photo of a N85 taken with a N79! For me the N85 is a fine phone - but does not excite me - the N79 felt great next to it - the form factor materials and looks trumped it massively - even if it lacks the oled screen.

co-pilot 7 on N96.

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 10:57:02 +0100

co-pilot 7 on N96.

iPlayer Streaming over 3G. Yep it works with 1.5.0 iPlayer...

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 10:34:00 +0100

iPlayer Streaming over 3G. Yep it works with 1.5.0 iPlayer application on ‘3’. Wifi needs to be used for downloading to flash memory for 7 days. I had to install the 1.5.0 update in the store - but its great that ‘3’ have live handsets for you to play with. I think I’ll be getting a replacement N96 on ‘3’ - its free for £35 a month (£30 + the £5 internet max) and £409 on PAYG. Far better than t-mobile/voda or orange.

honest advertising - it’s refreshing to see a genuine...

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 10:09:49 +0100

honest advertising - it’s refreshing to see a genuine screengrab on an advert - unlike apples iPhone adverts which show websites in full 600dpi uber print resolution.

nokia S60 fest

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 10:38:00 +0100

So I had a play with an N85 yesterday at ‘an evening with S60’ in the regent street nokia store. Its a nice bit of kit - but seriously lacking the wow factor of the N96 - yes I know most people think the N96 is missing it two - but playing with the N85 after the N96 left me cold - though I think its got a good chance in the market - its going to be easily confused by consumers with the navigator and 6600 slide. Where love or hate it - the N96 will be sold as king of the mobiles.

I also had a brief play with a 5800 - and it’s very nice. Pitched perfectly at the low end mass market - with added comes with music - it makes an attractive PAYG purchase for lots of younger users. Yes comes with music is riddled with DRM - but you are paying next to nothing for it, and for alot of people music purchase is very low volume anyway - or they download it illegally. So there’s nots of pluses, to outweigh the DRM - which in time will probably go.

So I'm now minus one N96.

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 11:56:00 +0100

I returned mine for a refund - one of the advantages of buying SIM free with 28 day return policy. The odd ‘missing link’ of a product code means mine is un-updateable. This is a deal breaker for me - so I am back on the N95.

Returning to the N95 has been both pleasurable and disappointing. iPlayer downloads don’t work on the N95 - this I really miss, along with the larger screen. Also the N96 keypad was a joy to use. The overall system speed is way more responsive though, also the slimmer N96 just felt better - although I felt I had to handle it more delicately.

My battered old N95 feels dated and dirty now.

It leaves me with two choice - wait and get another one (on contract for free?) or see what’s coming up - I plan to get an 5800 asap - but this will be more for the experience in absence of a high-end N-Series on the 5th edition platform. I’m not falling for the N85 fanboy line - its not better its just different slightly - and cheaper - slightly. I want a quantum leap - not a shuffled foot.

In case your still unsure about an N96 (still no sign of the...

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 12:40:17 +0100

In case your still unsure about an N96 (still no sign of the N85) heres a mammoth show of marketing strength. Proof that marketing rules over all. I expect the N85 to get a tiny percentage of the push the N96 gets - though it may well still sell more. That said - if both are free on a contract people will naturally go for it, it will be sold to them on the bigger screen - iPlayer and 16 gig of memory. People always want the best even if it a) isn’t b) they don’t need it.

trying out nokia email beta

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 10:07:26 +0100

trying out nokia email beta

the design

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:03:47 +0100

I do love the N96 design - its nicely tactile, the lines are clean and uncluttered. This purity of form is not without it’s practical implications, the screen is always exposed to damage, and a screen protector is a must. the materials are nice - but not amazing, there is no metal, as the N95 classics face was - I dropped mine many times and it survived. I suspect a 4ft fall to concrete may well cause significant damage. So get it insured! The benefit should be better reception - as metal interferes with antennas.

The rear panel is quite unassuming, and probably the weakest element in the design. Now the media buttons are on the front, the dual slide is almost redundant. ALMOST, but not quite - there’s something nice about physical UI controls. I loved the form changing 5700- twist for phone/camera/music. It removed the need for navigating menus and on screen controls. The kickstand is a bit of a gimmick for me - it seems a bit fragile - but presumably easily replaced by changing the back.

I think the overall design would be awesome if better quality materials were used, scratch proof glass front, a camera shutter, metal sides etc. Its not as tactile as the N95 but when I compare the two the N95 seems very old fashioned.