Introduction
The Nokia N900 is the first Nokia smartphone to run on the much-heralded, long-anticipated Linux-based Maemo platform. Designed to replace Nokia’s first-generation Internet tablets such as the E90, the Nokia N900 is smaller than its predecessors but bulkier than other new Nokia mobile phone models such as the N97 and the X3.
The N900 is expected to sell well in Europe and the rest of the world. Whether it will shore up Nokia’s flagging fortunes in the US remains to be seen.
The Nokia N900 is the first Nokia smartphone to run on the much-heralded, long-anticipated Linux-based Maemo platform. Designed to replace Nokia’s first-generation Internet tablets such as the E90, the Nokia N900 is smaller than its predecessors but bulkier than other new Nokia mobile phone models such as the N97 and the X3.
The N900 is expected to sell well in Europe and the rest of the world. Whether it will shore up Nokia’s flagging fortunes in the US remains to be seen.
Size and Design
The fact that the N900 runs on Maemo explains the fact that it was intended as a replacement for the E90 and other similar devices. Nokia has always insisted that Maemo is intended for its Internet tablets, and not for smartphones (they have S60 for that). However, the marriage between tablet and smartphone as seen in the N900 is not bad. In fact, the N900 knocks the competition away in the looks department, at least when it’s an arm’s length away.
The fact that the N900 runs on Maemo explains the fact that it was intended as a replacement for the E90 and other similar devices. Nokia has always insisted that Maemo is intended for its Internet tablets, and not for smartphones (they have S60 for that). However, the marriage between tablet and smartphone as seen in the N900 is not bad. In fact, the N900 knocks the competition away in the looks department, at least when it’s an arm’s length away.
When you hold the phone in your hand though, you’ll immediately notice that the Nokia N900 is a bit bulkier and heavier than the average slider phone. You’ll feel the extra weight in your pocket when carrying it around. Not only that, it would make a bulge in your pocket, especially if you’re wearing tight jeans. You might want to wear it using a belt case instead.
The bulk and extra weight might have influenced Nokia to use plastic instead of metal for the phone casing. Otherwise, the Nokia N900 would have ended up heavier than it already is.
The phone’s resistive touchscreen is bright, sensitive, and responsive to touch, rivaling capacitive touchscreens, so much unlike other resistive touchscreens we’ve seen.
The pull-out QWERTY keyboard, alas, has a peculiar design that takes away from its user-friendliness. This peculiarity the N900 shares with Nokia’s flagship N97 and N97 mini, so we’ll probably see this in upcoming Nokia phones as well. Nokia has taken quite a lot of flak for this particular keyboard design, but they don’t seem to mind.
The bulk and extra weight might have influenced Nokia to use plastic instead of metal for the phone casing. Otherwise, the Nokia N900 would have ended up heavier than it already is.
The phone’s resistive touchscreen is bright, sensitive, and responsive to touch, rivaling capacitive touchscreens, so much unlike other resistive touchscreens we’ve seen.
The pull-out QWERTY keyboard, alas, has a peculiar design that takes away from its user-friendliness. This peculiarity the N900 shares with Nokia’s flagship N97 and N97 mini, so we’ll probably see this in upcoming Nokia phones as well. Nokia has taken quite a lot of flak for this particular keyboard design, but they don’t seem to mind.
Software
The Maemo home screen is a winner in the looks department. This may be due to the fact that the N900 runs on the same ARM Cortex A8-based core that powers the iPhone 3GS. Screen transitions and effects are blazingly fast, maximizing their intended effect: showcase how Maemo differs from the competition when it comes to responsiveness.
When it comes to features and usability, the Maemo platform is half-baked, at best, although it shows a lot of promise in terms of customization options and multitasking capabilities. For one, most of the software available for the phone work only on landscape mode. Even if the N900 has an accelerometer, the fact that you can’t use most software in portrait mode is a bummer.
Nothing can probably beat Maemo when it comes to customization though, since the average geek can just about write software for it and download it to the phone by connecting it to a PC. The N900 also excels in true multitasking. You can do multiple actions on the N900 without a corresponding decrease in responsiveness.
NOTE: In mid-February, Nokia and Intel announced that they were merging Maemo and Intel’s Moblin into one software platform named MeeGo. In early March, plans to make the Nokia N900 an early MeeGo adopter circulated online. Whether this is good or bad for the phone, no one as yet knows.
When the N900 first came out in November, many users, and even diehard Nokia fans, were terribly disappointed that it lacked in the connectivity department, particularly in connecting to Exchange 2003 and 2007. Nokia has since corrected this deficiency with a firmware update in January 2010 that allowed the phone to connect seamlessly to corporate Exchange environments.
The Maemo home screen is a winner in the looks department. This may be due to the fact that the N900 runs on the same ARM Cortex A8-based core that powers the iPhone 3GS. Screen transitions and effects are blazingly fast, maximizing their intended effect: showcase how Maemo differs from the competition when it comes to responsiveness.
When it comes to features and usability, the Maemo platform is half-baked, at best, although it shows a lot of promise in terms of customization options and multitasking capabilities. For one, most of the software available for the phone work only on landscape mode. Even if the N900 has an accelerometer, the fact that you can’t use most software in portrait mode is a bummer.
Nothing can probably beat Maemo when it comes to customization though, since the average geek can just about write software for it and download it to the phone by connecting it to a PC. The N900 also excels in true multitasking. You can do multiple actions on the N900 without a corresponding decrease in responsiveness.
NOTE: In mid-February, Nokia and Intel announced that they were merging Maemo and Intel’s Moblin into one software platform named MeeGo. In early March, plans to make the Nokia N900 an early MeeGo adopter circulated online. Whether this is good or bad for the phone, no one as yet knows.
When the N900 first came out in November, many users, and even diehard Nokia fans, were terribly disappointed that it lacked in the connectivity department, particularly in connecting to Exchange 2003 and 2007. Nokia has since corrected this deficiency with a firmware update in January 2010 that allowed the phone to connect seamlessly to corporate Exchange environments.
The N900 offers an excellent browsing experience, in the tradition of Nokia’s Internet tablets. In fact, Firefox for Mobile 1.0 became available for the N900 in January of this year. You’ll be delighted to get fast-loading, accurate renditions of your favorite web sites using the device.
There are a lot of other software available for the N900. Skype, SIP, GTalk, AIM, Google Sync, works out of the box. The phonebook is quite powerful, too. The version of Ovi Maps available for the N900 does not have voice navigation, though. If you don’t rely on the navigation features that much, you’ll find Ovi Maps to your liking, since it allows you to pan and zoom, and it finds your location in under a minute.
The range of third-party apps for the N900 is limited so far, though the number will probably increase as Nokia continues to expand its Ovi Store for the device.
There are a lot of other software available for the N900. Skype, SIP, GTalk, AIM, Google Sync, works out of the box. The phonebook is quite powerful, too. The version of Ovi Maps available for the N900 does not have voice navigation, though. If you don’t rely on the navigation features that much, you’ll find Ovi Maps to your liking, since it allows you to pan and zoom, and it finds your location in under a minute.
The range of third-party apps for the N900 is limited so far, though the number will probably increase as Nokia continues to expand its Ovi Store for the device.