I didn’t think I’d like the Nokia N97.
When you stick the device next to the likes of the iPhone 3G or the Palm Pre, it just feels 2004.
I haven’t written much on the N97, deliberately so. I remember reading the specifications, announced (if memory serves) some time late last year. I wasn’t impressed.
This was, after all, meant to be the Marquee handset for Nokia. The top-of-the-range device. The one that *everyone* should be thirsting over.
When I saw pre-release versions, I ran away. I ran FAR away. In the opposite direction. I didn’t want to see just how bad it was.
And after Nokia phoned up and said ‘we’d like to send you one’, I gave serious thought to saying ‘no thank you’.
Even as I observed the devices in the wild at Nokia’s recent blogger party in San Francisco (the day before the iPhone 3GS launch), I couldn’t help but being totally and wholly underwhelmed.
I remember Noah from Phonedog arriving for a drink in the East Bay a few days afterwards. He brought out the N97 and asked what I thought. I had to do my best to stand up for Europe.
“It, errr…. it does background applications!” I explained.
Noah didn’t look at all convinced, pulling off the battery cover and commenting on the quality.
“Right, but I’ve been to their test lab,” I said, “They put their devices through hell. They make some brilliant hardware, they really do.”
My thoughts drifted to the thrashing the N97 has had on many-a-blog.
In today’s iPhone age, the N97 looks positively old.
And when you try and use the device for the first time, it’s a total arse. Trying to learn just how the touchscreen performs is painful. For those accustomed to an iPhone screen that simply… works, it’s very, very easy to write off the N97 has a bollocks device — an archaic — powerful, yes — but unusable monstrosity.
Well, no.
I’ve made it my main phone for almost a week. Here’s what I’m liking, in no particular order.
1. I left the phone on for a full day, doing nothing. I took it off the charger at 7am and did nothing to it. I let it sit on the network, updating my contacts/calendar every 30 minutes, and doing nothing else until midnight. Guess what? All six bars of battery power were undisturbed. This is unusual for a ‘smartphone’. My Android G1 would have switched off through lack of power by about 7pm.
2. The camera is excellent. The device handles pictures and video quickly and easily — the processor and memory has clearly been tuned. If you remember the arse of having to mess around with the N95 (and even N95 8GB) waiting for it to catch up with your actions, well, the N97 has evolved beyond this. I installed the 5800 ‘tube’ version of ShoZu on the device and it’s 3.5G connection was sending pictures and video up the Vodafone data pipe extremely quickly.
3. Kudos to Rafe Blandford from All About Symbian — the Nokia God that he is — for pointing out that you can use the N97 with one hand. I had been using the device’s QWERTY keyboard for my typing up until then. The N97 sports a really useful numeric on-screen keyboard that lets you use T9 input. Brilliant. Absolutely tip-top brilliant for testing. I can text as fast as I can on my N95 8GB with this function.
4. The haptic feedback from the touchscreen is pleasing. Very pleasing.
5. You get used to the stupid interface. I’m no fan of Nokia’s bollocks interface. They really need to sort out the structure. But I got used to it after a day. I now navigate around the device with lightning speed.
6. There’s a little pull-down switch thing on the left hand side of the device that switches the screen off and puts the phone into ‘locked’ mode. I love it. It feels really nice. Pull it down to switch off the screen and lock it… then pull it down once more and tap to reactivate.
7. The touchscreen is… actually… pretty good. You need to learn how to use it. It’s not as reactive, obviously, as the iPhone or similar. I find myself tap-tap-tapping all across the device swiftly.
8. Background applications are brilliant. I thoroughly enjoy swapping between apps — Google Maps, for example, and the browser. (Yes the browser is outdated but you can install an alternative).
9. The power of the device makes me feel good. I like that it’s fast. 32GB of space too.
10. The little Facebook widget on the front screen is pretty nifty. I’d like to see more widget support for the N97.
11. Sync. I sync my calendar and contacts flawlessly with Google using the Mail For Exchange functionality. It is simply brilliant.
12. Setting up my Google Mail for Apps account on the device took 5 seconds. I literally had to type in a username and password. Done. Nokia took care of the rest. That was super.
13. Audio quality. It’s simply fantastic.
I’ll stop there. I don’t see any glaring problems with the device. If you’re a Nokia fan, I think you’ll enjoy the N97.
There is an element of me that feels a bit.. held back, with the N97. There are precious few applications available for it at the moment so the Ovi Store experience is rather limited.
I do feel that I’ve got power. I feel like it’s a proper, solid, top-of-the-range device for the mobile geniuses. Super quality video, ultra fast 3.5G connection, nice, powerful processor, background applications galore… I feel good with it. I certainly like my iPhone app and music experience. But I don’t feel like I’m missing out too much with the N97.
If anything I’m feeling pretty smug with the N97. I don’t think there’s anything that can touch it’s raw capabilities on the market.
It’s not a consumer handset though. I wouldn’t recommend it for my mother. It’s definitely power-user territory.
I’m giving serious thought to getting one free on contract from 3 here in the UK.
Nice read. Makes me want to get one even more. Hopefully it will become available here in the Netherlands at the end of the week.
thank you my logic on the n97/nokia's interface is
honestly it could be a bit more “flashy” with some screen transitions….
but as for the symbian OS compared to these new OS's around….
“new brooms sweep well….old brooms know the corners….”
now to the ovi store……limited yes….
only place to download apps for the n97? no
unlike the app store which is the only (correct me here) download centre
for the iphone…..symbian is well….all over…..
a google of “applications for s60v3” will read a monstorous result
note that the n97 os is backwards compatible…..
which means apps for the n95 will most certainly install on the n97 albeit
maybe the onscreen keypad as its not optimised for touch….but still it can be installed…….and works
music
itunes vs the nokia music store
again excuse my ignorance here but itunes is the only option for music
on the iphone….
nokia isnt limited to this 1 option
i hear a friends song i and i like it can simply get it via BLUETOOTH….no need to visit
the store to download it…..
and the n97 can play numerous audio files….mp3 aac…….
so its not limited….
plus the nokia music store isnt half bad either………..
just my 2 cents worth……….
Ewan I wrote this today about why, despite dying for the N97, I won't be picking one up. From your usage, do you think the N97 does enough to drag me back?
http://munkismusings.wordpress.com/2009/06/30/w…
I just got a mail from Centralpoint that it is in stock in NL already.
How good is the Nokia N97? Very good! http://bit.ly/1n8ny7
How good is the Nokia N97? Very good! http://bit.ly/1n8ny7
N97 – I concure : http://bit.ly/1n8ny7
This article explains how I feel about my N97 very well. I've been using it for little under a week as my only phone, replaced my land line usage due to contract allowance. Call reception is excellent, way better than my old HTC phone.
Feel solid, light and responsive. After using the HTC WinMo phones I didn't have a problem using the touch screen. My finger nails are just long enough to use the hand writing recognition on the phone using my thumb without much of a problem. Almost as fast as using the hardware keyboard.
Would like to see more apps for the phone but they will come with time.
Battery doesn't last as long as for me but that's mainly due to the fact that I can't put it down.
N97 – I concure : http://bit.ly/1n8ny7
Interesting. Would that be the NL version or the EU version? Only problem for me is I actually want to hold the phone before I'm buying it. So I want to go to a shop and buy one.
Mobile Industry Review: How good is the Nokia N97? Very good! http://bit.ly/nkqYP
RT @bit2bit Mobile Industry Review: How good is the Nokia N97? Very good! http://bit.ly/nkqYP
(RT) RT @bit2bit Mobile Industry Review: How good is the Nokia N97? Very good! http://bit.ly/nkqYP http://tinyurl.com/mvah4q
Mobile Industry Review: How good is the Nokia N97? Very good! http://bit.ly/nkqYP
RT @bit2bit Mobile Industry Review: How good is the Nokia N97? Very good! http://bit.ly/nkqYP
(RT) RT @bit2bit Mobile Industry Review: How good is the Nokia N97? Very good! http://bit.ly/nkqYP http://tinyurl.com/mvah4q
your review is spot on, at first it seems a nightmare, my transition has been easier due to having an N95 8gb for the last 18months, when typing on screen with t9 it is no different what so ever to the n95. new firmware out on july 1st to fix any and all minor bugs found to date. nokia have done it again, bitter iphone users 2 months into their 18month contracts won't admit it, but nokia is at the top of the pile again!!
@AdamDempsey check out my perspective on the N97 here: http://bit.ly/nkqYP from what you’ve said, I think you might like it!
@AdamDempsey check out my perspective on the N97 here: http://bit.ly/nkqYP from what you’ve said, I think you might like it!
How good is the Nokia N97? Very good! – http://tinyurl.com/mxjh4g
How good is the Nokia N97? Very good! – http://tinyurl.com/mxjh4g
Currently reading How good is the Nokia N97? Very good! | Mobile Industry Review at: http://bit.ly/cDEH9 OK Now I want one! Didn’t before…
Currently reading How good is the Nokia N97? Very good! | Mobile Industry Review at: http://bit.ly/cDEH9 OK Now I want one! Didn’t before…
I am a passionate nokia user, who is always frustrated by the software!!! Sounds like they are getting better, if only a little. Waiting for my n97 to arrive in us.
My take on Nokia issues, based on 5800 roll out
http://www.jblogg.com/2009/04/18/5-reasons-the-…
http://www.jblogg.com/2009/06/16/4-reasons-i’m-…
RT @gareth_james_fi: How good is the Nokia N97? Very good! | Mobile Industry Review at: http://bit.ly/cDEH9 I have one Lovin It!
RT @_NokiaN97: How good is the Nokia N97? Very good! http://bit.ly/1n8ny7 Yes it is. Every Bit as Good…
RT @gareth_james_fi: How good is the Nokia N97? Very good! | Mobile Industry Review at: http://bit.ly/cDEH9 I have one Lovin It!
RT @_NokiaN97: How good is the Nokia N97? Very good! http://bit.ly/1n8ny7 Yes it is. Every Bit as Good…
I bought one yesterday (in the U.K) and totally agree with the benefits. However (many will doubt this), I don't believe that it isn't as good as the iPhone (I also own an iPhone 3G 16GB). In fact, I believe it is much better. It certainly lives up to it's nickname 'the iPhone killer' even though i must admit, it doesn't look as modern as the iPhone. It is definately worth purchasing one.
I totally agree! I'm enjoying mine for over a week now and I'm very satisfied with the device. Although I do hope Nokia will improve the performance and especially the stability some more on the next firmware release. Sometimes the phone just freezes and e.g. the slide show transitions are ugly.
I totally agree! I'm enjoying mine for over a week now and I'm very satisfied with the device. Although I do hope Nokia will improve the performance and especially the stability some more on the next firmware release. Sometimes the phone just freezes and e.g. the slide show transitions are ugly.
Have just bought an N97 on a full “cover all “contract for my son ( his choice , his birthday ).
What a big mistake !
It's a cranky, clunky slow , poorly made piece of junk.
Switch to the iPhone 3Gs asap…decades ahead.
We were showing people it's browsing capabilities just for a laugh.
Even Nokia supply a chisel to operate it's touch screen , browsing is sooo slow & it's cheap quality feel must make this a big no no
for anyone who has owned a phone since the 1980s.
Even the school kids laugh, this is pure rubbish.
Apple & Palm have nothing to worry about.
Nokia should be ashamed.
Sent from iPhone 3gs…
THANK YOU SO MUCH for this review, I've been battling if I should or not get this device, I am using a HTC mytouch for tmobile and it just lags alot!!! I switched to this from an iphone 3g! Now i'm torn between the nokia n97 or the blackberry bold 9700. But reading this, makes me feel like I can do so much more tot his device than the rather business type boring look of the bold.
Thanks so much again!!! 🙂