Hands up if the N97 isn't the announcement you hoped it would be?

[Logan]

As in, the phone looks great an all, but it's not the BIG (emphasis on big) announcement you were kinda hoping for?

I'm just slightly disappointed to be totally honest. I was hoping Nokia would come up with something totally different. The N97 just seems to be a bit of a hash of ideas from other Nokia phones and other mobiles in general. And reading up a bit further on the device, I'm not so sure about the UI/OS as I initially was. Someone made a comment somewhere I read, about how the touch interface is just piggy backed onto an ageing OS, which I can kinda of agree with now.

In all honesty, there is nothing ground breaking here is there? I mean, we're how many N-Series devices in now and still no Xenon flash for example?

It would have been nice to have seen something totally different, truly new. A brand new designed touch OS and some improvements in the hardware (i.e. adding a Xenon flash for starters).

It screams stop gap to me. 2009 will be an interesting year as I can't see this being Nokia's new 'flagship' for long, and certainly not holding that mantle as long as the N95 did that's for sure.

I'm certain of one thing though, more touch screen devices will be coming from Nokia and they can only get better each device.

[Bartmanekul]

Well.....yes and no.

Being honest, I think it's what a lot of people asked for. So many have been crying out for a qwerty, while still being a decent form factor, and also touchscreen.

This is all that, and has everything in it. Even has a lens cover, which means Nokia ARE listening to what people say. The N96 didnt have it, because it started production so long ago.

I wouldn't be so quick to judge what others say about the OS, since very few 5800's and absolutly no N97s (bar a few prototypes) have been used, at least give it more time.

But having said all that....


Its certainly not what I want. Get rid of the tilt for starters, I have qwerty onscreen.

Its also got too large, even if its on a diet.

What do I want? A more upgraded version of the 5800.

Better camera, lens cover, xenon would be nice, and all the specs of the N97.

Just something in a more..ah..usable package.

[Micky]

Wait until 2009, there will be more devices, which may float your boat Logan

[Logan]

Originally Posted by Bartmanekul

Well.....yes and no.

Being honest, I think it's what a lot of people asked for. So many have been crying out for a qwerty, while still being a decent form factor, and also touchscreen.

This is all that, and has everything in it. Even has a lens cover, which means Nokia ARE listening to what people say. The N96 didnt have it, because it started production so long ago.

I wouldn't be so quick to judge what others say about the OS, since very few 5800's and absolutly no N97s (bar a few prototypes) have been used, at least give it more time.

But having said all that....


Its certainly not what I want. Get rid of the tilt for starters, I have qwerty onscreen.

Its also got too large, even if its on a diet.

What do I want? A more upgraded version of the 5800.

Better camera, lens cover, xenon would be nice, and all the specs of the N97.

Just something in a more..ah..usable package.

Can't argue with any of that. It is definitely what people have been asking for, I totally agree. Its perhaps not really what I was asking for hehe. And it can only be a good thing that Nokia are listening.

I do agree though. Since the N95 size has really become an important factor for me. I loved everything about the N95 but had always wished it was smaller - which is why I went for the N85.

Originally Posted by Micky

Wait until 2009, there will be more devices, which may float your boat Logan

Oh I don't doubt it mate :)

[Bartmanekul]

So what are you after Logan? Same thing as me?

What would really put the icing on the cake is a phone like the 5800, but with at least the 5mp cam and optical zoom.

But I have a feeling thats not really possible, without making the phone:

Ugly in some way (N93 has a it in an odd swivelly bit)

Much larger to contain it.

A decent res too. Im fine with whats on the screen, but a good output one is what we want, if your putting loads of storage into it, make it feasible for movies to be played via TV out.

[David1971]

I think this is the new nokia that is likely to tempt me away from my trusty n95. I have however only read the headlines. But touch screen, qwerty keyboard, large near vga screen are all things that i want. And all on a familiar os.

[Logan]

Sort of Bart.

For starters, I won't settle for anything less then a device using an OLED screen anymore. Wonder how much extra space that would have given on the N97?

Then it needs to meet the following (if we're talking touch screen devices that is):

- touch interface. A new OS would be nice but as David rightly says, familiarity is always a good thing so I'll reserve judgement till the opinions and reviews come in.
- no front camera. I don't need it to be truthful and it takes up space.
- now compulsory WiFi, 3G HSDPA and Bluetooth
- large display and use as near as **** all the front of the phone, if its a touch interface, make it totally 'touch', no additional buttons taking up valuable space.
- on screen QWERTY would be fine. No need for a real QWERTY keyboard integrated.
- 5-8MP (5 would still do me just fine though) camera with Xenon flash please. Its long overdue. I would love an optical zoom but I just think this is still beyond the realms of possibility without making the phone too chunky. So I'd settle fine for some enhanced digital zoom with a quality camera module and Xenon flash.
- decent quality video camera. HD if possible. HD camcorders are getting increasingly small so I don't think it would be totally impossible.
- FM transmitter
- large storage
- GPS with a DECENT TomTom like navigation experierience.

I'd pretty much take the above with everything else the N97 is offering (all the sensors etc.) but in an overal tidier, smaller package - which I think could be achievable. Look at how much smaller the N97 would have been if the QWERTY keyboard wasn't there. Take away the full QWERTY keyboard and touch screen and the N85 has a lot of what the N97 has anyway, and that's a small tidy phone!

What would have been interesting, if they had announced two versions of the N97 one with and one without the QWERTY keyboard.

[Bartmanekul]

As much as I want what you state, some of it just isn't going to happen (sadly!!).

The front camera costs so little, a matter of a few dollars apperently, I cannot see it leaving. But this isn't a big issue since the ear speaker has to be at the top anyway, so it's not really taking any extra space.

Xenon flash, well apperently this needs all sorts, like a semi large (for a phone) capacitator, and is reasonably expensive. Also takes up more space, so I'm told. That said, I wouldn't object to one.

HD camera - same as above? Bit large and expensive? Dont forget HD vid cameras are dedicated devices.

GPS...ha!!! What do you think I have been after for all these **** years!! That lies very much in the software place, so no matter what Nokia you get, you are going to be stuck with the same choices. Trust me, I'm as annoyed about it as you are.


I always try to be realistic about what I want in a phone, otherwise I'd never get one. But yeah, the 5800 with these specs but the same size and no mechanical qwerty...I'd be up for that.

[Tommie]

Originally Posted by Micky

Wait until 2009, there will be more devices, which may float your boat Logan

First my hands up for the N97 wich look to be the best and coolest
phone I ever seen, and yes Micky there will be more

with some roadmap leaked

first the "Ivalo" Equipped with a 3.5 inch touch screen , 32GB of storage, Wifi, Bluetooth, AGPS, and 5MP camera

and then ,the "Corolla’, which is a 3 inch non-touch with an 8MP camera,
QWERTY, 8GB, Wifi, and AGPS

[93tid]

The N97 doesn't do it for me either, but it's all highly personal. I hate phones with moving parts, hence my immediate move over to the N82 as soon as it was out. I do not need a full QWERTY keyboard at all. I do not need any sort of permanent window open on the screen, I am not a member of any social networking site and never will be. I definitely do not want anyone knowing my location so all this so-lo crap is completely pointless. It's also too big.

In fact, I am very close to Bart in my preferences. I'd love a 5800 with the lens cover, xenon and big memory. I'm not too bothered even about the 3.2M camera - I struggle to find differences in the photos between my 6500s and N95, now N82, apart from occasions were flash is used. As previously stated by others, pixel count is not everything.