maemo.org - Talk - Will Joe Average understand why the N900 is special?

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- - Will Joe Average understand why the N900 is special? (https://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=32532)

Re: Will Joe Average understand why the N900 is special?

Quote:

Originally Posted by RevdKathy (Post 341243)

Interesting: Amazon.co.uk is describing it as "Nokia n900 Mobile Computer with Maemo software"

Different marketting for different markets?

interesting....

Re: Will Joe Average understand why the N900 is special?

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveP1 (Post 341232)

I think these two phrases reflect a basic problem. The first is the idea of a platform. People don't buy platforms, they buy products. How many users of the iPhone know who makes its CPU, what speed it runs at, or what OS runs on top of it? They are interested in what the iPhone can do for them. If they need it to do something that it can't do out of the box, they'll look in the iPhone store and, if it's not there, they will either trade it in for a different phone or give up.

This brings up the second phrase which I will rephrase as "what do advanced users want?" For me the answer is a rich suite of applications which the N900 seriously lacks at the moment. In fact, I can't think of a single thing that the N900 has to offer an advanced user right now which can't be matched or bettered by another phone.

Granted, there is a great deal of potential in the OS but Joe Average is looking for results. I don't buy a car based on how it can potentially be tuned to perform, I buy it based on how it performs when I drive it away from the dealer. A car tuner might look at what he could do to a car when deciding what to buy, a developer might look at what he can do to a phone when deciding what to buy, but Joe Average is into immediate gratification.

Next year the answer might be different. All the advanced developers will have created applications that advanced users lust after while Nokia will have improved the UI so that Joe Average can see the advantages. Next year. Not now.

Your list can be summed up: the iPhone is a pacifier (for the average Joe). And it sells very well in the U.S. =D
The N900 is clearely nothing like it. Those who know they want something more than a pacifier look for something that they want. For me (and many others) the N900 is the optimal device. And WinMo and Android devices (btw, Androids have something of a storm brewing) are for many different reasons not good, Symbian devices have processing power issues at the moment...
At the moment the N900 has its thing going for those who realise it's capabilities and have patience too to see where the device with the future software possibilities is going. All that requires so much PR-speek and knowledge of (the current U.S. situation and) technology possibilites that it'll take many years until a N900-type device could be considered a viable choice for the masses. It'll take great commitment from Nokia to continue on the chosen path to sell those MIDs of the future, and the N900 too. N900 will play a great role in creating the basis for such devices and their niche in the market. Also, we are a part of that plan. Early-adopters are just that, test base users for future device developement and a important part in bringing new devices to the users and thus creating knowledge of such devices.
The N900 is a new device category.

Re: Will Joe Average understand why the N900 is special?

Perhaps the marketing slogan should be

N900 - If you're not a *****

Re: Will Joe Average understand why the N900 is special?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bratag (Post 341244)

As an "advanced user" I want the POTENTIAL. Apps can always be written, but without the underlying hardware/OS to back them up its pointless. Android has shown that, the ability to write apps is easier than ever, but the hardware and the OS/Java platform is so lacking many "cool" ideas cannot be implemented.

With maemo you have essentially a desktop equivalent linux install. Anything that can be written for Linux can in POTENTIA be ported to maemo (yes I know screen size issues etc aside). The only limitation is memory (mostly resolved by the ability to swap) and the CPU (pretty beefy in the n900). The OS is completely Opengl compliant which means any eye candy you could want can easily be implemented (and in many cases simply recompiled).

This device is a launch pad for the next generation of portable devices which will be targeted at the upcoming audience of VERY tech savvy kids coming up through the ranks. They will expect MORE from their devices.

That being said.Maybe this phone isn't for you "Average Joe" but I really don't think it couldn't be used by one.

Oh and as far as Apple hitting their mark. i quote my brother.

"No one every went broke appealing to the lowest common denominator"

You sir, have the potential to lead the Maemo movement... and your country too...

Re: Will Joe Average understand why the N900 is special?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bratag (Post 341275)

Perhaps the marketing slogan should be

N900 - If you're not a *****

No, Joe is not a *****...

I don't know, but it seems to me that the uber-elitist thing about this has a great deal of mileage in determining that Joe is going to walk away with hands and money in pockets. If you don't have anything good to say about Joe, don't say anything. Joe's the one who's going to ultimately have to be brought into the fold, and believe me, he's not quite so stupid as it seems some of the people on this thread would have him.

So, he got an iphone/blackberry/2125i. That doesn't mean he's dumb, it actually is a nice device (mine has a flashlight, I use it lots). Instead of telling him he's dumb, talk to him.

The only way Joe is going to understand 'special' is if you educate him.

Condescension is not education.
Insults are not education.
Both should be kept where they belong... (the schoolyard? ;) )

Education is akin to this: 'Hey Joe, where you going with that gun - er - iphone in your hand? What do you use it for? Cool, that looks like fun. Have you seen this? Yes, it's a little faster, yes, makes calls. Pretty snazzy huh?. Does have good graphics too, yep. Hey, check out that website - looks a bit nicer eh? Now, did you know...'

And see how far down the rabbit hole you can go...

Re: Will Joe Average understand why the N900 is special?

Quote:

Originally Posted by smarsh (Post 341288)

Didnt mean it seriously - was tongue in cheek. Personally I want the Joes to use the phone. The more people who use it, the more likely the platform etc is to expand.

But you cannot expect there not to be any geek eliteness here. This is a Geek phone no matter how you slice it, and we are happy about it (Hell yes I am a geek).

Re: Will Joe Average understand why the N900 is special?

Once again - device = software + hardware.

Joe in the USA/Europe knows, that IPhone didn't have MMS and it was wrong. They were added after years and it was TOO long. Even, when they're not useful for him, he knows/thinks, that modern device needs them.

Now Joe can see, that new device is expensive and doesn't have MMS. Nokia doesn't write, that will implement MMS in the future.

Joe can buy something cheaper, what have them NOW. What will be selected by Joe ?

This is example, but shows, that Nokia already made some mistakes with new product. Multitasking is not important, other things are not important. Device doesn't have MMS and is wrong and limited for many users. EOT

Re: Will Joe Average understand why the N900 is special?

Quote:

Originally Posted by marcinw (Post 341295)

Really? So you would trade a full browser capability. Multi tasking, OpenGL, raw cpu power etc etc for mms

Well good luck with that

Re: Will Joe Average understand why the N900 is special?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bratag (Post 341298)

Really? So you would trade a full browser capability. Multi tasking, OpenGL, raw cpu power etc etc for mms

Well good luck with that

Average Joe probably would.

Re: Will Joe Average understand why the N900 is special?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bratag (Post 341298)

Really? So you would trade a full browser capability. Multi tasking, OpenGL, raw cpu power etc etc for mms

Well good luck with that

I haven't written about me. I was writing about it, what are first feelings from many non-technical users. And first feelings are the most often the most important.