maemo.org - Talk - Nokia N900 Phone "App" sucks! Why?

maemo.org - Talk (https://talk.maemo.org/index.php)

- Applications (https://talk.maemo.org/forumdisplay.php?f=41)

- - Nokia N900 Phone "App" sucks! Why? (https://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=41889)

Re: Nokia N900 Phone "App" sucks! Why?

Quote:

Originally Posted by synplex (Post 489980)

I have a OT question. How do I change the thread title?

Click "report post" in your first post. In the text box, provide the moderator with what you would like the thread title to be.

I'm really impressed with you synplex. You set a good example for the community. Not everyone is so willing to reconsider something like that. :)

Re: Nokia N900 Phone "App" sucks! Why?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texrat (Post 490014)

No problem. Im just trying to get some info on how to adapt to my n900. Coming from a Palm pre and Nokia 5800 there is a lot to get use in the Phone app.

Changing it to: Nokia N900 Phone App Missing Some Basic Features. Tip & Tricks?

Hopefully it changes soon :)

Re: Nokia N900 Phone "App" sucks! Why?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ndi (Post 489895)

-The auto rotate feature is slow to respond when it wants to work (kinda of a gimmick feature)

Works every time for me. Not very fast, indeed, but it shouldn't be instant otherwise you misclick thinking there's a button and then it just flips. Animation is a warning.

-Double tapping the Green Dial button wont redial. I mean Come on, This should work! I have to go back and find the contact.

The phone has your last dialed number on top.

-Everything I tap on a contact to Call them (in the Phone History) I always get the selection menu to either SMS them or call them. Well since Im in the Phone app it shouldn't waste my time with this extra tap. Clearly I want to call them, why the extra taps to dial?? I would go to Conversations if I wants to SMS them. Is there a way to turn this off in the phone app?

I find replying with a SMS to a call is convenient. Not a bug, but a difference of opinion. Click the call button instead. I don't see a problem. An extra tap? Are you in that much of a hurry?

-The lack of Speed dial is killing me. I have 100's of contact scrolling through or searching them takes time. I miss the 1 click and hold dialing from my 5800.

We have typing for that. In contacts, type some of the name and it finds just fine. In fact, typing from the desktop finds. Also, typing numbers dials.

-Contact shortcuts on desktop wont replace speed dial since there always that extra tap to dial. No real quick way to call someone or redial a number

Extra tap? Really, what is burning? And, like, how fast?

-Face Light sensor which shut the display off when on a call is buggy.

Mine works just fine. After I put the phone away from the face, it enables the screen. It's a bit short ranged, but otherwise fine.

So if anyone have any tips or tricks I might have miss plz let me know.

Personally, I think that you don't want a phone, you want your 5800 back because you got used to it. With more contacts, it's easier to type name than speed dial, because they are all there.

Also, when I call people I know, i just tap the desktop to start phone (a shortcut on desktop does wonders) and the redial from the history. If they never called me in the last few days they shouldn't be in speed dial.

Also, on-desktop contacts isn't that much of a deal. I believe nobody is in that much of a hurry to not be able to use the phone for an extra tap. Tap person, tap number.

If you feel that you have too many options, perhaps a smaller, cheaper, more oriented phone would be a better choice and an alternative to complaining?

I don't mean to be mean, but you bought a portable computer with a decent CPU and graphic card. A bit on animation doesn't hurt. Neither does an extra tap if it brings phone, sms, mail, chat, SIP, Skype, Google voide and video and several other protocols to you in one smooth integrated interface. At the cost of a tap! (and 600 Eur).

Alot of your suggestions are things that probably everyone has adapted too. I know for myself it sounds like what I've done. Which is fine. But when it comes to real world execution, the N900 is definitely not without reproach when it comes to it's phone implementation.

Where I live, using a handset is illegal when driving. So, voice dialing is a huge missing feature. (I won't even get into the bluetooth issues which is another can of worms) Okay, that's fine, then at least you would hope for a streamlined interface that would be safe to use while driving. Speed-dialing, auto-redial button, would be something of a no brainer. And when using it, while driving, that extra tap is extremely noticeable. You have to look back at the screen and make sure you are selecting dial instead of SMS. And if you can open the slider, and begin typing to filter out contacts I congratulate you, because that's a talent not everyone can do while driving. I'm left to just wait until my next stop... which is unfortunately a compromise, which I've come to accept until someone implements them or nokia has them in an update.

The proximity sensor is an issue that is very noticeable when it happens. Occasional something will set it off, and I don't know if a receiving call connected or what. I notice saying "hello" not with the intent of answering a call, but it's more of an inquiry if someone is on the other line. Not exactly confindence in a phone.

All in all synplex reasoning of it being Nokia is very valid. They of all companies should be able to get the phone aspect right well before release. I understand running everything else through the community to polish it up, but the phone? It should be well polished.

Saying it's a internet device with phone capabilites is a cop-out and sadly a compromise. I'm sure most people, if not everyone who shelled out half a grand on this guy did so with the intent of replacing their existing mobile phones. If you have the luxury of having two sims/lines to keep a dedicated phone and this "internet device with phone capabilities" you are probably in the minority. It shouldn't be too much to ask Nokia for excellent phone implementation.

Re: Nokia N900 Phone "App" sucks! Why?

I agree the phone should have been upto scratch, for me the most annoying thing about the N900 is the excuse everybody uses..."its a computer first and then a mobile phone"...zzzzZZZZ

Re: Nokia N900 Phone "App" sucks! Why?

some valid points. i agree clicking on phone app should open dialing pad directly rather than going through call log. its a basic design problem in n900.

Rather than complaining, heres my input on UI design of phone app.

PHONE APP INTERFACE DESIGN
click on phone app -> dialing pad opens
1: click on call button once (empty string) should open call log
2: call log page should also contain dialled/received/missed call tabs
3: hold a number (2-9) should start speed dialing number
phone app drop down menu -> assign speed dials
4: ussd code functionality be available

except for voice dialing this would put a solid phone app in n900

Re: Nokia N900 Phone "App" sucks! Why?

Quote:

Originally Posted by niqbal (Post 490053)

I think these are just the improvements we need..and they dont seem to hard to implement either.

Re: Nokia N900 Phone "App" sucks! Why?

Or how about 1 touch dialing on any contacts you put on a desktop. They can default to their cell #, but allow for customization: SMS/skype/home # etc...

You just hold down on the contact, same way with speed dialing.

Except you are not limited to numbers on a keypad, but real estate on your desktop.

Re: Nokia N900 Phone "App" sucks! Why?

Quote:

Originally Posted by waleed786 (Post 490057)

I think these are just the improvements we need..and they dont seem to hard to implement either.

exactly, i dont think it can take more than a few days to implement. I just hope a person from maemo UI team ends up reading my post with all sincerity

Re: Nokia N900 Phone "App" sucks! Why?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Modell900 (Post 489912)

Or use the A-Z sidelist?

Speaking of the A-Z sidelist, is it only available to the contacts list in the Phone app?

I could have sworn it was in the 'Contacts' app before PR1.1, but maybe I'm wrong.. anyway, is there any way to enable it for the Contacts app as well? I really find it convenient..

As to the OP, I have to say I'm not terribly impressed with the phone side of the N900 either. It's workable, but it really seems like they have a lot of room for improvements.

Re: Nokia N900 Phone "App" sucks! Why?

Quote:

Something must be up with mine.
Im gonna have to Hard reset my n900 cause my auto rotate feature take a while and is only getting slower (7-10 secs!)

Anything over 1-2 sec´s sounds pretty weird, so I see your point :)
Any chance you got stuff from xtras-dev installed that might chew performance on the phone?

Try start up x-terminal and run the Top command and see if something strange show up on top of the list.

Does the slowness take place everytime or just every-now-and-then?

*edit

Aye, very valid points about the phone app, could be improved alot with tabs for missed calls etc, sometimes it´s a pain to figure out your missed calls.
If you click on the redmarked missed call, it switches to a called number and you loose info like when the person called etc.

So yes very good basic suggestions om improved phone UI by Niqbal

Quote:

PHONE APP INTERFACE DESIGN
click on phone app -> dialing pad opens
1: click on call button once (empty string) should open call log
2: call log page should also contain dialled/received/missed call tabs
3: hold a number (2-9) should start speed dialing number
phone app drop down menu -> assign speed dials
4: ussd code functionality be available

except for voice dialing this would put a solid phone app in n900

On a personal note I still see the N900´s as a very early version software that will be polished alot during 2010, heck it´s not even properly out here in Sweden yet, store delivery is scheduled mid february.