maemo.org - Talk - N900 compared to iPhone v3, Palm Pre, N97

Feature ------------------ N900 ------------ iPhone v3 ------- Palm Pre ------------- N97
1. Processor -------------- OMAP3 * ------- OMAP3 * --------- OMAP3 * -------------- OMAP2
2. RAM memory ----------- 256 MB ------- 256 MB ------------256 MB ----------------- 128 MB
3. 3D & OpenGL ----------- Y --------------- Y -------------------- Y ----------------------- N
4. free Office --OpenOffice, KOfice, Ooo -- N ------------------ N ------------------------ N, (paid: QuickOffice 40$)
5. many free apps --------- Y --------------- Y -------------------- N ------------------------ N
6. good internet brs ----- FireFox ----- Safari -------------- WebOS brs --------- Nokia brs & Opera
7. Full Java ------------------ Y ---------------- N -------------------- N -------------------- JaveME
8. Full Flash ----------------- Y ---------------- ? -------------------- ? -------------------- Flash Mobile
9. Easy to program --------- Y ---------------- Y -------------------- ? ----------------------- N
10. Resolution ------------ 800x480 --------480x320 -----------480x320 ------------- 640x360
11. Command line ----------- Y ---------------- N ------------------- N ----------------------- N
12. Video recording -------- 800x480 -------- ? ------------------- N --------------- 640x480
13. Nice UI --------------------- Y ---------------- Y ------------------- Y ---------------------- Y
14. solid OS --------------- Linux Maemo --- OS X ------- Linux WebOS --------- Psyon Symbian
15. Community --------------- 5* --------------- 5* ------------------ 3* ---------------------- 3*
16. Virtual Machines --------- Y --------------- ? ------------------- N ----------------------- Y
17. Remote connection ------ Y --------------- N ------------------ N ----------------------- Y
18. Drivers ---------------- Y, Linux drivers --- ? ------------------ N ----------------------- N
19. No application signing --- Y --------------- N ------------------ N ----------------------- N
20. Camera -------------------- 5 MP ----------- 3.2 MP ----------- 3.2 MP ------------- 5 MP
21. AppStore ----------------- ? Ovi ------------ AppStore --------- Y ------------------ Store.OVI.com
22. Dev Kits ---- C QT Java WebKit Flash -- Objective C ------ WebKit ------- C QT Java WebKit Flash
23. Display --------------------- 3.5" ------------- 3.6" -------------- 3.1" ------------------ 3.5"
24. Multi-touch ----------------- N? -------------- Y ------------------ Y -------------------- N
25. Capacitive display -------- N? -------------- Y ------------------ Y --------------------- N
26. VoIP/Skype ---------------- Y ---------------- N ------------------ N? -------------------- Y
27. Video call / Front Cam -- Y ---------------- N? ----------------- N? -------------------- Y

I thought a comparision of N900 not only with N97, but with iPhone v3 and Palm Pre based on the initial comparison here would be interesting.

What can be added to the list?
What device do you like?

Comparison N900 and N97

Quote:

1. Faster processor OMAP generation 3 (N900) compared to generation 2 (N97)
2. Double RAM memory 256 MB (N900) compared to 128 MB (N97)
3. 3D applications and OpenGL (3D fast games) supported by N900 processor
4. OpenOffice and KOffice (Word, spreadsheet, presentations PPT) for free in N900 compared to 30$-40$ QuickOffice in N97
5. Hundreds of free good applications for Maemo N900 and potential more hundreds from Linux community (including potential to have Google G1 application framework ported to Maemo) compared to almost not many good free application on Symbian.
6. Very good internet browsers FireFox , etc on Maemo, compared to not very performant browser on Symbian.
7. Full Java support for Maemo not only a subset like is for Symbian.
8. Full Flash support for Maemo, not just a mobile version like is for Symbian.
9. Easy to program Maemo compared to hard to program Symbian Carbide C++ - more applications for N900 in future.
10. 800 x 480 resolution means VGA videos will not be shrinked, which is better quality watching videos and all the games and applications. (N900 has 800x480 and N97 has 640x360)
11. Command line is very important, because you can package quickly anything, run a Pearl or a shell batch file and you can install anything, you can update libraries and modules, install frameworks and do a lot of stuff.
12. Video recording is 800x480 on N900 which is better than 640x480 on N97
13. qole noted that Maemo 5 is "swishier" and very next-generation, with lots of transparency, 3D effects, swishing and swooping windows, etc. That tends to appeal to gadget hounds.
14. Linux is a solid OS, where Symbian is only a mobile OS.
15. Linux community is greater than Symbian's
16. Linux Maemo has many Virtual Machines (VM) which can run from Windows to different other systems.
17. Maemo has better remote connection applications, and with bigger resolution of N900 and much more memory (needed here) N900 will clearly subclass N97 in this category.
18. More printer drivers and other drivers in Linux.Maemo than Symbian. Linux cames from computer to mobile so it has more USB capabilities.
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19. No application signing required

Edit: corrected resolution, thanks
Edit 2: corrected dev lang for iPhone Objective C and not Native C, and PalmPre multi-touch, thanks