Another Iphone fanatic with N900 review
 

No doubt this reviewer is another typical iphone user. here

Re: Another Iphone fanatic with N900 review
 

Interesting really.

Despite a good camera, better battery life than the iPhone, a better screen from the display point of view, great browser, good UI speed etc etc its only a 6/10. Seems to be losing points for not being as sleek physically, although no allowance is made for the fact that you're getting a QWERTY for the extra thickness, and having a resistive screen.

Re: Another Iphone fanatic with N900 review
 

Actually his review was fairly balanced IMO. I did post with some info for him though.

Re: Another Iphone fanatic with N900 review
 

That was an unapologetic bias bashing... It only says review in the tilte to get others to actually read that garbage:mad: why review something you already know you don't like, I would guess only to use your position of a blogger/ reviewer to sway the opinions of your audience and point out the small things ( if any really ) to make people see things your way and think and fell the way you do... that is just bad practice and pathetic journalism... whom ever this person is should just rite reviews for the iphone alone if they feel so compelled towards it, the iphone is a mess and so is he/she.

i give the review a 6/10 :rolleyes:

Re: Another Iphone fanatic with N900 review
 

"It didn’t at any point feel like a Linux-based device."

Perhaps the reviewer hasn't used Linux recently?

Given the number of times "stunning" appeared in the review, a 6/10 seems pretty stingy.

Re: Another Iphone fanatic with N900 review
 

Aside from the resistive screen bashing, I have to agree with most of the points. iPhone app UI guidelines are strict, but the best (in MOST not all cases). Apps made specifically for Maemo should be finger friendly, etc, while ports should work side by side.

Re: Another Iphone fanatic with N900 review
 

AWESOME DEVICE - AMAZING.

That said it sucks.

Pretty much what I got from that review, if it can be called that. Would say buy an iphone but obvious he is already suckling that teat

Re: Another Iphone fanatic with N900 review
 

I think the problem is that, coming from the iPhone, people expect touch screens to operate in a certain way - it's what they're used to. Once you're over that learning curve, I'm sure the N900's display is more than usable. Right?

I guess people forget that they too had a learning curve when getting used to the iPhone's display - everybody was guilty at first of trying to operate it with their fingernails, but they adapted. I guess the reviewer has decided that the iPhone way is the right way, and measures phones up to it directly rather than considering that they might just work differently.

Re: Another Iphone fanatic with N900 review
 

And my reply to his "review"

“The biggest problem I had with Maemo UI is that it isn’t unique enough”

So every new OS has to be a NEW UI? I suppose if it was an exact replica of the iPhones that statement wouldnt apply?

Have fun with your iPhone and let the big boys play with a REAL device.

Honestly how do these people keep getting the N900 before people who actually want it and realize the full potential of it as opposed to going

“Ooooh but its not as shiny as my iphone”

Re: Another Iphone fanatic with N900 review
 

"Honestly how do these people keep getting the N900 before people who actually want it and realize the full potential of it as opposed to going"

couldn't agree more

Re: Another Iphone fanatic with N900 review
 

this is good, finally some review coming from average joe American phone (iPhone) user, and not die-hard Nokia/Symbian, I-need-my-phone-to-be-open linux OS user, or just Europeans reviewers. While I respect you guys, I just don't think you guys fit in the major consumer geography.

I'm as guilty as this guy...every touch screen phone I'm going to get I'll have to compare it with iPhone, because that just fits my life style more. I'm just staying away from it now because of my gadget blood :D but it's just difficult. I have a NAM N97 (when is 2.0 firmware coming out??) HTC Hero (the GSM version) and a blackberry storm sitting on the desk right now...I still go back to iPhone every now and then. Shite just works!

Re: Another Iphone fanatic with N900 review
 

"Apple makes its things great by leaving features out, Nokia somehow believes that adding more makes its products great. Maemo suffers from that, but it isn’t something Nokia can’t fix – quickly."

True fanboy...now if Apple releases the "left-out" features in an update, everyone praises them.

I, for one, like to have lots of features on my phone.

Re: Another Iphone fanatic with N900 review
 

Yep. About as balanced as the liberal media reviewing a conservative ;)

Re: Another Iphone fanatic with N900 review
 

LOL... the well-worn "liberal media" canard has bigger legs in theory than practice. ;)

And yes, his review IS fairly balanced. He goes to great lengths to point out the good aspects of the device and the overall tone is that he is (a) surprised at its polish and (b) warmed to it despite prior bias.

I think those bashing his article are speed-reading or skipping.

Re: Another Iphone fanatic with N900 review
 

That's not fanboy philosophy, it's objective truth. Apple sells on use, Nokia sells on features. The different approaches resonate with different audiences.

Re: Another Iphone fanatic with N900 review
 

I think he left out a few things from the article so that people here questions the 'formulation' of the final 6/10 score.

Otherwise I think it's a good article with good comparisons.

PS: Oh hey, check out this quotation from a famous person...

""Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius -- and a lot of courage -- to move in the opposite direction."

Can anyone guess who that is? :D

Re: Another Iphone fanatic with N900 review
 

Agreed, ysss. Based on his points I would have given the device 7 out of 10.

Re: Another Iphone fanatic with N900 review
 

I appreciate his perspective. He's just a different type of mobilist. He doesn't mind packing his lappy and iPhone. Different mobilists do things differently, which is why we have so many models. If you follow GigaOm, you'd know he's an iPhoner, and people that prefer it have their way of working and playing, and different expectations. Its the sports car/monster truck dilemma. 6/10 is tough, but is the iPhone a 10/10? We don't know...

Re: Another Iphone fanatic with N900 review
 

Guys, this is Om Malik we're talking about here, so please, don't even pretend that anything he says is even remotely relevant and it shows in his review.

His review boils down to "Wow, everything's really awesome, but it's not from Apple. 6/10!"

If you trust this guy, then you probably also get your news from The Onion. :D

Re: Another Iphone fanatic with N900 review
 

So essentially despite wanting to hate the device he was forced to admit it has some good if not great points. Tell me again how that's a balanced review?

As far as the "genius" of leaving things out. I will take an OS that gives ME the choice to leave something out or include it thanks.

Re: Another Iphone fanatic with N900 review
 

I don't mean to be rude, but if you don't recognize something on its own merits, then I probably can't (and don't intend to) persuade you. Everyone approaches things with their own perspective. Ce la vie, ce la guerre.

Re: Another Iphone fanatic with N900 review
 

Dropped calls? What dropped calls? Does he mean calling people does not work on the iPhone?

Re: Another Iphone fanatic with N900 review
 

hahahahahahahahahahaha

Re: Another Iphone fanatic with N900 review
 

I think we have to add the AppleFanBoyReviewBalancer to his review.

It's a simple equation that properly evaluates reviews by FanBoys.

AppleFanBoyReviewScore + DefaultScoreRemovedByAppleMindControl = Actual Review Score

therefore the review is actually

6 + 3 = 9/10

Not bad at all for the N900!

Re: Another Iphone fanatic with N900 review
 

Whatever the case is, this phone is worth more than 6/10 imho.

Re: Another Iphone fanatic with N900 review
 

Agreed, that background explains why he didn't consider what are the three key points about N900 for me in any way important:

• Fully integrated internet-based communications, IM just as well as SMS, VoIP just as well as cellular calls
• Multiple processes, I can have several chats, a browser, my calendar and other things running and switch smoothly between them
• Open process for developers to publish their software to the device

Re: Another Iphone fanatic with N900 review
 

I agree with Texrat that the approach of Apple works for a certain audience type. I believe that is also what makes a bunch of us angry. When that majority of user type uses it as a status symbol or boastfully parade around with the device thinking that it does everything that they will ever need, we get furious. We know that it isn't designed with multi-tasking, is locked down in its Bluetooth capabilities (no tethering, no external GPS pairing, etc.), locked down app store (you wont find Kismet or aircrack-ng there), can't load flash in web pages, can't categorize apps into menus (Work, Communications, Utilities, etc), can't pick anything smaller than your finger without first zooming IN. It pisses us off.

The reviewer also didn't mention any of these items and is why a lot of us believe that he is a "iPhone lover". They're oblivious to features or I should say "feature oblivious".

I like that saying "feature oblivious". The stamp of a standard Apple user.

Re: Another Iphone fanatic with N900 review
 

As an avid reader of gigaom for a few years, you would know that Om is well known in recent years as a Nokia hater, he actually used to be a big S60 fan back in the E70 days I believe that was his primary device.

He lives in the Silicon Valley bubble which revolves around Apple and monetization of technology. There can be no argument that Apple has hit the jackpot with the App store when it comes to mobile apps and money and until a service comes along that can generate at least 50% of the revenue for developers as the App Store, it will continue to rule the Valley hive mind.

That said 6/10 is ridiculous with all of the praise he gives the device. If he had said 7 I would have bought it.

Re: Another Iphone fanatic with N900 review
 

lol, you need the MathControl module :D

Re: Another Iphone fanatic with N900 review
 

6/10 for a product that's the fourth step out of five isn't bad. Fanaticism in both directions is rather tiresome.

He didn't think the N900 was the best thing since sliced bread. Some of you think so... and are upset it didn't get a 7/10 score. 1 point doesn't deflate your overall enthusiasm; that's the room it has to improve.

Sure, the N900 does SMS, VoIP, telephony and chatting. Doesn't do MMS yet. Same was the issue with the iPhone which finally got it. N900 does do true multi-tasking... sorry, I can't get behind the serial tasking that the iPhone does... add more RAM, gimme that ability Apple.

There's flaws, lack of 3rd party support, the 4 out of 5, some minor omissions that start to whittle it down from a 10.

And for the record, I'd say the iPhone is a 5 out of 10.

Re: Another Iphone fanatic with N900 review
 

I thought it was an ok review. It's pretty obvious that if you want an iphone, and the device you review is not an iphone you're going to be disappointed.

One thing was a little confusing though. He says that "it surprised me with its nimbleness and robustness. It didn’t at any point feel like a Linux-based device"

Are linux based device slow? I would have thought the opposite.

Re: Another Iphone fanatic with N900 review
 

... is there an app for that.

see what i did there?

Re: Another Iphone fanatic with N900 review
 

If you really want it. I can make a calculator app that gives you wrong results :)

Re: Another Iphone fanatic with N900 review
 

I think I'd complain to the school if a child got that sort of report: He's brilliant at this, this and this, but he doesn't do that the way my favourite kid in the class does, so 6/10.

So it's not an iphone. Guess what? It's not meant to be an iphone. If you wanted a capacitive screen, there are plenty on the market: N900 has a resistive screen because it's capable of things that need a lot more accuracy than a splodgy finger-nudge.

As for it not being slim and kewl? Errr... I don't buy my devices for their 'kewl' factor, but for what they do. You down-mark a kid in class cos he's got red hair and braces?

Actually, I find myself much cheered by all the people who hate n900 on principle and still have good things to say about it.

Re: Another Iphone fanatic with N900 review
 

That was what I got too - the content was quite balanced but the conclusion wasn't in keeping with the bulk of the content at all...

Re: Another Iphone fanatic with N900 review
 

He couldn't avoid noticing the most important thing though:

N900 does not drop calls.

I still can't believe iPhone does, with all the hype around it...

Re: Another Iphone fanatic with N900 review
 

@fms: it's the network that the iphone is tied to (at&t). om made a big deal of 'leaving the iphone' sometime ago due to that.

Re: Another Iphone fanatic with N900 review
 

You know... I just had a meeting with BMW (early summer) and they were talking about how their advertising budget was probably going to get considerably less if the economy continued a downturn. And I'll paraphrase a part of that conversation:

"If people want to buy a BMW, they will buy one."

Which at that very moment made incredible sense to me. The same goes with the iPhone. Some people complained with OS X brought along a terminal. I mean, for YEARS Mac users never saw the underpinning to their OS. Didn't have to. Most didn't even want to. Would even scoff at the CMD prompt in Windows and was horrified of the BASH shell because it would "erase things without confirmations..." - actual quote from an older client.

My point is while here, I hear the N900 lust. People want power, they want root, they want to be able to load, compile, or apt-get whatever is out there because... well, they can.

The iPhone group? Herded, "protected", limited... yet it's a mainstream product that had a lot of thought that went into the UI, the distribution of applications via the iTunes Music Store.

But in the end, as a phone the iPhone (to me) is lacking. It functions, I can make calls, enjoy a few games, chat with some friends, even make VoIP calls... send SMS and MMS. But I have variety within that hard-limited environment that include offerings from companies that I have been exposed to in the past via prior commercial offerings.

The N900 - I'm a 770 and N810 owner - presents a breath of freedom and it'll allow me to make phone calls, enjoy a few games, chat with friends, make VoIP calls... send SMS and e-mails. No MMS, a forward facing camera that Skype still doesn't use and I have to maintain my Linux skills to avoid the other limitations - lack of the same level of 3rd party corporate/commercial support is my biggest ongoing concern - and keep around this bunch of people and I'll still be set with a phone that will down the road do what I want.

But the portable computer part... my job is too varied for the N900 to fit all of my needs. Admin duties... I'm set. Graphic design duties, I'm SOL - although I can use a Tiltshift app, a drawing app that supports *.psd files, a painting app and a better camera app on the iPhone's HORRID camera/platform, but it's there if I need to get out some ideas on the spot. Sketching, painting... also on the N900. But neither offer the quality I'd need to say "mobile computer".

Sure... that last bit will get people up in arms. But seriously... you say "mobile computer" and I use computers for graphic design, Flash dev as well as server administration and Office documents and other usages. Does that mean I should be in the back, waiting and not voicing some bit of disappointment here and there? Or does that mean this platform isn't fully for me?

Linux can do/go everywhere. Think about that for a moment. I'll be waiting on the N900/Maemo 5 platform to mature. Meanwhile, I'll argue any iPhone user... that's not a smartphone. It's a media phone... at best.

Just that the iPhone is too damn limited at times and I really want more... but it "works" well through deliberate thought that went into the UX and platform.

Sorry for getting rant all in the thread... oops ;)

Re: Another Iphone fanatic with N900 review
 

I knew it! Steve Jobs in his eternal wisdom decided to leave leave out multitasking because it is to complicated for the average iphone user.

Re: Another Iphone fanatic with N900 review
 

iPhone actually does multitasking, just not for the user applications, where it artifically insists that only one user application should be running at a time. I can't believe how many people do not understand that.