I don't understand the negativity around here. Why do people sound so offended by just a suggestion?

Surely its a powerful device with multi-tasking capability but would it not be amazing to have the option to go for UI smoothness when you want to? I'm sure there are technical obstacles and it definitely easier said than done but its all about ideas. Why not? It might be difficult and might not make the N900 smoother than the iPhone but smoother for sure I would say.

I'd agree with pycage. I don't know about the reliability of the open source components used but the audio stuttering and media tracking are noticeably horrible at times.

fahadj2003, with full functionality, the crap I laid out in my bathroom would be better than Maemo. The real question, however, is whether NITDroid will ever have the full functionality of Android OS. I, for one, doubt it. Maemo will remain the most appropriate OS for N900.

Could you be more specific what exact things need improvement?
"laggy" is a bit vague...

I mean it lags literally, not metaphorically or in the sense of lagging in development. I meant UI smoothness there. Smooth transitions, fast responses, no audio stuttering, fewer slowdowns.

Grab Black Plastic Theme and enable custom transitions, overclock the N900 and your all set.

shanrizvi, why don't you create a poll?

Q. Would you prefer a smoother ui and limits on multi-tasking or leave mutli-tasking as is - ui scrolls just fine for me?

1) Yes
2) No


BTW:
Comparing the n900 to the iphone is stupid. They both address different markets.

iPhone is more an entertainment device (e.g. likes to wave it's man-boobs in front of you and show how sexy it is).

N900 is more a practical kind of device (e.g. keeps it's man-boobs in a bra but handy to have around)

I have a lot of stuff installed on my N900 (kernel power 40, multiboot 0.2.9, nitdroid flying world, sygic mobile maps, psx4all, conky, cuteexplorer, fm radio, recorder, queen beecon widget etc.) and my phone is smoothness switching from one to another (i have also many widget on desktop).

Actually, the only way to obtain smoothness is overclock.

Mine is set to ideal (500-850) and my theme is R-Type Blue.

This is still vague.

There are smooth transitions in the UI.
It is responding fast.
There is no audio stuttering.

If you notice any slowdowns, please describe exactly what action you took to experience it.
The way you are explaining things now, we could be chasing ghosts and get similar results.

The problem is he is comparing it to the iPhone.

The scrolling on the iphone is very, very silky smooth and plenty of "fade" effects thrown in for good measure. This is a consequence of it's design - the UI must do this is a priority.

The scrolling on the n900 is nowhere near as smooth as the iphone but for most people is smooth enough. This is consequence of design too but unlike the iphone the smoothness of the ui was not a priority.

Comparing n900 scrolling to another n900 makes sense. Comparing to different device all together does not.

This is totally a non-issue (unless a particular user's n900 is not scrolling properly).

I think it is highly unlikely he can be specific about it. He's used to the perception that a device must have "silky-smooth" scrolling to be deemed a "usable & acceptable" device.

He's a product of Apple programming marketing.

And of course you all remember the transitions in iPhone UI was introduced for the exact purpose of covering down slowdowns?

Ie. If it takes an application 2 seconds to load and render UI, let's make a 2 seconds transition after starting the load - it will occupy the user and app will be ready right in the moment the transition ends.


Please let him speak. Maybe he could actually provide some useful input.


P.S. I do agree though, that screen-follows-finger is a major thing in touch UI and breaking it breaks the experience of interacting with a physical surface.

johnel, you're just not getting my point. I mean seriously. FOr the millionth time, I'm not suggesting that Nokia CHANGe Maemo 5 and implement a smoother UI replacing the computer style multi-tasking.

So yes. Create a poll but the question should be "Would you appreciate the option to switch to a *UI Performance* mode in Maemo 5?

I'm not comparing it to the iPhone. I'm just using the iPhone as a reference point. Whats wrong with that?

When did I say that a device MUST HAVE "silky-smooth" scrolling to be considered "usable and acceptable"? However, on an absolute level, who'd say "silky-smooth" scrolling is bad? Sure I might prefer the hardcore-ness of the N900 but whats wrong with an option to priotize smoothness?

smoku, I suppose smoothness and fastness are very relative then. I'm talking about the occasional breaks in smoothness that maybe you don't notice. I suppose I'm talking about the "silky-smooth" transitions. N900 is not as fluid as well, other phones on the market, and I don't understand why people get all insecure about that.

One particular situation where I get a heavy slowdown and an audio stutter is when an application installation finishes. The UI sort of halts for a second or so and the audio sometimes stutters.

Transitions often break. I have the Black Plastic theme installed and was using custom transitions even before that but the whole experience isn't fluid.

I don't know why people around here are so cocky about the N900. It was just a suggestion. Its supposed to be an open device that can do pretty much whatever you want it to. Whats so wrong about having the option to prioritize UI? Just like in Windows, you can tell whether you care about Performance or Visual Effects and it tweaks things accordingly. Its not a perfect analogy but it still shows what I mean.

I'm sorry to say but a lot of people around here seem to be inflicted with something similar to a small cock syndrome. Its like they know the iPhone is more successful and good at what it does so every time someone appreciates something the iPhone IS good at (UI smoothness), they start throwing tantrums. Its almost as if they would shatter their phone screens if iPhone implemented break-proof screens next year, just because they hate the iPhone.

Seriously, there is nothing wrong in taking another phone as a reference point.