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2009-12-29
, 18:38
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Posts: 4,672 |
Thanked: 5,455 times |
Joined on Jul 2008
@ Springfield, MA, USA
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#72
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Originally Posted by Capt'n Corrupt
The radio can only extend its usefulness if you intend to use the radio with a carrier. I, for one, prefer CDMA systems like Verizon and Sprint and I'm very satisfied that I've remained on that technology. (ie: 3G signal and speed seems better, voice calls seem FAR better, http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/12/29...yption-hacked/ and so on.. course, I might still chalk this up to personal choice but it doesn't change my perspective on the matter.)
@dan
Don't you think the cellular radio extends the devices mobile usefulness?
Even if the N900 were an internet tablet, I would still like to be able to be able to connect to the internet away from home or work especially considering that it's a highly mobile device.
}:^)~
This means that, unless I want to change my carrier (which I don't), the radio in the N900 does NOT, in fact, extend its mobile usefulness and instead ads a very hefty additional cost and some extra weight and thickness that I would have preferred to have had engineered into, say, a bigger screen or a larger capacity battery or something that ACTUALLY extends the mobile usefulness of the N900 instead of pretending that it's a cell phone and yet another "me too" iPhone wannabe that fails to meet expectations on that front.
On the other hand, my DROID has surprised me by actually being my Internet away from home by placing much of its best functionality in the Google online sphere and doing it well and impressively. I've yet to hear anyone tout the N900's ability to do any one thing particularly well compared to its competition as a cell phone. I'll bet that, had the radio been removed and the price lowered significantly, it would have compared particularly well compared to its competition as a portable computing device, however. It seems shameful that they didn't try to become the leader of a market they just about created (Internet Tablets) for themselves. At the very least, they should have had the forethought to design and release a few variations on the N900 for several markets (non-cellular, making another aimed a little more toward the gamers with more buttons on the face and no keypad, etc.). If they were all based on the same unit, it wouldn't be expensive to release two or three similar current-gen N9x0 devices. Shame.
Last edited by danramos; 2009-12-29 at 18:40.
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2009-12-29
, 18:45
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Posts: 3,319 |
Thanked: 5,610 times |
Joined on Aug 2008
@ Finland
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#73
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Just to stick to hardware stuff:
Okay, do not, repeat, DO NOT make any assumptions about the N900 based on N810 experience. The N900 effectively does not need a stylus. It's a convenience item, really, I bet most N900 users hardly ever use it. As someone who uses both the N810 and the N900 on a daily basis I can also tell you the N900 screen is WAY more sensitive than the N810 is, especially for finger use.
Originally Posted by Capt'n Corrupt
The difference on paper looks huge, but in practice, the N900 IS more pocket friendly than the N810, the 12mm width advantage more than makes up for the 4mm lack in depth. Don't make me upload a photo so this becomes evident
- Nicer hardware. The N1 is IMO a physically nicer piece of hardware. I don't terribly value the pullout keypad, in fact I kind of dislike it: it adds to thickness and I type better on the OSK anyway. The N1 is thin, light and attractive. It'll play well with my pockets, while the N900 certainly will not (the N810 barely fits and the N900 is thicker).
- Capacitive screen. Having used an ipod touch and owning an N810, I've concluded that capacitive is king. I honestly don't want to fumble with a stylus when using my mobile and dislike being forced to use it on my N810 for certain tasks. Additionally, I appreciate the soft touch responsiveness of capacitive screens, and multi-touch.
__________________
Blogging about mobile linux - The Penguin Moves!
Maintainer of PyQt (see introduction and docs), AppWatch, QuickBrownFox, etc
Blogging about mobile linux - The Penguin Moves!
Maintainer of PyQt (see introduction and docs), AppWatch, QuickBrownFox, etc
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2009-12-29
, 18:48
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Posts: 4,672 |
Thanked: 5,455 times |
Joined on Jul 2008
@ Springfield, MA, USA
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#74
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Originally Posted by jeffsf
Actually, there is an EXCELLENT ssh client I use on the DROID called 'ConnectBot' which even offers several terminal emulations (even xterm, Linux and screen), ssh public/private keys and emulates just about EVERY key you need (for example, the flash button is ESCAPE, left shift is still shift but right shift acts as the TAB key, etc.). I stopped using my N800 for SSH after finding this excellent app. If you have an Android around to try out, give it a shot to see if it'll work for you. As for VNC, I haven't tried any out but it looks like there are several VNC clients available as well.
The N900 is my current choice because I regularly use ssh and VNC, not because it is a generally competitive phone. It is a year or two late to the party. I haven't seen Nokia stock prices improve a lot with the N900's general public release.
Again, the Android system has surprised me with a MUCH better computing experience than I'd expected. My N800 still serves a few purposes better, but the more I've looked around for apps on my DROID, the less and less I'm using my N800 lately and similarly less impressed with the N900 and its unfortunate pricing due to this appendix of a radio that I must still pay for.
Basically: I bought the DROID as a phone, and got a surprisingly good computer out of it too. Problem with the N900 is that I'd buy it as a computer, and get an incredibly awful phone out of it.
Last edited by danramos; 2009-12-29 at 18:53.
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2009-12-29
, 18:52
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Posts: 3,428 |
Thanked: 2,856 times |
Joined on Jul 2008
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#75
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I use ConnectBot. I hate the terminal window. *shrug*... it gets me by though. It's the best SSH client I've found on a phone.. I'll give you that.... but I preferred SSH with my N810 and the stock terminal. (after decreasing the font size.)
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2009-12-29
, 18:55
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Posts: 4,672 |
Thanked: 5,455 times |
Joined on Jul 2008
@ Springfield, MA, USA
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#76
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Originally Posted by fatalsaint
At the cost of going off-topic, I'm curious, why do you hate the terminal window in ConnectBot? I've not really seen a reason to dislike it yet but I'm genuinely curious to know what it's lacking.
I use ConnectBot. I hate the terminal window. *shrug*... it gets me by though. It's the best SSH client I've found on a phone.. I'll give you that.... but I preferred SSH with my N810 and the stock terminal. (after decreasing the font size.)
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2009-12-29
, 19:02
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Posts: 3,428 |
Thanked: 2,856 times |
Joined on Jul 2008
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#77
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Using it again I take that back.. it's not CB's terminal... its my phone. The G1 screen is a tad small, and the keyboard a bit cumbersome to work extensively on. I didn't have this kind of annoyance with the N810. The one good thing my G1 has, is the | key readily available, but other than that - just the whole typing experience was easier on my N810.
CB's output actually is fairly decent for a screen this size. Still feels cramped. I imagine the N900 may have this problem as well since they shrunk the screen though... I don't know how that will look. The keyboard looks similar to the N810 though.. and I kind of liked that one. G1's buttons are a bit small, though spaced decently to make up for it. Plus.. the damn lip on the G1 shifts the keyboard to the left which makes it insanely uncomfortable.
So yeah... I guess most my problems aren't with CB.. it's with the G1.
There is some learning curve with CB... you need to learn shortcuts to do things like tab and ESC... but.. that's not a huge deal. I just keep forgetting them everytime I use the app
.
CB's output actually is fairly decent for a screen this size. Still feels cramped. I imagine the N900 may have this problem as well since they shrunk the screen though... I don't know how that will look. The keyboard looks similar to the N810 though.. and I kind of liked that one. G1's buttons are a bit small, though spaced decently to make up for it. Plus.. the damn lip on the G1 shifts the keyboard to the left which makes it insanely uncomfortable.
So yeah... I guess most my problems aren't with CB.. it's with the G1.
There is some learning curve with CB... you need to learn shortcuts to do things like tab and ESC... but.. that's not a huge deal. I just keep forgetting them everytime I use the app
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2009-12-29
, 19:18
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Posts: 3,524 |
Thanked: 2,958 times |
Joined on Oct 2007
@ Delta Quadrant
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#78
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Originally Posted by attila77
Thanks for that! You're a credible dude, and this *really* helps put things into perspective for a person like me who's shopping blind.
Just to stick to hardware stuff:
The difference on paper looks huge, but in practice, the N900 IS more pocket friendly than the N810, the 12mm width advantage more than makes up for the 4mm lack in depth. Don't make me upload a photo so this becomes evident
Okay, do not, repeat, DO NOT make any assumptions about the N900 based on N810 experience. The N900 effectively does not need a stylus. It's a convenience item, really, I bet most N900 users hardly ever use it. As someone who uses both the N810 and the N900 on a daily basis I can also tell you the N900 screen is WAY more sensitive than the N810 is, especially for finger use.
}:^)~
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2009-12-29
, 19:52
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Posts: 87 |
Thanked: 40 times |
Joined on May 2007
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#79
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As for me, I would not buy things from Google due to privacy concerns and strange platform design. I do not want a toy-like Java stuff when I can carry a REAL Linux like Maemo in my pocket. Actually Google's platform is not Linux at all since it does not represents Linux APIs and services to applications. Furthermore, it forces people to use Java only, which is slow and memory hog. Hence it's quite useless and restrictive platform. And I doubt someone would be able to write something equal to Pidgin, X-Chat, OpenTTD, Quake, etc using Java anyhow soon.
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2009-12-29
, 20:46
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Posts: 3,428 |
Thanked: 2,856 times |
Joined on Jul 2008
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#80
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There is AndChat and eBuddy and Meebo for IRC and IM clients available for Android.
Quake no, and I don't know OpenTTD.
Quake no, and I don't know OpenTTD.
Unlike you ... I want a computer that sits in my pocket... without having to carry a second phone. That's exactly what the N900 would do. I don't need all the fancy call features, or the different ring tones per contact, or the call log to look right... All I need is something that will go "ring" when I get a phone call.
As long as the N900 does that... and allows me to play around all day with all kinds of Linux crap... I'm a happy camper.
I do agree with you about the price though... that is the only drawback - and the only reason I don't have one already.
If I've helped you or you use any of my packages feel free to help me out.
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Maintaining:
pyRadio - Pandora Radio on your N900, N810 or N800!