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What's In My Pocket?

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I often get a kick out of my friends' faces when I empty out my pockets, so I decided to share the contents here as well! ^_^

Basically, in my jeans on any given day (and I wear jeans almost every day), you will find my Nokia E71, Peek Classic, and iPod Touch 32GB. And that's not including my wallet and keys! They all mesh together quite well, and in order to prevent scratches, my E71 is given it's own pocket, as are my keys and wallet, and my iPod (which I don't always carry anymore actually) and Peek ride in the same pocket.

Also, you'll notice that this is a rather good-quality picture but all of the devices I own are sitting on this pad of paper...? No, I don't have anything new. Rather, I've revived my Kodak Z812 IS. Which, fittingly, is the reason for why the photo isn't in perfect-focus, and why there's a significant amount of barrel distortion.

I also updated the firmware on the Z812, and while I was hoping for some magical sort of fix... nothing significant happened. What did change? Well, I'm not sure. But supposedly "a performance increase" is something I should be noticing. So I'll keep you posted.

Here are some more pictures taken from the Z812 (the picture nearly identical to the one above is v1.03 firmware, the picture above is v1.04 firmware). I had a bit of fun taking that E71 photo, as you can prolly tell. It is quite a good looking handset, lemme tell you.

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Post a comment Tags: apple, ipod, nokia, classic, kodak, touch, peek, e71 …

Nokia N85 Review - Beauty is on the inside.


Introduction--------------------------------
What is the N85 supposed to succeed? I can't quite place my finger on it. It's design would suggest it's a descendant of the original N-Series flagship devices, meaning it's come after the N96 which came after the N95. But while much of it's form-factor design would suggest such a lineage, it's other styling cues seem to suggest a different lineage.

For example, the N96 is nearly identical in terms of hardware to the N95. Only the exterior appearance and the multimedia buttons have endured significant changes to deem notice. Where, then does the N85 fit in? It's been graced with a small footprint, OLED display, and styling to suggest it belongs to a different family. The N81 device seems to be right about there, as both do not feature a massive screen as found on the N96, and both are aimed towards portable gamers who like a full-featured phone.

Is the N85 a descendant of the N81? Is it, truthfully, a more capable version of the N81? I wish I could ask the designers of the N85 to figure out exactly what was going on in their heads when they created it.











Unboxing--------------------------------
Without going into my green segment in regards to Nokia, I feel that notice is deserved for the packaging of the N85. I mean, the box for the N85 is small... smaller than the N82 that I owned! Just take a look!
Alright, so the box isn't that much smaller than the N82. But noticeably so... I mean, just picking up the N82's box gives this feeling of... emptiness. Like, there should be substance in there, but there isn't. It's just not dense. The N85's box, however, feels like it's loaded. With what? Let's dig in.
Look at all of the steps just to finally view some of the kit! This is the first box I've encountered from Nokia which has a slim slip-cover cardboard piece on top of the actual box containing everything. And judging by the way that the actual box has left room for carrier branding while the slip cover has not, I'd say that one could easily expect a carrier-issued N85 to consist of only the box. Oh well... bit of a shame, considering how the N85's slip-cover does quite a good job of marketing the device in itself.

Of course, I'm off-track here. At this point, we're presented with the N85 itself, and the BL-5K Li-ion battery pack. This battery, in reference to the N82's, is about a millimeter thinner, but is wider and longer in exchange. So I'd make a guess that in terms of capacity... it's about the same? Not sure, really. Let's not dabble on the battery... let's inspect the device quickly. I really couldn't resist turning over the device in my hand for a few minutes before I even had turned it on, and so I'm sure anyone who opens their own personal N85 will be tempted to do the same. I felt like I had just opened the box to the greatest N-Series device ever to be created, and was waiting for the "wow"-factor to hit me.


Of course, by this point, you'll have noticed the large amount of glossy surfaces to be found on the N85. These aren't pinched-edges detailing the corners like might be found on the N96 or a BMW Z4, but rather invokes the flowing curves of the N93 or Dodge Viper. And as such, the design almost seems to have gone backwards... it seems everywhere that one looks they can see that that contour lines and edge lines are pronounced and sharp. On the N85... they're not.
But in terms of the function... the slide works quite well, and seems to feature metal rails upon which the slide works, which is a welcome sight due to it's reliability and smoothness of operation. When sliding the display down to reveal the multimedia keys, it seems to require more force than for the keypad, and "pops" with a sudden abruptness which is at once pleasing to hear and at the same time not brutal or harsh in any way. Time to keep rummaging in the box.

Underneath the top tray is the usual method of packaging for N-Series devices... essentially organized, intuitive chaos. There's all of the cables, manuals, and they're all "thrown-in" yet neat at the same time. No point explaining this further, it's time to take everything out for a closer look.

A lot of paper, it would seem, was used in the N85's packaging. Green lovers do not fret, the N85 is still only recently released, and will soon see reduction in paperwork I'm sure when the N85 NAM edition is released. As is, this is the generic, unlocked, direct from Nokia N85-1, which is internationally-bound and has no set language upon which to cater with. As such, there is a copy of the manual in English, as well as what I'm presuming to be Finnish (or maybe Swedish), a software DVD, and an N-Gage pamphlet written in multiple languages that has an activation code written on the back to unlock an N-Gage game to be used on the N85. Time to move on past this stuff... none of which I used except the N-Gage voucher.

Time for the cables! Nokia should be congratulated for always including all of the essentials and then some with it's N-Series devices. AV-Out, USB, Headphone Remote, Headphones, and AC-Charger are all included here. When really, Nokia only needed to include the USB cable and AC adapter to keep the masses happy, they have included things which I'd be otherwise forced to buy to do the things I deem required of my handsets.
The AV-Cable works exactly as you'd expect it to work... it seems different than most AV-Out cables, in the sense that a standard cable won't work with the N85, yet the bundled one will, so if you should happen to require AV-Out, be sure to pack the cable. Also, the USB cable is essentially a slightly tweaked Mini-USB cable, with Nokia's own proprietary connector on the end. Now, I know many people might be a bit annoyed by this change made to the plug, however I for one am quite thrilled. Nokia's USB cable "feels" superior in quality to your average Mini-USB cable, it's transfer rates seem higher (tweaked?), and the built-on clip for winding the cable up is so simple yet useful that I have to wonder why others don't do the same thing.
The remote for the N85 is quite high-quality too. I remember my N93's bundled headphones/remote... essentially headphones with a build-in microphone and "remote" which allowed one to answer calls received as well as change volume levels. Not really useful for multimedia playback. With the N85, they've fixed this, and the remote can actually manipulate the playback of multimedia. The bundled headphones looked high-quality as well, however I never bothered testing them. When I want to enjoy quality audio, I always use my Sony sound-isolating earbuds. My N82's headphones looked quite similar to the N85's, and that would imply that they too would allow too much outside noise in, have to be turned up loud to be usable, and in doing so audio would be distorted and not enjoyable. So I decided to pass on even touching the headphones.


What's up here? Notice the plug type on the N85's AC adapter. First tell-tale sign of the N85 I received not being targeted for the US market: WOM World, responsible for hooking me up with the N85 over the winter holidays to test out, send along this super-handy universal power adapter. Those looking for an N85 in the States should be sure to either pick up a power adapter, a charger with US prongs on it, or wait and find a NAM version of the N85.
That said, I just wanted to pause in my review to thank WOM World for hooking me up with this N85 (and the E66 before it, and the E71 before that) to test out. And thanks yet again for including the power adapter because, while I do have one somewhere, I'm once again amazed by the quality of service I've received from Nokia and all of it's loyal fans.










Design--------------------------------
It's high-time I take this device apart piece by piece from a design perspective. Naturally, I have already turned on and used the device for nearly two weeks, but that said I still feel obligated to go over the exterior details of the device. So beginning with the top, we're confronted with Nokia's proprietary Mini-USB port, a 3.5mm (standard) stereo jack (also the AV-Out), and the power/profile-change button. To the right there's also a loop for attaching a wristband or phone charm, if one should happen to wish to do so. It's placed in a location I would think handy for attaching the device to a lanyard for hanging around the neck. It is a rather capable multimedia computer, so having it handy seems like a natural thing to do.

On the bottom there's... nothing. So let's move it along.


On the right hand side of the device, you're presented with many features. The stereo speakers, for instance, are placed in what appears to be as close to the corners of the device as possible, in order to create the best possible stereo effect, I'd assume. Also, the shutter button (with the usual two-stage press like that found on digital camera to first focus and then take the shot), keyguard toggle switch, and volume rocker key. Let's flip it over.


The left-hand side of the device is bare. There's the memory card slot, yet all of the ports that might be found on side, such as that on the N82 (USB and charging), have been moved to the top of the device. And to touch on that, the USB port is now also the charging port... good job Nokia! It makes things neater.



And, of course, on the back is the 5mp, Carl Zeiss-optics camera covered by a neat-and tidy lens cover slide.


A brief discussion on the design of the phone is due right about now... I've been holding off until now. The phone, while for all appearances, seems quite curvy, feels quite flat in the hand. It feels solid, hefty, dense, like it is literally stuffed to the brim with hardware. That would seem quite accurate, judging by it's impressive hardware set for it's diminutive size. That said... I'm not sure about the glossiness. I'm attracted to the N96 due to it's fusion of matte and glossy surfaces, and the N85 is straying towards appearing completely glossy. Which would be fine if the device was made nearly entirely of metal and glass such as the E66 or E71, however the N85 is plastic and... plastic.
The black and mocha color scheme is quite attractive. Weird, considering I just said I prefer steel and glass. Originally I wasn't set on the N85's color scheme, but given some time... I've grown to like it. It looks grown-up. It looks... professional. It allows me to look past the fact that it's made mostly of plastic pieces and to judge it for what it's worth, not what it's made of. I can hold it, and immediately I get the same feeling of heft as if it were made of metal and glass, and that's a feeling I like.
The way that Nokia has decided to selectively illuminate keys on the N85 when necessary is a welcome addition. For example, the Multimedia keys have Play/Pause, Stop, Forward, and Back keys. But, with a small change, the keys can become Zoom-In, Zoom-Out keys. Or, two gaming keys, which appear to be marked Square and Circle.
The keys directly below the screen are also illuminated to be visible... something not as well implemented as on the E66, due in part to their non-perfect illumination and... slightly cheaper feeling. It appears as if the keys should be touch-sensitive, not just standard tactile push-down keys. Yet, that's exactly what they are, is standard buttons. Can you say "let-down"?
Also, the display seems to appear to be looking for the "seamless fusion of steel and glass" that I babbled on so much in my review of the E66. Especially in regards to the display and the keys. Yet, due to the fact that the keys below the display have to be raised, this effect is lost, and only the attempt is left glaring on the face of the device. A handsome attempt, but it's lost.
Lastly, on design, I want to compliment the implementation of an OLED screen on the N85. Just look at the viewing angle!!!:
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There is no change in hue or contrast when viewing the display at any angle! This is absolutely amazing! Colors are stunning, sharp, and beautiful, and if truly has to be seen for one to know the difference. The themes built into the N85 stock are bright and colorful... they remind me of the UI Sony used to build into their MP3 players, which didn't really catch on but was absolute eye candy. If Nokia can release these themes, transitions and all, to other S60 phones, then I'll quit complaining about S60's aged appearance. Because with the N85, they've really managed to finally kick a phone to the forefront of modern appealing design, from hardware to software. True, hardware design could use a bit of a sprucing here and there, but overall, the design has infiltrated every aspect of the device, and I'm saying goodbye to this device with a sinking feeling that the next one won't have the same degree of attention to the UI.











Usage--------------------------------
The N85 is a full-featured device, and as such, I asked WOM World to supply me with it for the exact hope that I might be able to take it with me on my holiday trip to Mexico. The device got held up in shipping to the point where the easy possibility of another couple of days' delay might have put me without the device on a trip where the the device would truly be able to get a thorough shakedown. Thankfully, that didn't happen, and so I was able to give the device a thorough testing in both Image Capture, Video Capture, MP3 Playback, Video Playback, and eventually Image Playback once I had returned home. So, here goes, each with it's own separate section.

Image Capture
While packing for my trip, I had the thought that, being an avid fan of my Nokia N82 when I had it, I shouldn't even bother packing my bulky Kodak Z812 camera, and should rather pack a Nokia handset to capture moments from my trip. The N85, being a flagship device of Nokia, should have at least the same quality as the N82, xenon flash excluded of course. My paltry 5GB music collection would leave plenty of room left on the MicroSD card on which to store a wealth of pictures and videos I captured along my trip, and so memory limits were of no concern to me. A few test pictures around the house were what convinced me of my true logic:
Armed with this confidence, I set off with N85 in pocket, a camera not quite as "quality" as the N82 I had owned, but surely worth exchanging the Kodak for. (Which I no longer know why I should even keep it any longer.) Five short days later, and I returned, with quite a few pictures from every sort of real-world scenario one might expect this camera to perform under. Here's a brief selection:
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As you can tell from the images... low-light imagery isn't a strong-point of the N85. It's dual-LED flash really ought to have been swapped out for a xenon-based one, but perhaps the trade-off wasn't quite as bad as it might've been. I usually prefer to deactivate flash in low-light situations anyway, so the main problem here is a high level of noise in low-light situations. Apart from that, provided enough light, the N85's camera sensor functioned excellently, and I'm truly happy I decided to opt out of bringing a standalone digital camera.
Ironically, however, very high levels of light are also where the N85 becomes nearly worthless. And by high levels of light, I mean outdoors in the sun. The OLED screen is not reflective, but rather becomes literally washed out in the sun. You can attempt to shield it from the sun, but the sheer amount of light all around will make even that a pointless attempt. It really becomes a literal point-and-shoot camera... on occasion I had to just point the N85 in the general direction I wanted, take the shot, and move on, hoping I had captured the subject I wanted.


Video Capture
I was given one opportunity to record a video I thought would be a good example of what the N85 is capable of, and here it is, a taxi ride:
A lot of video quality is lost in the conversion to be playable on this website, but as you can tell from the audio, conversations can be picked up easily and clearly even in as noisy an environment as a fairly noisy highway. Not stereo sound recording, but good nevertheless. Definitely nowhere near the atrocious audio found on the i-Mobile 902, for comparison's sake, but at the same time not quite as full-featured as the N93.

MP3 Playback
On the way to Mexico, I relied upon my Apple iPod Touch for music playback. This is because I was unsure of the N85's battery capacity, and didn't want to ruin any chances I might get to take a picture should the need arise and I find my battery dead. This is the one problem with all everything-in-one devices, is the ever-present possibility of a battery giving out when you need it most. Fortunately, battery life turned out to be surprisingly much greater than expected, so my return from Mexico back to the States used the N85 as my audio player nearly exclusively.
What I found, with my Sony sound-isolating earbuds, was that audio playback was superb. Once in a while, when not playing any audio, random noises would be audible, such as white noise when selecting a menu which would then vanish a second or two later. Not annoying, and actually kind of useful, as it would remind me to select another song to listen to. The device, once the display was slid to multimedia mode, became quite a competent MP3 player. The N82 suffered from it's non-centered stereo jack (not really a problem exactly so much as a styling problem), coupled with no multimedia keys. The N85 (and presumably, the N95 and N96 which I have yet to test) solves this problem, by giving you instant access to playback controls no matter what else you might be doing on the phone.
Browsing playlists and such is a bit lackluster, but comparable to Apple's iPod, without Coverflow of course. That said, the N85 features- surprise!- a Naviwheel!
Suddenly, the navigation ring can be used similar to Apple's scroll wheel. This feature is turned off by default, and I can sort of see why... it's not a polished system, in that it works most of the time. The other bit of the time it's not glitching up or anything annoying, it's just not registering my finger. So, at best, I can say that this is a feature Nokia might polish up in a future firmware update, but I'd be just as apathetic about it if they didn't, because I preferred searching for songs using the keypad or just scrolling with buttons.
Essentially... the N85 is quite a competent MP3 player. I'm quite happy with my experiences with it, and between a new iPod and the N85 (pretending it couldn't make phone calls), I'd easily grab the N85.

Video Playback
Here's where I found the first problem with the OLED in low light conditions. Well, that's not really fair. Low light has nothing to do with it, but rather the technology of OLED in displaying certain colors. As a test, I loaded on an MP4 version of Iron Man onto the N85, and watched the movie in segments throughout the trip. To my annoyance and surprise, the N85 couldn't display dark colors well at all. For example, much of the beginning of the movie takes place in a dark cave, where the background is discernible to be essentially random contours of black and dark brown rock. On the N85, this became "off" on the OLED. (Off being black... that's how OLED's have such high contrast ratios.) So instead of being in a cave, I was watching the main character in what appeared to be a perfectly pitch black environment.
I immediately blamed poor encoding, however after reviewing the same scene on both my laptop and iPod Touch, it's a flaw of either the video decoder built into the N85, or the screen itself. Sad, considering how much I love the display in dark environments, to learn that it struggles to reproduce said environments on it's screen. But wait, there's more:
The picture really doesn't to justice, but can you tell how blueish hued the white Google page is on the N85 as compared to the iPod Touch? White on the N85's OLED is quite blue, actually... this picture really doesn't show that. My first time turning on the N85 I though that perhaps the screen had a brief warm-up period... but that is not the case, it seems. I'm going to have to say that for the screen size here, the color problems involving shades of black-to-white aren't really enough to sway me away from everything else... that said, let's move on.

Image Playback
The N85 has a rather neat image browser. First, you can press the silver key on the keypad to browse the images and videos in a rather... unorthodox manner. Or you can go to the photo browser via the main menu. That's what I preferred to do. From there you are presented categories on which to view photos captured. (Captured, Months, Albums, Tags, Downloads, All, Share online) You merely select which method upon which you want your photos organized, and then start browsing. A bit difficult to explain, but it's basically the same as any other N-Series device out there once you get past this initial organization selection screen.










Build Quality--------------------------------
When I first held the N85 in my hand, my impression was of a tightly packaged high-quality plastic case with sturdy electronics on the inside. And while I can't comment on the inside, I can comment on body integrity, and here's where my biggest problem with the N85 comes in. It squeaks when I squeeze it. The slide shifts when you hold it, and when the phone vibrates, the bottom and top parts of the phone vibrate even more, creating the most non-discreet vibrate alert ever. That combined with one of the strongest vibrations in a Nokia phone ever really doesn't help much. The piece of mocha plastic around the top of the back, around the camera piece, has a lot of flex in it when I merely touch it. The battery cover feels cheap, and I don't know what to make of it.
You know what? None of that really matters. Because I'm willing to look beyond those faults. My original N82 had one of the two stereo speakers die on me, and Nokia replaced it free of charge. My second one did the same just before I traded it away for an E90, yet I decided I wasn't bothered by it. My N82, with time, developed a squeak in it's navigation ring and when I squeezed it. Even still, it never felt as cheap as the N85's faults I just described, yet I still can't say that the problems with the N85 bothered me. That is, until this happened:
The entire bottom section on the display completely came off when I pulled the N85 out of my pocket. Apparently the only thing that holds it on is some cheap glue. Now, Nokia, I baby my phones. I've never owned a case for any of my phones because even the ones that I manage to wind up liking long enough to own for more than six months look just as new as the day I bought them. But this is simply too far... that bottom piece already looks like it barely fits the design, and I'm wondering if this happens because the N85 was destined for touch-sensitive keys versus the tactile kind, and this was all put together last minute. I'm willing to look past this issue temporarily, assume I was given a faulty unit, or that perhaps the previous tester was a little rough on this petite handset. I pressed the piece back on, hoping there was enough adhesive, and sure enough, the piece stayed on well enough. I've heard reports of other users experiencing hard-to-press buttons on their N85, or having their buttons fall off just like I did. I've also heard that the NAM version of the N85 addresses this keypad... something which I have no idea how they'd accomplish.
Ultimately... I'm left with a sinking feeling about the N85. I really badly wanted it to be the device which I'd obtain for my own. That's half of why I wanted so badly to test the N85. Yet, I have the device sitting next to me, and when I pick it up and set it down, I hear a rattle. I pick it back up and feel the looseness of the display as it shifts under my thumb. I unlock the keypad and see the uneven illumination in all of the keys. And then as I toggle around the navigation ring, I see the corners of the singular button under the display lift up, and bleed light onto the table. Why, Nokia, have you done this? I just tried out your E66, and was reassured of the quality you can bestow into any handset. Why have you forsaken the N85? It was the device of 2008, and now I fear that the N97 may fall into place behind the N85, meaning I will wait till the E-Series devices manage multimedia and switch to them with their first-class build and body integrity.
I'm quite speechless with the N85. It still wows my friends, all of whom own iPhones or high-end Sony Ericsson handsets, yet ever since that day when the keys fell off, I've never been able to look at this N85 the same. It's almost like a dirty little secret, one which you'd have to experience to understand.








Conclusion--------------------------------
You'll have noted that I ended on a rather depressing note. The N85 is probably going to be the last device from Nokia which was aimed at someone like me. Someone who would rather have a phone when he wants a phone. No touchscreen nonsense, and I'll pass on that slide-out keyboard as well. The E-Series devices have the build quality which the N85 should have had. Perhaps that's why the N85 is lacking much marketing, while I keep seeing E71 advertisements everywhere, is Nokia would rather have people focus on it's upcoming N97, which hopefully will have build quality equal to it's E-Series line.
Ultimately, would I buy one? I wish I could, but right now I can't afford one. I just traded my E90 for another N82 (I originally had an N82, traded that for an E90, and decided another N82 would be better), and that's a trade I very much am happy with. The N82 has all of the features I want, a form I want, and no body-integrity issues. Sure, the speaker might give out in not too long, but that's a risk I'm willing to take. If I could trade my N82 for an N85, would I? I'm having trouble saying yes. The N85 has a slightly larger screen, but the N82's works when and where I want it to. So I'd have to say no.
Howabout a different comparison? Would I rather have my iPhone (first gen, sorry for being old), or the N85? That's easy, I'd take the N85. Better camera, more appealing UI (in my opinion), better software, just as good multimedia playback (except for the display distortions listed earlier), and a great web browser that I find better than the iPhone.
Ultimately... I like the N85. Supposedly the N85 NAM (N85-2? Or maybe N85-3?) will address build quality, and that will be a handset I will gladly take another look at. If build quality was addressed, and the OLED issues ironed out, I'd snap one up. But I'd still rather get a candybar version... so if you're listening, Nokia, howabout making a thin N82 with the N85's display?

Should you buy one? Depends. Would you rather deal with a slight cheap feeling in order to have the latest and greatest non-touchscreen phone from Nokia? If so, then by all means, pull the trigger. The N85 is limited only by what is visible. You truly have to look beyond what you see in order to realize what great potential it has.

Post a comment Tags: apple, review, nokia, iphone, oled, n95, n-series, e90 …

Nokia E66 Review: (I want one.)

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Introduction
The E66 is exactly the direction Nokia should be focusing it's efforts towards. A thin and stylish slider phone that's loaded with an impressive set of hardware and a sense of finish and refinement that I've never before experienced in any handset before. The slide mechanism is devoid of all friction, yet enhanced with what feels like a part-resistive part-helping spring. Build quality is unparalleled, and the weighting is perfect in-hand. The hardware isn't half-assed and every component does it's job exactly like how intended.
But before I get carried away further, let me just make clear to you that I see the E66 as possibly the most under-appreciated handset ever to be released by Nokia. In fact, if it weren't for certain design cues and a low megapixel count on it's camera, I can't see how this device didn't land itself in Nokia's N-Series line of devices.




Design
This, I believe, is the E66's least flattering angle to take a photo from. And yet, even still, it's quite a looker. It's not a high-class looker, but it has a sense of cleanliness amid it's many clumped buttons around the navigation ring. The way that symbols are displayed on each button only when illuminated from the backlight is something which doesn't demand attention, yet commands a sense of beauty.

The keypad, when slid open, is simple and elegant at the same time. There's no flashy or experimental keys to be found here. Which means that, while the E66's twin is essentially the qwerty-equipped E71, the E66 isn't going to be a slouch at text entry because of the use of inefficient keys. Each key has just the right amount of travel, and makes a satisfying click with each press.


In-hand, the device is the perfect size. While it packs hardware nearly identical to an N95, the E66 is thinner by a great degree. (I don't have an N95 to compare, but I'd say it's half the thickness.) That combined with it's bevelled edges and I almost wonder if Nokia's been pulling my leg for the past couple of years, releasing "tester" products in order to deliver a polished and refined device such as this.


When it comes time to turn on the E66, that's when the magic begins. Keys previously bearing no label or symbol are suddenly illuminated with a brightness visible in bright daylight yet subtle enough for pitch-black rooms.


Now, merely for comparison's sake, let's set the E66 next to an iPhone (1st Gen). Generally regarded to be an attractive handset, the iPhone pales in comparison to the E66. The iPhone looks inspired with a sense of throwing as many details as possible away. Leaving ultimately two design aspects: the large screen, and the home button.
The E66 focuses around it's navigation ring, it seems, branches out to it's nearly cut plastic keys, and then to it's seamless display.


Once again, the iPhone and the E66 square off. It's obvious that the iPhone isn't phone first, features second. It's entertainment first, phone second. The E66 is and E-Series device mostly because before you even turn it on, it's phone first, features second. It's keys make sense, it's design is elegant and intricately simple, if such a thing is allowed to exist. Yet at the same time... both are "designer".


What of the E66 and it's older brother, the E90? It's obvious that technology has advanced tremendously since the time which the E90 was developed when you look at the feature set, which I will dive into soon. But just look at the materials at work and how they are used. The E90 has more "rugged" materials like rubber and flexible plastic. The E66 on the other hand is composed of a union of "rigid" materials. Steel, clear plastic, glass, and more steel complete the phone.



The E66 has a very plain back to the display, something which could be improved. As it stands, only two screws upset the single-piece backing, yet their intrusion seems to add just enough of an upset to avoid the back being labeled bland. So if I were to be honest, I wouldn't change that at all. That red power button, that needs to be changed...


As you can see, it's quite awkward to reach the power button when the screen is slid open. However, if the screen is closed, then the user has to first unlock the keyguard, which I personally found to be a bit awkward to use.



Continuing towards the back, we're confronted with a stainless steel backing with texturing nearly identical to that found on the E71.  There's a 3.2mp camera with autofocus and LED flash, along with a mirror for self-portraits. 'Round the side is a 2.5mm headset jack, USB jack, and Infrared window.



The MicroSD card is once again, hidden under the battery cover, which means that it's not really the most convenient for changing memory cards.



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Hardware
Just about everything you can imagine is here. GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, 3G Radio, Infrared... 
That's why I've created a miniature gallery of one of the most standout features of this phone: it's camera. It's a 3.2mp camera, but it takes excellent macro shots, the color is for the most part excellent (a bit blueish, but not enough to be bothering). So check out the images above... I think you'll agree that the camera is a standout feature. In fact, the camera experience is good enough that I think that it will be used quite a lot

Other than that... I have to wonder how Nokia has managed to cram all the same technology found in the E90 into the E66. Sure, it's lacking the large screen and large battery, but still... I'm taken aback.




Software
This is where the E66 really shines. There's no major glitches. There's an accelerometer which allows you to tilt the phone to the side, and the screen will snappily rotate. The operating system is snappy, and all the software simply works. I had to put a firmware update on the phone in order to fix an inverted camera glitch, but once that was fixed... everything was great. But there's something on the E66 I've never, ever seen before:


Can you see what's happened? I've dialed a "5" to enter a "J", "2" to enter a "A", and so on... and I see all of the James' in my phone. Neat? You betcha.




Conclusion
The E66, as you may have noticed, isn't really a phone of many words. What it is, however, is a perfect fusion of what a Symbian phone is meant to be. The software doesn't bog down, the hardware set is what anyone could wish for. The styling of the phone is knock-out beautiful. Apart from it's 3.2 (vs 5.0) megapixel camera and side (versus top) mounted audio jack... I'd have thrown this device into the N-Series line if it was up to me.
That said... I really, really like this phone. It's great from the get-go, and lacks only a little sparkle in the menus to pose as a serious entry to the general consumer market. Perhaps with a few fancy flash themes and an interface update, this phone would be a winner in any situation it might find itself.
Post a comment Tags: apple, review, nokia, iphone, e90, e71, e66 …

VOIP Musings

The E66 sent to me lays dormant as I work late into the night, compensating for too much sleep the night before. Just as I was about to settle down to my drawings, I had the thought to do a view software experiments. VOIP experiments, to be precise. And not the Skype kind.

What's wrong with Skype? Nothing, in fact it's perhaps my favorite Instant Messaging application, short of Apple's own iChat. That said, it has some limitations which actually don't affect me but which I was bothered to the point of figuring out another solution. Skype has a very user-friendly UI, a simple setup, and is well known. That said, the number of users on Skype is nowhere near the number of phone users, and so the one standout ability of Skype to connect with this outside network is nearly required. But the fee connected with it is enough to make one pause, and wonder why.


I took it upon me to obtain the same solution Skype offers as a paid alternative to the Skype-Skype only free plan, but without any monetary requirements and an underlying goal of making it as simple as possible. And now I can fairly say that I have acquired that goal, and have begun integrating my system on my mobile handsets.
My solution does require the patching together of a few odd techniques should you happen to want to make outgoing calls... but on the plus side, it does enable the most expensive part of Skype, a SkypeIn number, the easiest.
What does that mean? It means that while my cell phone is connected to the cellular network with an Oregon (USA) phone number, calling an Italian registered number will also connected you to my handset via a WiFi connection. Which means I've transformed my Nokia E90 into the ultimate communications tool, capable of just about everything.

How does this work? It's quite simple, really. I've obtained an SIP VoIP account with an Italian provider which offers it's users with a free, unique number to their account. Call that number, and whatever device (usually a computer) is connected to that account will receive that call. Why hasn't a service like this already put Skype out of business? It's simple. They don't provide any software. All they give you are the technical details to connect a Softphone (Software Phone) or physical VoIP phone to their service. This is too technical for the average user to be bothered with, but with a bit of guidance, anyone can use this. Nonsense you say. I'm average and I can follow a guide to the dot. The question is, will you bother if the number connected to you through the 'net is located in the United Kingdom or Italy? Chances are, if you're located in Europe, this isn't all that big a deal to you. But if you're located in the States where alternative forms of communication are still emerging, this becomes a solution no longer useful to you. Unless you want to impress your friends on nights and weekends, when most cellular services offer free unlimited minutes.
Because I'm itching to get this out of my system, I'll carry on with the guide to setup a number in this manner:
    1. Visit http://messagenet.it/ and register for an account. They'll provide you additional details in an email, so make sure you have a good working one. No need to use a spam/extra email account, as the details they will send you are important and you'll want them handy. They'll send you your phone number, login details for the site, and login details for your SIP client. Keep all of this.
    2. Download Fring for your mobile device. It's one of the best pieces of software out there, and I simply cannot tell you how happy I was to see it released for the iPhone. While the iPhone version doesn't give the same feel as the Nokia S60 version (let alone run in the background; iPhones cannot multitask), it is by far my favorite use of my iPhone.
    3. Configure Fring for SIP telephony. Getting to this point is usually quite easy, so I won't explain how. Once in this menu, choose the last option ("Other" is it's label, I believe) which allows you to put in your own custom connection settings. Here's what you'll put in:

Account: URI Number (Not to be confused with your User ID number; these are different)

Password: The Password for Your URI (Once again, not the one for your User ID)

Proxy: SIP Server (In this case, you can just enter sip.messagenet.it)


Then click back, and go back until the main screen. Then test it out: grab yourself a connected phone, and dial the phone number they gave you. If your handset rings, then everything works.



Now you've configured your phone for VoIP calls. You can even make outgoing calls from that phone number. How's that? By taking advantage of a service offered by another company. Although they keep changing sites often, one company runs all of them and while their name isn't important one of their sites is: VoipBuster. They seem to pose themselves as an alternative to Skype, offering their own proprietary software and allowing you a select amount of free outgoing call credit to test their system.
That's not what we're after. When you visit the site (VoipBuster: http://www.voipbuster.com/) you'll notice that the bottom right has a section where you can "Make a FREE trial call". That's the portion we're interested in. This little box actually gives away more than meets the eye... it essentially connects two phones together. Enter in your phone number, then the phone number you want to call (remembering to put "+" then the country code ("1" for USA)) before the full phone number), click "Make a call!" and then your phone will begin to ring with an unknown number local to your country. You will pick up, hear a pause, and then ringing as the other number begins to ring. On their end, they will see your number as having initiated the call, as opposed to just an unknown number.

See what I'm getting at? If you haven't already, plug your new Messagenet.It number into the "Your number" field, then put in the number you want to call. Connect it, and while technically there's a junction being made in the middle making the phone call, as far as everybody else is concerned you're the one who initiated the phone call.

While I'm at it, I'm going to point out one of S60's greatest capabilities over the iPhone at this point: the S60 web browser is capable of running the free calls applet on VoipBuster's website (so is the iPhone, actually), the way that the iPhone works doesn't allow Fring to function in the background. Which means... as soon as you leave the Fring application, it disconnects and stops running completely. So when you use the applet to make a phone call, you're essentially connecting your voicemail to the other person. Inconvenient, to say the least.

How is VoipBuster giving away more than meets the eye? Because using that box, you could make free "outgoing" phone calls from a pay phone. Although let's be honest... there aren't many places where you would have internet access where you couldn't afford to use a pay phone. But ever wanted to make a long-distance phone call from something cozier than your laptop and VoipBuster's box is your friend. You don't even have to download their software.

So to sum things up...
I now have a phone with number +1 503 XXX XXXX, and an online phone, +39 XXX XXX XXX, either of which reach my cell phone, assuming I'm connected to the internet (I don't have a data plan, so I'm limited to WiFi connectivity).

Hopefully upcoming... how to get a phone number within the United States that will connect to your computer just as easily as your phone, with a decent graphical interface too. (Only thing to do is wait... I'm not sure if the service is still active or not.)


And, as always, questions or comments are welcomed.
(You might notice that the pictures relate to the iPhone installation of Fring... Due to Fring's better integration with the S60 user interface, it doesn't stand out nearly as well as the iPhone version does, and therefore made for a less appealing set of images.)

Post a comment Tags: apple, nokia, skype, setup, wifi, voip, tutorial, sip …

iPhone 3G

This phone came out a while ago. And if there are any readers of my blog (which I seriously doubt)... they might be wondering why a phone snob such as myself has not yet even dropped mention of this cutting-edge device. The reason is simple... I can't.

That's because if I were to compare my phone (Nokia N82) to the iPhone 3G, the comparisons would be of unimportant details to what each phone was actually designed to do. Lemme reiterate that. It wouldn't solve anything.

Where the N82 fits my requirements, and that of everybody I personally know, as a phone, it falls apart where, say, a business user might be requiring a mobile device. I need a camera (and an excellent one at that), WiFi, and Bluetooth in my phone just to start things out. Sounds awfully similar to a business user... who also needs WiFi and Bluetooth but in many cases is required NOT to have a camera.

The iPhone barely shines in this no-camera arena... it's camera is of subpar quality compared to the N82, and while usable, requires proper lighting and space (since there's no focus) in order to take pictures. This makes it hard to Industrial Espionage to take place.

Also, the iPhone features an excellent browser. While I believe that the N82 has a better browser, it lacks the finger-driven touchscreen which is, even in comparison to my computer, my preferred manner of browsing the web. (A thought occurred to me the other day... the iPod Touch was, perhaps, the ultimate internet tablet device ever created.)

But where the iPhone falls apart is where I require it not to... all of the features built into the iPhone are there only to make using the phone a better experience. The touchscreen is not there as a feature, it's there as the system to use the phone. The accelerometer is not there to make certain applications function better, it's there to make certain applications function differently and make them more tangible. The GPS is not there as a feature to be utilized by software, it's there because in the original iPhone, GSM tower triangulation was not accurate enough.

And where the new iPhone features 3G browsing, the N82 already featured it. Where the iPhone 3G's high-speed data will work in the USA and not Europe, the vice-versa is true for the N82. But where I would rather find a source for WiFi, the average iPhone 3G user would rather use their internet wherever they are.

Post a comment Tags: apple, nokia, iphone, 3g, n82

Blog Post Written on UX

Now that I have gotten the big base review out of the way, I can now focus on my day-to-day experiences with the device.

First, I want to note a potential revision to my previous comments about the keyboard. I cut my nails last night, and my typing experience has greatly improved. The keys, while still only marginally raised, have a more detectable tactility to them. I can feel them click. I seem to have a much higher WPM count, and I actually enjoy the experience now.

I would like to complain about the location of the power switch, though. While I applaud Sony for fitting everything necessary for use nearly exclusively on the front of the device, I find that I occasionally toggle the switch with the palm of my hand while holding the shift key with my left thumb and reaching for a key on the right side of the device with my left.

The obvious cure, I feel, would be to remap the “+”/”=“ key as a multiple keystroke somewhere else and change that physical button into another shift key. Maybe I’ll do that, if I can remember what key I remap that key to. And also if I can get over having an unmarked shift key.

This post is a bit unusual from normal, for reasons unknown to you. I am typing this up on Microsoft Works while sitting in the library. Then, once home this evening, I’ll copy and waste this into a blog post. That’ll take more time than it would have if I had just posted this via iTouch (Create an email, save to outbox, automatically sends when I walk inside my house). But the typing experience on the UX is much better I would argue.

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I am looking forward to next year, independent of which school I decide to attend. I look forward to meals on my terms, and being able to work with little of the family distractions I currently get now. I look forward to being able to do what drives me when I want to do it. Still being able to connect with my peers is important, and I hope to motivate them to choose personal technologies which will allow this to happen just as often, if not more frequently, than here at home.

I’m talking about laptops. Desktops are big, bulky, and impractical. I consider them to be test-beds for the technology that eventually winds up in laptops anyway. Apple computers are all the rage, and I have to say that I now believe the software, in terms of the user experience, is far more advanced on an Apple. That being said… now that I own the top-of-the-line MacBook Pro, I’m attracted to the complexity and diversity of Windows machines.
Mostly Sony laptops, though. The TZ series, while bested from it’s lead in the ultra portable segment by the MacBook Air, is more desirable to me. Loaded with a full feature set, it’s no slouch as my brief tinkering with it in a SonyStyle store proved. I found the keyboard, while smaller than the MacBook Air’s highly touted full-size keyboard, to be just as usable as my MBP’s slightly smaller one.
What makes the Sony Vaio TZ so attractive is it’s elimination of unnecessary weight and size. The MacBook Air’s super-thin design came at a rather steep price in order to squeeze in that big display and full-size keyboard: It’s wide. Too wide. Apple easily could have squeezed stereo speakers into it. The LCD has too big of a border for my liking- only excusable by the thinness of the whole computer.
Where the TZ wins is by wearing a Bond-like Tuxedo for exterior design. The Apple, on the other hand, is like the Greek fascination for the human body itself- in the nude. Think about that for a minute. The TZ is handsome, small, and looks the part. The Air is clean and minimalist. And that reflects the somewhat weak internal components. The TZ looks ready to do business- whatever that business may be, because it never fails a mission.


---------------------------------------------------------------------


I now sit waiting for an interview at Hollister. Time to go, don’t want to be marked down!


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Oddly enough… I have yet to post this. It is now Thursday, and I first started this post on Tuesday, two days ago. Well, I guess that it’s just the way this is going- the non automatic functioning of this posting method over my iPod is going to take longer.

Anyway, I wanted to talk to you about e-Ink displays, and more importantly, eBook readers. I probably sound like an odd-ball for saying this, but my one big gripe with physical books is their fragility and imposing size. I consider myself to be a proficient reader however I much prefer the ability to save the space that a book would consume and instead fill it with a smaller more functional gadget.

Now I probably seem like I’m just justifying my keen interest in picking up an eBook reader. I won’t refute that, because that is quite nearly precisely what I have in mind. I would love it if this UX had a dual-mode display which would retain it’s backlit LCD mode for computing as well as an e-Ink mode which consumes next to no power. That would create the ultimate portable computing device, in my mind.

Speaking of revisions to the UX, while looking over the back of the device I noticed what I though could be revised in order to slim the device. The WWAN antenna could be chopped out- let’s face it, EDGE is slow anyway (I know this and I don’t even subscribe to a mobile data service of any kind). Then reduce the battery size slightly, and chop off that ¼ of an inch in thickness lost by those two reductions. Remove the SIM card cover, because that’s no longer necessary, and move the USB port there so it becomes more flush with the device rather than extruding/

Back to my eBook reader- I’m leaving for Greece on the 15th. I’ll be bringing the UX without a doubt, and all that remains to be seen is whether or not I bring my MBP. Probably not. An eBook reader of my own is out of the question for then, as I will not have enough money to purchase it and I’m sure my dad would not pay for something he can’t quite justify spending money on- especially for me, the one who uses the internet for reading and hasn’t set down to actually read a book for over a year.

That being said, I might check out an eBook reader from the library to take with me on my travels. It’s an old dinosaur- a black and white LCD screen and probably uses NiMH batteries instead of the now industry standard Lithium batteries. But it has an excellent backlight: a pure, slightly off-white glow that is neither too bright or too dark and bathes the screen in uniform shine.

They haven’t updated those for a long time, I believe, and so the book selection will be poor. Also, the device itself is larger than the UX and it’s possible that the battery will be shot. Still, technology inspires me to do things. My iPod +Nike made me run, and that trend was stopped only when my sister said she was going to buy my iPod. Since she hasn’t done that it’s time to take it back and get some exercise.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


I wonder what the next big breakthrough in display technology will be. Rollable, full color backlit displays? Translucent flat panels which allow not only visually appealing computer monitors but also multipurpose building components. What’s next? I want to know so I can find the company pursuing this path and invest in them.

What about computers? Are UMPC’s and sub notebooks the end of the laptop era and the beginning of a new dual-computer system where docking one’s traveling computer becomes standard evening procedure? I would like to think so. I need a desktop… but it needs to look great first. I think, more importantly, I need a more functional phone, what I have now is beginning to wear on me. It’s outlived my expectations, and surprised me with it’s various functions, but it still is a bit dry in comparison to my beloved Nokia N93 of last year.

Let’s begin plans for which gadgets I hope to acquire and share my opinions on. The HP UMPC, really a sub-notebook with UMPC-spec hardware (minus touch screen) has a design which would quite nicely compliment my MBP. At the same time, it’s larger than my UX, and would cost more than a much more speedy and still refreshingly designed full-scale laptop. I think I need to get that one out of my system. Unless it sells for $400- and I’d snap one up in a heartbeat.
There’s the eBook obsession I have. Amazon Kindle versus Sony’s Reader. Costs are the same, but Amazon’s has more features (at the loss of an MP3 player) and Sony’s is super thin and much better designed (and has the MP3 player I’d probably never use). It’s a big toss-up, because I want to have extra features like wireless downloads and Google Maps but also value design quite highly.
I’m headed off to college next year, and know that even though the phone I have now is pretty good, it’s terrible camera requires me to bring my rather large but excellent standalone camera. That means, to be truly portable, I need a better phone. A Nokia N82 would fit the bill exactly, but it’s as pricey as a laptop. That makes it a difficult purchase to make. Maybe I’ll wait for a revised design so it is a bit more manly.
At Fossil I saw a great watch- an automatic, big-faced piece of masculine steel. Chinese movement, which is a disappointment, but at $115 it’s a steal for the amount of design work put into it.
For a desktop computer, I’d like one of the all-in-one PC offerings from HP or Sony. Apple’s iMac is a great contender, but I’ll get a better screen from a PC manufacturer for the same price as the lowest-spec iMac. Sorry Apple.

Post a comment Tags: apple, mobile, nokia, ux, sony, vaio, ebook, umpc …

iPod Touch: JailBreak!

SketchesSnapshot
SketchesSnapshot
Guess what I did to my iPod? Actually, if you haven't figured it out, then you're kinda slow.


Anyway, I jailbroke my iPod, and installed Sketches (that's what that pictures is from), which is like a digital Etch-a-Sketch. Doodle, then shake it to erase it. Lots of potential, but drawing without a stylus is almost too hard to be worth it... although the line sizes can get really tiny, it feels cramped because of how big my finger is.

I also installed iSnake... tilt the iPod in the direction you want the snake to go. That's fun.

I also got the App Pack for iPod Touch... Google Maps, with the WiFi Locater is just plain creepy. In a good way. I started it up, and it opened a map on who knows where (probably Cupertino). Clicked locate, and in a few seconds I was staring at my street. I did a double take. That's some crazy good software right there.

I really don't like having what I feel to be a "backdoor" to problems. I can see one of the programs glitching up and refusing to work anymore. Right now I still have my normal iPod as a backup- when I get the money, I think I'll pay for the App Pack and restore back to non-jailbroken state. I can do without the gimmicks and when open-source is available I'll dabble back with it.


Anyway, that's it for now. I love my iPod Touch.



Wirebook
Post a comment Tags: apple, ipod, touch, jailbreak, itouch

My Next Phone

Here's the deal. I'm hoping to make about $1,000 over the next month or so. I've been "phone-sick" for the past few days because I really miss my Nokia N93- it was perfect. It was big, I'll admit, but it did everything. It did everything well. If only it had a longer battery life and a keyboard, I'd be willing to leave my laptop at home on my next big trip.

Here's the problem. I'm going to Greece for Spring Break. Now, the last time I took my computer on a long trip it paid itself off for all of the effort. Sort of. My mom held it hostage multiple days and the one day I was told to stay in the lobby all night instead of sleeping in the room, I didn't have it. I did have my trusty Nokia N93, but because I had been taking pictures and videos with it all day, it was down on battery power. And my AC charger was being held hostage up in the room as well.

I had enough battery left to check my email, send some emails, check the news and upload a few pictures. That sounds like a lot, but considering it took me only 10 minutes to do all of that, it really wasn't. I then turned off my phone to conserve what minimal battery power was left. Then I had to vie for use of the courtesy internet station the rest of the night.

I learned from that mistake, and now I have an AC charger for my new phone in two places- one at the beach, and one in Portland. Not quite the same as carrying it around with me, but I don't want to have to take care of a charger for a phone I probably will never have taken away.

But since that phone has been lost to me... because I was scammed by a buyer on eBay who was able to twist PayPal's Buyer Protection Policy in order to get a refund from me... I have since been working my way back up with phones. Just a review, here's the list of phones I've gone through:

  1. Motorola C131 (Prepaid in India)
  2. Motorola V180 (First "real" phone, on AT&T) (Beginning of first 2-year contract)
  3. Danger SideKick 2 (Never actually used this) (Craigslist)
  4. Blackberry 7210 (Craigslist)
  5. Sony Ericsson Z520a (Cingular) (Beginning of second 2-year contract)
  6. NEC L1 e949 (World's thinnest phone at time of purchase) (eBay)
  7. Nokia E62 (traded NEC L1 e949 + Dell Axim X51 for this) (Gave this to Dad) (Craigslist)
  8. Nokia N93 (Craigslist)
  9. i-Mobile 902 (eBay)
  10. Sony Ericsson W580i (AT&T) (Beginning of third 2-year contract)

See? I'm a bit of a mobile phone... maniac? I hope to study Industrial Design and one day put all of the knowledge I gain going through all of these phones (and more to come!). Still figuring out my own... design style, but I can tell it's developing. I've figured out how to quickly sketch my ideas out, and so that's really all that matters this early on in my pursuits.


Enough. Time to move on to the big question... which phone should be my next? Here are the runners:

E90N82N95Iphone

The Nokia E90, Nokia N82, Nokia N95, and the Apple iPhone. Four different phones, all with at least one thing in common. First let's set out what my ideal phone would do:
  • WiFi is a must. Honestly. I can't live without it anymore, and it's the only reason I'd leave my laptop at home.
  • Bluetooth. For easy data transfers. And Bluetooth Tag!
  • Camera. I tend to leave my camera at home unless I expect someone else to pick it up and take funny pictures.
  • Quadband GSM. Preferably unlocked. Triband is just old these days.
Now, let's list what all of these feature in general terms, then we'll get specific later:
  • WiFi
  • Bluetooth
  • Camera
  • Quadband
That means all of these take care of those, doesn't it? Why else do you think I'm considering all four? I should note that I'm really writing this as a brain offload. By the time I'm done writing I'll probably have narrowed things down a bit. So let's dig right into disadvantages of each device.

E90 Disadvantages
  • Expensive. Try about $1,000 for a phone and see how your wallet feels.
  • Big.
  • Camera is only 3mp, compared to the other Nokias.
N82 Disadvantages
  • No keyboard.
  • Somewhat uninspired design.
N95 Disadvantages
  • Poor battery life.
  • Thick slider. I typically don't like sliders, however I do like the W580i I have now. But a dual slider? That's pushing it.
  • No keyboard.
iPhone Disadvantages
  • Locked to AT&T.
  • Poor camera quality.
  • Bluetooth is crippled.
  • Battery is not replaceable.
  • Not original. Lots of people in the USA have this. Not so much overseas, but I live in the USA. So it's boring now.

Let's dig into advantages... because everybody always likes advantages.
E90 Advantages
  • Good keyboard.
  • GPS.
  • Nice form factor. Rare.
  • Unlocked.
N82 Advantages
  • Xenon Flash.
  • GPS.
  • I like candybars. So this is a good design. Rare.
  • Unlocked.
N95 Advantages
  • Decent camera.
  • Dual-slider. Good for multimedia. Rare.
  • Unlocked.
iPhone Advantages
  • Touchscreen.
  • Great browsing capabilities.
  • Locally supported. Easy to get help.
  • Well-thought design.

Here's the deal. If I end up saving up enough money, I'm going to have one easy decision set out to eliminate at least one phone. And here it is: Would I rather purchase two new devices to use, or just one? If just one, then the Nokia E90 will be it. If two, then the E90 gets ruled out because of it's price.

Now I like the iPhone. It's fun to play around with. However, as a phone, I think I'd rather have something else. So should I eliminate it and go for the iPod Touch? I already have an iPod I like, but an iTouch would be just as good as, say, the Nokia Internet tablet. But cheaper. And a seemingly better build for what I want to do.

Another question is my love affair with the Nokia N93. Do I risk springing for it's successor, the N93i, which I love to death but am horrified by it's reported short battery life? Video recording on that device was absolute bliss. Pictures were easy and fun to do as well. I don't like dealing with lens caps, but for that... I think it'd be worth it.

So now it's like this... if I make more than $1,000 (say, $1,500 hopefully) I'll spring for three devices. Yeah, that's right, I said three. I think I'll throw the E90 out of the picture. $1,000 for a phone I might damage or lose is just too much for me. So if I make $1,500, I'll get the Nokia N82/N95, a Nokia N93i, and an Apple iPod Touch.

+$300 Apple iPod Touch
+$560 Nokia N93i
+$560 Nokia N82
=================
$1,420 (w/o shipping charges)

--[ OR ]--

+$300 Apple iPod Touch
+$560 Nokia N93i
+$565 Nokia N95
=================
$1425 (w/o shipping charges)


Between the cost difference, and the reportedly short battery life of the N95, I think it's clear that the N82 would be the winner. It'd be a good camera to have at all times, while the N93i would be useful when I need a video camera. But something weird has come up. The Nokia N81. I'm going to read a review right now...

Oh no. I just found the LG KU990. May record video better than the N93i... however I like the features available in the N93i beyond just the camera... but being able to record video at 120fps @ full VGA resolution is so appealing... continuing to compare these...

Uh oh. Another phone has just entered the running. Samsung SGH-G800. 5mp, Xenon flash, but the real kicker- it has an internal optical zoom just like the N93i. BUT... no wifi. But it is a weird slider. Bit thicker than the N95, but it seems to be constructed of nearly all metal. I guess the question is... if I were to consider the N95, I'd consider this too.... NAH, after watching a video review, I'm deeming it out of the running. Laggy shutter, no WiFi, and it's a Samsung. So it's a bit... boring. That's why I got the W580i, because the other phone in it's class was a Samsung. That's why I got the i-Mobile 902, because the other phone competing against it was the Samsung SGH-G600, which really was a bit of a joke.

Enough dabble. Time to make a new post and continue.

Post a comment Tags: apple, camera, mobile phone, nokia, bluetooth, wifi, gsm, n95 …