From Nokia Official store is hard, even N97 mini didn't drop much; They cannot simply just drop.

But other shops that sell authorised set, can sell cheaper. They don't have to follow the RRP (Recommended Retail Price). Example will be the N97 Mini, there're seller here which sells Zitron set for below RM2K? But the last I check, Nokia Official Store still selling for around RM2.3K.

Last time when I bought the N81, it just launch, I bought it from Nokia Professional @ 1 Utama. Then I went downstairs, Maxis shop, I saw same authorised set selling cheaper by RM100. I asked the seller why they're selling cheap, they say the price I bought is the RRP, they don't have to follow the RRP.
Only can blame myself for rushing.

I read that the 1.7Ghz is photoshopped, this is commented by the author of the overclocking provider.

Animation interface, there is a way to modify the transition animation for N900. It'll make you feel smooth and nice.
Plus, many has commented that after OC, the device feels as smooth as iPhone if not better.

Frankly speaking, what I can say about the slickness and smoothness of iPhone is...
1. It's still new OS, not stable and need many improvements. I believe in future, after several updates, it'll be smooth as butter. We might already see improvements on PR1.2.
We can even see Symbian improvements from when they first launch the device up till several updates.
2. iPhone does not have homescreen, no widgets, nothing. It's plain and simple. Due to this, it has many processing power and memory available for processes, and it only allow 1 app to run at a time. In other words, they control really well to make sure the performance is not affected, etc.

For N900, there is hildon desktop, which you can see in conky, it's a processes that take is quite heavy. Then there is ram and virtual memory. The virtual/swap memory is slow, so when the phone uses the swap memory, it will affect the performance. We might need to wait for future firmware for better management of the memory area.

I've experience very very lag situation, I believe it's due to the swap memory transfer issue. Just have to be really patient and understand this. Normal users might get frustrated and annoyed not knowing what happen. It's just like using the PC, sometimes, when we tried to switch application, it lags and slowed down, etc.

Natively yes. 3rd Party is available for previous version, such as Backgrounder.

But all these are not TRUE multi-tasking, it's more like Task Switcher, which is already available since the early Nokia Symbian devices (e.g. 7650, 3650, 6600) and also Windows Mobile.

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Added on April 14, 2010, 9:26 pmNot true multitask, it's "Task/App Switcher".

This feature already long available for early Nokia Symbian devices, including Windows Mobile.

battery life won't be much affected as claim by Apple that this is their major concern when providing multitask, they only provide 7 services to have TRUE multitask. It's also available for Symbian devices, the core app have true multi-task, such as your call is still avaible when you access to sms, the music player still plays while reading sms, etc.

For N900, it's true multi-tasking, you can see the app running/loading in background, the webpage running in background, etc.


This post has been edited by Andy214: Apr 14 2010, 09:26 PM

For Desktop, I don't think is possible. Don't forget the Desktop is like your PC Desktop, it is landscape mode. The icons, widgets, etc you arrange are in Landscape mode.
Try to imagine and think, what happen if you switch to Portrait mode?
Or imagine you turn your PC monitor/LCD around become Portrait?

Unless they change the Desktop concept like other smartphone homescreen, where you need to a fix position you need to place the icon (like a box, inside can put 3 icons or you can put 1 widget), then it can adjust to Portrait mode. But that will defeat the Desktop concept. The Desktop concept is Panorama Desktop and it's just like your PC Windows Desktop.
I guess we just have to get over the "smartphone" OS mind.

AFAIK, currently all Nokia N900 are made in Korea, designed in Finland.

yes, check out joikuspot app, it makesthe n900 as a wifi hotspot.

Got this from N900 Group in Facebook, not sure how true, seems Nokia replied that MMS will be supported officially in the next update?

Posted by:
Gavin Parfitt
UK Customer may find this Interesting,
Just had it via Email from Nokia :

Thank you for e-mailing the Nokia Care Contact Center. Based on your concern, more applications and services will be offered within the next coming updates. And definitely, MMS both sending and receiving will be included as well. Unfortunately, we cannot determine when the update will be launched. Again, we are kindly asking for your patience reagrding this matter.

No idea, many sites mentioned suppose to come, but it still hasn't.

The PR1.2 SDK has been out for weeks already, many apps in the repositories already updated for PR1.2 and we can't update those app... those who bought new N900 or have format their phone will not be able to re-install those app.

This is taking too long... getting impatient day by day. It's been known since late February, there's even videos in YouTube; it's almost 2 months now...

Anyway, only can hope it comes faster.
I'd prefer they update it more often than to wait for long time for 1 update. Oh well, just hope it'll come this month...........

The app error encounter today is cause by another problem, seems they're updating the autobuilder. So when we try to update app, we get "file corrupt" or something like that. Probably this is to get ready for the next PR1.2 update.

Previously, there're few app when I try to update, it'll say missing some package/library, which is available in PR1.2. So those app we can't update or install.

If you're using Nokia Software Updater, chance are higher.
Use the kernel-maemo-flasher, you can still recover the brick gadget.

Because N900 is actually an Internet Tablet. Many ppl are used to phone homescreen concept. N900 is a tablet, the Desktop concept is just like our PC Windows Desktop. Do we have portrait mode for PC Desktop? imgaine flipping your monitor and how will the icons, wallpaper, etc looks.

those smartphones with homescreen have limited customization on the homescreen, eerything needs to be snap tp grid or base on a fix position. so, they can be aligned easily when switching btw portrit and landscape.

As for n900 app menu screen, that could be more logical and possible for portrait but might not be practical because when u go back to desktop, you need to turn your phone again. The task switcher might also look better in landscape.

the sms might be nice in portrait but on screen keyboard might not be in qwerty, plus after getting used to landscape, its actually better. I already prefer landscape and find portrait awkward and hard to see. nonetheless, its still a nice to have feature.

Try to think more.
I didn't say it can't, but it will not be practical, just like those ppl that found the bug which causes N900 go to Portrait mode on Desktop.
Similarly to Desktop, now if your PC Windows desktop icons are not "Auto Arranged" and you design your PC Windows desktop "nicely" and put widgets nicely at certain position.
Try changing to Portrait mode then
It's just simple common sense. Probably you never try to think about how the N900 desktop concept and how it is arranged, you can design and arrange it creatively, there's no snap to grid, no fixed position. Therefore, how is it suppose to be able to squeeze itself in Portrait mode.

I've also mentioned about Homescreen concept on other smartphone OS which requires snap to grid or fixed positioning, that's why it is able to switch between Portrait mode and Landscape mode easily. Similarly, if we apply this concept on N900 Desktop, we can also switch between Portrait and Landscape mode easily, but we will loose the flexibility of current Desktop concept. It's something different and new to many people who're accustomed to the homescreen concept, thus they might find it hard to digest, but if one try to think about it, it will make some sense.

My purpose here is to explain WHY the N900 Desktop is in Landscape mode because many people don't get why it is landscape and because they're used to devices with portrait mode homescreen capability, they will ask/inquire.



This post has been edited by Andy214: Apr 22 2010, 07:08 PM

Not really. Zooming is not really required, resistive screen allows you to use finger nails or stylus, and it's very accurate. You can browse sites in the full version, e.g. Facebook full version, not mobile version. Those small links ain't a problem with stylus or fingernails.

Multi-touch is a nice to have feature tough, especially zooming pictures, you can easily zoom in and out on certain areas. Next is gaming, with multi-touch, the games is more interactive and can do much more.

Reading the definition of Resistive, it did mentioned it *supports* multi-touch, but now sure what it really means, perhaps the hardware have the support, but to provide the feature in the software is not easy? No idea.

use kmplaye it's sligtly smoother.

you can also change to lower quality for smoother play.
tap and hold while playing the file, a menu will pop up, set the quality to low.

Web browsing, no way to compare to N900. I never use my iPod Touch for web browsing, all I do is just for the apps and games. Honestly, I only use the iPod touch for gaming/entertainment.
Music/Movies is rubbish as it only have mono speaker, unless using headsets. Thus it's pretty useless.

The nice part is the games, especially having multi-touch capabilities. Problem is touch accuracy, can't use finger nails or stylus, some games menu keep press wrongly, it's very annoying, have to go press back/return and try again. And the touch is too sensitive, accidentally launch apps/games few times.
No landscape mode on the OS! Already used to N900, instead of people complaining about Portrait mode, time to complain about not having landscape mode support.

There're a lot of nice 3D games by many companies, like gameloft, even Square Enix. The latest RPG game from Square Enix, Chaos Rings; It looks darn good.. For Racing fans, there're also many nice ones, like Real Racing, GT Racing Motor Academy, etc.
Other than that, I don't find much interesting about the device already. Like I said, instead of getting the iPhone 32GB which cost you close to 3K, just spend RM2K on REAL smartphones like N900, Motorola Milestone, Nexus One, etc. and the additional RM1K on an iPod Touch.

One thing about iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad, everything is about $$$. When you want to create an account, you're required to provide your payment method etc. The options? JB, but even after JB, many things are not easily done or accessible. Far too many restrictions and hassle if you want to make it a USEFUL device.
But as a TOY or gaming/entertainment device, it works great and have great animation and UI. Feels somewhat like another PSP to me.

OS4.0 doesn't have true multi-tasking either, it's just app-switcher like the one already available in Symbian/Windows Mobile since ages ago.

What the point? The iPhone only can give best entertainment experience, no point paying extra almost 2K just to get the call function and 3.5M camera. Plus, iPod Touch 3G is faster than iPhone 3GS because iPod Touch 3G don't have to allocate memory and resources for the phone app.

The device is good, but not as a smartphone... It's a great entertainment/gaming device. It feels like a PSP Touch to me. I only use it mainly for the games and some apps, other than that, I don't touch it at all. Frankly speaking, there's too much restrictions, you can't do this, you can't do that... after JB, even tough you can do, it's stilll not easy to do as other smartphones.

Of course, it's up to personal preference. To me, if I were to spend 3K on iPhone, I rather buy a REAL smartphone that do what it was suppose to do, the reason why we want a smartphone, and the additional money I still can get an iPod Touch 3G. This way, I might even save a little bit money and I get to enjoy 2 things.

Anyway, as long as the person happy, he/she can spend however he/she likes, such as, if he/she has the $$$, he/she can spend up to 5K to get one iPhone 3GS + N900/Milestone/NexusOne/etc. But if given me 5K, I rather spend on others, I only need 1 as a phone.

Just enjoy what you have and your device, there's no wrong or right, as long as you're happy.

Both are good at different things.

N900 is a true mobile computer. It great in these.
iPhone is more like a entertainment/gaming device. It feels like PSP with Touch and call function. There's many famous game developer develop games for iPhone OS, even Square Enix, some games which you cannot find in other platform.

It kind of remind me of Nintendo's strategy, while others are competing for graphics and so on, Nintendo went different path into more interactive type gaming. Similarly, iPhone OS is more emphasizing on entertainment/gaming device as well as simple OS, while others are competing to provide more powerful OS for more powerful users.

Smartphones are competing to provide more capable mobile devices, what more advanced users/professionals are asking and also true mobile computer experience. The iPhone OS is totally a different thing, or opposite in some way. There's basically no advance features enabled for any type of users, everything is locked and made simple, treating everyone as simple users.

---

Added on April 26, 2010, 7:36 pmIf you understand about software and hardwares, you should know that software issues can be fixed easily.
N900's Maemo OS is basically not really ready for users. They never planned to launch in Asia Pacific Region originally. Many things will be fixed in new firmware updates.

Another thing is, N900 is very "open", and it's a Linux device. You can see many apps can be ported to N900 easily. There're many possibilities for N900 and it's a very powerful device powered by true mobile computer OS. Basically, even if many things were not provided by Nokia, other developers can "easily" create an app or customize the OS. Just look at N900's customization, you can customize so many things, it's one of the most customizable smartphones in the market. And it haven't even reach 6 months in age!

iPhone OS on the other hand is one of the most "controlled" and "restricted" mobile OS. Who knows, if Apple wants to, they could trace those JB device and disable their access to AppStore and so on. Recently, one of the hacker just got his device id banned from access to AppStore.
The good thing is... it's great for developers, users of iPhone OS when using app store, their account are configured with their Credit Card; this is good news for developers, I'll be happy to develop a simple app/games for iPhone OS, even if I sell it for $0.99, there're so many users, maybe I just need 5% of the users to buy, I'm happy enough.

Not saying iPhone is bad or not good; It's great, the UI is nice, it's smooth, nice animation, nice multi-touch. But it's great as an entertainment/gaming device. If you're talking about technical, true mobile computer, it just doesn't fit the bill. There're so many smartphone OS that does better.

So, it depends what one is asking about; Each person has his/her own definition of GOOD or BAD. If you prefer nice UI, smooth, multi-touch, a lot of apps and games. Then iPhone can be the BEST.
But, when we're talking about smartphone or mobile computer, we're talking about "computer" capability, that is what a computer can do and suppose to do. Will you buy a computer that does not allow you to open your C Drive? Will you buy a computer that only give you "GUEST" account? If talking about the capabilities in terms of technical, many smartphones easily is better than iPhone OS, seriously. It just depends what you're looking for.



This post has been edited by Andy214: Apr 26 2010, 07:36 PM

You don't get my point, I'm just referring to you saying that iPod touch cannot make calls. Thus, I said what's the point to pay extra almost 2K just to get the phone function plus camera.
That's a simple statement.
iPod Touch 3G 32GB - RM1.2K
iPhone 3GS 32GB - RM2.7K++???

The others, I did not judge or refer to you. I did not specifically mentioned or say you, I just say out my opinion of why spend 3K for the iPhone when you can use it to purchase 2 device instead.

As I said, as long as the person is happy, he/she can choose to do his/her own decision. I did not specifically use the word you in the sentence either.

Did I say you will buy? See who's jumping to conclusion. I never refer to "you". As you said, you only said "kenot call". I only tell you what's the point, that's all. The rest, I never refer use the word "you", but if you feel it because you are the type of person then I'm so sorry about that.

Sarcastic or not, the way you reply is bound to have people who tell you back.

iPhone 2G? There's a big difference in performance between iPhone 2G and iPhone 3GS or iPod Touch 3G. Personally,I wouldn't even bother getting iPhone 2G which are worst, I'd still get iPod Touch 3G, which have slightly better performance than iPhone 3GS due to no resources used for phone function, and I get to enjoy the games far better.
But then, that's my personal opinion, as I said, "personally".

Most important you happy can already, you're RIGHT and I'm wrong okay? Sorry I quoted your reply because you trying to be sarcastic to someone else and answered "kenot call" and expected others to feel the sarcasm. So sorry that I'm so dumb to not to feel it and got fooled by you, ouch! You got me!

This post has been edited by Andy214: Apr 27 2010, 10:40 AM

Nah, every phone/device also good, just depending in what context and what one person is referring to.

iPhone is superb and great in terms of UI, smoothness, multi-touch, responsiveness, stability and especially entertainment/gaming. I feel like a PSP with touch + call + camera, but of course, the it lacks of proper controls.

But if we're talking about smartphone, it doesn't fit the bill to compete. Many smartphones in the market can do far better. BUT, those people looking for smartphone, what do they really want? A true smartphone that works like a mobile computer or close to a real computer, or just a phone which can support apps and games, or nice cameras, or great GPS, etc?

To some, if the camera is average, then the phone is NOT good. Because the person values and prioritizes camera features.
It just depends on what one defines as good and what he/she is looking for.

In general/technical terms, N900 is one of the best/most powerful smartphone or mobile computer, it's the closest thing to a computer. BUT, not everyone NEEDS a mobile computer. Some people may just want a simple to use phone with good camera, GPS and have apps/games, they don't bother the phone have restrictions or limitations, etc because they do not use it.

Honestly, the true competitor for N900 should be the Motorola Milestone, which I've mentioned even before this thread started. It have very similar design, very similar specs. And both are great smartphones or mobile devices.

Yup, if the someone like a particular phone, even if it's a normal phone that only can make calls, to him/her it is the BEST phone.

Just enjoy what you like, and this is N900 thread, so if the person don't like N900, obviously, he/she is in the wrong thread.

This post has been edited by Andy214: Apr 27 2010, 12:40 PM

No problem, everyone have their own opinion in buying/purchasing and how they value things. I apologize if I offended you in anyway, as I've tried to explain to you I was not referring to you on the other stuff I posted. Peace

Anyway, the main purpose of this thread is to share and talk about the N900. Hope you enjoy the N900!

2 More days till HK's N900 release... Will we finally get PR1.2...
Waited sooo long for it....