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Posts: 2,669 | Thanked: 2,555 times | Joined on Apr 2007 @ Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
#21
What I expect to see in the next firmware updates without going overboard:

- Minor browser tweaks to get more common sites working
- Skype (with integration into address book, etc) usable as a separate application much like Internet Call and E-mail (so that those of you that don't want it won't be forced to have it)
- Another slight improvement to Youtube playback
- Media player sound not skipping while N800 searches for connection/notices dropped connection (returning back to behavior before current latest firmware)
- Less lag in Camera application (and other apps using the webcam)
- Better stability of Nokia Internet Calling (and for it to finally make it's way out of beta)
- Flash tweaked for slightly better performance

What I doubt we will see with the next firmware update

- WMV support
- Opera 9
- Flash 9
 
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#22
zerojay: agreed. Anyone expecting for any revolutionary changes in functionality will, I suspect, be disappointed.

With the track record of stability do we actually *want* whizzy new features anyway? Much more spit and polish on the existing software (in terms of stability, libraries, frameworks and UI) would be better for existing users (and possibly even a better investment).

The only thing I'd *love* to see is a Java JRE for writing applications. But I've no expectation on Nokia to provide it. Oh, and a working RSS reader or email client, but we know they're not going to provide those any time soon either.
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#23
Originally Posted by gnuite View Post
If it's just firmware, then sure, but if "development" implies a new device (again), then I will most definitely not be pleased.
In my opinion it would be far worse if Nokia wasn't already working on the next hardware. I don't want the Internet Tablet line to end with the N800. But I do hope they've learned their lesson and make the new firmware available for the previous device too, and I think they've said as much. And if it really is a new development version for a new device and not just a new SKU (like the 770 with IT2006), well, it IS running on the N800 in that picture...
 
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#24
Originally Posted by zerojay View Post
features I would like:
-faster processor
-3D accelerated UI
-qwerty keyboard
-proper divx Video playback
-better quality touchscreen (it should be more durable)
-better battery life
-wimax support
-even better browser with plugin support for flash 9 and WMV
-X86 processor could be helpfull for support in applications (but probably kills battery life)
-UI with FULL finger optimalisation
-handwriting recognition that works
-better email and RSS client
-Skype and a small MSN client
-an easier API for building apps using python (like the one for S60 )
-a slide cover like the Nokia 770 had

Buy a laptop. Most of the stuff you are asking for is pretty much unrealistic without bumping the price up enough that you might as well just buy a laptop.
If I wanted a laptop I would probably buy one. But most of all I want something that is portable with good battery life, like the 770 and N800.
Even the smallest UMPC from Sony has 3 major problems:
-battery life sucks
-UI is even less optimized for finger ussage than on IT
-the device is three times as heavy and twice as thick.


Iīm just pointing out that a new hardware design wouldnīt be a bad thing bbecause a lot of things can be improved. the new Intel MID, and the Iphone implements a lot of these features, as do some windows mobile and s60 devices. So I donīt think it is unlikely to see a lot of improvement in the next hardware.(Probably be released in six months or so)
 
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#25
Originally Posted by zerojay View Post
- WMV support
- Opera 9
- Flash 9
It will be interesting to see what happens when the iPhone is launched. *NOT* because it competes with the N800 (it doesn't) but because apparently the iPhone will be ARM based (Samsung or Intel/Marvell [XScale] CPUs and between one and three cores according to the Wiki). OK, so the iPhone is an ARM based Linux computer, big deal - but did you know that the iPhone doesn't support Adobe Flash?

Maybe it will never be supported (because of the Apple Inc "not invented here" mentality) or there simply hasn't been enough time for Adobe to port Flash 9 for the first iteration of iPhone. Hopefully it's the latter, as before the advent of YouTube I'd have said the Web could live without Flash, but nowadays any device designed with Internet surfing in mind that doesn't support YouTube will suffer because of it.

So, what am I babbling on about? I'm hopeful that a version of Flash for the iPhone is in the pipeline and that this will be the latest version of Flash - ie. Flash 9. The iPhone is a huge mass market opportunity (10 million+ units, quite unlike the N800!) for Adobe, and once Flash 9 is ported to the ARM/Linux platform it becomes a no brainer for Adobe to keep it up to date and licence it to the likes of Nokia and other vendors. Conceivably Apple could have taken a port of Flash 7 but it's either too limited, lacking in performance, too buggy or any combination of the three - but my bet would be that for a premier device such as the iPhone only the latest and greatest will do. Fingers crossed!

Talking of the iPhone, it's interesting to note that Apple ported their own browser rather than relying on a third party (Opera) to do the job for them. Nokia, take note!
 
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#26
Originally Posted by Jerro View Post
In my opinion it would be far worse if Nokia wasn't already working on the next hardware. I don't want the Internet Tablet line to end with the N800. But I do hope they've learned their lesson and make the new firmware available for the previous device too, and I think they've said as much. And if it really is a new development version for a new device and not just a new SKU (like the 770 with IT2006), well, it IS running on the N800 in that picture...
I guess Nokia need to start thinking about the "next" device almost as soon as they've launched the current one, perhaps even before so I think it's a good sign that new firmware for a (possibly) updated hardware target (which may only exist on paper at this stage) is being developed on the current hardware as it suggests a degree of backwards compatability is possible.

I don't know if this kind of development happened with the 770->N800 update but I'm guessing it didn't, and the photograph gives me some comfort that Nokia are taking hardware abstraction seriously this time around.
 
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#27
Originally Posted by Karel Jansens View Post
I doubt it; the only things that could make me VERY pleased are a complete overhaul of the user interface according to Sean Luke's guidelines and a straight port of PenOffice (or Calligrapher at the very least) to the N800.
I second this. If only I could get something for a language other than english, of course (I know that a dictionary or whatever is called for the Newton, exists)

It would definitely push forward the information input speed...
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#28
Isn't Nokia part of the webkit development now? The same webkit that Apple uses to power safari? Would that imply that if Safari really takes off because of the iPhone then Nokia will pour their resources into something they're already have at their fingertips rather than paying someone like Opera to develop for them?
 
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#29
Actually, overall if you look to Nokia's devices it's as if we are all test rats. They push devices on the market, promote 'm intensively and after that it's gone and the next phone/device with something "incredible" is launched.

We could see that in the line with "N91: 4gb music player", "N92: TV", "N93: camcorder", "N95: GPS". Why dont they put all those things in 1 phone, instead of bringing each technology in 1 phone, every quarter. OK, speaking in strategy ways i understand why they do it, but imho it's a way of testing how people respond on new technology. Will they buy a phone with a 'great' camera to record movies? Or what about watching TV on your cell? So easy! And we all know how expensive each model is...

We all know what happened to the 770. If i was one of those customers who bought a 770 i'd feel 'flashed' by Nokia, meaning that i'd be angry Untill now we dont hear an official word of Nokia of what's happening with the N800. I was very pleased when i just had it and im still happy with it, but for instance: i havent used the Gtalk cam program once. Why? Because i NEVER pass the "send invitation" part. So the webcam is completely useless for me. Though they call it beta, even in beta the major function should work imo.

I bought the N800 with the assumption that an upgrade will bring Skype and some minor improvements. Well, i guess we have to wait untill June finishes? Or will Nokia disrespect our trust in 'm? Let's see.
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#30
Originally Posted by phi View Post
Isn't Nokia part of the webkit development now? The same webkit that Apple uses to power safari? Would that imply that if Safari really takes off because of the iPhone then Nokia will pour their resources into something they're already have at their fingertips rather than paying someone like Opera to develop for them?
Yes, their S60/Symbian browser is based on WebKit.

From what I understand when Nokia were developing the 770 in 2005 they simply didn't have the time/resources to develop a Linux version of their own browser - and Minimo was much further away from reality than it is today - so they had to take the closed source third party route or delay the entire product. Two years later and open source alternatives to Opera are in much better shape, as is the Maemo platform itself so perhaps in the not too distant future Nokia can and will break the dependence on Opera.

For a company to develop a product called the Internet Tablet while not being in full control of the internet experience is akin to Apple developing the iPhone and not having any responsibility for how the user initiates a phone call.

iPhone User: "The iPhone crashes 30 seconds after I answer a call"

Apple: "We'll forward the details to the upstream maintainer and maybe they'll fix the problem, it's really outside of our control"
It would be unthinkable for Apple to allow themselves to get into that kind of a mess. Nokia need to take ownership of the browser on Internet Tablets, it's the only sensible option for the long term.

Last edited by Milhouse; 2007-06-19 at 00:38.
 
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