The N900 is a great phone, but it is (as Nokia themselves have more or less said) a work in progress. I’ll say it again, it’s step 4 of 5 to Maemo glory. Software evolution to one side (see firmware update wishlist for N900), understandably, this early adopter product isn’t physically “perfect” for mass market.


I.E. No point wasting resources on features not necessary to attract your target audience.


So what would the N900 have needed or at least what would the N900’s successor need to be physically irresistible on the hardware front?


Below I’ve quickly listed out top 10 physical attributes the N900’s successor needs to be inexorably alluring (physically) to your 2010 smartphone consumer. Areas I’ve omitted I’m assuming meet the N900s standard, e.g. 1) stay with the black theme 2) screen resolution 3) expandable memory 4) Notification lights etc.


I’ve included 11-15 but stopped there as I could go on forever adding features I’d like to see in the N900′s successor (continuous autofocus, placement of buttons/ports/additional buttons/more in built memory/oleophobic screen etc etc etc).


This, as usual, is just an opinion. It’s mixed with a touch of personal preference , but mostly filled with what Nokia needs to do to satisfy the market’s demand from a 2010 smartphone leading the pack (based on frequently mentioned suggestions).


As such, 1-10 is ordered in what I reckon is the necessary priorty of features that would make the N900’s successor undeniably physically desirable, leaving only OS of choice as the final deciding factor (which by then, Maemo 6 will have made its appearance]


CLICK

What you wrote makes sense... i like the points... they're logical...i would maybe add 16) DVB-T tuner lol

But i don't like the bigger screen and i don't like capacitive !

Hmmm I would not buy that phone. I'm afraid you lost me at 'capacitive'. When you threw in metal, bigger screen, and xenon flash, I stopped reading. I had a phone with xenon flash and kept it permanently off: the colour from it sucked.

I'd skip the wide angle lens: if you're going to improve the camera in impossble ways, why not just ask for optical zoom and have done with it.

Oh, and sms toast is an essential.

What xenon phone is that? Always had pretty awesome results from my N82.

Isn't it for definite that the Maemo 6 phone will have capacitive screen? (They could at least make a varient, but capacitive is necessary, even if it's just to satisfy the tick list of features)

I specifically didn't add optical zoom.

I'm fine with the resistive screen, especially since you can use a stylus with it. I'm fine with the size as well, considering it seems about the same size as my friend's Touch Pro 2. I think to get a quality keyboard you need some thickness. (See the very mixed reviews on Droid's keyboard, for example.) I also don't have a problem with the three row keyboard either.

Some of those things would be nice to have, but I'm pretty happy with what we do have hardwarewise.

What we have hardware wise, I'm really, really happy too. I'd happily have the N900 as my main phone for the next year.

This post was more about things to be done in N900's successor. Since the N900 was NOT made for mass market in mind but for early adopters, it feels like (understandably) it missed out in certain areas.

Slimmer and capacitive were two of the most frequently mentioned "areas of improvement" in reviews.

These are the two main things absolutely necessary in the N900s successor.

Nice list, disagree with some of the points though.

4th row on keyboard for numbers Disagree, would be a waste of space. It's not like numbers are being used all the time.

Increased MegaPixel count Strongly disagree! MP madness has already destroyed the quality in the normal compact camera market. Every increase in MP on such a small sensor means more noise. We don't need MP, we need image quality. 5MP is way enough. Spend that extra buck on a better lense, higher frequency - or simply on time for better programming.

Also, not really important but: Xenon Flash (...) "You can also keep Dual LED for video light. Don’t need to pick one or the other – have both.". Uhm what? Why would anyone do that. That would be an insane waste of parts and space. Nobody would ever design a product with both types of flashes :|

On a more general note I much rather prefer a fat and ugly phone that is awesome (quality and software wise), then some fashion accessory that has cut down battery life, camera quality, ergonomy and a crappy or no keyboard, just to keep it thin. But that's just a power users view. I know mobile "phones" are generally for the computer illiterate and are a lifestyle product as much as a utility device.

I don't care about screen tech either as both seems to work for my needs really...

About the case (#5) I don't care either as industrial plastic can look nice and are solid and lighter, unless it's all made of titanium for the fun factor but it all depends on production cost after.

Also, I'm wondering why the back plate isn't a specially molded battery with 3-4000mAh battery as there is a lost of space lost to air!

Anyway, i pretty much agree with all your list which is just enough and not overdone, good job! :-)

1 useless, atleast with resistive I can actually use this with a stylus, where I couldn't use it with fingers

2 fed up with "slim" devices, make it a brick 0.5kg heavy with a 10000mAh battery at the back

3 agreed
4 sure
5 nice idea
6 sure
7 no camera at all
8 see 7
9 or none at all
10 agreed
11 erm
12 hmm nice idea
13 always a good idea
14 see 7
15 hmm hard to disagree with that other than having a screen protector/privacy guard fill the role

"Totally flat screen, no dust cave bezel"

Isn't the bezel there so you won't scratch the screen just by placing it on a dusty surface? I don't find its presence annoying at all.


I want an analogue mini-joystick to the left of the screen (raised ~1mm), and green/red buttons arranged like:

on the right side, so they double as A/B for games. Their resistance would need to be optimized for games. You have to press most red/green buttons too hard in my opinion.


Edit: The camera flash should be outside the lens protector so that it's easier to use with a flashlight app.