maemo.org - Talk - N97 or N900?

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- - N97 or N900? (https://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=29331)

Re: N97 or N900?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Architengi (Post 293535)

1. Faster processor OMAP generation 3 (N900) compared to generation 2 (N97)
2. Double RAM memory 256 MB (N900) compared to 128 MB (N97)
3. 3D applications and OpenGL (3D fast games) supported by N900 processor
4. OpenOffice and KOffice (Word, spreadsheet, presentations PPT) for free in N900 compared to 30$-40$ QuickOffice in N97
5. Hundreds of free good applications for Maemo N900 and potential more hundreds from Linux community (including potential to have Google G1 application framework ported to Maemo) compared to almost not many good free application on Symbian.
6. Very good internet browsers FireFox , etc on Maemo, compared to not very performant browser on Symbian.
7. Full Java support for Maemo not only a subset like is for Symbian.
8. Full Flash support for Maemo, not just a mobile version like is for Symbian.
9. Easy to program Maemo compared to hard to program Symbian Carbide C. - more applications for N900 in future.
10. 800 x 480 resolution means VGA videos will not be shrinked, which is better quality watching videos and all the games and applications. (N900 has 800x480 and N97 has 640x360)
11. Command line is very important, because you can package quickly anything, run a Pearl or a shell batch file and you can install anything, you can update libraries and modules, install frameworks and do a lot of stuff.
12. Video recording is 800x480 on N900 which is better than 640x480 on N900
13. qole noted that Maemo 5 is "swishier" and very next-generation, with lots of transparency, 3D effects, swishing and swooping windows, etc. That tends to appeal to gadget hounds.
14. Linux is a solid OS, where Symbian is only a mobile OS.
15. Linux community is greater than Symbian's
16. Linux Maemo has many Virtual Machines (VM) which can run from Windows to different other systems.
17. Maemo has better remote connection applications, and with bigger resolution of N900 and much more memory (needed here) N900 will clearly subclass N97 in this category.
18. More printer drivers and other drivers in Linux.Maemo than Symbian. Linux cames from computer to mobile so it has more USB capabilities.

This what came to my mind right now. Maybe there are many other advantages. One advantage N97 has is the tilt screen, which is very nice. :-)

...
19. No application signing required
I have a N810 and 5800 and I notice that the N810 is more mature as well and prefer this for webbrowsing.
OTOH, do not expect much of a builtin camera, a 'real' camera (compact or SLR) perform much better as the sensor is larger.
Shame that the N900 has a smaller screen (3.5") than the N810 (4"), I'd expect a larger one such as the Archos 5 or upcoming Apple Media tablet.

Re: N97 or N900?

Quote:

Originally Posted by skatebiker (Post 293615)

...
Originally Posted by Architengi
1. Faster processor OMAP generation 3 (N900) compared to generation 2 (N97)
2. Double RAM memory 256 MB (N900) compared to 128 MB (N97)
3. 3D applications and OpenGL (3D fast games) supported by N900 processor
4. OpenOffice and KOffice (Word, spreadsheet, presentations PPT) for free in N900 compared to 30$-40$ QuickOffice in N97
5. Hundreds of free good applications for Maemo N900 and potential more hundreds from Linux community (including potential to have Google G1 application framework ported to Maemo) compared to almost not many good free application on Symbian.
6. Very good internet browsers FireFox , etc on Maemo, compared to not very performant browser on Symbian.
7. Full Java support for Maemo not only a subset like is for Symbian.
8. Full Flash support for Maemo, not just a mobile version like is for Symbian.
9. Easy to program Maemo compared to hard to program Symbian Carbide C++ - more applications for N900 in future.
10. 800 x 480 resolution means VGA videos will not be shrinked, which is better quality watching videos and all the games and applications. (N900 has 800x480 and N97 has 640x360)
11. Command line is very important, because you can package quickly anything, run a Pearl or a shell batch file and you can install anything, you can update libraries and modules, install frameworks and do a lot of stuff.
12. Video recording is 800x480 on N900 which is better than 640x480 on N97
13. qole noted that Maemo 5 is "swishier" and very next-generation, with lots of transparency, 3D effects, swishing and swooping windows, etc. That tends to appeal to gadget hounds.
14. Linux is a solid OS, where Symbian is only a mobile OS.
15. Linux community is greater than Symbian's
16. Linux Maemo has many Virtual Machines (VM) which can run from Windows to different other systems.
17. Maemo has better remote connection applications, and with bigger resolution of N900 and much more memory (needed here) N900 will clearly subclass N97 in this category.
18. More printer drivers and other drivers in Linux.Maemo than Symbian. Linux cames from computer to mobile so it has more USB capabilities.

This what came to my mind right now. Maybe there are many other advantages. One advantage N97 has is the tilt screen, which is very nice. :-)
------

19. No application signing required
I have a N810 and 5800 and I notice that the N810 is more mature as well and prefer this for webbrowsing.
OTOH, do not expect much of a builtin camera, a 'real' camera (compact or SLR) perform much better as the sensor is larger.
Shame that the N900 has a smaller screen (3.5") than the N810 (4"), I'd expect a larger one such as the Archos 5 or upcoming Apple Media tablet.

If anybody can comment on Java framework on Maemo/Symbian (point 7) and also on Flash (point 8) framework on Maemo/Symbian. I am not 100% sure I was right on my points 7 and 8 above.
What about QR frameworks on Maemo/Symbian? Are they exactly the same or is one better that the other? What about KDE - is KDE ported/portable to Maemo?

Re: N97 or N900?

Quote:

Originally Posted by qole (Post 293528)

Some little piece of me hopes there's an ace up the sleeve here, but I doubt it. I just can't see it.

There is one option, but I dare not call that anything less than the speculation of the century. Here it goes, just for the SherlockHolmesing...

All the supposed 'early launches' were through telcos, europe and unsubsidized hinted as coming later. Note that the task switcher a bit of a mystery... What if this Rover thingy is a dual platform device ? Like, the early, July launch telco subsidized versions would run actual symbian, and the later, unsubsidized ones launching in Sept-Oct would be Maemo devices (maybe even running simultaneously or switching between Symbian and Maemo). That way you get two devices in one punch - a Symbian one for folks who like the hardware but don't care about Linux, and a Maemo one, for linux folks. And you manage to cut costs for HW R&D for free. Wild, ace-up-sleeve enough ?

If there is one unsubstantiated wild speculation, this is it. If I get this one right, I just wasted my chance of achieving world peace or finding the cure for cancer.

Re: N97 or N900?

Since N900 is months away from release you should not only wait for final N900 hardawe specs to compare, you should also wait for the specs of the 2 or 3 other touch S60 Nokia phones expeted to be released this year, I'm sure one or more of them will use the same hardware platform N900 has if thats a main concern for you.
I have a N810, 5800, and N78 and the only thing I prefer from S60 is Nokia Maps and that'll be the main factor tha will decide if my next gadget will be S60 or Maemo based, even more seen what Nokia maps 3 beta can do.

Re: N97 or N900?

Do you think an average user who wants to read and/or write documents or spreadsheats would like to use a KOffice or OpenOffice.org interface? I don't think so. The interface has to be optimized for the Maemo OS.

Application signing can be seen as positive too. You could do the same with GPG and APT.

Bottom line is because both aren't released it is very difficult to speculate, and we don't know how long we wait for one of these two new devices.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeneralAntilles (Post 293536)

Symbian's RAM usage sure isn't anything to write home about as my 5800 has to regularly close applications due to memory constraints whereas my N800 never does.

(Other points I agree with.)

I experienced the entire opposite with my N810. Never enough RAM to do much useful. Multiple MicroB windows open was an issue, or would be dog slow due to swapping.

Re: N97 or N900?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Architengi (Post 293535)

Many of theses comparisions are valid with the n97. But it is completely different when compared with palm pre or iphone v3. I would expect most of the things to be equal if not more compared to these two. The only advantage i see is open source and free applications(which the iphone has thousands).
Basically the n97 with a very sluggish processor and less ram is not going to compete anywhere with those two competitors.

Re: N97 or N900?

Quote:

Originally Posted by allnameswereout (Post 293850)

I experienced the entire opposite with my N810. Never enough RAM to do much useful. Multiple MicroB windows open was an issue, or would be dog slow due to swapping.

It just goes to show you exactly how useful the personal anecdotes that are frequently employed in these sorts of discussions as fact really are. ;)