Re: Now it's official: Maemo 5 and the N900 launch!
 

On phone orientation: to me, using the phone in horizontal mode means 2 things:

1. It's harder to hold securely with 1 hand because it will be off-balanced. The heavy and thick design doesn't help here.
2. You won't be able to reach the full screen with 1 thumb like you can in vertical mode.

Re: Now it's official: Maemo 5 and the N900 launch!
 

@ john, but think about this situation, sometimes people need to use their phone on one hand while holding the other things, browsing with one hand, texting with one hand (like the N97 with T9), and do some application with one hand. if somehow the device can have flexibility i think it will be better.

Re: Now it's official: Maemo 5 and the N900 launch!
 

Not just speaking yourself but also your friends using any phone.
Try to share a picture with them?
They can get MMS instantly but without MMS, they have to go home to check email or the website.
I think N900 is losing what Nokia said "Connecting People"

Re: Now it's official: Maemo 5 and the N900 launch!
 

Something should be noted, and only because I think a lot of the expectations and assumptions of this device are being made on the basis of the semantcs of words and previous tech, not necesarly what the device (N900) has promised.

The N900 is being pitched as a mobile computer that does some telephony tasks.

Its foundations aren't in being a mobile phone, its in being a tablet-computer with constant wireless connectivity streams. Everything from how the user interface is built, to how you are being asked to interact with applications comes from this frame-of-use.

Though there are telephony UX elements here, they have been designed first aronud that idea of a mobile computer, and then refined to work best in the mindset of a phone user. Its not really an issue about the UI being smart, its about designing an applicaiton for this device around the task that works best - and with a phone, you think of it in portrait, not landscape use. This is smarter us of UI, before asking technologies like an accelerometer to be put in.

In this view, I would say that all who are asking for telephon-like functionality ask if its really the N900 that they are looking for. Not to say that Nokia wouldn't want your money, but both you and them would be better served to use a device that better fits your methodology of communication, than revolting that a device that's not designed for you be adapted to you.

FYI: The N97 is pitched as a smarter-than-normal-smartphone that does some mobile computing tasks. For what many of you are asking for, this fits the bill for a device - whether you like Symbian or not is another story.

Re: Now it's official: Maemo 5 and the N900 launch!
 

Maybe I just have big hands ... but I don't have a problem with those things when holding my G1 in landscape mode. I don't expect I'll have that problem with the N900, either (given that it's about the same size).

Re: Now it's official: Maemo 5 and the N900 launch!
 

Yes, the G1 is easier to hold because of the 'handle' (on the right side when in landscape mode). I used the iPhone as reference because it's more similar to the N900 (same screen size and without 'handles' around the frame)..

I don't know of any smartphones that don't work in portrait orientation. IMHO it'd be best for Nokia to handle this by managing the consumer's expectation or addressing this in the product so it aligns more with the general expectation..

Btw, my hands aren't that small either ;)

Re: Now it's official: Maemo 5 and the N900 launch!
 

Thanks to you as well.

Some advice for the future: if ever a backlash leads you to contrition, go back and edit the offending post to place your apology there. That will help ward off future fire. ;)

Re: Now it's official: Maemo 5 and the N900 launch!
 

Or one.

...

Re: Now it's official: Maemo 5 and the N900 launch!
 

The "chin" has nothing to do with it.

I can hold the G1 in the curl of my fingers. Lay the phone across you fingers. Flex your fingers so that the sides of the phone are firmly held by your finger tips and the pad of your palm that is at the base of your fingers. Easy easy (though, the problem with doing this on the N900 wont be its size, it will be the fact that its surface is probably going to be smooth, like other Nokia devices... instead of having a rubberized surface like the G1).

It's secure, and leaves my thumb free to access the entire screen. If I'm holding the phone one handed, that's how I told it. Portrait vs landscape is the same (in terms of how I hold the phone one handed). The only difference, there, is a twist of the wrist.

I only hold "the handle"/chin if I'm using the phone two handed.

Re: Now it's official: Maemo 5 and the N900 launch!
 

Good thing I checked this thread again.. Some good info here.

Thanks for taking the time to clear that up Peter.