maemo.org - Talk - N900: The First Impressions Thread

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- Nokia N900 (https://talk.maemo.org/forumdisplay.php?f=44)

- - N900: The First Impressions Thread (https://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=34432)

Re: N900 Owners Thread (First impressions, ...)

Quote:

Originally Posted by range (Post 386389)

No, they aren't. Those won't be even remotely usable on the screen estate the phone has. Evolution is unusable on my 1024x600 Netbook, I cannot even fathom how it would look like on 800x480 (especially the 480 are a problem).

Same goes for thunderbird or *any* three-panel mail client. Look at the claws version which is available for the N8x0 - unusable, even with the stylus.

Devices like the n900 need a cleaner interface which isn't that cluttered. From that perspective modest looks usable, but somehow other things seem to have been forgotten in modest.

mutt and/or pine might be usable, though, as the device has a keyboard :)

Range - I personally like Pine myself - they can have my command line when they pry it from my cold dead fingers - those were just generalized ideas - Of all the clients I think kmail may be the most usable. Don't worry to much about real estate though - keep in mind the screen is 800x480 and that gives us a little wiggle room with panels etc.

Re: N900 Owners Thread (First impressions, ...)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bugelrex (Post 386440)

If you're relying on the n900 as your 'primary' phone where you don't want to miss any calls.. then a 5 second delay to see the 'answer' button is a HUGE Fricken DEAL!

This I actually agree with. I have that problem with my G1 currently - the phone will start ringing - I hammer the answer button and it picks up on the 4th or 5th time.

Re: N900 Owners Thread (First impressions, ...)

Quote:

Originally Posted by olighak (Post 386395)

With FOSS I am just as screwed, as with commercial apps, if the original programmer stops developing it, no one else picks it up and I either don´t have the time or can´t program. Am I any better off with the amateur in that case than the commercial programmer?

OK; again with the 'amateur' mistake, however, on the substantive point, yes, you're better off with FOSS. Don't forget that the basis of your entire argument is that you're prepared to pay for support. In that case when the original programmer drops the code, and if no-one else volunteers to pick it up, and you can't program, then you find someone who can program pay them to pick it up. With proprietary code, once it's gone, it's gone. It doesn't matter how much money you've got to throw at the problem, you're still locked out.

Also, in case you'd somehow not noticed, most of the N900's operating system is free software, built by paid professionals, including those working directly for Nokia. With FOSS they've had the advantage of building on an existing system rather than having to start from scratch - how, exactly, would any of us be better off if they'd tried to write their own proprietary OS from the ground up?

Re: N900 Owners Thread (First impressions, ...)

SX i hope this thread could be kept about the topic.
We can get some actual discussion going if you drop that "i know best" attitude because at best this other ways interesting thread is going to turn sanbox fight ;)
Have others had this 5 sec lag?

Re: N900 Owners Thread (First impressions, ...)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bugelrex (Post 386348)

Do you have that setting that turns into phone app when you rotate the phone to portrait? Could it be that setting(waiting for the accelerometer) that's causing the delay?

I don't even really understand that setting frankly. I think it's on automatic. I'll switch it back.

EDIT: I changed it to portrait. Also what does "launch by portrait" mean?

Re: N900 Owners Thread (First impressions, ...)

First, can we take the Open Source arguments elsewhere? I want to talk about the N900, and the impressions that owners have about it...

Quote:

Originally Posted by MountainX (Post 385847)

What do you think about the posts in this discussion?

http://www.amazon.com/does-this-comp...store=wireless

They sound like tablet owners and Maemo fanboys. I am too. It's hard not to talk like that for us ;)

Quote:

Originally Posted by sxr71 (Post 386130)

You know, it's ironic that you mention e-mail and maps, Those are the two areas of this device that need work. The browser is great and with Adblock it's like a dream come true!

But Maps takes 25-30 seconds to just load and its a pretty cumbersome interface. The compass rotation is slow and stutters. To get to search (which is the number one thing people do with a mapping application) you need to go into 2 levels of menus. Maps is a beta product. It also slows down and freezes for moments.

E-mail actually runs fine. It's snappy and pretty good. But it lacks simple e-mail search. That is a problem. No other platform lacks that now including S60.

I like the fact that you can use keyboard shortcuts as if it were desktop linux. So some things are great, but Maps is unfinished and you will see that when you get yours. E-mail needs a modern feature set.

I actually agree here. Maps and e-mail are the two poorest features on the ~~tablet~~ phone. I am really depending on the Maemo Mapper team to release a Fremantle version soon... I need a useful maps app.

Also, thank goodness I use gmail and so I can just use the full web version on the N900 when I need advanced, 21st century e-mail features like ... search. ;)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ewan (Post 386157)

Since you've used both designs, why would you prefer capacitative? As I understand it, the pros are that it allows multitouch, and it doesn't require any pressure to use, whereas the cons are that you lose precision and the ability to use the screen with anything other than a bare fingertip (so no nails, no stylus)...

I had a very weird and funny experience last night. I find the N900's touch screen to be really nice and responsive, but I let a hardcore iPhone user play with it for a while, and he just couldn't get the photo to pan. It was weird; he was swiping with his finger, and it just wouldn't move. I thought there was something wrong with the N900, so I reached over and made the picture zoom around with no problem. So there really are different ways of interacting with a capacitive and a resistive screen. You just get used to doing it a certain way, and your muscle memory betrays you when you have to do it differently.

He also tried the pinch action to zoom out. No surprise :) I told him that doesn't work on a resistive screen. But he did like the dial-to-zoom gesture, though, and he thought it was pretty intuitive.

Re: N900 Owners Thread (First impressions, ...)

Quote:

Originally Posted by sxr71 (Post 386468)

I don't even really understand that setting frankly. I think it's on automatic. I'll switch it back.

EDIT: I changed it to portrait. Also what does "launch by portrait" mean?

Its pretty easy to understand - when its on and you turn the phone to portrait orientation it opens the phone app. When its off - it doesn't.

Not exactly rocket science

Re: N900 Owners Thread (First impressions, ...)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bratag (Post 386471)

Its pretty easy to understand - when its on and you turn the phone to portrait orientation it opens the phone app. When its off - it doesn't.

Not exactly rocket science

I wouldn't ask the question if it worked Einstein.

Re: N900 Owners Thread (First impressions, ...)

Quote:

Originally Posted by sxr71 (Post 386480)

I wouldn't ask the question if it worked Einstein.

Can anyone else confirm this feature doesnt work. Looking for those who have the phone please.

Re: N900 Owners Thread (First impressions, ...)

I just noticed 2 burned out pixels on the screen. Do you think this is something warranty can handle or does it fall under just my luck and there isn't anything I can do about it?