Texrat | # 11 | 2009-10-27, 16:49 | Report

One common thread of discussion amongst us 300 early users is that the phone functionality does indeed feel like an afterthought... especially on first impression.

Rushmore | # 12 | 2009-10-27, 17:16 | Report

This will not be a good thing if this same impression is with the final product. The stars are aligned for a device like the N900, but a lot of people want the current, basic high end phone function as well.

I am not seeing how adding the basic functions that have been beaten to death on this site would be a problem. They already have the functions in other products, so not a concept issue to grasp.

Question is how much will sales be hurt? Perhaps the investent would be $250,000 to add the functions (total cost). Assuming Nokia gets $50 net margin per phone, that would mean about 5,000 units of sales for the ROI. Gross would be more than $50 per unit (I hope).

I suggest that sales could be impacted far more than 5,000 by not including the functions high end users expect. I ordered the N900, since I prefer this to a netbook and I want the function, portability and basic phone function- but I am not the concern here.

Again ,if Nokia is not intending for the device to be a "mass" seller (for an upper level smart phone), if pushing as a mini-computer, then no harm no foul. I think that if they are, Nokia is assuming wrong- this device will attract more people than they expect and LOT of smart phone users. They need to put the function in now and welcome these customers.

Just my opinion, since I think this device needs to be appreciated rather than iPhone.

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Last edited by Rushmore; 2009-10-27 at 17:29.

DaveP1 | # 13 | 2009-10-27, 18:01 | Report

The problem I see is that Nokia has the knowledge needed to produce good phone functions. They own the low end and high end phone markets. Nor is it reasonable to think they lacked the money or the time to develop these functions. It seems as if they purposely put them low on the list of priorities.

My question is what Nokia is trying to find out with this iteration of their five steps. Speculation has surrounded a possible N910 with no keyboard and/or capacitive screen where Nokia would be trying to figure out the top-of-the-line smartphone. But, Nokia just introduced a netbook (and with their reorg, the N900 and the Nokia Tablet are in the same division). Maybe Nokia is trying to figure out whether the phone functionality is important to people. Could step 5 be a Mobile Internet Device or Ultra Mobile PC positioned somewhere between the N900 and the Tablet running Maemo?

Texrat | # 14 | 2009-10-27, 18:24 | Report

...and some was a matter of policy.

For instance, on the N900, all calling history is shown in a single long list, with status (sent, missed, etc) distinguished solely by icons.

I don't like it.

If you have a lengthy call history, you'll need to scroll down a bit to find that one call you missed. From what I gathered at the Maemo Summit 2009, this was a conscious design decision.

I don't like it.

Just what is so horrible about tabs? Are they really so evil they can't even be included as an organization option? They seem to be okay in S60...

Little things like this annoy people.

buurmas | # 15 | 2009-10-27, 18:45 | Report

No, Flock is an offshoot of Firefox with social-networking integration (Facebook, Twitter, etc.). Fennec is Firefox Mobile.

Interesting idea, though. If the N900 is supposed to be a mobile computer where people are texting, doing social networking, and making the occasional phone call, then it seems like the more social networking integration the better. But that said, there might be better ways to do it than Flock. Honestly, I didn't even know Flock was that popular.

ragnar | # 16 | 2009-10-27, 19:13 | Report

Yes, I'm one of the persons to blame on this, I worked on this Call design at some point.

It certainly was a conscious design decision. What's wrong with tabs? They split the information up onto multiple pages. You cannot see the overall call history anymore. Be on the outgoing page - miss perhaps information on the incoming call tab. Be on the incoming call tab - miss or have to switch to another page to call again the person you just called. Somebody might get 8 calls from separate persons and miss the information for the 9th call? Well, scroll downwards.

So yes, tabs were evil here. If I would redo the design, I wouldn't change this.

(Well, naturally also since we didn't do tabs elsewhere, it was another argument towards not doing them here.)

Rushmore | # 17 | 2009-10-27, 19:15 | Report

Good points about Nokia's intent. I am just saying that a lot of people (a lot) are looking at this phone as a high end smart phone with GREAT internet and media playback.

A lot of people will buy the device that are assuming it has the phone functions most are used to and be unhappy. This will create bad (and unfair) buzz about the device.

Folks, it looks like a smart phone that has some serious internet and media power that also happens to be a computer. People will come and perceptions too. Nokia should just add the function and be done with it and accept success.

Summary:

If most of the people "get it" that the N900 is a computer first, it would not be an issue. My bet is that is lower on the list of a lot of people's assumptions due to the hunger for a non iPhone, power packing, internet ready, super media - phone.

N900 is it. Just add the functions.

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Last edited by Rushmore; 2009-10-27 at 19:25.

ragnar | # 18 | 2009-10-27, 19:43 | Report

Sorry for asking dumb questions, but which function/functions are you now referring to?

Texrat | # 19 | 2009-10-27, 19:48 | Report

And yet... it works in S60. I have never complained.

I refuse to believe this is so black and white. I'm betting clever minds can come up with a cool solution (imagine evil grin here).

ragnar | # 20 | 2009-10-27, 19:51 | Report

Just because some solution works for you in S60 doesn't mean that there wouldn't be better solutions available, and that some other users wouldn't have problems with that solution. It isn't black and white. It shouldn't be also black and white in the direction that missing tabs would be a bad thing.