hmm, I love having the option of using a stylus and the accuracy it offers, even if I have clumsy fingers. I would have found a capacitive screen that would preclude that dissapointing. As others have said, just because the iPhone set likes the vague brushing that comes with that tech it does not mean it is the ideal solution.
That said, the rest of the list is good, but to be honest makes me feel like sending my N900 back. It seems people are really concentrating on the future, of Maemo6 and the "next" device which is supposed to be the "Wow" factor for regular folk. I just paid $550 for this xmas present to myself and I'd like to feel that it will "last" for some time. Android devices get better with every new iteration of the OS, and I really hope that the N900 won't get left in the dust. Consumers simply won't accept it if their state-of-the-art phone doesn't get newer and better features- new patches and entire versions of the OS so I think it will behoove Nokia and the Maemo community to start thinking differently. As much as it bothers me to make a comparison with Apple, even they ensured that the old original iPhone can run the newest 3.0 firmware without a hitch.
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That's the problem with Nokia at the moment (for consumers). Their product line has little longevity. Look at Nseries and their S60 lineups. From the N95 you had N85 and N96 and woe the N97 and mini. Very little difference yet something new for people to buy.
It's pretty much all half baked goods. Interim solutions for the next succeeding model (keeps attention on Nokia products, though slightly harming the image brand whilst they're at it)
Nokia have said that N97 could run future versions of Symbian...whether it has the hardware to run it properly is another thing.
Things might be a little different with N900 though - better hardware under the hood an OS upgrade. It should be able to run everything that a dedicated M6 handset could (perhaps not as fast, like apps on iPhone 3G vs 3GS - oh yeah and minus the multitouch)
Nokia have been very open about N900 and where the focus is going to be. It is their "step 4 of 5". I'm guessing all the attention is meant for step 5.
Originally Posted by
The N900 just came out - lets concentrate on making it, and Maemo5 the best mobile it can be.
Yup. N900 is meant to show to people what Maemo can do and hopefully build up a strong software and app foundation for its Mass-Market successor.
Whilst doing that, attention must be focused too on the MaemoPhone meant for mass market. As early as possibly if there's gonna be the slightest chance of getting a suggestion to be considered before Nokia "leave it to the market to deide >_<". (It's probably already too late)
MaemoPhone 2 needs to be as close to perfect for "average joe/iPhone crowd/2010 smartphone crowd" that when people think of "ultimate gadget" they think of that MaemoPhone.
Nokia seems to know what they need to do, but just have a hard time executing it.
I'm basically against all your suggested changes.
- I don't want a capacitive screen (can't use it with a(ny) stylus, my preferred way of using the device, and a necessity with links in the browser).
- Screen is flat enough.
- The other suggestions would make the phone bigger, and as much as I prefer larger screens I don't want a phone to be bigger than this.
I don't know, I kind of like the 3-row keyboard. It's already hard enough to reach the top of the screen while typing. I have a better solution: the N900 has enough space on the sides of the keyboard to add an extra column. Then make space one button wide, and you have four new buttons. Would much prefer that layout, personally.
I would like to have instead of this the left SHFT/FUNC/CTRL buttons slightly bigger and moved to left - it is a nightmare to press simultaneosly FUNC + '*' and I was forced to include '*' in X-Term down raw (start key is pretty useful while I work with shell !). Multitouch use is not very good (pressing FUNC, FUNC and '*' then FUNC again).
Of course - a WORKING video camera in Phone, at least in Skype! This should be a hit.
That list makes me think on the that features the future Maemo device would need to shut up US-based whiny bloggers, but it doesn't consider that they will find a reason to whine anyway.
I would like to have instead of this the left SHFT/FUNC/CTRL buttons slightly bigger and moved to left - it is a nightmare to press simultaneosly FUNC + '*'
You can just hit func and then hit star. Func and shift are both "sticky" (ctrl is not).
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)
As I understand it, you can't use a stylus on a capacitive screen at the current state of the technology. So that would be a problem for me. The ability to use a stylus was a key selling feature of the N900since apps like Sketch make sense. I think it also means pressure sensitivity is possible? As an artist, I would not want to go the other way.
Nope, the pipe is still a virtual key selection from the symbols menu. At least that's the case in the U.S. version.
Yes you can type the | and other sybols without having the virtual keyboard.. Just hit the arrow key (shift) on keyboard then the ctrl button on the top left of the keyboard..
