It's here, it's black and it's very, very bad. And it's a production Nokia N95 8GB, not a prototype - this is the real deal. I'll be updating this story during the day, but for now read on for the photo proof!
Read on in the full article.
please can we see (if the software is loaded) some n-gage shots (the app/games) also is the horizontal mode the same as the old 95 (d-pad on the right) or like the pics on the n-gage site (d-pad on the left like a gameboy/ ds/ psp) thanks alot!
"Slang"-bad or real bad .. ? 😉
Getting rid of the lens cover - and more importantly the function of the cover slider activating the camera when opened - is a shopstopper for me.
I have found myself using my N95 more than any previous camera phone, mainly because it's so easy to slip the lens cover open and take a quick snap without any of the usual fumbling with buttons or menus.
my main request.. did battery life improve?
Getting rid of the lens cover - and more importantly the function of the cover slider activating the camera when opened - is a shopstopper for me.
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Yes, I agree, this was a bad move. As usual, there's always something to stop a device from being perfect!
Anyone here dares to update thier N95 software with the N95 8GB software? Saw the product code, 0549487. Would be interesting to find out. 😊
But with N95 8GB it is as easy. Just press and hold the "shoot" button for a sec and it will open the camera application. At least for me the N95 original lens cover could open accidentally. Sure you can also accidentally hold down the "shoot" button, but maybe it doesn't happen so often.
is the surface at the front side sensible for fingerprints? how about the slider mechanism? Is it better than that oft the regular N95?
Questions
1. The slider is smooth and doesn't have sidewards movement? and pressing buttons on top slide makes no movements
2. The hissing noise from the production N95 first batch has stopped?
3. The gps locks in short times ie under 1min.....
4. Light escaping from the front slide.....sidewards... ?
In no particular order:
- slider is *perfect*, but then so is my original N95, I bet they build early units with a lot more hands-on care and attention...
- battery here is much chunkier, at least 25% extra charge, possibly more with software optimisations etc.
- time from factory fresh to first GPS fix INDOORS on a window ledge was only 2 minutes - astounding!
- lens is as unprotected as on any other phone, but at least it's just as easy to clean etc.
- N-Gage app simply goes to holding place on the N-Gage site - I'll check for firmware updates daily and see if anything emerges
- no light escaping that I can see
- camera software much faster, shot to shot times at 5 megapixels around 3 seconds. Camera startup still around 3 seconds though
- have I mentioned it's black? 8-)
Does this one comes pre-loaded with the Spiderman III movie?
Viky
I think the main question would be, where did you buy it from? I live in finland, and here they still haven't hit the shelf, if they had i would be unboxing right now 😊
Does it already come with "On Demand Paging"-enabled firmware?
Lucky you, where did you got it???
The N95 8Gb its indeed a perfect phone! Congratulations for the possibility to be testing it already!
is the speed from/to the flash-memory via USB still as crappy as with the N95-1? for example, my MicroSD card brings about 6MB/s write speed in an external adapter on USB 2.0, but when used in the N95-1, its ounly about 1MB/s. now, when having even 8Gig interbal flash, it would take AGES to fill that with 1MB/s... hast this been improved? thanks!
The software should still be based on the same OS as N95 which means it's v9.2. Only v9.3 has 'on demand paging'.
Not true, N95 8GB has On Demand Paging
After seeing this for myself at the show, i have to say that its is an awesome update to the N95. Those of you that are worried about a lens cover are missing the whole point entirely about this new iteration to the N95.
- Far better battery life
- Incredibly fast when compared to the old N95
- True multitasking. I was able to run Maps, Web, Google Maps, Ngage game, Music, and camera all simultaneously without memory full or involuntary exiting of another app.
- The screen is beautifully larger and bright. More crisp. Please don't mention resolutions, Nokia are using the industry standards for now.
- GPS was fine since it has AGPS built in by default. I got it to lock on in 3 minutes at the S60 party. Mind you, my old N95 performs the same ever since the AGPS upgrade.
- The new d-pad and softkey arrangement is quite an improvement. I had my doubts about its squat size at first, but in use it seemed more comfortable and the buttons protrude far enough to enable more accurate control. A much more tactile experience than the flatness of the old N95.
- I've never had issues with the slide of my N95 so i don't really have a base of reference, but the N95 8GB i tried out at the show had a sturdy enough slide. That said, its the worst item to test since it is preproduction demo unit, thus would have taken alot of beating from many show appearances.
- Yes the lens shutter doors have gone, but that is by no means a show-stopper and i'd say it worthy sacrifice for everything else the N95 8GB does right. I have never scratched the lens of my previous camera-phones, but if you know you are going to be hard handed or careless with this beautiful piece of kit, then i suggest you get Nokia 5500. I doubt anyone would be so bad with Cupertino's baby.
One thing that irks me about the N95 8GB is its lack of a memory card option. I've never been a fan of these type of phones because it limits it capabilities in future expansion, and that is a real shame for a platform that supports the SDHC standard. A 10GB or 16GB N95 would be quite awesome.
That said, I'm not sure if the support for those larger capacities are there and by the time those capacities become available, Nokia would have come out with another killer handset that will persuade you to ditch your N95 8GB or otherwise.
For now i at least the N95 8GB is a very interesting and worthy purchase. I hope Steve's full review will prove that right.
-Barry S-
I don't think N95 8GB has ODP either. The software is still the same, S60 3rd Edtition FP1. It would new a new software upgrade for that to happen. And historically, Nokia has never updated the software in the phone eg. from 3rd Edition FP1 to FP2.
When will people get over the lack of lens cover. It doesnt need it. The lens cover is a dust trap anyway, Mine is covered and sometimes the cover opens in my pocket.
I dont think it will get scratched if the glass is as hard as the LCD because I have abused my phone a lot and still not a single scratch on the screen. If i maybe had diamonds rattling around in my pocket things would be different.
i have a n80 which doesnt have a camera lens cover....and i havent had any scratches or anything happen to it over the last 1 1/2 years. i dont have a case for my phone, its just always in my pocket.
I see they have squeezed one more app shortcut in the active standby!!
Could you do a shot of BL-5F next to BL-6F??
do you have the old original n95? can you please do a shot showing both turned on with the same screen?
does it support games in landscape mode???
Hi Steve, thanks for your answers. it all sounds promising however....
you missed one of my questions:
hissing, does the earpiece hiss when on the phone 3g and gsm? I bought a N95 when it first came out and the hissing on the earpiece was unbearable!!! so bad I had to take it back.... So i have been waiting and now I want to try again with the N95 8Gb ...... however I am scared it'll hiss again!!!
Please don't swear at me when I ask this...can the new N95 show youtube videos (as the iphone does) or other flash video ? As an N80 owner within weeks of the end of my contract I'm really struggling to decide whether to go for the new N95 or the iphone...sorry, I know I'll get slated for this thought.....!
is it with Vodaphone Branding or without any branding?
Hi,
I would like know if the build quality of N95 is better than E90.At present i own an N73(ME).But the problem is that the joystick as well as the 'call' and 'disconnect' button is loosing its color.Now it has a reddish tinge.
I am afraid that, the same thing would happen to N95.What do you think about the soft keys.Is it painted plastic?
Earlier i had set my mind to buy E90, i have even ordered the memory card,now i am having second thoughts.