Unregistered wrote:I think the podcasters and reporters should have a wider view of things.
Just to give another perspective, I'm down in the tiny island of Singapore. I'm using an E71, on contract for 2 years. My monthly bill is US$24 and I get 100 minutes outgoing, totally free incoming, 500 free sms. Oh, and by the way, incoming and outgoing includes voice and video calls.If I choose to upgrade now, (and I can soon, after 20 months into the contract -- which is how long I've been enjoying my E71!) I can get a Nokia N97 mini, with a new contract, at US$360. Oh, and I have a 3G data plan (up to 1G a month) at US$7.
Try getting this kind of prices in US....
I don't know about the US, but that would be expensive in Europe. And incoming calls are free and always have been. If I had to start paying for them then I would stop picking up calls.
KPOM wrote:
Symbian looks like it will be around for a while. It seems Nokia's current strategy is to move Symbian more downmarket. That does leave the question as to what the upmarket OS will be.
I don't think that Symbian is being moved downmarket, it has stayed where it always was and the market has moved up. Current Symbian phones are ahead of where Symbian was when the N70 (for example) was current. But hardware, form and UI have moved ahead quicker. In other words, the market has added another tier, occupied by iPhone and some Android and WinMo phones, whilst Symbian has stayed at the forefront of what was the top end of the market before the new generation appeared.
I do have an N95, which would have once been considered a leading phone, but I would never use it ahead of my 5800.
As an American who's lived in Europe the last 20 years, and has a fascination with PDA's and smartphones I'd like to know why Nokia doesn't have a better presence in North American. They make great phones (I've been a fan since the days of "non-smart" phones (dumb phones??)) and I don't see why the brand isn't better known in the US.
Last year when I needed a smartphone with WiFi, e-mail, and anything but Windows OS, I found the E71 to be by far the best choice. And after 7 months, I still feel that way.
So what's the deal? Too many deals from Apple and RIM that won't let carriers in N. America offer products from others? Unfamiliarity with the brand (could be the case - people there still call it "NoKIa"😉? Or something else?
Fred* wrote:As an American who's lived in Europe the last 20 years, and has a fascination with PDA's and smartphones I'd like to know why Nokia doesn't have a better presence in North American. They make great phones (I've been a fan since the days of "non-smart" phones (dumb phones??)) and I don't see why the brand isn't better known in the US.
Last year when I needed a smartphone with WiFi, e-mail, and anything but Windows OS, I found the E71 to be by far the best choice. And after 7 months, I still feel that way.
So what's the deal? Too many deals from Apple and RIM that won't let carriers in N. America offer products from others? Unfamiliarity with the brand (could be the case - people there still call it "NoKIa"😉? Or something else?
to even attempt to explain the bizarre lack or presence of nokia in north america would take too long. there have been a few decent articles about it, but nothing that really gives you a satisfying answer. basically ATT and nokia hate each other, literally, with a passion. there's more too...
Unregistered wrote:The high price does not necessarily mean high end. The N900 and N97 regardless of Mhz is still competing with apple's phones. Apple just likes to price higher. If you hang around "consumer's" forums, you'll see questions like "what to get ? N97, iphone? " .They both have their strengths
Apple likes to price higher because they CAN price higher. I'm sure Nokia would price the N900 and N97 higher if they could. Apparently they can't, and it seems now they have to give navigation away to keep selling them at the price where they have been.
KPOM wrote:Apple likes to price higher because they CAN price higher. I'm sure Nokia would price the N900 and N97 higher if they could. Apparently they can't, and it seems now they have to give navigation away to keep selling them at the price where they have been.
Having had a good look round today I found that I could pick up a 3GS 16 for less money than the cheapest N900 or very slightly more than the cheapest N97 price. A 3G 8 is far cheaper. I presume the iPhone prices are controlled by Apple because they are very similar regardless or where I look.