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I want another N97...

23 replies · 6,510 views · Started 05 July 2010

nottmbantam 05 Jul 2010, 17:11

Well, no - not really. I want an alternative phone with the features that the N97 offers - but one that works please, any recommendations?

Physical QWERTY k/b
TV Out
Native Skype app
Decent email Client.
Decent camera, at least 5mp.

Currently have an E72 but the lack of TV Out lets it down, even though for an E Series, I think it's a carcking phone, but looks like I'll be giving it to my daughter.

N Series phones have all the decent multi media stuff, but not really a decent k/b.

Don't mind the OS - Symbian or Android. Does go to show that had the N97 just packed a little more under the hood, it would certainly be the best ( feature rich ) phone out there.

dez_borders 05 Jul 2010, 18:38

nottmbantam wrote:Well, no - not really. I want an alternative phone with the features that the N97 offers - but one that works please, any recommendations?

Physical QWERTY k/b
TV Out
Native Skype app
Decent email Client.
Decent camera, at least 5mp.

Currently have an E72 but the lack of TV Out lets it down, even though for an E Series, I think it's a carcking phone, but looks like I'll be giving it to my daughter.

N Series phones have all the decent multi media stuff, but not really a decent k/b.

Don't mind the OS - Symbian or Android. Does go to show that had the N97 just packed a little more under the hood, it would certainly be the best ( feature rich ) phone out there.

The N8 if you can wait 3 months, else the N900 now (not sure about the Skype client availability tho).

nottmbantam 06 Jul 2010, 05:10

The N8 doesn't have a physical qwerty k/b so would have to rule that out. Wouldo also probably rile it out as I suspect it will suffer the same glitches as the N97? Possibly underpowered.

Still have a big question mark also over the N900, just seems a bit too 'unique' for me, and the whole Maemo Linux thing scares me!

Well, it's official, my daughter will be taking my E72 off me, so looks like once again, I'm back to the trusty old N95, so glad I didn't get rid of that phone.

ironass 06 Jul 2010, 07:54

nottmbantam wrote: I'm back to the trusty old N95, so glad I didn't get rid of that phone.

I scan the market place on a regular basis to see what's on offer and I must say that whilst there are handsets that offer features that I want, I cannot find a device with all the features of the N97.

Since I have not experienced the majority of problems that other posters have had with their handsets I am reluctant to "jump ship" just for the sake of it.

I, too, looked at the N8 but discounted it because of the lack of a physical keyboard and because I'm given to understand that it will be the only N-series device to run Symbian ^3.

Like you, I have my trusty N95 8GB always on stand-by and up-to-date (v35.0.001 for me).

It reminds me of the Timex watch slogan... "Takes a lickin', keeps on tickin'."

kontraband 06 Jul 2010, 08:54

Indeed... I too still have a fully up to date N95 for when ICE 😉

E72 for your daughter tho... thats not a very 'cool' phone.. is she already becoming a mobile geek 😉 Sign her up 😊

HTC TP2? Cant really think of any new phones with TV OUT and full qwerty.

snoFlake 06 Jul 2010, 09:55

Well how about (if you're a glutton for more Nokia/Symbian punishment) this E7 (I think we should call it) prototype that's been much leaked - some have mislabelled it N9xx or N8-01 but I think it's E series? http://www.technobuffalo.com/blog/mobile-devices/video-tour-of-the-nokia-n9-software

Should be announced at Nokia World I guess and they'll have to get it to market real fast if it's not to be overtaken by S^4. Although by then we'll have WP7 and Android 3 to assess, whether they'll come in physical Qwerty devices is another big IF

nottmbantam 06 Jul 2010, 12:09

kontraband wrote:Indeed... I too still have a fully up to date N95 for when ICE 😉

E72 for your daughter tho... thats not a very 'cool' phone.. is she already becoming a mobile geek 😉 Sign her up 😊
HTC TP2? Cant really think of any new phones with TV OUT and full qwerty.

Well - you're right, it's not a very cool phone for a teenage girl. Most of the 'yoof' would go for a Blackberry - especially girls, they seem to love them. But, I have to say , the E72 price compared to a BB for the same money, is pretty much ahead in terms of features, so I think she would actually like it quite a lot! She was deffo very excited at the prospect of getting it.

I did offer her the N97 a few months ago when I was back in Blighty, but she turned her nose up that, saying she didn't like touch screen phones!

Going back to the N95 will take a bit of getting used to again, will miss the k/b, but kinda looking forward to it - will be like seeing an old friend. 😊

zxon 06 Jul 2010, 18:17

If I couldn't go for a Nokia, SonyEricsson would be my next choice. How about the Xperia X10 Mini?

to_sukanta 06 Jul 2010, 18:34

My personal feverite is HTC... there sense UI looks nice...but still waiting for a hardware keyboard with froyo....
WM is dead.. so i wouldn't recomend any... But as you find life in E72 you might take a look ar those phones too..

nottmbantam 07 Jul 2010, 06:21

I looked at the specs for the LG alongside the N97, but the N97 seems to win on paper, with bigger sreen, higher res screen? Does the LG have TV Out? Seems to be on anolder version of Android as well, only on 1.5, the newer phones are on 2+. Never really considered an LG before.

As for the SE Experia, my mate had one but wasn't overly impressed with it, and as it's Win Mo phone, it puts me
off a little hearing about the slowness of the OS

Thanks for the recommendations though, it is appreciated.

ashg77 07 Jul 2010, 06:35

The SE Xperia X10 series is most definitely Android.
AFAIK there are 3 models:
X10 - flagship SE Android smartphone
X10 mini - smaller slighter low spec version of the X10
X10 mini pro - same as the mini but with a keyboard.

Personally i'm waiting for the rumoured HTC Vision which is rumoured to be a Desire with a hardware keyboard.

Cheers,

Ash

nottmbantam 07 Jul 2010, 08:17

Beg pardon, I was thinking of the SE Experia X2, sorry for the confusion.

THe Desire with k/b would be something to behold, but AFIAK, the current model does not have TV Out? Can anyone confirm?

nottmbantam 07 Jul 2010, 08:48

kontraband wrote:Indeed... I too still have a fully up to date N95 for when ICE 😉

E72 for your daughter tho... thats not a very 'cool' phone.. is she already becoming a mobile geek 😉 Sign her up 😊

HTC TP2? Cant really think of any new phones with TV OUT and full qwerty.

I think she secretly hankers after a Blackberry, they seems to popular with the 'yoof', especially teenage girls. But seeing as I bought her a new phone only six months ago, she will have to do with a 'hand me down', although it's a very nice hand me down, nearly new and still in pristine condition.

She was actually quite excited over the prospect of the E72 😊

jamessmith01 12 Jul 2010, 15:38

Thanks for the heads-up on those, nottmbantam.

My contract with 3 is just coming to an end (thank the heavens - they've been an absolute nightmare with dropped calls and internet connection, when switching to their Orange 2G piggyback network - which is quite often - "100% 3G coverage" my arse!!), so I'm in the market for a new phone.

Ultimately I'd like something with a qwerty like the N9 or HTC Vision, but I'd like to get something new to pass the time until then... I'm still considering a HTC Desire, which I could get SIM-free so I'm not tied down to an 18 mo. contract.

Any thoughts?

nottmbantam 13 Jul 2010, 16:25

If it was me, I would wait for the N9/E7 or the HTC Vision.

I very very nearly bought the Desire, this was back in April time, and then it was in the region of �450 sim free, or around �399 for PAYG. Now, I'm not sure of the difference between the two, as I am led to believe all the Desires at Carphone Warehouse were being sold unlocked anyway, so you could have bought it PAYG and then put your own sim in?

THe reasons I didn't buy it:
No FM Transmitter
No TV Out
No built in mass memory
Ultimately, no qwerty k/b
At that time - no Skype application and no Joikuspot application for Android - although Skype is now available for Android.

THe FM Transmitter thing now isn't so important as I have bought a good quality generic FM Transmitter - Griffin - to be used with any device. I ummed and ahhed, but at the very end, I decided that I was paying somewhere very close to what I paid for the N97, and I didn't want to be splashing out for another sim free handset when it had a few features missing. I need to buy my handsets sim free due to living and working in Saudi, but visiting UK every few months, so the need to change sims every now and again.

Good luck though, all the reviews I've read of the Desire make it sound, errm, desirable < ahem, sorry >

jamessmith01 14 Jul 2010, 10:45

Cheers for the reply.

I thought if I did get the Desire, I could sell it at a later stage if I don't like it, or just don't want it. If I did want the phone it would be slightly cheaper to get it subsidised through a contract. The prices on eBay for brand new phones are approx. �100 cheaper than SIM-free models in the shops.

I'm also considering the Samsung I9000 or Nokia N900 as an interim between now and the N9/Vision. I9000 because the specs are similar but better than the HTC Desire, but it has an amazing screen - BUT it's a Samsung(!). The N900 would be an upgrade of sorts from the N97, but does lack some of the features I like in the N97.

PDAMad 21 Jul 2010, 14:06

nottmbantam wrote:I9000 - also known as the Galaxy S ? I was also looking at this handset with a view to buying it sim free - have a read of sjdean's thread " I'm Back" . He did dabble with the Galaxy S but in the end got frustrated with it and returned to his N97....

http://www.allaboutsymbian.com/forum//forum/thread/95570/

This doesn't sound like a man who's back with Nokia by choice:
"...coming back to the N97 from the Samsung Galaxy S really made me squirm"
"Do you want to establish...", "AAAAAAAAAAARGH. Leave me alone"
"navigating it, it's like treacle. The difference is that huge."
"Symbian has stopped being fun to use."
"the N97 is sooooo mind numbingly slow. "

Seems the only reason he returned the Samsung was the flaky GPS. Something that every Samsung I have owned has suffered from (WM, Android and S60). Samsung are also adept at abandoning their phones with old firmware, hence why I won't buy another.

The latest Motorolas like the XT720 have HDMI but unfortunately not the (yet to arrive) Droid 2. Shame really, 'cos the Milestone is the best keyboard-ed Android device I have ever used.

dez_borders 21 Jul 2010, 15:00

PDAMad wrote:This doesn't sound like a man who's back with Nokia by choice:
"...coming back to the N97 from the Samsung Galaxy S really made me squirm"
"Do you want to establish...", "AAAAAAAAAAARGH. Leave me alone"
"navigating it, it's like treacle. The difference is that huge."
"Symbian has stopped being fun to use."
"the N97 is sooooo mind numbingly slow. "

Seems the only reason he returned the Samsung was the flaky GPS. Something that every Samsung I have owned has suffered from (WM, Android and S60). Samsung are also adept at abandoning their phones with old firmware, hence why I won't buy another.

The latest Motorolas like the XT720 have HDMI but unfortunately not the (yet to arrive) Droid 2. Shame really, 'cos the Milestone is the best keyboard-ed Android device I have ever used.

Unfortunately, I have to agree with most of nottmbantam's comments. After using Android 2.2 on the HTC Desire, I find Symbian based handsets are so slooooow and use a very dated UI.

e.g. Even simple things like installing an app in Symbian locks up the entire UI until installation completes - with Android, you initiate (multiple) downloads and it all happens in the background whilst you continue to use the handset for other things.