Last night I had a chance to play with the Nokia N97, which was just officially announced a few moments ago. You can check out the specs and whatnot here. To be honest, going into Nokia World 2008, I most certainly did not expect an S60 device. I was personally expecting the new Nokia Internet Tablet, for some reason. Obviously, I was rather stunned as they began to read off the specs from the Press Release and then saw as the Nokian pulled it out of his pocket, this beautiful little machine.
Even though these were prototypes (even the firmware was N00), they were remarkably well-built and rather stable (though of course they did crash a few times while we were playing). The slide mechanism is incredibly smooth and well thought-out. A small panel slides up to conceal the mechanism from you, and from damage, offering a really nice experience.
I asked specifically about the U.S, and was told that there would be a US 3G model with 850/1900/2100MHz UMTS available, and that while there *will* be a bit of a delay in release, they’re really working to reduce the amount of time that passes between the Euro and NAM models, which was good to hear.
I found it interesting that there’s no stylus included (except for in Asian markets, where that’s the norm), meaning that you can use the entire touch interface with just your fingers. Browsing through the menus was very friendly, and the new homescreen really blows you away. It’s incredibly simple to drag and drop the various ‘widgets’ around, and I was assured that it’s an open area on the device, meaning that we at Symbian-Guru could develop an app for our readers’ phones, to show our latest posts on the screen (or whatever else we’d like to offer). Brilliant.
I was also disappointed that the keyboard is only 3 rows, with no dedicated number row like on the E90. However, this was designed specifically so that the device, while wide, is pretty narrow, making it really easy to use one-handed. Also, the d-pad is deliberately placed on the left side, to facilitate gaming, but also so that you can use your right thumb for the touchscreen, since the menu button and virtual softkeys are on the right hand side.
The back also features a small ergonomic lip on the bottom, for one, to allow it to rest evenly on a flat surface, but also to allow for better grip while taking photos, which is interesting. The one big complaint that I have is that it won’t be out till the first half of next year, which also gives me the feeling that it’s likely to be LATER in H1, which means that I can buy the N85 when I get home and have time to enjoy and get bored with it before the N97 comes out.
To sum it up, there’s no reason whatsoever to buy the N96, with the N97 coming to market. Others have been using the N96 on this trip, and it’s embarassing to see them struggling with the device’s crappy firmware and slow features.
What’s really remarkable about the N97 is the size. It’s roughly the same size as the Nokia N82, only a slight bit longer. Thickness and width are the same, and they managed to cram that beautiful 1500mAh battery into the back of the phone. When you see the device, specifically in the open position, it’s amazing to think how much stuff is crammed into that little bitty body.
I know I’ll be waiting for the N97, for sure.
