Comments on: Nokia N97 Revisited: I Love It

By: Anssi Vanjoki On The Nokia N97 Debacle | Symbian-Guru.com

Anssi Vanjoki On The Nokia N97 Debacle | Symbian-Guru.com — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:03:08 +0000

[...] to point out, though, that the current v21x firmware is much better, and I have to agree — as I’ve mentioned before, it’s like a whole new device. Unfortunately, the hardware issues aren’t something that [...]

By: Plexeon

Plexeon — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 10:02:17 +0000

Thanks for the reply. I have another question before I buy this, does your package comes with the flat rectangle stylus, or the round one, just like the one on the n97-mini? I heard there's a new packaging at my place where the stylus is round, and hoping to get that to ensure i am getting a new set without the GPS and lens problems.

By: Ricky Cadden

Ricky Cadden — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 23:26:19 +0000

Yes – on the box, on the label with all the numbers, it lists '42/2009' just above where it lists the frequencies supported. As I understand, that means it was produced during week 42 of 2009.

By: Plexeon

Plexeon — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 20:59:38 +0000

@Ricky: How would you know the batch of the n97 when you buy it? Is is indicated anywhere on the box or the device itself?

By: Boris

Boris — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 03:13:08 +0000

N97 be better Mini ))))

By: buy r4i칩

buy r4i칩 — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 10:37:50 +0000

Hey can someone plzz tell me, if N97 has Skype application, and if the speakers are good ? plzz tell me ! :-)

By: Nastassia

Nastassia — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 08:52:49 +0000

“…the white units had a worse keyboard than the black units, for some reason.”

Well that sucks, the white N97 is so striking.

By: naypalm

naypalm — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 13:18:35 +0000

It's not much of an upgrade, only ups it to about 1550mA. http://howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=1606328

By: Plexus

Plexus — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 07:14:26 +0000

So absolutelt true.
I had sent My N97 back to Nokia to fix the scratched camera lens and faulty lens cover thinking of selling it as soon as it would have come back , and while I waited I bought a new HTC HD2.
However 3 weeks later the device I got back from nokia was a totally different thing than the one I had handed to them: not only the lens and lens cover was changed, but the GPS was now working perfectly and the WIFI much more reliably than before; the 2.0 Rom was installed and optimized and the memory troubles now were a thing of the past even though I have over 50 apps installed; moreover Nokia gave me as a gift a full year subscription to the latest version of OVI maps Sat Nav (worth more than 100$) which they had installed.

I just used it for a day or so instead of my new HD2 (which is a really amazing device in its own right) and decided that there was no way I was going to sell such a beutifully working phone and more than 2 months later I still haven't been able to decide which of the two I like best.
At the moment the only advantage I see in the HD2 is the working Voice dialing function which is still a bad joke on the N97 (even with Vlingo) and the bigger screen for certain particular apps.
The situation is further complicated by the fact that my employer gave me an HTC Hero which convinced me that Android plus Sense UI is just too good not to use.
But until the Nexus one will add a decent sized screen for sat nav, a speedier processor and voice dialing ( possibly via BT) android handsets will not be my primary phones.

In any case my plan to sell my N97 to the highest bidder has now been put indefinitely off and every time I pick it up I marvel at what a beautiful swan this most ugly of nokia's duckling has become with just

By: Ricky Cadden

Ricky Cadden — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 04:01:52 +0000

Brian -

1. this N97 was actually a gift from a friend, so no, I did not pay for it out of my own pocket. However, it is not a review unit. We are very careful on Symbian-Guru to disclose where our devices come from. If it's a phone from Nokia, we specify clearly, so that our readers know without question where the device came from. That being said, we've worked to build a reputation as honest reviewers – if it sucks, we'll say so, without hesitation, regardless of where the product came from. Likewise, if we're impressed with it, we'll say that, too. :) In fact, Nokia does not 'give' products away to bloggers, at least for the past year or so – all of the devices that we've reviewed in the past ~12 months or so were returned, usually after a 2-week loan.

2. The white unit that I originally reviewed (which *did* come from Nokia as a review unit) had the missing tactile feedback that you mention – as specified in my original review, linked above. The one that I have now is a black NAM unit, and it has a much better keyboard. In fact, if you do a bit of googling, you'll find that most agree the white units had a worse keyboard than the black units, for some reason.