Scobleizer - Latest Comments in Um, Apple, Nokia N95 has Wifi

Re: Um, Apple, Nokia N95 has Wifi

TG — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 10:12:46 -0000

Marketing strategy. yes. they're good at it.

It's just hot. for the moment - the design is superb, minimalistic, yet clean looking.

Also the other key features:
The water-drip effect.
The touch screen.
the touch screen again. (for resizing pics)

these are not common.

Re: Um, Apple, Nokia N95 has Wifi

John — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 12:02:26 -0000

Alan, not sure what you mean by the phone cannot use the 5MP camera. The camera works very well for small point & shoot - check out all the photos on Flickr taken with N95s. The shutter is actually not slow at all: the original firmware had a bug (although they didn't call it that) that meant the shutter sound effect didn't get played until after the image was stored on the memory card, making it seem slow. The upgraded firmware fixes this.

The GPS is slow to acquire at first, but once it is locked it updates continually and works as well as any GPS. There is also a rumour that the next release will contain an upgrade to include AGPS which will speed up the initial lock.

If you want to automatically geotag your photos (which I'm guessing you do giving the application), then you'll need to use ShoZu to upload them. You can upload over Wi-Fi or the cellular data network. If you plan to use hotspots, you might want to try Devicescape too which makes it simpler to get signed on at public hotspots).

HTH,
John...

Re: Um, Apple, Nokia N95 has Wifi

Etienne S. — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 12:09:55 -0000

Alan, you can still use a HTC Trinity or O2 something or Telekom XDA ... they are all the same (Pocket PC phone with a GPS chip), and nearly all decent mobile telephony standards (well I am using one currently to type the message). The device has 2 cameras (1 for video call (300x200 or so)) and the one in the back is a 2MP.

To answer your question concerning the GPS, I tried severals based on Windows CE, they all need couple of seconds/minutes to locate where you are when you turn them on. But once you are located, and the device remains on, it will be instantaneous, and your position will be correct (with margins due to civilian GPS, since military ones are more accurate).

Re: Um, Apple, Nokia N95 has Wifi

Alan Gutierrez — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 11:48:43 -0000

I'd really like some direction on how to cut through the FUD. The nonprofit that I work for wants to create a photo map of a destroyed New Orleans neighborhood to aid in recovery. The Nokia N95 looks like the right tool, but I've been told...

* GPS is very slow, takes a minute to locate.
* 5mp is no big deal, phone cannot use it.
* Shutter is very slow.

What's the truth? What's the FUD? Should I buy a camera and GPS system and forget about having the Internet?

Re: Um, Apple, Nokia N95 has Wifi

Robert Scoble — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 13:31:33 -0000

Peter: I'll tell you on the 30th. I have a feeling that for most people the iPhone will win.

Re: Um, Apple, Nokia N95 has Wifi

Peter Kwong — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 12:18:14 -0000

This is very useful, but which one wins out? I'm an new apple owner and by virtue of that a convert. Everyone keeps telling me that the first generation iphone is not going to be what everyone would like it to be and I'm not feeling the Nokia N95. Can someone put me straight on this.

Re: Um, Apple, Nokia N95 has Wifi

Erkka Peitso — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 11:25:14 -0000

@LayZ

The difference between 2MP and 5MP is significant.

Example 1:
With 2MP you can take pictures of A4-sized documents and if the font is big enough, the text is (barely) readable on your screen. But with 5MP you can shoot larger documents with smaller font or even make decent prints.

Example 2:
My screen's resolution is now 1600x1200, 2MP pictures fits there nicely 1:1 but how about in the future?

Re: Um, Apple, Nokia N95 has Wifi

Christian Heindel — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 06:45:01 -0000

Thank you, Craig. Interesting stuff! That's what I wanted to know... :-)

Re: Um, Apple, Nokia N95 has Wifi

Craig Nicholson — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 03:24:10 -0000

When he mentioned .NET compatibility I assume he was referring to a product by a South African company called RedFiveLabs (http://www.redfivelabs.com/) which can run .NET Compact Framework applications unchanged on the Symbian OS. Neat eh?

Re: Um, Apple, Nokia N95 has Wifi

Robert Scoble — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 00:15:03 -0000

LayZ: uh, huh. You keep living in the world where 2 megapixel is the same as 5 megapixel.

It's a wonderful world you live in.

Re: Um, Apple, Nokia N95 has Wifi

LayZ — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 00:03:28 -0000

@47 "And, sorry, if all things are equal having more megapixels DOES matter."

Matters how? Quality of picture? If you really believe that, I feel sorry for any customer you sold a camera to when you worked in a camera store. All things being equal it absolutely does NOT matter. You can only cram so many pixels into a sensor that will fit in a camera phone. Now, a 5MB DSLR will produce better quality photos than a 5MB camera phone. Care to guess why? The difference between 2MB and 5MB for the phone form factor does NOT matter. You will absolutely NOT see a difference in the quality of the picture taken and displayed on an N95 and one taken and displayed on an iPhone.

Now, if we are talking about cropping and editing, then yes it does have some minor advantages to go with more pixels. But I rather doubt the majority of users of these devices will be doing much of that.

You're falling into that typical geek myth that between two items the item that has the bigger number must be better. Next you are going to tell me you see the difference between 1080i and 1080p on a 32" screen.

Re: Um, Apple, Nokia N95 has Wifi

Etienne S. — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 19:57:31 -0000

Just to precise: I don't say they a better, but it will be a err.. more honest comparison, won't it?

Re: Um, Apple, Nokia N95 has Wifi

Etienne S. — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 19:40:57 -0000

Hum... Do you really think a company will fairly compare other manufacturers'products with its owns? As long as they put true datas.
But I am surprised to not see any HTC Trinity or Hermes (which can be compared but for which hdd is lacking), or even the HTC Touch/Elf.

Re: Um, Apple, Nokia N95 has Wifi

Goebbels — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 16:26:37 -0000

Tim Snyder: "I dont think you got the point. The point here is that Apple’s chart omits these details."

No, I'd say you don't get the point. I've never seen a single comparison chart exhaustively detail every feature. This is not tech specs, this is a comparison of size, core features, and the announced battery times. If we used Scoble's "features", 3 to 5 of his "features" would be missing from most of the phones. If we detailed all features, would we also have to detail: accelerometers, proximity sensors, orientation sensors, multitouch screen, 4-8GB of onboard memory, visual voice mail, threaded messaging, integration with Mac OS and applications, iTunes/iPod functionality, the level of sophistication/number of features in photo viewing, etc, etc, etc...? Apparently, Brent felt he could leave a lot of those features out. I guess "better" and "left out" are subjective when you want to criticize Apple.

Re: Um, Apple, Nokia N95 has Wifi

Prolific Programmer — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 15:17:49 -0000

1. There are 2 models of the iPhone, one with and one without wifi.
2. Vodafone and Orange have disabled the SIP stack on N95s sold within the UK by the two providers.

Re: Um, Apple, Nokia N95 has Wifi

Foobar — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 07:52:15 -0000

Speaking of the iPhone: http://www.operamini.com/be...

Re: Um, Apple, Nokia N95 has Wifi

Josh — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 07:33:43 -0000

I think they are sacrificing flexibility for elegance, design, and usability. This is MAC standard mantra. "Do it our way or use something else."

IPhones are for the I have way too much dispobable income crowd. I doubt business will ever bite on in a big way.

Re: Um, Apple, Nokia N95 has Wifi

Custa — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 07:00:28 -0000

How does one run .NET apps on a Symbian OS? I am guessing, well more than guessing, you can't unless of course you meant web apps.. both do hat so Robert you better scrub off your number 7 thing and take your list down to 8, or maybe 7 if you believe your own posts that there is a conspiracy with adobe employee's "not talking" about a Flash plugin for the iPhone.

Re: Um, Apple, Nokia N95 has Wifi

pedro — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 01:49:55 -0000

3G and HSDPA are mandatory features in Europe for
a smart phone. I can not imagine Apple selling the Iphone in Europe without it.
HSDPA gives you more than 1mb on your cell and works around big cities like Paris, 3G let you get your emails quickly or skype while travelling in high speed train ... combined with bluetooth it provides an excellent modem for your laptop while staying in your pocket.

Re: Um, Apple, Nokia N95 has Wifi

francine hardaway — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 00:27:10 -0000

I was in Bangkok last week and wanted to bring home an unlocked Nokia 95. However, everyone I asked about it wanted $800 USD and would not negotiate, which is very rare for Thailand, so I passed it up. Was I wrong? If I got an iPhone I'd have to bail on my T-Mobile contract, so maybe I don't get to early adopt this one. I'm not dissatisfied with my Blackberry Pearl, but I hate to be left out of something new :-) Childish.

Re: Um, Apple, Nokia N95 has Wifi

Alan Gutierrez — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 23:00:08 -0000

Robert

If you don't remember, I was all animated during the levee breach 2 years ago. I'm now working for the New Orleans Housing Resource Center in the Hollygrove neighborhood of New Orleans.

I'm one of the few people on the ground in New Orleans, who is serious about social media in the recovery. The Nokia M95 caught my attention, because for our work organizing this devastated neighborhood, it would be valuable to have a geocoded photo record.

I'd be interested in your thoughts on this matter.

Re: Um, Apple, Nokia N95 has Wifi

John — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 22:51:45 -0000

What's all this about typing text messages without looking - how about just entering phone numbers while reading them off a piece of paper, or the screen?

Re: Um, Apple, Nokia N95 has Wifi

Robert Scoble — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 22:30:57 -0000

LayZ: whatever. I have used lots of digital cameras. And this one is FAR better quality than any other cell phone I've used.

You can make all the arguments you want for what makes it better than the others. Sure, it's the lens too. It has a Carl Zeiss lens. But the others don't have the lens, don't have the autofocus, don't have the LED flash, don't have the other things this one has.

You're just being pedantic.

And, sorry, if all things are equal having more megapixels DOES matter.

Re: Um, Apple, Nokia N95 has Wifi

LayZ — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 22:28:42 -0000

@32 "Mr. LayZ

I dont think you got the point. The point here is that Apple’s chart omits these details. "

But that only reinforces my point. For either device, it doesn't matter if one supports 5MB and the other doesn't. Unless, like I said, the user plans to print really huge prints, or do some intense post processing of their pictutres. Which, if they do, I would suggest they buy a tool that was designed from the ground up to take digital pictures.

"Whether one will find 5MP useful or not is very subjective and is another question. I know many ppl who would love a 5MP."

And those people are exactly the type of consumers the P&S camera manufacturers love, because they obviously fall for the myth that more pixels = better pictures.

Re: Um, Apple, Nokia N95 has Wifi

LayZ — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 22:23:03 -0000

@39 "LayZ: look at my pictures on Flickr. Click on “all sizes” and look at the big images. They rock compared to any other cell phone I’ve seen."

Well, sez you. Then again there are people that think Saturn makes a great car, so whaddya gonna do?

Even if you do think the pictures you took on your N95 "rock", it's not because of the pixel size the camera supports. It's likely either the lens quality, the sensor quality, or...and it pains me to say this....the photographer. But is NOT pixel quanity support.