Mobile Industry Review - Latest Comments in The Nokia N96: Face the Task

Re: The Nokia N96: Face the Task

Richard — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:55:01 -0000

I've got an N96 on Three.

They released the updated the firmware last week (through the Nokia Software Updater). Battery life has improved from bad to not great. (It's gone from 1 day to 2 (maybe 3) days.

It's still quite slow. I'll see if it looks like Three will release updates in the future that would help. If not, I'll consider debranding.

I don't mind the 1-9 keys. I'm sorry, I just don't. (I can easily believe they could be better, but I *certainly* don't hate them.) I don't ever remember accidentally hitting the delete (C) button.

One gripe I have is that when in NGage mode, I think the phone is upside down.

Re: The Nokia N96: Face the Task

rafeblandford — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 17:10:31 -0000

james - I do try my best :)

Joking aside I still think there's a place for this, but, as you say, then I say that about all phones. The trick of a good phone is making that appeal as broad as possible.

It does seem to be selling quite well. If you do believe its horrible, this rather suggests how good a handset is (from a technical point of view) is only one factor in the selling equation. I guess you could hold up the RAZR as the ultimate example this (especially in the latter part of its lifecycle). I also think that's the point of Nokia's whole ultra-segmentation strategy.

Re: The Nokia N96: Face the Task

jamesbody — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 13:09:59 -0000

One of your most endearing feature Rafe is that you can an nearly alway do find something good in even the most horrible handsets!

Whay amazes me is that the major networks are managing to sell reasonably large numbers of these (based largely on the superlative reputation of the N95)!

Re: The Nokia N96: Face the Task

mostlythis — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 06:20:19 -0000

yes the latest N95 firmware runs rings around the N96 in terms of interface speed
and general responsiveness.

trouble with N95 is updating it is a latent and complex process
often delayed massively by operator nonsence
and requiring 'advance' user skills and pc suite

being someone that only has mac's its i have to install pc suite and borrow
a pc to update mine.

Re: The Nokia N96: Face the Task

whatleydude — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 05:41:14 -0000

*runs off to check*

...Err... Yep.

(what firmware are you running on your N95/8GB?)

Re: The Nokia N96: Face the Task

Ziggy — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 14:36:56 -0000

You sure you had an N96? I've found it to be infinitely more responsive than my old n95 and especially n95 8gb, everything just works... Much faster, too.

Re: The Nokia N96: Face the Task

Mike42 — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 13:30:08 -0000

The truly bizzare thing is, the N96 costs the carrier roughly the same as an iPhone 3G. Around $500.

We know the iPhone drives a heroic amount of usage and commensurate data add-on revenue.

You can get an N96 free on a cheap tariff, whereas the iPhone costs a fortune.

Once iPhone exclusivity ends, just what do you think the other MNO's will want to offer?

Screwed up industry. Go figure.

/m

Re: The Nokia N96: Face the Task

mostlythis — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 11:14:47 -0000

I reckon Russel Brand has probably done them.

Re: The Nokia N96: Face the Task

kcjh — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 08:56:09 -0000

Despite all of the above... I still want one. No idea why, hopefully will get the chance to play with Whatley's one this afternoon. Hopefully by the time my contract is up - the software bugs will be ironed out and it will be more like the phone the N95 is now. We'll see.

Re: The Nokia N96: Face the Task

bensmith — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 08:44:52 -0000

I don't know 3G.co.uk very well, but am sure they are fine, upstanding bloggers who smell fresh, kiss babies and help large numbers of old ladies across roads. However, James doesn't so it gave him more time to actually use the device and formulate a considered view.

Re: The Nokia N96: Face the Task

mostlythis — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 07:51:11 -0000

also nokia have to bring out new products - they can't keep shifting N95s for ever - motorola tried that with the razr! :)

mind you i do think at times they try to release too many handsets. 125 current models on sale at nokia.co.uk!!

also innovation has been redirected to the upcoming 5th edition phones. So basically expect more soon.

Re: The Nokia N96: Face the Task

stedavies — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 07:22:06 -0000

No you're right - it's a N96 not an N96. I write how I speak sometimes.

In eight months time{!) when the firmware's been updated and mine stops crashing I'll be a happy man I reckon.

Re: The Nokia N96: Face the Task

Mike42 — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 07:05:18 -0000

"However, there has still been a genuine whiff of anticipation surrounding the N96 and, now that it is in our paws, there’s an element of relief that it justifies the hype."

So says 3G.co.uk

How could two august mobile sites disagree so dramatically?

Cat/pigeons ratio adjusted.

/m

Re: The Nokia N96: Face the Task

mostlythis — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 06:36:51 -0000

From an N73 to an N96 (is a NXX or an NXX? an sounds better but I'm sure is wrong - anyway) is a quantum leap (though they don't always succeed - see sinclair QL).

I think the big issue is that the N96 is a rehash of the n95 8 gig and really has little to offer over that phone.
and with its immature firmware is considered a step back - it's hardware video and audio chips do boost its power handling and quality.

Re: The Nokia N96: Face the Task

Jedb — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 19:37:24 -0000

James,
I rarely post comments. I'm either too 'busy with the day job/don't care enough' most of the time.;-). However, you helped me decide on a new phone this summer and I got an E71 (rather than N95 etc), and you were fair and rational in the advice. Right now the E71 is just about the most fit for purpose tool I have ever had (barring the obvious!). SO glad I didn't wait for the N96 to arrive! Rock on!!

Re: The Nokia N96: Face the Task

stedavies — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 19:05:07 -0000

I quite like my N96 now. Yes it definitely needs a firmware update (my goodness and I've complained) but for someone like me who came from an N73 to the N96 it's a good improvement.

I do wish Nokia would improve the browser though - I've noticed no difference in the N96 from the two year old N73 - except for that crap browser map thing which got quickly turned off after discovering how frickin' annoying and pointless it is.

Re: The Nokia N96: Face the Task

phoneboy — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 17:16:42 -0000

Of course it should be obvious the above is not Nokia's official opinion, but rather my own thoughts.

Re: The Nokia N96: Face the Task

phoneboy — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 17:15:04 -0000

Here's my $0.02 on the N96 from someone who works at Nokia, albeit at a division the mothership is selling off (Security Appliance division): it reminds me of the N95-1 when it was first released. Same basic firmware quality issues and same type of battery issues. After a couple of iterations of the firmware, though, the N95-1 is a pretty nice handset. They can't fix the hardware limitations--mostly memory--but I can certainly make use of the handset. I suspect we'll be saying the same thing about the N96.

For me, there are three key things the N96 has over the N95 8GB: S60 3.2, 16 gigs internal memory + MicroSD slot, and USB 2.0 transfer speeds. Wish I had a NAM version of the N96, like I do the N95 8GB, but I've seen what 3G does to the battery life!

Re: The Nokia N96: Face the Task

Micky — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 12:34:48 -0000

Enjoyed reading that, i now know Im safe in the knowledge that Im not going crazy with this N96 i too have from WOM, it too came with V10, and was buggy as hell, I was impressed by the speed of the OTA update however, so too with the quality of the dual slider, and a few other things, which I will mention in my blog.

I do agree with you James on many of your valid points regarding the hardware flaws in the N96, and cannot help thinking that the N96 was probably ready for launch back when the N95-2 was launched, and Nokia had no choice than to flog a dead horse because it was too late to go back.

Do you have any contact details for the designers of the N96? I remember watching a couple of videos of the people responsible for the design, and build of it, there was a woman involved in the design if Im not mistaken too, not that it matters of course that a woman is designing a phone, but I would like to get some questions answered regarding all the flaws the N96 is crippled with.

I don't hate the N96, don't get me wrong, and when you read my review (its ongoing/unpublished just yet), you will see that Im getting on with it quite well since upgrading its firmware, however, Im not a power user such as yourself, so battery life hasn't been an issue for me so far.

Re: The Nokia N96: Face the Task

babernath — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 12:30:01 -0000

Great. And THIS is the model that Nokia makes available in the U.S.A. http://www.mobileburn.com/news.jsp?Id=5611

Re: The Nokia N96: Face the Task

mostlythis — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 12:11:55 -0000

i took mine back after 14 days - nokia store had a 28 day policy
im sure they would extend by a few days - considering the issues

Re: The Nokia N96: Face the Task

whatleydude — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 12:05:36 -0000

Hey Becky, I saw your tweet earlier - who did you get your N96 with?

Is it returnable? Maybe print this post and take it along for evidence... ;)

Re: The Nokia N96: Face the Task

Becky McMichael — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 08:23:25 -0000

I am laughing and crying at this post. As a Nokia fan who also ran out and paid for the N96 immediately, I too am gutted. If I had wanted to be a beta customer, I would have liked to know first....big big FAIL from Nokia.

Re: The Nokia N96: Face the Task

Richard Hyndman aka GeekYouUp — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 07:57:31 -0000

I completely agree Mr Whatley, it's a step backwards, Nokia have focused on the wrong things with the N96 and worst of all it makes a mockery of their numbering system - higher numbers aren't better anymore. Flagship indeed.

Re: The Nokia N96: Face the Task

markwebster — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 06:17:57 -0000

Don't look to the N85 for saving grace, out of the 5 guys i know who have them, 4 are unsaleable, dodgy sliders and rebooting problems, N96 is OK, just not such a big deal after the N95/8gb as Whatley rightly states.