The better iPhone: Nokia N95?

June 3, 2007 By

Mauricio Idarraga at Puremobile.com sent me a Nokia N95. He wrote in the letter that came with the phone:

My name is Mauricio Idarraga and I am the Ecommerce Manager at PureMobile. I read your blog almost every day, that’s how I found out that you wanted an N95.

We don’t expect anything in return, but if you could tell your friends we sent it to you, that would be really cool.

I’m in love already. No, not with Mauricio. Heheh. Of course PureMobile is now going to get all my cell phone business. But rather, I’m in love with the Nokia N95. The camera on this phone is unbelieveable. As soon as I get my Flickr account back up I’ll show you some pictures. It has a 5 megapixel camera in it. The picture quality is stunning.

It also has GPS. It also has 3G and all the other bands you’d want so you can travel the world with this phone. It’s also unlocked so you can use it with your favorite carrier.

Translation: it’s going to be lots of fun to compare this to the iPhone. We all know the iPhone will sell just cause it’s cool, but this phone will match up pretty darn well. More on that after I get an iPhone.

I just wanted to tell all my friends where I got the phone and that I love this phone.

Thank you Mauricio and appreciate the phone very much and have just shown it to a bunch of CEOs and VCs and they are all in awe and want to know where to buy one.

Keep in mind that this is a very expensive phone at about $750. But I know tons of people who are about to buy an Apple iPhone for $500 or $600. They really should check this phone out before buying an iPhone.

Anyway, it’s going to be fun to compare the Nokia N95 to the Apple iPhone in a video review. The iPhone only has a 2 megapixel camera, the Nokia has 5. The iPhone doesn’t have 3G. Doesn’t have GPS. Doesn’t have a regular keyboard that you can use without looking at it.

On the other hand, Apple’s software is better and sexier. And the Nokia doesn’t have the cool factor of the iPhone. The better product doesn’t always win in the marketplace unfortunately.

Hope you’re having a great weekend. I’m off to have BBQ with Shel Israel…

Oh, and if you want to buy a Nokia N95, I can’t think of a better place to do that then PureMobile.

Filed Under: 1

http://webventures.blogspot.com/ Jesse Panganiban

$750? Why pay that much for the N95! It only costs around (in Philippine Currency) Php 18k-30k (that’s around $392-$652) at http://www.ebay.ph. Well, you did’nt pay for that phone, and that’s COOL ^^.

About your review, You can’t compare N95 with the iPhone. N95 is an “all-in-one” Phone while iPhone is made as a FAN-PHONE and as a DATA-PHONE,MUSIC-PHONE (That’s why it has a big storage capacity).. You just can’t compare it. These 2 big phones are way too different.

Camera Phone:Camera Phone; Music Phone:Music Phone; Multi-func. Phone:Multi-func. Phone

Anyway. Weeeee… ROK ONZ
Mica

Nokia has wayyyy to much hiss on music playback…

iPhone is too restricted software wise..

Just get a Meizu M8….
http://www.applematters.com/index.php/section/comments/meizu-m8-vs-apple-iphone/
Mica

Nokia has wayyyy to much hiss on music playback…

iPhone is too restricted software wise..

Just get a Meizu M8….
http://www.applematters.com/index.php/section/comments/meizu-m8-vs-apple-iphone/
http://www.erikcurtis.com/ Erik

So I clicked the link to “Buy”. The loud crashing sound you just herd wes me falling out of my chair. C’mon $700+ for a cell, gps, camera, phopne. Ouch! Too rich for my blood.
http://www.erikcurtis.com Erik

So I clicked the link to “Buy”. The loud crashing sound you just herd wes me falling out of my chair. C’mon $700+ for a cell, gps, camera, phopne. Ouch! Too rich for my blood.
http://scobleizer.com/ Robert Scoble

Erik: what, you didn’t believe me when I said it was about $750? Heh!
http://scobleizer.com/ Robert Scoble

Erik: what, you didn’t believe me when I said it was about $750? Heh!
LosOutlandos

people seem to be forgetting the iphone will cost about the or even more because it comes with a 2 year contract.
LosOutlandos

people seem to be forgetting the iphone will cost about the or even more because it comes with a 2 year contract.
LosOutlandos

“cost about the *same”
LosOutlandos

“cost about the *same”
http://alessonaday.wordpress.com/ alessonaday

Hey, Mauricio. I want one, too.

Hey, Steve Jobs. I want an iPhone.

Hey, Lindsay Lohan. Call me.
http://alessonaday.wordpress.com alessonaday

Hey, Mauricio. I want one, too.

Hey, Steve Jobs. I want an iPhone.

Hey, Lindsay Lohan. Call me.
http://neverness.wordpress.com/ neverness

Ordered one 2day, but it seems they’re on back order (had to renew my contract anyways so why not get a new phone..)

Talked to the representative and it seems they are flying of the shelves. (needless to say in europe we won’t see the iphone pretty soon, and maybe if it sells like the zune we’ll see it even later). Maybe it’s not the iPhone, but it provides me with the stuff i need, phone, camera and syncing.

Shame i won’t get it before my holiday to Italy, would have loved to try out the photocamera and the gps.
http://neverness.wordpress.com/ neverness

Ordered one 2day, but it seems they’re on back order (had to renew my contract anyways so why not get a new phone..)

Talked to the representative and it seems they are flying of the shelves. (needless to say in europe we won’t see the iphone pretty soon, and maybe if it sells like the zune we’ll see it even later). Maybe it’s not the iPhone, but it provides me with the stuff i need, phone, camera and syncing.

Shame i won’t get it before my holiday to Italy, would have loved to try out the photocamera and the gps.
Knute Hestness

Don’t bother trying to find the nokia N95 on their web site using their search tool…. Their search does not find it, of course I was using the usa site so perhaps this is a europe only phone?
Knute Hestness

Don’t bother trying to find the nokia N95 on their web site using their search tool…. Their search does not find it, of course I was using the usa site so perhaps this is a europe only phone?
http://scobleizer.com/ Robert Scoble

Knute: I don’t think it’s sold in the US yet. So, you’ll have to buy it from some place like PrimeMobile.
http://scobleizer.com/ Robert Scoble

Knute: I don’t think it’s sold in the US yet. So, you’ll have to buy it from some place like PrimeMobile.
Knute Hestness

Ok ok, so there is a completely seperate website for the n series and it’s http://www.nseries.com. Some of the pictures up there are pretty amazing for a camera phone.
Knute Hestness

Ok ok, so there is a completely seperate website for the n series and it’s http://www.nseries.com. Some of the pictures up there are pretty amazing for a camera phone.
Knute Hestness

Yeah that is what happened when I waned the Nokia 7380 I had to buy it off of ebay. Then the blackjack came out, not as cool looking as the 7380 but I don’t know how I ever lived without it. All the other pc phones are so clunky but the blackjack is just right.
Knute Hestness

Yeah that is what happened when I waned the Nokia 7380 I had to buy it off of ebay. Then the blackjack came out, not as cool looking as the 7380 but I don’t know how I ever lived without it. All the other pc phones are so clunky but the blackjack is just right.
Jim Jonze

Nick,

The N95 supports direct uploading of pictures to Flickr. The setup is a little tricky (you really need the help page at Flickr because the phone’s passowrd is different than your usual account password), but once you have it set up it can very seamlessly upload your pictures on the go via WiFi or 3G (EDGE uploading is a bit painful).
Jim Jonze

Nick,

The N95 supports direct uploading of pictures to Flickr. The setup is a little tricky (you really need the help page at Flickr because the phone’s passowrd is different than your usual account password), but once you have it set up it can very seamlessly upload your pictures on the go via WiFi or 3G (EDGE uploading is a bit painful).
http://mac.com/ Juddie

iphone looks a bit big for my liking. We’ll have to see when it comes out.
http://mac.com Juddie

iphone looks a bit big for my liking. We’ll have to see when it comes out.
http://productsreview.blogspot.com/ Rocky

Hi, how much it?
http://productsreview.blogspot.com Rocky

Hi, how much it?
Pingback: Scoble loves the N95. Calls it the 'better iPhone' - Nokia N95Users Forum
http://N95users.com/ pseudofinn

This is a ridiculous discussion. The iPhone is no where near the same level as the N95. There is no sense comparing the two. Each have their place, but if this discussion is going to exist, there is a clear winner- despite which device will sell more units.

Fanboys.
http://N95users.com pseudofinn

This is a ridiculous discussion. The iPhone is no where near the same level as the N95. There is no sense comparing the two. Each have their place, but if this discussion is going to exist, there is a clear winner- despite which device will sell more units.

Fanboys.
http://ntfa-dallas.home.att.net/ mavr

I may have to get me one of these. Sounds like a pretty good phone.
http://ntfa-dallas.home.att.net mavr

I may have to get me one of these. Sounds like a pretty good phone.
bill

You haven’t even touched the surface of the N95.

* Replaceable battery
* Swappable SIMs
* TV-Out
* 3D Hardware Acceleration.
bill

You haven’t even touched the surface of the N95.

* Replaceable battery
* Swappable SIMs
* TV-Out
* 3D Hardware Acceleration.
Thomson

I can only say that i love my N95 ofcorse iPhone look cool but for me N95 are much better with all gadget things.
Thomson

I can only say that i love my N95 ofcorse iPhone look cool but for me N95 are much better with all gadget things.
Sp00k

The Apple iPhone, like the Apple iPod has one major advantage over the N95. This is something that the Nokia N95 doesn’t have, nor will it ever have I fear.

Apple has a Massive, Supremely Efficient Marketing Arm.

They entered the portable mp3 player market with an ‘average’ product, rather later in the day than many iPod fans may realise, several years after the first players were available, Today, in the eyes of the general public, iPod is the generic term for an mp3-player… an incredible achievement in advertising!

They will obviously attempt a similar feat with the iPhone… They’ve already termed it a ‘smartphone’, whereas, if the current iPhone specs are to be believed, it’s an extremely dumb smartphone… Have I coined a new oxymoron there, I wonder?

Should the iPhone be accepted as a ‘smartphone’, then there will need to be a new classification… perhaps ‘geniusphone’?

I leave it to you to decide which phone fits into that particular bracket… It most certainly doesn’t display a chewed fruit as its company logo though!
http://n/a Sp00k

The Apple iPhone, like the Apple iPod has one major advantage over the N95. This is something that the Nokia N95 doesn’t have, nor will it ever have I fear.

Apple has a Massive, Supremely Efficient Marketing Arm.

They entered the portable mp3 player market with an ‘average’ product, rather later in the day than many iPod fans may realise, several years after the first players were available, Today, in the eyes of the general public, iPod is the generic term for an mp3-player… an incredible achievement in advertising!

They will obviously attempt a similar feat with the iPhone… They’ve already termed it a ‘smartphone’, whereas, if the current iPhone specs are to be believed, it’s an extremely dumb smartphone… Have I coined a new oxymoron there, I wonder?

Should the iPhone be accepted as a ‘smartphone’, then there will need to be a new classification… perhaps ‘geniusphone’?

I leave it to you to decide which phone fits into that particular bracket… It most certainly doesn’t display a chewed fruit as its company logo though!
http://www.devicescape.com/ John

Hey Robert,

Now you have Wi-Fi in your phone you can install Devicescape on it and play with automatic hotspot login as well. I just got back from a couple of weeks touring northern Europe with the N95 as my primary internet access device, and as my digital camera (didn’t want to carry the 20D on the trip since I had so much other stuff with me).

There are still a few bugs, though the recent firmware update has fixed a lot of things (including faster camera response). I used the SIP stack for all my calls back to the US during the trip, uploaded photos to Flickr as I went around (unfortunately not with geo-tags as I hadn’t installed ShoZu) and read emails and news online. I even used the GPS a few times…
http://www.devicescape.com/ John

Hey Robert,

Now you have Wi-Fi in your phone you can install Devicescape on it and play with automatic hotspot login as well. I just got back from a couple of weeks touring northern Europe with the N95 as my primary internet access device, and as my digital camera (didn’t want to carry the 20D on the trip since I had so much other stuff with me).

There are still a few bugs, though the recent firmware update has fixed a lot of things (including faster camera response). I used the SIP stack for all my calls back to the US during the trip, uploaded photos to Flickr as I went around (unfortunately not with geo-tags as I hadn’t installed ShoZu) and read emails and news online. I even used the GPS a few times…
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Pingback: N95: impressioni d’uso at N95 in tasca
delvee

Funny discussion topic. Comparison between expectations and real product is never fair, but that I do not see to be the point either on some comments.

Apple people will love Apple products even if those would be such disappointments technically, but the strong point is that you look cool walking with the new iPhone. Nokia people are more engineering oriented who like to tweak the phone the way it has been used since the wire was cut down from phones.

I think technical analysis does not help but let’s think the few lines:

- Why you would choose either one of the phones?
- What you are really going to do with it?

I think it is smart to ask “why” you want the new phone.

For same price you can get laptop if you want to surf internet.
For the same price you can get better cameras.
For the same price you can get global navigation system.

So price is not the issue, it is for what you target to use the “phone”.

Both of the devices are for sure absolutely marevelous (even I have great doubts for new phone supplier, even if HW is outsourced) but to list couple of observations:

N95 Pro’s:
- Outstanding camera which could replace the typical lower cost pocket camera.
- Good enough GPS to guide you home or show your location.
- High datarates if your network supports it.
- Desinged to be used globally not in one country only.
- Track record of durable products and global support.
- 3rd Party software

N95 minuses:
- Battery life low (depending what you do with the device)
- Fair performance, could be better.
- Ugly, clumsy user interface inherited from early 90′s.

iPhone Pro’s:
- Desing product for Apple life people.
- (Assumed) great user interface but not proven.
- Great co-operation with US service provider(s) and modified network services.

iPhone minuses:
- Not proven phone maker.
- Targeted to single market area at first (to test concept).
- No high speed data rate even if network supports.
- Is this phone or PDA? What happens to iPod NANO?
- Small memory capasity.
- Not proven performance and battery life.

All in all, we need to see iPhones before saying how mature the product is. N95 you can buy today with all its good and bad siders (yes, it used to crash even during 3GSM, where as Apple didn’t even give the phone for testing).

It is all up to you. What do you want?
delvee

Funny discussion topic. Comparison between expectations and real product is never fair, but that I do not see to be the point either on some comments.

Apple people will love Apple products even if those would be such disappointments technically, but the strong point is that you look cool walking with the new iPhone. Nokia people are more engineering oriented who like to tweak the phone the way it has been used since the wire was cut down from phones.

I think technical analysis does not help but let’s think the few lines:

- Why you would choose either one of the phones?
- What you are really going to do with it?

I think it is smart to ask “why” you want the new phone.

For same price you can get laptop if you want to surf internet.
For the same price you can get better cameras.
For the same price you can get global navigation system.

So price is not the issue, it is for what you target to use the “phone”.

Both of the devices are for sure absolutely marevelous (even I have great doubts for new phone supplier, even if HW is outsourced) but to list couple of observations:

N95 Pro’s:
- Outstanding camera which could replace the typical lower cost pocket camera.
- Good enough GPS to guide you home or show your location.
- High datarates if your network supports it.
- Desinged to be used globally not in one country only.
- Track record of durable products and global support.
- 3rd Party software

N95 minuses:
- Battery life low (depending what you do with the device)
- Fair performance, could be better.
- Ugly, clumsy user interface inherited from early 90′s.

iPhone Pro’s:
- Desing product for Apple life people.
- (Assumed) great user interface but not proven.
- Great co-operation with US service provider(s) and modified network services.

iPhone minuses:
- Not proven phone maker.
- Targeted to single market area at first (to test concept).
- No high speed data rate even if network supports.
- Is this phone or PDA? What happens to iPod NANO?
- Small memory capasity.
- Not proven performance and battery life.

All in all, we need to see iPhones before saying how mature the product is. N95 you can buy today with all its good and bad siders (yes, it used to crash even during 3GSM, where as Apple didn’t even give the phone for testing).

It is all up to you. What do you want?
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Don

3G not working on N-95. I purchased my N95 last week direct from Nokia (us version) Cingular programed it but I cannot connect on the 3G network in the Los Angeles areas that provide a good 3G signal. The sim card they installed is a 3G card. Any idea what other steps I can take? I will have to cancil my service and return to Nokia since I cannot get it working on the high speed 3G network (all settings seem to be correct according to the Cingular technitions. Any ideas or suggestions? Thanks. Don
Don

3G not working on N-95. I purchased my N95 last week direct from Nokia (us version) Cingular programed it but I cannot connect on the 3G network in the Los Angeles areas that provide a good 3G signal. The sim card they installed is a 3G card. Any idea what other steps I can take? I will have to cancil my service and return to Nokia since I cannot get it working on the high speed 3G network (all settings seem to be correct according to the Cingular technitions. Any ideas or suggestions? Thanks. Don

The better iPhone: Nokia N95?

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