Comparing N95 to iPhone
Let’s just stop here. The iPhone is superior in almost every way to the Nokia N95. The battery life is better. The contact management is better. The Web browser is better. The photo taking experience is better. The screen is better. The wireless management is better.
The one HUGE thing that’s keeping me from getting rid of my Nokia is the camera.
Now, how many people care about the camera on their cell phones? Not many. But there are a few weirdos like me.
I really am close to saying “screw it” and getting an iPhone anyway. It really is such a superior experience that I can’t justify ANYONE buying a Nokia over an iPhone. Seriously. It’s that divergent of an experience. Walking around I had to reboot my phone once and had some other troubles getting photos uploaded that Patrick didn’t have.
My battery went from 75% to 2% in the course of the walk. Patrick’s iPhone battery meter barely moved, even though he was doing just as much work as I was.
The only reason I’d suggest looking at the Nokia is if you really want a dramatically better camera than the iPhone gives you. Yeah, the Nokia has other features. GPS for one. That’s nice to have, especially if you hook it up to your camera (I haven’t) so that all your photos will be geoencoded. But let’s be honest here it really isn’t a “must have.” I can totally understand why Apple decided not to include one.
I can also totally hear Steve Jobs saying “get a real camera.” This is a time when he’s right.
I’d rather own the iPhone than the Nokia. That said I’m sticking it out with the Nokia so if you see me tomorrow at work you’ll see I am not carrying an iPhone.
That won’t last.
Here’s a photo, though, that demonstrates just how much better the Nokia camera is than the iPhone one.
Nokia N95:
Apple iPhone:
July 1st, 2007 at 6:12 pm
Am I the only one who thinks that the N95’s photo above is better than that of the iPhone?
July 1st, 2007 at 6:17 pm
Rob: you missed my point. It +is+ better.
But the iPhone is WAY better in every other respect.
July 1st, 2007 at 6:30 pm
Looks good, but no windows OS :(, no removable battery, no Nextel, otherwise I would get it.
July 1st, 2007 at 6:41 pm
To me it looks like a white-balance issue(with the iPhone), that should be fixable in a firmware revision. I noticed that camera settings are missing from the UI.
July 1st, 2007 at 6:44 pm
that’s one of the first things that i went to find out once i heard about the iPhone. and got very dissappointed in iPhone before it even came out. and to tell you the truth there are a lot of weirdos like us that do care about the quality of the pictures.
July 1st, 2007 at 6:46 pm
Wow, it’s incredible how different the photos are. The bottom shot seems washed out with blues. I wonder if there’s anything else (like the settings) to explain the difference…
July 1st, 2007 at 6:47 pm
Interesting thoughts, Robert. Frankly, I don’t see them as “competitors” as much as different offerings. But that’s another conversation.
There are a few things that keep me from wanting an iPhone for full-time use:
1. the touch interface. I’ve tried it, and hated it. Improved or not, I simply don’t like not having tactile feedback.
2. no voice dial - I use this constantly and the speaker-independent voice dial on Nokias is awesome
3. No syncing via BT. This is another big one, to me, and something that keeps me away from Windows Mobile devices, as well. I like that by the time I get to my desk, my N95 has already talked with my computer and synced contacts/calendar/notes/todo/bookmarks/pictures/VIDEOS/SMS/MMS, without me having to touch either device.
4. The lack of video. That’s just unbelievable to me.
There’s a few others, but I can also see your point of view. As a confessed S60 fanboy (Heck I run a Symbian blog!), I put up with things that most people wouldn’t. The battery life, the out of memory, etc. They don’t phase me, but I’ve “grown up” with them, as well.
I’m glad that the iPhone is doing well. It has a TON of effect on the industry as a whole, and it’s teaching consumers, manufacturers, and carriers an entirely new way to do things.
July 1st, 2007 at 6:51 pm
It’s almost like there is a polarization filter on the iphone.
July 1st, 2007 at 6:55 pm
Robert,
Is this is a picture from your house? It looks a lot different (read: better) than Bothell!
Jason
July 1st, 2007 at 6:57 pm
The iPhone has a much cheaper and smaller lens. It doesn’t have autofocus. It has a much cheaper sensor which is only 2 megapixels. The Nokia is 5.
Yeah, some of the color stuff can be fixed in updates, but not the sharpness or resolution.
July 1st, 2007 at 7:01 pm
Sorry Robert, as Job states, getting a real camera is la solución.
I’m photographer and, taking photos from any phone is a joke.
July 1st, 2007 at 7:02 pm
Jason: the photo above is from the Ritz in Half Moon Bay. 10 minutes walk from my house, but not my house. :-)
July 1st, 2007 at 7:04 pm
Having used a Q for nearly a year now and tweaked it obsessively to my needs, I can go for pretty much anything these days–my reasons for getting a Q were based first and foremost on the need for something low profile; I didn’t carry my old samsung in my pockets bc it was too big (though normal by most people’s standards). Pretty straightforward, right? BUT as a subsequent heavy data user and info addict, I would find non-3G completely, completely unacceptable for the prices paid for phone / data. The iPhone is nice and shiny and if I had a lot of money and didn’t use data the way I do, or e-mail, it would be nice. But it just fails in too many respects for me to even really desire it for anything besides the interface / looks, although the touch bugs me a bunch sometimes. So, I dunno. I’m excited for the innovation, but already long since hugely pissed with the hype and the bullshit.
July 1st, 2007 at 7:04 pm
mini-d: I’m a photographer too and I’d rather have my photos up on Flickr as soon as I take them.
If you look at my Flickr account you’ll see that my photos are pretty high quality. Not Thomas Hawk or Ansel Adams quality, but pretty good nonetheless.
July 1st, 2007 at 7:05 pm
The killer part of the iphone is the ipod integration. It rocks. I just went for a run with one device instead of two and that was great. The camera does stink but it is fine for those spur of the moment pictures when your D80 isn’t handy.
July 1st, 2007 at 7:05 pm
Also, with new optics and the new magical high tech lens that are flat, etc, high megapixel, bla bla bla, we’ll start to see pretty darn awesome cameras in cameras not long from now. Also, mini-d, there are some cool examples of REAL LIFE PHOTOGRAPHERS!!! professionals, in fact, doing some things with cameraphones. :P
July 1st, 2007 at 7:22 pm
Real photographers only use their cell phones to talk on and don’t post their photos on Flickr. Flickr? LOL
July 1st, 2007 at 7:52 pm
Apple fan here…
So you’re saying you prefer the closed architecture of iPhone? That the internet surfing experience is better? That no copy/paste isn’t noticable?
I haven’t used either. But with AT&T being a big issue where I live, I was leaning towards Nokia. Not because of quality of service primarily, but because of all the things I asked about.
July 1st, 2007 at 8:00 pm
[...] Link to Article steve jobs Comparing N95 to iPhone » Posted at Scobleizer on Sunday, July 01, [...]
July 1st, 2007 at 8:01 pm
[...] Link to Article apple iphone Comparing N95 to iPhone » Posted at Scobleizer on Sunday, July [...]
July 1st, 2007 at 8:29 pm
DaveD: yes, that’s what I’m saying. The iPhone is a better complete experience than any other phone.
My Nokia doesn’t have copy/paste either.
July 1st, 2007 at 8:45 pm
Well, the n95 *does* have copy&paste, but it’s not a feature which is available in the browser.
I’m in no doubts regarding the superior UX of the iPhone, but there is one thing which is really stopping me from buying. Tell me Robert, could you compose an SMS with one hand on the iPhone?
July 1st, 2007 at 8:48 pm
Ben: yes, I can type with one hand on the iPhone. It takes some getting used to, though, and is definitely not the way I’ll usually type.
Again, if you are a heavy QWERTY/thumb keyboard user you’ll probably not be a happy user of the iPhone.
July 1st, 2007 at 8:50 pm
1. Depending on what you’re going to be doing with your photos, a 5MP cam with autofocus is MUCH better than a 2MP without, and a separate cam is overkill.
2. The N95 can copy/paste any text that’s selectable. If you’ve got a cursor, hold the “pencil” key and move with the D-Pad. Keep holding it, and you’ll notice that the softkeys are now “Copy” and “Paste” (Paste only if you’ve already copied something earlier).
3. With iTunes Agent, you can easily sync your Nokia (or anything else that shows up as a mass storage device, for that matter) with iTunes (other than, obviously, DRMd tracks. I do this with my N95 daily.
July 1st, 2007 at 8:59 pm
I love the civilized convo here among Mac users like myself. So sweet! A few thoughts however:
- This isn’t about those who think one should always take photos with real cameras. This is about those of us nerd/geeks who like to use our cameraphones and wish they were the best. Nothin wrong with that. Please stay on topic tho! =]
- I love my Treo 700p and have no plans to upgrade to iPhone though I think it’s neat, at least not in the next year or two anyway. I can do tons (like music production) with my Treo that iPhone can’t get near quite yet.
- I’d recommend an iPhone over a Treo to any new smartphone user anyday. I WISH the Treo was so easy to sync. Should iCal on the iPhone support multiple calendars? Sure! But it will. There isn’t tons missing from iPhone syncables.
- A camera that really compares to that awesome N95 shot you have above there, S, will be the nail in the coffin for Apple’s competition. Oh yeah. And third party Cocoa apps with an officially supported SKD please!!!
Much love for all my techie homies…
July 1st, 2007 at 8:59 pm
[...] Robert Scoble has a joygasm over the iPhone, but points out that the photo quality of the Nokia N95 is dramatically, and demonstrably, better than the quality of photos taken with the iPhone. [...]
July 1st, 2007 at 9:10 pm
Try syncing the iPhone pictures with iPhoto. When you post via email from the iPhone, the pictures are only 640×480, but when it syncs to iPhoto, you get the full resolution of 1600×1200.
July 1st, 2007 at 10:02 pm
I downloaded the iphone photo and adjusted for white balance and recovered some of the pixels in the shadow areas. Here are the results. I used Adobe Lightroom for the image manipulation.
Looks like there is some problem with the white balance processing in the iphone.
Disclaimer: I don’t own an iPhone and cannot afford to get one anytime in the near future.
July 1st, 2007 at 10:04 pm
Click on my name ‘lali’ to see the processed iphone picture
July 1st, 2007 at 10:29 pm
I’m surprised you haven’t complained because it doesn’t have a HD camera! :)
July 1st, 2007 at 10:31 pm
And Steve Jobs would be right, if you want dramatically better photos, get a camera.
July 1st, 2007 at 10:32 pm
[...] If you look at all the photos I took today, you’ll notice a distinct blue hue to them and that they’re generally pretty dark, even though they were shot in bright sun. (I notice the same thing in Scoble’s shots.) [...]
July 1st, 2007 at 10:58 pm
@@29. Well, with the white balance adjustments made, looks like there is no discernible difference in “quality” when viewed on such a small screen.
July 1st, 2007 at 10:58 pm
Just for a try, I threw those two shots into GraphicConverter and tried to adjust the color of the iPhone shot. I’m not very good at this, but I did get the color a little better, but not a perfect match:
Brightness: Red +41, Green +37, Blue +26
Contrast: Red +11, Green -5, Blue +38
Hue: Red -6, Green -12, Blue -7
Saturation: -26
I would say that’s WAY off. Can’t the color balance be tweaked in the software of the camera?
July 1st, 2007 at 11:11 pm
I’m so glad you get it and understand what the iPhone is all abuot. It’s not the amount of feature you can pack on a device, its the experience and usability. The iPhone is a game changer, heck its like Star Trek Next Generation device in your hand today! The battery just last and last on this thing, which I was skeptical and the screen really is tough and scratch, and it wasn’t just marketing hype. Just need activesync as soon as possible to really make this a game changer in the industry.
July 2nd, 2007 at 12:55 am
Ricky said: “I put up with things that most people wouldn’t [...] They don’t phase me, but I’ve “grown up” with them, as well.”
Translation: I’ve grown to accept that a crappy experience is the norm.
’bout the same reason why many Windows users will never upgrade to Mac OS ;)
July 2nd, 2007 at 1:19 am
Robert, accept it. If you are really that serious about photography, you wouldn’t use a cell phone camera in the first place. I view the iPhone as a productivity enhancer, recreation & communication tool. Given that i would switch to iPhone anytime, if I were you. additionally carry a good digi-cam to take pics, if you really care. Just my 2 cents.
- prem
July 2nd, 2007 at 2:06 am
Go buy a digital SLR and realise what you are missing by taking photos on a camera with a tiny lens.
July 2nd, 2007 at 2:28 am
Its kind of funny that you say the browser is better when both the N95 and iPhone are based on the same rendering engine. The iPhone touch interface maybe more to your liking of course, but then you give up RSS, visual history, minimap etc etc.
Most of the people raving about the iPhone are doing so because they like touch. That’s not a bad thing of course.
Of course the thing that really gets me is no third party software. Most commentators are blowing this off which surprises me. If this were any other company people would be screaming closed garden, end to control, lock in etc. etc. Its the anti-thesis of the web 2.0 ideal. Apple whole modus operandi is about total control and to me that old fashioned and in the long term unhealthy.
July 2nd, 2007 at 2:30 am
Course Shozu is an automatic thing (its just uploads to flickr in the background + other services and blogs) with a better experience than continually emailing photos.
July 2nd, 2007 at 2:33 am
For me the iPhone showstopper is not the lack of a high quality camera, because I wouldn’t ever want to rely on my phone for any serious photography. Casual photography - sure.
But the lack of a GPS *is* a showstopper for me. And if the original poster owned a car, he would agree with me :-)
Seriously though, GPS enabled phones is the next big thing in the mobile industry. Just like cameras were back a few years ago. It’s already quite silly that the iPhone comes with a map application but it has no GPS - you have to manually point out where you are.
An iPhone with GPS will be launched within one year. And when it is, I might consider it.
July 2nd, 2007 at 3:02 am
[...] Scoble has a good comparison on N95 vs. iPhone. Relax, Ben. Share and Enjoy: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages. [...]
July 2nd, 2007 at 3:04 am
Ouch - that’s quite a difference. I think this could be one area that Apple may have underestimated - as phones morph into full-blown multimedia devices, the camera quality is still going to be an important selling point. Thanks for underlining that.
July 2nd, 2007 at 3:15 am
I have not one but two SLR cameras, a digital and an old school fully manual film camera that has 20 years old, with a pretty decent set of lenses for each one of them, but having a decent camera in my phone is a must. An SLR is larger than a camera phone, or even a point and shoot, and it’s not that practical but a small camera you can take everywhere and capture,
For me having a decent camera phone is a way to always have a camera with me, I use my SE K750 like a Lomo camera: shoot, shoot and shoot.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/t3mujin/tags/k750/
July 2nd, 2007 at 3:21 am
[...] Influential and popular blogger, Robert Scoble, has put his first thoughts down on how the N95 compares to the iPhone. [...]
July 2nd, 2007 at 3:23 am
I’ll give you one big reason for buying the N95 over the iPhone: you live in Europe and don’t have a choice!
We don’t have the option of getting the iPhone yet, and nobody really knows when we will. Right now, the N95 is the best phone on the European market.
Personally, I think we might not see the iPhone over here until 3G is implemented.
July 2nd, 2007 at 3:40 am
IMHO the lack of 3G support is quite a pain! EDGE is not enough if you plan to use it hardly.
Moreover it’s not opened as Symbians.
I would still buy one, but I’m italian and I heard that WiFi support is limited to AT&T hotspots. Is it true? I will be in California next week, can I buy one without signing a AT&T subscription?
Thanks.
Andrea
July 2nd, 2007 at 3:43 am
@lali - I hope all iPhone users have fun touching up every picture they take.. LOL.
On the N95, we just snap a shot, then press one button to upload the (great looking) photo straight to Flickr…
July 2nd, 2007 at 4:12 am
The main problem in Europe is not the absence of the iPhone, but the horrendously expensive data plans. Living in Switzerland, it is too easy to be suddenly roaming on a network from a foreign provider (which is very expensive). I hope Apple can negotiate a deal which includes a pan-european data plan with a single provider which will bring down the costs to a more acceptable level.
That is why I never use my K800i for browsing. It is just too expensive.
July 2nd, 2007 at 4:18 am
There are 3 things preventing me from getting an iPhone (actually 4 - since it’s not out in Europe yet)
1. Camera quality and resolution
2. No Navigation software (TomTom) (I’m not talking about built in GPS, but the inability to install a proper navigation program.
3. No VOIP (for cheap/free calls home to my family when I’m traveling with work around Europe).
I agree that the user experience on the iPhone is second to none, and hopefully it will make other manufacturers work harder, I would also love to get that good battery performance - but without the 3 things above, it’s not ready to replace my N95 yet
July 2nd, 2007 at 4:23 am
I would recommend to wait some time, my personal experience is that with these sorts of gadgets, I’m in heaven the first few weeks, playing around with it, and then i start to use it for what it was initially meant.
In the case of a phone, it’s meant for making phone calls and the video’s I’ve seen, this process is somewhat lengthy (especially because of the absence of shortcuts).
Anyways, would i recommend to wait till they’ve got a version running in Europe, because overhere it should have more capabilities and in some eu countries it’s forbidden to implement a sim lock :). Giving you total freedom over the phone…
July 2nd, 2007 at 4:26 am
For me, once my Verizon contract ends next year, I am getting an iPhone. There is no debate at all about it. For the first time, there is a phone that won’t make me want to chuck it against a brick wall.
July 2nd, 2007 at 5:13 am
David Pogue offered some advice regarding the camera on the iPhone in his review in the NYT.
“The two-megapixel camera takes great photos, provided the subject is motionless and well lighted . But it can’t capture video. And you can’t send picture messages (called MMS) to other cellphones.”
See the video for examples:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/27/technology/circuits/27pogue.html
The first real life shots I saw from an iPhone, taken by the people at the front of the 300-person line at the Apple Store (they activated from their laptops using the store’s Wi-Fi hotspot) were indeed dark and blue oriented. That particular store is on the basement level of the mall, about 25 feet from the atrium, the only natural light source. But, the pictures I and others have taken outside in daylight have been comparable to my 5 MP Pentax digicam’s. I have’t tested motion pictures yet, but would like to hear about how well they come out on the N95, Robert.
July 2nd, 2007 at 5:36 am
@3: Joe, two of your three sound like good reasons people SHOULD get an iPhone. ;) - Tim
July 2nd, 2007 at 6:19 am
You are right. The iPhone is better in every aspect. Well, except for:
1. GPS. But who really need that?
2. MMS. But who really need that?
3. 3G. But who really need that?
4. The better cam. But who really need that?
5. BT Sync. But who really need that?
6. TV out. But who really need that?
7. Much smaller size. But who really need that?
8. The option to run Orb. But who really need that?
9. Slingbox. But who really need that?
aso aso aso
Get over the hype and look at the real world facts. The iPhone is missing quite a few important things. Maybe it will be the phone to have when v2.0 hits the market, but not right now.
Oh, and don’t say ‘get a real camera’ because we all have that, but never carry them around. I thought that ‘get a real camera’ argument was dead a long time ago, but I guess I was wrong…
July 2nd, 2007 at 6:19 am
Out of curiousity… have you really sat down and compared the functionatilty of a SmartPhone to that of an iPhone?
July 2nd, 2007 at 6:47 am
Just watched the iPhone Guided Tour video on apple.com.
I really must applaud the iPhone interface designers. They really know how to keep the user experience flowing and how to make the small screen work as an advantage. Animation plays a part in aiding the user to remember the context; what he was doing. And the fade and other visual effects are pleasing to the eye.
There’s no need for the usual UI clutter: overlapping windows, scroll bars, minimize/close icons, …
That said, I think that there could be some kind of an Dragon’s Lair effect going on: looks good, but after a few weeks time, the edges of the user experience cage become apparent. We’ll see…
July 2nd, 2007 at 6:52 am
the iphone is probably the cellphone with the best design. the software design is great. the touchscreen feature is nice to have but not really a reason to buy this phone. I rather stick to my N95, because I love playing 3D games. I love my 5mpix cam it truly takes dvd like movies. there are so many great apps for the n95 available, the iphone doesn’t offer that many great apps. I can communicate with every IM, I can use VOIP, I can edit office files with my wireless and foldable bluetooth keyboard. I could go on for hours.. so please be honest to yourself and admit that the iphone has a great design, but it is not using the actual technical standard of 2007. With all of the things it’s lacking the phone seems to be from 2004.
check this picture out too:
http://darlamack.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/06/26/iphone.jpg
July 2nd, 2007 at 7:33 am
iPhone lost me with the price without the synch from Outlook. It still means I need to carry 2 things, 3 if you sount my video camera…(phone, iPaq, video)
July 2nd, 2007 at 8:14 am
I purchased an n95 after researching it and the iphone. Ive owned several macs and several ipods and I respect Jobs marketing savvy and Apple’s commitment to a slick, well designed, easy to use product.
But I still bought an n95 because I wanted a real convergence device.
I drove from Maine to Arizona using the gps on the n95. It was, simply, amazing. I took 5mp, high quality pictures on the trip. I did some geo-encoding just for the fun of it. I downloaded 8gb of my music library to the n95 (4 chips) and my daughter and I compared the n95 sound to the ipod… couldn’t tell the difference!
Someone earlier on in the thread said they bought the iphone so they wouldn’t have to take two devices with them anymore on their runs (a phone and an ipod).
I bought the n95 so I wouldn’t have to take FOUR devices with me when I cycle…
On every cycle, the gps in the n95 tracks my route, speed, time, distance, and lets me export it to a satellite photo on google earth when Im done (Nokia Sportstracker). I listen to 4gb of music while I’m cycling (I got a 4gb chip and will buy the 8gb chip due out this fall)…
I stop and take pictures of birds and the occasional snake on my route…
And I can answer the phone.
Battery life? Who cares? I’m only carrying one battery, after all, not four… maybe I’ll bring a spare - I’m still WAY ahead of the game.
July 2nd, 2007 at 8:17 am
I cannot believe this.
Robert- “The iPhone is superior in almost every way to the Nokia N95.”
is as much of a lie as Steve Job’s saying the iPhone is 5 years ahead of anything else.
It’s two years behind mobile technology. The camera is clearly an afterthought, the UI is great, sure- but what does the “experience” matter with such a feature-lacking device? The list of features missing from the iPhone that a standard smartphone will do is staggering- let alone a Nokia N95. Comparing the two is just absurd, as is this blog now.
Very disappointing that you’ve been blinded by the Apple marketing machine, Robert.
A pretty experience to go along with the lack of video, flash, MMS, removable battery/media/sim card, the lack of VOIP, instant messaging, GPS, Bluetooth syncing, WIFI file transfer, wireless stereo audio? The list goes on all day long. Face it- it’s pretty, it’s cool, but it’s a joke to the smartphone world.
July 2nd, 2007 at 8:31 am
I don’t see any point. Why are you comparing 2MP picture vs 5MP picture?
July 2nd, 2007 at 8:38 am
I am curious to know about the data connectivity on the iPhone. How is the EDGE network working out in the SF Bay area? Does it automatically switch to WiFi mode? Curious to know.
kamla
July 2nd, 2007 at 9:06 am
Robert, I took the liberty of downloading your iPhone photo and running it through Adobe Photoshop Elements’ one-click “auto smart fix”.here is the result.
Still not as good as the N95, but probably a fair assessment of the degree of improvement available to Apple in future software upgrades.
July 2nd, 2007 at 9:13 am
Robert, without any intention of being a troll… youre comparing apples and oranges; How can you say the iPhone is “superior in almost every way to the Nokia” and talk about battery life when you have a 3Gphone, with GPS, 5mpx camera…. vs a phone that have none of those things.
Just to take one of your points: Right, the battery is better; because it uses a slow EDGE network while the 3G networks drain your power all the time the phone is on… but, hey you can even open the Nokia and replace the battery something you cant do with the iPhone.
And yes i do own a N95 and i´ll be buying a iPhone also (as soon as they get to europe)… both are excellent products but you cant say one is “superior in almost every way to the” other cause they are diferent kind of devices.
July 2nd, 2007 at 9:15 am
Here is an article on 5 reasons not to get the iPhone.
link to the full story http://www.thestreet.com/_yahoo/newsanalysis/techgames/10365549.html
July 2nd, 2007 at 9:25 am
That is a nice photo from the N95 - is there a thin camera with wifi? Wonder if that would pair up with the iphone?
July 2nd, 2007 at 9:37 am
Robert, with pure intention of trolling - you are an ill-informed moron who has just been wowed by a pretty interface! The iPhone is inferior in every way to the N95 with the exception of the ‘beauty’ factor. That’s where it stops. But I guess you can say what you want because you have a popular blog, or do you just want to get in well with Steve Jobs?
Seriously, for a ‘technology evangelist’ you should be ashamed of yourself.
July 2nd, 2007 at 9:43 am
Annoyed: ahh, the Nokia trolls are here. Are you paid by Nokia? Is your job threatened by Apple? Are you a Verizon rep? It’s pretty clear you haven’t had your hands on either a Nokia or an iPhone. But, it’s a free country and any anonymous a##h##e can spout whatever he or she wants for whatever reason. Have a good one!
July 2nd, 2007 at 9:44 am
As with the 5MP + Carl Zeiss autofokus lenses the N95 is the first mobile phone that allows me to leave the camera at home in many situations, THIS IS important. Have you compared through how many menues you have to navigate until you can take a photo with the iPhone? With the N95 you just open the lense protector and go ahead!
The N95 allows me also to forget about my separate GPS navigation PDA in the future (e.g. when driving together with a friend) and I have free of charge maps for nearly all important locations worldwide. And with the 4GB microSD card now I also can get rid of my iPod and a FM Tuner. And top of all it makes my separate SIP phone redundant.
So at least 4 other devices that drove me crazy to keep all charged are redundant now and this let’s me get a positive view regarding the battery live of the N95. Just consider to have a car adapter and eventually an USB charge adapter for the N95.
And als very important for me in Germany to have UMTS and HSCSD (high speed packet data of up to 3.6 MBit). Perhaps the 2nd generation of the iPhone will have that but until then my N95 will make a perfect job.
July 2nd, 2007 at 9:55 am
please, Mr. Scoble.. no need to use that kind of language.. I have had my hands on both and I am glad that I own one of them. It’s simply bad to compare these two phones since they are totally different. Don’t get me wrong- I LUUUUVVVV the Iphone design and the unique UI, but that’s about it.
July 2nd, 2007 at 10:05 am
[...] A real-world troll story Read my comments on my post yesterday. [...]
July 2nd, 2007 at 10:11 am
dump nokia, buy yourself tiny 6-10 megapixel camera, and get iphone!
these days small camersa with 6-10 megapixel are tiny and very good…
July 2nd, 2007 at 10:29 am
Are u drunk Robert??? N95 is so much better then the stupid iphone. Wake up dude.
July 2nd, 2007 at 10:31 am
Pshaw. I’ve already been through this with my Sidekick III. In fact, I think the Sidekick is a much more apt comparison to the iPhone than the Nokia is, because they both focus extremely hard on creating an integrated experience around a core set of basic features. The Sidekick is a special Java platform and apps must be certified and go through interface and performance review before becoming installable. And coincidentally enough they both do not have video or MMS (in the States, the MMS app was removed).
I totally miss the Sidekick III experience because it was seamless, it never crashed and it just worked. But seriously, that one experience is the only experience you get. Nothing more. For the always-curious out there, a smartphone platform is ideal. As easy as the Sidekick made communicating, it’s limitations ultimately bored me. Skype? Newsgator? Nope. I’m not even sure if Google Maps came out for it. Devices like those will always be behind the curve within in the market at large, but it will always excel at the manufacturer’s vision of what that kind of device should be from start to finish.
In the end, this is great for everyone. Apple has been the leader in this domain since the II and I’m so happy that they’re forcing everyone to step up their game. But to broadly say that the iPhone is superior in all ways to the Nokia N95 belies the fact that the iPhone is superior to all other phones for the average user who wants just the essential pieces of the web with them. For advanced users, who I presume are your readers, it’s simply not that black and white.
The (slightly flawed, but close enough) analogy? “Safari on the Mac is the only browser you need, so long as you don’t need Firefox extensions.”
July 2nd, 2007 at 10:36 am
I really have to disagree, GPS is a useful function for navigation, 3G is a useful function for data requirements, a smart phone OS (ie symbian) is made for phones while a OSX is made for Macs not phones, there for navigation etc are in my opinion fine tuned with the nokia s60 phones over any other phone. the n80/95 have a rich high res screen, which may i add doesnt get covered in finger smudges like the iphone. The iphone is a brick, the n95 does have a good battery life, urs most be broke!, the n95 has a camera good enough to take photos with for everyday/holiday snaps, my old n80 took snaps that have got kudos from pro photographers and thats a mere 3mp. the n95 has third party apps, not glorified web applications, which may I add could run java applets. my nokia has so many tools I couldnt think of anything it hasn’t covered. the iphone has a touch screen but not finger print recognition (something they cud of added to the bottom). omg the n95 takes sim cards! so ur not stuck on a rubbish network. the iphone is for posers, yes it has an intuative control interface but it is not 5 years before its time, is a MAC which means trouble, it always has. no voip, no push to talk. The nokia have posistioned themselves well in the market, business users will opt for the n95, the hardcore will opt for the n95 and the camera junkies will still go for the n95. the iphone will go to the media suckers, the people who are iCrazy and to tech heads who have every gadget under the sun.$2000 for a phone, no way sir. nokia know phones,, but apple did a pretty good job for a first attempt, cant wait for sony ericson to blow it wide open with a psp phone
may the battle commence!
July 2nd, 2007 at 10:47 am
I find that full resolution photos from the iPhone (after importing into iPhoto) look really good and the color balance is a lot better. Here are two, without any color adjustments:
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=697279644&size=l
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=697319904&context=photostream&size=l
July 2nd, 2007 at 11:05 am
One thing you haven’t pointed out, that affects me, is the openness of the platform for independent developers.
Nokia provides a huge number of hooks to the device via their SDK’s/API’s on the symbian platform. This is especially true using the Python S60, and Processing frameworks that make rapid prototyping easy and fun.
So until Apple releases bindings to the phone pieces itself via the browser (like Opera is doing with PlatformSDK), then I’ll stick with my Nokia.
July 2nd, 2007 at 11:10 am
lousiest review ever…your first words was already wrong…where did you get your facts? do you just open your own site, dont you read the news?? set it straight!
July 2nd, 2007 at 11:12 am
I love the N95, but i have the N93 and im not willing to buy another Nokia just yet, unless its the E90 Nokia …thats the Iphone killer http://www.nokiberry.blogspot.com
July 2nd, 2007 at 11:13 am
Very exciting product, but I don’t think the iPhone is a clear champion yet. I’ve had to soft-reset my iPhone 3 times so far. Froze up web browsing twice and once while watching your show.
July 2nd, 2007 at 11:30 am
read this: http://www.gadgetnutz.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=00277
July 2nd, 2007 at 11:34 am
I don’t get why everyone’s so upset. They’re very clearly marketed towards 2 different people. It’s not a pissing match. For me, I have the N95 and zero desire for the iPhone because of the touch and because I like true convergence. I’m willing to withstand a slightly uglier interface.
For Robert, he likes toys, and would sacrifice a little features for a superior interface. What’s the difference?
It’s not like you guys ARE Nokia getting upset.
July 2nd, 2007 at 11:36 am
What amuses me is when you, Robert, have the product in your hands and can say “This is better than this other thing” people think you’re falling for the hype.
How about he fell in love with the smoothness? The slickly designed interface?
Incidentally, I can nearly touchtype on my Treo650 with the first two fingers of one hand and the thumb of the other, and after five minutes with an iPhone I could do two thumbs. Just let go and let the spelling correct itself.
July 2nd, 2007 at 11:42 am
The new N96 is even better than the N95. It is out in a few countries and would be out soon in the rest of the world. This would be a serious iPhone contender.
July 2nd, 2007 at 11:46 am
It amazes me that some people think they’re comparing a product when they simply list the specs. It’s the overall user experience that counts, not necessarily just whether one device has a longer list of features. In many cases, adding features makes a product worse, even though it allows its fans (and marketing department) to crow about something. Anybody who has been reading Robert Scoble’s evaluation of the iPhone in the past few days can easily figure out why he says the iPhone is better than the N95. He’s clearly said that the iPhone has its flaws and that other devices (including the N95) are superior on some features. He is saying that using the iPhone — for the things that matter to him — presents the best overall experience. Such a real-world evaluation isn’t about marketing check-box lists. It’s about how useful a device is and how it makes you feel about it. Scoble is to be commended for being even-handed in his evaluation. Whether you agree with him or not, he’s presenting a reasonable point of view. Your conclusion might differ if your needs and wants are different. But it’s silly to attack him for offering a reasonable and honest opinion.
July 2nd, 2007 at 11:59 am
“The photo taking experience is better” sounds like “What a good looking question!”
July 2nd, 2007 at 12:24 pm
Who cares if the camera is better on the Nokia. If people are buying this phone for the camera then something’s wrong. I’d buy it if there wasn’t even one on it.
July 2nd, 2007 at 1:05 pm
@62. “I don’t see any point. Why are you comparing 2MP picture vs 5MP picture?”
That comparison is moot to begin with unless you want to compare very large prints. All things being equal, there would be no discernible difference between the photos displayed both the iPhone and N95 screens.
July 2nd, 2007 at 1:07 pm
the kind of thing to which the iphone can be compared has still to be invented… come back in a few years ;-)
July 2nd, 2007 at 1:10 pm
Robert thanks for a great honest comparison as a long time reader of your blog I know you tell it the way you see it. I do agree with you the iphone rocks and kicks the N95’s ass when it comes to usability (as a proof refer to Ricky’s point above regarding how to cut and paste not an easy process. Don’t get me wrong the N95 is great but battery life renders many of its features useless i.e. go for a walk listening to tunes and using the gps sportstracker application and you are lucky if you get 3 hours. These are basics when it comes to usability. I love my N95 for the camera, GPS, and some of the S60 but I love the iphone more as it will make sure my Nokia experience will be better, i.e. Nokia just made mail for exchange available today for the N95 not sure if they would if there was no iphone.
Anyways keep up the good work and I hope to hear you give more comments about the 2 devices in 4 weeks time.
July 2nd, 2007 at 1:15 pm
Ah, the Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay. Nice.
July 2nd, 2007 at 1:21 pm
I plan on writing a feature on the new iPhone in my sports/pop culture blog:
http://usss.wordpress.com
Check it out or add to it.
July 2nd, 2007 at 1:22 pm
How can you say this? What about no 3G or 3.5G support? What about no worldwide provider is even considering to let Apple enter their systems to implement visual voice mail? To be so centric about a product that aims to reach 1% of the worldwide market and that needs Europe and Asia to acomplish that is not really fair. Ah, and add to that that in Europe and Asia if you are not able to SMS with one hand only while walking no one will buy the phone. Apple needs to do some rethinking. Being an apple user and fanatic I have to say that for now I will stick with my N95 and with my spare N80.
July 2nd, 2007 at 1:26 pm
LayZ: not true. Even on screen you can see the difference between the photos. The Nokia is clearly superior on photo quality.
Now, the experience of looking at photos, and taking photos, is far superior on the iPhone.
Most people will overlook the quality difference because of the EXPERIENCE.
But, if you try to tell me that the two images are the same I’ll call you on that. Even Patrick says he can see the difference, both on screen and on Flickr.
July 2nd, 2007 at 1:38 pm
We here at Digital Punch TV are big fans of the iPhone… be we’ll check out the N95 too. Check out our review of the iPhone in Episodes 20 and Episode 11.
-Digital Punch
July 2nd, 2007 at 2:23 pm
Does the touch screen interface have a sound option? I.E. can you make it click? I have to have some kind of sound reaction when I type.
July 2nd, 2007 at 2:26 pm
RE: Star Trek Like
Not long now. I predict Apple.
July 2nd, 2007 at 2:28 pm
Bah, I wouldn’t touch the camera on the iPhone. But I still would love one. And I’m sure it displays ones that you took with your other camera very very well. Anyone unsatisfied? Send yours my way - I’ll trade you my piece o’ crap anytime.
July 2nd, 2007 at 2:33 pm
I noticed that yesterday about the quality of the pictures. It is almost as if they were taken in different lights. I am still getting my iPhone, and so’s Ed.
July 2nd, 2007 at 3:31 pm
Interesting analysis. I am one of those weird people who also look at the quality of the camera on a phone.
lol
July 2nd, 2007 at 3:43 pm
The sort of photos I usually take (i.e. blurry shots of drunken nights out) would be just fine on a 2MP, but I still think Steve Jobs’ comment about getting a separate camera is just plain silly.
I have friends with a phone camera + separate camera and they almost never get to use the stand-alone camera because it is to inconvenient to carry both around.
July 2nd, 2007 at 4:01 pm
[...] For another perspective you might enjoy reading this. [...]
July 2nd, 2007 at 4:03 pm
You’re right. The difference between the image quality of the N95 and that of the iPhone is dramatic. The first one looks like something that has been taken using a real camera. I don’t think it’s weird that the quality of a phone cam is important to you. It’s important to me, too, even though I have a real cam.
I still would love to own an iPhone, though. :)
July 2nd, 2007 at 5:02 pm
“Annoyed: ahh, the Nokia trolls are here. Are you paid by Nokia? Is your job threatened by Apple? Are you a Verizon rep?”
They probably are paid by Nokia. Apple is rattling the mobile phone market’s cage. They don’t want any newbies coming in to their cozy business and changing the way they done phones forever and a day. I mean, how dare someone like Apple comes along and shows then what they’ve been doing wrong all these years?
Here in Australia Telstra is the dominant telecommunications carrier and when the iPhone was announced one of their top executives said about Apple (I am paraphrasing) ‘If you know something about knitting, you should stick to knitting.’ Referring to Apple getting in to the mobile phone market and that they should stay away and stick to what they know. They feel threatened.
July 2nd, 2007 at 5:23 pm
The picture on the Nokia is vastly better than the iPhone picture…at least on my browser. I have a Palm Treo 700wx and the pictures are OK but I don’t use it much for pictures…
July 2nd, 2007 at 5:30 pm
[...] Comparing N95 to iPhone - Scoble synes iPhone er langt mere cool end N95 - hvis ikke det var for det dÃ¥rlige kamera i iPhone Dette indlæg blev skrevet af René den tirsdag 3. juli 2007 kl. 02:30 og er gemt i Alt & Ingenting. Permalink. Du kan følge kommentarerne til indlægget via følgende feed: RSS for dette indlæg. Skriv en kommentar eller send et trackback. « Scchhhyyyscch, det er Roskilde Festival, ikke en fest! [...]
July 2nd, 2007 at 5:43 pm
[...] Posted by salada2k The Scoble has spoken….. Comparing N95 to iPhone Scobleizer This Scobleizer fellow is actually quite funny. He seems to have good life and enjoys gadgets [...]
July 2nd, 2007 at 7:48 pm
its pretty simple, just buy a good digital camera for your ‘taking picture pleasure’ and leave the phone alone. its a phone for god sake, use it wisely to call someone or sending some messages around, thats all. panasonic cyber shot or a canon would make some really nice pictures. one more thing if you want to hear some nice sounds, go get yourself a nice mp3 player like an ipod or something. dont put many tasks on one thing/ device like us dont wanna be burdened with so many works in our daily life.if the phone can complain, it will do…
July 2nd, 2007 at 8:03 pm
Well- a couple of things real quick. I think all of you iPhoners are a little mistaken about the state of technology found in mobile devices today. I know Steve Jobs told you all that the iPhone is five years ahead of anything else out there, but in all reality- it’s about two years behind most cellphone makers as far as high-end mobiles go. Despite the slick UI, the fact is that the iPhone is a total joke to the high-end mobile world, and that’s fine. The iPhone certainly has it’s place. I’ll admit, it’s very cool, it’s very pretty- but to compare it to the N95? That’s a total joke.
As far as digital cameras go- if you’re a professional photographer, sure, you might want to get your hands on a real camera with a real life-sized lens- but for amateurs, the N95 is brilliant. I just got back from printing out some 11×14 photos from my N95- they look fantastic. I’m off to pick up some frames and material for matting tomorrow. The fact is that cellphone cameras are no longer devices used for quick snaps to email (or MMS if you’re “lucky” enough to own an actual high-end mobile) or upload to websites. The N95 is a serious camera. It’s a serious lots of things- the iPhone is a serious joke. It’s limitations as far as standard smartphones go are staggering.
Someone else here said it perfectly- you really ought to be ashamed of yourself for this blog entry, it’s quite absurd and certainly the last I’ll ever read from you, Scoble. I wish you the best on your blog- but it’s not for me, just like the iPhone. I think the N95 was just a little bit too much device for you, apparently.
If you really have one that is… I don’t understand the comment about being a Verizon rep- anyone that really knows about mobile technology knows that both the iPhone and the N95 are GSM devices, and that Verizon is a CDMA group. Maybe I missed your point, but the point is that Nokia sells plenty of cellphones through AT&T.
That being said- whoever made the comment about Nokia being afraid of the iPhone and their cages being rattled- you’re right to a point, the iPhone will shake things up a LITTLE and we’ll see advances from Nokia now on some levels that we might not have seen for a while as far as the user interface goes, and Nokia might realize that if you spend a half a billion dollars saying a turd is the most sophisticated pile of crap in the known universe, you’ll line Americans up for days infront of your store to buy two turds a piece. Imagine what could happen if you spend that much money and time promoting a device that can actually do what it claims… we might be onto something then. But to say that Nokia is worried about Apple? Come on! Nokia and it’s massive 36% market share aren’t concerned in the LEAST with the iPhone and the 1% that it HOPES to achieve one day… as far as smartphones go, and high-end mobiles, the iPhone is a joke. If I need to be called a troll for ACTUALLY saying how it is, you all enjoy yourselves- I’ll be enjoying popping in a fresh battery into my device that’s been stressed all day from using my GPS, taking quality pictures that I can upload to flickr on the device, taking great video (or video at all for that matter) that I can MMS (oh yeah… that’s right. MMS- something I guess we won’t have in five years apparently) directly to YouTube, and listen to stereo wireless music and the limitless list of other tasks that can be accomplished with a real high-end mobile. :)
Indeed, the problem with this blog entry is not that Scoble says the experience is better, but that he seems to be claiming it’s a better device than the N95 in almost every way. That’s a total joke.
Enjoy yourselves here, and when you wake up- take a close look at what Nokia has to offer. Cheers.
July 2nd, 2007 at 8:21 pm
pseudofinn: I want smart readers here, not idiots. Personally I’m happy you aren’t going to read me anymore for just that reason. If you had looked at my Flickr stream you’d see hundreds of photos that I have shot with my Nokia N95.
And, I think you’re blinded by that flash on the back of the Nokia (which the iPhone doesn’t have).
The ding against Verizon wasn’t based on what network it has, but rather that it turned away Apple so Apple had to go to AT&T.
But, I think you did a good job of explaining where the Nokia fan boys sit on this particular fence.
I guess you missed that I actually don’t have an iPhone. I have a Nokia N95 in my pocket. With a dead battery. The damn thing doesn’t even last an entire day on one charge. My son’s iPhone lasts three times longer (and maybe more).
July 2nd, 2007 at 8:48 pm
HA!
Of course it lasts three times longer, it’s a Razr with an Apple logo!
Great- so I’m an idiot. Yet another ignorant peronal attack on one of your readers. Thank you, sir!
Now why on earth would I look at your flickr page? Jeez…
You write this blog entry, and I’m the idiot.
July 2nd, 2007 at 8:57 pm
pseudofinn: because you assume that the N95 is the better phone just because of the hardware. That is HARDLY what makes a great phone.
Right, it’s a Razr. I don’t remember a Razr having a huge screen. I don’t remember a Razr doing wifi. I don’t remember a Razr having a touch screen.
See, why you come across as an idiot is you are religious and religious people ALWAYS come across as idiots.
I have an N95 in my pocket, but it’s no iPhone. Deal with it.
July 2nd, 2007 at 10:18 pm
Religious? I’m religious?
Wow. Religious, idiot… I learn something new about myself all the time. Thank you sir, now I’m educated on what makes a good phone, and I’ve learned a little about myself.
The Razr thing was a joke. You’re too literal, that’s what makes you an idiot.
I’m bored with this now. Enjoy! :)
July 2nd, 2007 at 11:11 pm
what is this ? “I can also totally hear Steve Jobs saying “get a real camera.” This is a time when he’s right. Are you outta your mind?
Do you think all the You Tube Video revolution is shot by “Real Camera”? What a joke!!!!Scoble..
I think after standing in line for iPhone your mind got screwed..iPhone does not even take $#%$# video and you spend a fortune on that one..hehe
July 2nd, 2007 at 11:20 pm
kittoo: and how many of those on YouTube have uploaded a video taken with their cell phone? I can tell you cause I have friends at Google: nearly zero.
I look at my Nokia N95. It takes awesome video. But try to upload a video longer than a few seconds to YouTube. Go ahead, try. I’ll wait.
Right, it didn’t upload, did it?
And, what about Kyte.tv which is funded by Nokia itself? The video is smaller than full frame and limited to 20 seconds.
Yeah, everyone is dying to get a video camera on their cell phone. Got it.
Hey, I agree it’s cool. But for most people it’s useless.
It’s sort of like telling everyone they need to drive an 18-wheel truck. Yeah, that’d be cool too. Everyone would be able to move their furniture around.
But wouldn’t a simple Toyota or Saturn be a better choice for most people most of the time?
July 2nd, 2007 at 11:42 pm
Scoble..I am not at all against iPhone..I really liked it, used it and planning to buy it but I dont like saying “iPhone is a lot better than n95″. Both has its pros and cons and both should be improvised. Dont say its video shooting is useless..you simply dont know the importance of it even it is for 20 sec..For example go to youtube and search for camera phone..the first two videos like “saddam hussein hanging”…..”the shootings at WV University this yr” are all shot by a camera phone …. dont you agree?
July 3rd, 2007 at 12:47 am
I think you’re forgetting a few things:
The iPhone looks wonderfull at front (and according to me the N95 looks much better from the back with the big camera). But as we all know looks are subjective. I think big plus for the iPhone is the userinterface and durability (it’s much better build). The negative sides are:
1. No semi-professional camera
2. No video-recording capabilities
3. No swapable memory (the N95 supports the new 8Gb SDHC-cards, I personally think the 16Gb cards will be supported to)
4. It’s a disposable (the battery can’t be changed)
5. It’s locked to one provider which is a big shame
6. No 3rd party applications (because of this I’m not even shure if you can call it a smartphone)
7. No GPS
8. No high speed data transfer (only EDGE)
9. Locked to iTunes
But I have to agree it looks stunning. Because I am a power-user I stick to my N95 but I think this is a verry good first start for Apple on the mobile phone marked.
July 3rd, 2007 at 5:24 am
Just toss them into gimp or photoshop for a whole 3 seconds and tweak the contrast. It’s not resolution, it’s just color balance.
July 3rd, 2007 at 6:56 am
“kittoo: and how many of those on YouTube have uploaded a video taken with their cell phone? I can tell you cause I have friends at Google: nearly zero.”
And now ask that question again and think about the rest of the world and not just America, which is a massively immature mobile phone market.
If for once you’d think outside at a world view, this phone won’t go down well outside of the fashionistas of this world. It really, really won’t.
July 3rd, 2007 at 8:13 am
Actually, the reason no one’s uploaded videos straight to YouTube (or Blip, or Viddler, or Vimeo, etc, for that matter) is because all of those services depend on MMS to upload. MMS is limited to something around 400kb, which is paltry for a video.
This isn’t a knock on iPhone or N95, it’s a knock on the video services. With all these phones having video capabilities (and good ones. A 5 min video taken with my N95 can easily be 70MB+), not a single video uploading service has stepped forward with a method of uploading to them.
It’s a damn shame that I can take a full video on my N95, edit it with transitions, titles, etc, but then I have to put it on my computer before I can share it with anyone.
That’s probably why the iPhone doesn’t have MMS, it’s pretty useless, frankly. Plus, it’s very obvious that you’re supposed to sync with iCal and just email everyone.
July 3rd, 2007 at 8:58 am
“Yeah, everyone is dying to get a video camera on their cell phone. Got it.
Hey, I agree it’s cool. But for most people it’s useless.”
Ummm… no it isn’t. Actually I love the video camera feature on my N95.
I use Vox for my videos and it supports N95 / N93(i) etc… Haven’t had problems with long videos (yet). Upload can be done directly from the mobile.
http://go.vox.com/nokia/
July 3rd, 2007 at 11:11 am
The only advantages I see with the iPhone is the fancy graphics and animation provided by the OS, better battery life, and no RAM issues. That’s about it.
c’mon 2MP camera with no autofocus? You might as well not even have a camera.
No user-replaceable battery? Say what?
The majority of people will be hooked on the fancy graphics and animation, because that’s really what they care about… but when the novelty has worn thin, they will realize that the iPhone lacks a few features and is subpar with the ones it has.
What really put me against the iPhone is the way Jobs promoted this device as something that is better than the competition… it’s not. It’s just music phone wrapped up in a fancy interface. yeah, 5 years ahead of the competition… 5 years from when dude? 1987?
I hate to say this, but the iPhone is for kids and the N95 more for tech-savvy people. What impressed me the most about the N95 is seeing the wide-eyed looks on the faces of the audience when I plugged it in to do a powerpoint presentation. That was priceless.
BTW, GPS has far more usefulness than just geo-tagging your photos.
July 3rd, 2007 at 1:15 pm
Robert and all,
I feel I have to interject here regarding, _at_the_very_least_, the video upload capabilities of the N95 and Youtube…
Here’s how I do it… Open browser, goto youtube.com, assuming you’re logged in goto upload videos tab, fill in description, hit next, hit upload video, browse memory card, choose the file, hit upload.
To make it easier next time, just add your youtube upload page as a bookmark on your N95’s homescreen… Then you just click that icon and away you go… Its shortcuts/customizations like that (btw), which make people LOVE S60…
There is a size restriction, but it is imposed by youtube, not any software restriction on the phone. If you want to be able to upload videos bigger than 100mb (I believe that is the limit), then contact youtube.
My point is that uploading videos straight from your N95 is just as easy (much easier really, with a direct upload bookmark on your homescreen, and skipping the transfer times from phone to computer) as uploading the same videos from your computer… Would it be great if there were a one-click upload tool (i.e. shozu)? Of course…
But to say uploading videos from the phone is not feasible is grossly overstating the matter…
Lets not even get started on doing the same thing from an iPhone… or for that matter, a digicam/video recorder…
For some examples of videos all uploaded directly from my phones (both an N95 and an N70 - the N70 videos are towards the back and were uploaded with shozu), and with my solemn promise that NONE of these has ever touched my computer, I humbly submit: http://www.youtube.com/phonophiliac
-Regards,
Phono
July 3rd, 2007 at 1:20 pm
phonophiliac: thanks, I couldn’t figure out how to upload other things from the phone, not sure what happened when I tried to upload to YouTube. Shozu keeps erroring out when I try to upload big videos, so figured it just wasn’t going to be a good experience.
Of course at least on the N95 I can do video. The iPhone doesn’t do video at all.
July 3rd, 2007 at 2:23 pm
[...] iPhone, a pesar del nombre, es multifacético: tiene una cámara (aunque no de lo mejor), una excelente interfaz para escuchar música, ver videos y acceder a internet a través de redes [...]
July 3rd, 2007 at 4:06 pm
Robert,
No problemo… I am not here to bash the iphone, honestly…
With regard to uploading things from the N95, a useful application, _should_ be shozu… I used it constantly on my n70, and thought I couldn’t live without it… Unfortunately, I found that it is really, really, unstable on the N95 :( Well that, and also that ridiculous 4mb limit shozu enforces…
For uploading videos, my recommendation is listed above… Its the best way I have found thus far.
For uploading photos, you might want to try the photo uploading tool built into the phone… You can access it by hitting the “send” button, either in gallery view or single-picture view. It takes a few clicks, and is a bit of a pain to set up (you have to use a “special” password, as provided by flickr), but once its set up, you’ll find that it works pretty well.
One thing I like about it is that I have the ability to tag my photos with the descriptions I want, before upload… One thing I don’t like about it, well two I guess, is all the clicks it takes, and that you can only upload 6 photos at a time (I really do not understand that limitation).
Well, this post turned out longer than I thought it would and I’ll go ahead and call it quits.
Best of luck with whichever device, they’re all FUN, and that’s what counts!
For some shots from the N95, and again with my promise that I NEVER, EVER (its a matter of principle with me…) upload from a computer, I present… my flickr account: http://www.flickr.com/photos/phonophiliac
Cheers,
Phono
July 3rd, 2007 at 4:58 pm
[...] Comparing N95 to iPhone Let’s just stop here. The iPhone is superior in almost every way to the Nokia N95. The battery life is better. […] [...]
July 3rd, 2007 at 5:45 pm
This is really an apples and oranges (or whatever fruit Nokia is) comparison. Two entirely different devices for two different market segments.
Comparing the iPhone feature for feature with the N95, it will come up horribly short. Just like the iPods come up short (e.g., no voice recording, no FM radio, etc..) when compared to many other handheld media devices.
Compare for example the iPhone’s bluetooth and that on the N95. The iPhone can use its bluetooth to pair with a headset and with a car kit, that’s it. The N95 (and many other phones) can in addition use it to transfer files, sync with a PC, connect bluetooth keyboard, GPS and many other devices, you can connect it to a PC over bluetooth and use it as a modem, etc.
The iPhone is also not open for 3rd party developers, while smartphones have a plethora of 3rd party software available. As such, it would be a misnomer to call it a smartphone and you can’t really compare it with them. AJAX is eeeeh.. even J2ME support would have been better than that cop-out.
Anyway. The point is, the iPod isn’t considered one of the best in its class because it scores top on a feature checklist. It is because Apple is good at UI - they make devices that do a few things, and do them well. There’s that ephemeral ‘it just works’ factor, and for some that’s more important than lots of features.
The iPhone is for those who want an iPod, a cell phone and an Internet tablet wrapped up in that Apple UI experience.
The N95 is for the power user or gadget geek that wants the current king of swiss army knife smartphones.
I think it is absolutely great that Apple is entering this market (although that ‘revolutionary’ spiel gets a bit tired when you start comparing features). SE, Nokia and others know how to cram lots of features into a phone but they definitely have a thing or two to learn about UI. This will make them put more resources in that area, which is a win for all of us that actually have to use the darn things. ;-)
When the iPhone was announced, I was also excited about OSX but Apple has so far not opened it up. Which is sad, because I really want to see a proper OS on a mainstream smartphone. Symbian, WM and the like are top-heavy embedded OSes and to put it mildly are not exactly the nicest platforms to write apps for. If Apple opened iPhOSX, it could make the others do something about that. There are a few Linux devices out there, but they don’t have sufficient market share yet.
July 3rd, 2007 at 9:36 pm
From comment number 86:
“It amazes me that some people think they’re comparing a product when they simply list the specs. It’s the overall user experience that counts, not necessarily just whether one device has a longer list of features. In many cases, adding features makes a product worse, even though it allows its fans (and marketing department) to crow about something.”
I agree. Look at the feature-crowded Microsoft Word. I don’t know about Word 2007, but some of the previous versions are crammed with features no one uses.
July 4th, 2007 at 6:56 am
According to wirelessinfo.com the iPhone does last that much longer than the N95:
http://www.wirelessinfo.com/content/Apple-iPhone-Cell-Phone-Review/Battery-Life.htm
Do they use a different usage pattern?
July 4th, 2007 at 11:25 am
I don’t get, I’m sorry. How can you say that the iphone is way better than the Nokia N95. Please. be realistic. The Iphone is a Toy, the N95 is a work tool, it is a mini laptop. Please. Where is the GPS in the Iphone? Can I syncronize the Iphone with Outlook ( maybe you don’t know but Outlook is used by almost the 80 per cent of the company in the world ) … oh … you can have your music with you. So, do you need that? Can’t you have your music wuth the Nokia N95? .. Please, let’s say the truth: Iphone: the best toy, Nokia: the best phone.
July 4th, 2007 at 11:38 am
Mauro: it’s very easy. Everyone who actually has used both phones in my circle of friends say that the iPhone is the better one.
Again, it’s not about features.
The Nokia has a ton more features. We all agree on that.
But if you say the Nokia is a better phone you just don’t come across as having ANY credibility. Sorry. It’s clear you haven’t really used the two as a normal person would. Now, if you’re a photo geek, or someone who really needs GPS, or someone who needs video (I count myself in two of those camps) then the Nokia is a better device FOR YOU. But most people on the street don’t care about any of those three.
I just overheard my wife talking with a friend. She said “I’d be happy with any phone that just works, but this one is really beautiful.”
July 4th, 2007 at 12:42 pm
Reasons I wouldn’t buy an iphone:
1. closed system - no apps, no installing, you have a closed box.
2. no mms (no sending pictures or sounds) = no fun
3. proprietary sim chip (no swapping this puppy, etc.)
4. no 3G — the iphone currently has the SAME speed as my current older phone (edge) What about the future?
5. touch screen texting - try sending someone a fast sms or “speedy” respond on this device
6. required 2-hand operation (i love the fact that i can operate my phone with ONE hand)
7. not expandable (no cards of any kind can be used to upgrade my storage space)
8. 2 megapixel phone (yikes — is this 1990)?
9. no video recording (you read this right)
10.no GPS - my next phone will definitely have GPS built in
11. can’t replace own battery - what were they thinking?
12. proprietary headphone jack - throw out your set baby, new’ns required!
13. no IM clients (can’t do real-time messaging, like i do on my current phone)
14. special plan required to use phone (A T & T special plan)
15. must rely on iTunes to activate phone (all kinds of problems currently in activation)
16. if touchscreen cracks, no phone (phone is reliant on one screen for everything)
17. no insurance on screen breaking - if screen breaks, you have a paperweight
18. untested OS on a mobile device
19. phone call quality inherently bad (confi