In addition to the standard black N97 mini, it will also be coming, not just in white, but in garnet red.

Let’s hope the white N97 mini doesn’t fall prey to the same quality issues (light leakage, paint chipping, staining, poorer quality keyboard) that the original white N97 did. (see this post about my previous troubles with the white N97). Well, the battery cover’s metal and there’s no D-pad to get stained so I guess that’s already a plus!

Via Symbian Planet

Dan Ackerman has been playing about with Nokia’s upcoming Booklet 3G (due out 15th in the US)

In summary:

• + Feels robust, yet not overly heavy
• + Relatively high res 1366×768 pixel (enough for 720p HD movies)
• + HDMI out
• + In built 3G (via AT&T in US)
• + 16 Cell battery (claimed 12h though CNET has not yet tested – most notebooks are sold with 9 cell or less)
• - Cramped keyboard
• - Sluggish performance due to using slower intel Atom Z530 and only having 1GB RAM.

In the US, you can pick up a Booklet 3G either with AT&T for $299 + 2year contract or as a standalone for $599.

Netbooks (which is essentially what this is) are meant to be just for surfing around the net and maybe editing a couple of documents. Nothing too heavy, just some light tasks that can be done on the move. It’s a bit worrying though that the Booklet 3G seems to slow down in CNET’s initial tests when opening up multiple tabs an a MS office Doc. I knew I wouldn’t be able to edit HD movies but slowing down with multiple tabs and a .doc? We’ll have to wait till next week when CNET releases a full review to see just how much the Booklet 3G can actually handle.

Whilst you’re waiting, there’s a video and more pictures over at CNET of the booklet 3G.

Via CNET

Oh, just out of interest; if you were to get a booklet 3G, what colour would you choose?

Whilst we’re on the subject of the Booklet 3G, diggnation have a great unboxing video you should check out:

Alex and Kevin seem to love the Booklet 3G on first impressions. (What’s up with the Windows 95 theme?)

Escpecially for Singapore, a swanky, more ’stylish’ version of the N97 mini, with a little revamped look and a host of extra accessories and bespoke packaging.

Why does it take so long to boot up?

I don’t know how much you can extrapolate from this in terms of Nokia being popular with 7 out of the top 10 sold cases being for a Nokia, but Swedish phone case manufacturer Krusell reports that of the phone specific cases:

1. (1) Apple iPhone 3G
2. (2) Nokia 5800 XpressMusic
3. (-) HTC Touch HD
4. (5) Nokia 3109/3110 Evolve
5. (9) Nokia 6700
6. (10) Samsung B2100
7. (3) Nokia N97
8. (4) Nokia 6303 Classic
9. (6) Nokia E51
10. (7) Nokia 6300/6300i/6301

(last month position)

According to Cellular-News, “Krusell’s list is uniq­ue due to the fact that it reflects the sales of phones on six continents and in more than 50 countries around the globe.” Or are Nokia users just a bit more of a phone-case/Krussel fan?

Via Cellular News

In this video interview, UK celebrity, high profile tech personality and self confessed mac evangelist, Stephen Fry talks briefly about smartphones.

Fry:

“It’s a shame for dear old Symbian which has not kept up with the times at all, and Sony Ericsson and Nokia are revealling themselves giants as they were to be so behind the curve in this department they may suffer as a result”

Interviewer: It’s a shame, I love my Nokia

Fry:

MMMM!

Interviewer: A car run over mine

Fry:

“We all owed so much to Nokia. I mean, they sort of set the standard to so much that we came to expect from…I remember when the move to GSM came, and Nokia suddenly were really innovating all the time and just proves the endless truth that you can’t sit still in this business”

I’m not sure when this video was taken, but it was at least on or before 22nd October (check out other clips in the series). Although uploaded on the 4th November, being a dated video, there’s no mention of the newer upcoming releases from Motorola (Droid/Milestone), Nokia’s Maemo 5 Mobile Computer N900, or Sony Ericsson’s new delicious android X10 which at least for Nokia and S.E. do counter Fry’s statements that they’re behind the curve.

Fry’s last take on a Nokia smartphone was on the Nokia N97, which he called a “crushing disappointment”.

As a N97 user, I know the N97 is a decent smartphone, but in reality, at the high end where it was perched and so relative to the competition, it was and now even more an embarrassment (mainly caused by stupid hardware compromises which hampered the user experience, and also the non-touch-intuitive UI that is S60 5th) .

I’d be interested in Fry’s take on the Maemo 5 powerhouse,  N900, though I don’t think he’ll be too pleased again at seeing a stylus (N900 has a very responsive resistive display, though I still cannot deny that the benefits and the slickness of a capacitive screen far out weighs any perceived “accuracy” of resistive displays)

Of all the technology blogs and news sites I read, the ones I find most intruiging are those that are intended for the general, non-tech-geeky masses.

Why? Though there’s no nitty gritty info, I like knowing how information on the gadgets that fascinate us have trickled down to the non-geek public. It’s from these sources that are really going both influence and reflect what people are actually thinking about that device. IMO, once you’ve penetrated the minds of those least versed in technology with even just the name of your product, you’re onto a good thing.

It’s surprising, and also fantastic to hear that Nokia are finally getting a steady stream of good press about a Nseries device. The N900.

On Maemo, the Telegraph writes:

“powerhouse performance that could put the iPhone to shame”

Apparently, an industry expert reckons the N900 will be a game changer

“Maemo will deliver the next generation of ‘computer-like’ experiences…The emphasis on rich visuals and multitasking is key. Multitasking will become increasingly important in a world where the phone is being used to access multiple functions, applications and services. It’s a challenge that Apple faces with the iPhone.”

Multitasking is what the N900 does best with absolute ease. Multitasking isn’t just about having lots of things open, but being able to easily switch focus from one activity to another. This is what the N900 can do, and quite beautifully at that.

You can read the full article over at the telegraph.co.uk

I’m really excited about the N900. Nokia needs to have that one uber phone that when a member of the public is asked what’s the most advanced, high tech phone right now, the answer is some Nokia device. Although the N900 is really outstanding, it’s not packing all the punches it should/could. That’s going to be the N900’s successor (which I hope is going to get a memorable 2 syllable or less name!!!! not a code designation!!)

The successor of the N900 is the supposed final step towards Maemo for the masses and Nokia Smartphone/Mobile Computer perfection will definitely (and should if Nokia don’t f*ck it up by removing something crucial!) resonate with the masses interested in High End mobile devices. But, with competition at the top so fierce already and hotting up even more, Nokia better hurry and get to releasing the ‘intermediate step’ N900 first a.s.a.p.

This video was shown in Symbian CEO, Lee William’s keynote at SEE 2009. It’s supposed to be an artist’s concept of what Symbian UI will look like in the future. Note, this is apparently NOT in the Symbian roadmap.

It’s about a mashup of information – integration of social network/services.

…hmm a little rant…

I’m feeling extremely pessimistic about the future of Symbian. Watching the actual keynote itself, I’m left with a sense of apathy. It was all very vague, “we are going to make x better, we’re going to improve x”…HOW exactly? Maybe I didn’t get what he was talking about as I’m not a developer and don’t appreciate perhaps the things a developer might?

I missed the part where they should have talked about delivering the simplest, slickest, most innovative UI to the consumer. Above all the features they could add to Symbian, it means nothing if they’re trapped in a horrendous maze of menus, ugly option settings, and needless click after click.

In the keynote, Williams tries to make a dig at Jobs for claiming iPhone OS as having the most advanced mobile OS whilst lacking copy and paste.(maybe not most advanced OS but definitely UI wise)

What makes iPhone* and Apple in general “advanced” is their execution of their products and services. Apple products just works. It’s not necessarily the features they bring (you can always add features later, erm, copy and paste). It’s now all about pushing the user experience to the limit.

I’d like to be proven wrong with Symbian and see them some how (with Nokia) grab the top spot in people’s minds when you think of “advanced/state of the art/most innovative mobile OS”. Though it’s getting extremely hard to have such faith when we see Nokia’s high-end future siding towards “mobile computers” with Maemo.

Here’s a great, practical application for you free at the Ovi Store. Mr Lock. An autolock software with huge set of options for your S60 5th Edition phone.

Features:

• Extensive settings to customise how your phone will autolock
• Auto-starts so you don’t have to think about turning it on when you restart your phone
• Choose which profiles you want autolock active
• Choose the autolock period – from as much as 59:59 to as little as 00:03 (3 seconds)
• Best of all, choose which applications you don’t want autolock to lock your phone. You may be watching a video or waiting for a webpage to load (or whatever application will give you idle screen time). Mr lock lists every single application on your phone. Choosing an application means that autolock will be prevented when you’re in the middle of using that application.

Download it for free at the Ovi Store!

Here’s a video demo of it (probably best to mute the audio as this was done way too early in the morning)

Happy Halloween All! Just finished up with the face paint – it’s a cat of some sort. Not really “scary”. The only scary thing is that is actually my real hair. Also, we’ll have to see the adverse effects of using oil paints instead of just face paints (I left the red face paint at home).

If you’ve got a much scarier picture of you,  you could use that to win yourself a Nokia N97. Check out:

http://www.omio.com/win-nokia-n97 [Via darlamack]

I think there are other Nokia related halloween stuffs, but I’m dizzy from the oil paint fumes and can’t remember where it is.

Happy Halloween!

As well as a Nokia N900 advert, this could also be a Nokia N97/N97 mini advert based on how the Motorola Droid is supposed to be “better” than the iPhone.

• Real Keyboard
• Running Simultaneous apps (N900 multitasks like no other)
• Customizable
• 5MP camera
• Flash for night photos
• Removable battery
• Runs widgets on homescreen
• Allows open development

Heck, this could have been about a lot of phones. (I’m aware of the differences between the Moto Droid and N900 – but based on the iDon’t video, Verizon’s ad could be talking about either)

The original

As much as comparisons will be made highlighting the improved hardware advantages of phone X over the iPhone, none of it will ever actually matter until someone makes a phone that’s much more usable/user friendly than the iPhone itself. Nokia are slowly getting there with the N900 and Maemo.

[Though, I guess from a non-tech-geek perspective, it's good to point out the obvious to set your product apart and make it seem different, when really it isn't. A lot of what iPhone did from the beginning was self hype/great marketing, which kudos to Apple, it managed to live up to.]