N8: 3 Steps forward, 2 steps backward

Good questions, but I don't think anyone here can honestly answer most of those questions, beyond speculation (it is a phone forum, so speculate away!).
I think you may be right about peoples expectations for the firmware update. I think it is based more on wants than any solid evidence that it will contain much more than the browser update. But, it would be in Nokia's best interest to provide more.

I think the OS can stand some tweaks, but overall I love this phone. I have a feeling that tweaks are all Symbian will get, whether or not it is capable of being scaled up to match other OS's. I think the future of Nokia smartphones will be Meego. I think the N8 is a bridge phone to hold them over until Meego is ready.

But as I said, I love this phone, even as-is. It has a great, quality feel in your hand. And, I think it looks so much better in person than it does in pics. I also like the fact that it doesn't look like everyone else's phone. It has the hardware (Camera) that I was looking for in a phone. And, as a phone I think it is excellent. But, I don't believe that because it's the phone for me that it will necessarily be the phone for everyone else. Let's face it, the iPhone isn't necessarily the "right" phone for everyone that owns it. Many own it because they think it makes them part of the in crowd. I know people who never use it for anything but to make calls. But, to each their own.
 
> I've seen cheapo LG phones with a dedicated app, so I would expect the N8 to have the same -- out of the box.

This seems to be a major issue with you. I have no doubt you're a reasonably smart guy. Downloading and installing an app you can do. Don't sell yourself short.

If this is too much of a mountain for you to overcome, then move on with your life, and get another phone. It's just not worth putting yourself through this.

;)
 
If you were to read between the lines, you'll see that my point was: in 2010, it's no longer acceptable to release a phone that doesn't have a workable Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube client.

Thanks for playing, though.


I often wonder the same thing regarding this -huge- update, but I think many people just want the core functionality refined and fleshed out a bit. The UI is dated, but personally, I don't have any major issues with how Symbian works -- I just want it to work without all of these little issues/inconsistencies that many of the apologists just brush off. I'd say it's about half-way there, and we will see a more complete experience come the middle of next year once some some of the issues are ironed out.
 
I just returned mine due to a couple issues. The main problem was when I'd view some of my photos, zooming in caused the screen to go black. Zoom back out and it'd be fine again. Zoom, black. Power-cycling helped, but I wound up reseting the device every day to get it to work. With all the money I spend on high-end phones, I can find other devices in my desk drawer that will make me happy, still. I requested a refund, and probably won't be back unless the E7 is phenomenal.
 
What did you end up doing regarding a microsim adapter? Just got one off amazon that seems to be a nice size and built well but it doesn't have any notches to hold the microsim inside and it'll work but will be a hassle to use it seems.
 
I had this issue... it was because the access point was incorrectly defined in Camera settings; it was pointing to an access point I had previously deleted.



February I'm expecting a 'good enough' firmware release in February ; one that:
* improves the performance of the GUI - I get quite a few lags.
* adds portrait keyboard
* improves power management
* messenger app
* better social widget
* improves any obvious bugs, i.e., reset text prediction to off after entering a password
* a damned good QT browser that matches Opera.

The firmware update in Spring had better be 'pretty damned good'.. iron out the GUI inconsistencies with overall improvements to all the apps. Its what Nokia need to do to keep Symbian on the road map.
 
I just ditched the micro sim and got a full size sim..I've seen what how a micro sim/adapter can get completely stuck in the N8, and I didn't want to risk it. It's annoying that Nokia made the slot spring loaded, and it's annoying that Apple introduced the micro sim in the first place. The things they had to do for the sake of design.



Send your phone back if you are able to. Given how many problems the phone may be having, you shouldn't have to put up with that garbage.
 
Its BS that apple used the microsim for design.. They choose it to keep you on their phone and from easily swapping your sim out.. If they had their way there would be no sim at all and you would register your phone with the carrier similar to CDMA..
 
This is a thing with Nokias, they have "true sound reproduction" including all the background noise. I've gotten used to it and actual rely on it so that the other person knows what's going on around me, but it can also be distracting.

As for the OP: You say it's the best Symbian phone to date, but I'm wondering how this can be given it's all touch screen. Using S60v5 it's very clear that Symbian is still designed with a candybar in mind, even the E62 showed that, although the keyboard wasn't much of a drawback. Do you think they've actually got Symbian to the point that it actually works with touch screen only?
 
Honestly it seems that THE biggest problem with touchscreen symbian usability compared to the button laden S60v3 phones is the input methods. Not griping about T9, but the layout of the checkmark and other keys is as bad/worse than S60v5 and they really need to implement a keyboard that doesn't take up the entire screen. It's annoying as hell when you're typing in a web address and you can't see if the phone is suggesting a similar address or the one you want to go to because it's behind a keyboard that's taken up the whole screen.
 
Great question.

I commented that this is the best Symbian to date as the sheer functionality of the phone eclipses what has come before it. However, there are a few phones that, when released, seemed like they were better at the time. The best examples of this are the N95/E90. Those were better phones for their time (given the competition), but they don't really hold up well when you look at how "service" oriented everything has become. Even then, they had a few tricks up their sleeve that are missing from the N8.

Regarding the sole reliance on touchscreens, you do have a point -- although I think it's a point that would have less of an impact if the N8 had several competent methods for inputting data. IMHO, Symbian is much more intuitive than it has been in the past, but it is still very inconsistent and has a steep learning curve if one wishes to get the most out of it. Buttons feel larger in S^3 and welcome touch, where as the N97 "revolution" felt like S^1 with touch bolted on. Don't get me wrong, the N8 has a ways to go before I would give it my complete blessing, but it is far more usable than touch offerings before it (although I still prefer the X6's qwerty!).

The E7 form factor is ideal as it retains HW buttons, but the poor camera on it kills it for me and many others.



I did it mainly for testing, as I wanted to see if I was able to hear any hiss or artifacts in background. I rarely use my phone for listening at home, and I most certainly don't use my jumbo Shures while I'm out and about.

Either way, the phone sounds great and rivals the sound of an iPhone 4.
 
What I'm leaning towards is that the best Symbian phone would be something like the N95 but with a touch screen (and slimmer), with 3 kb configurations - 12 key, suretype and QWERTY. Given how the software works, and how T9 doesn't always kick in (and therefore suretype wouldn't either), hardware QWERTy would be the best, so something like the Dell Venue Pro, but with an optical trackpad and physical buttons. This would also allow the best benefits of capacitive touch screens while still being perfectly usable with gloves on. The Symbian legacy would be supported with the physical buttons, and that would fill in any gaps in usability that the touch screen has.

I'm still not sure if I'd really be inclined to go for Symbian even if Nokia made something like that, but at this point at least Maemo/MeeGo is sitll geared for landscape 2 handed operation, so still having something covered for portrait one handed operaion would be ideal for Nokia.
 
I think portrait qwerty, landscape qwerty, and T9 are enough for a device.

The E90 has always been my favorite form factor, as it allows one handed operation with the phone closed but offers a more robust experience while open. I'd absolutely love an E90 with a 5MP AF cam, 256MB RAM, 3.5mm jack, penta-3G, and a few software tweaks to support more current service offerings. Just thinking about such a device makes me even angrier about what Nokia did with the N97 -- there was just such an opportunity there to achieve greatness.
 
Wirelessly posted (Opera/9.80 (iPhone; Opera Mini/5.0.019802/22.401; U; en) Presto/2.5.25 Version/10.54)



Completely agreed! The E90 was the last greatest phone Nokia released. I loved it to death.
 
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