SE k790a to n95: A few questions for the Nokia heads

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brokenarm56

New member
I'm thinking about upgrading my k790a to the upcomming n95. I'm thinking about it now while the 790a still holds good resale value.
But I have a few questions that I wish to ask Nokia experts/s60 phone owners first:'

-I love the xenon flash on my k790a. What type of performance do we expect from the n95 in terms of the flash? If it helps, I use my k790a for photos mostly in "party" situations with dim light etc hence why it is so important

-Call volume has been a real sticking point for my 790a. As you can see from reading above, I use the phone in party situations, but the earpiece volume is completely unacceptable in loud situations. Even sometimes while driving with the radio on or the windows open, a clear legible conversation is impossible. What does the n95 bode in terms of earpiece volume?

-I sometimes use my k790a as a modem for my laptop while traveling. The phone runs on a sluggish EDGE and I get choppy rates that are below average to say the least. What can I expect from HSPDA while on the Cingular network? Am I going to be delegated to the EDGE 32 due to the carrier? How fast is this?

-Web browsing has also been somewhat weak for the 790a. How solid is it in the s60s? I hear great things, but I was looking for a perspective from owners...Also how is keyboard functionality while in landscape mode (I assume that the n95 will browse in landscape?)

-UI is great on the k790a/SE phones. What hould I expect in terms of the transition? Easy to get used to? The only Nokia phone I have had has been the 6682...

-Anything else? Pointers? Suggestions? iPhone appears to bogged down to be truly appealing. Anyone else have any suggestions?

Thanks a bunch,

Flat
 
Some of your questions are unanswerable since the device isn't out yet and none of us have any experience with it. However, I can answer some of your questions.

Regarding flash,- The N95 has an LED flash, so while it won't be as nice as the xenon flash on your K790, it still won't be as bad as it would seem. You'll still be able to take decent pictures at parties.

Regarding call volume,- I have no idea and none of us will until the phone is out. Typical s60 phones have had satisfactory earpieces, so unless the N95's is a dud, I don't see why it wouldn't be the same.

Regarding tethering and HSPDA,- The N95 won't have the UMTS frequency required to run on Cingular's 3G network. The N95 uses UMTS 2100, and Cingular uses 1900. Unless a different version of the N95 is released after the initial model, you won't be able to use it for 3G purposes.

The Web browser on s60 3rd devices is already the best out there. Even if you're one of the few who disagrees, there are also alternatives for s60, such as Opera Mobile or Opera Mini. The upgraded Web browser on the FP1 version of s60 (which is the software on the N95) is even better with additional features, such as password storage and probably better memory management.

The GUI on s60 in general is incredible. It's nothing to "learn" necessarily like a Blackberry or Windows Mobile, but more of something to appreciate better. It's very intuitive from the start, and only gets better as you use it. The idea behind s60 is customization, so however you'd like to arrange your menus is entirely up to you.

What else do you want to know? The iPhone also isn't a smartphone like the N95. It doesn't have nearly as nice a camera, it doesn't support 3rd party applications, and unless I'm mistaken (which I could be about this one), it doesn't have GPS navigation. The only thing the iPhone has over the N95 is the large hard drive, which still isn't anything impressive, and the huge multi-touch screen. I guarantee you that you'll get much more for your dollar with an N95 that you will with an iPhone locked to Cingular.
 
Very comprehensive response. Many thanks

Basically I have to decide if an overall feature upgrade is what I need. I think the n95 will offer such a better web experience than my k790a (Opera Mini). It seems like a home run in every aspect except for the flash and the price. I guess I'll wait for some fellow hofo reviews to get a better insight.

ps I agree, iphone doesn't really appeal to me...it just seems to be too crippled by the corporate integration
 
The other thing you have to really consider is if you need all those features. I've often considered a K790 for my next phone, but tiny details kept me from doing it. The biggest one was that the only reasonable option for web browing is Opera Mini, and I've never been all that impressed with it. Do you have an alternative camera or do you use your K790 as your digital camera? I'm really hoping the N95 will have its bugs worked out and I won't have to carry a separate camera to important events.
 
Well, I picked up the 790a because I wanted a camera phone combo for social situations, where having the both is cumbersome. It has worked reasonably well especially for online photo dissemination, but a 5MP jump would help for things such as printing and creating more comprehensive albumbs. Of course, the numerics are just numbers, so real examples will have to be compared.

In terms of internet usage, I think it's up in the air. I'm all for the flexibility of features such as wifi and gps, but I wouldn't die without them. I'll just wait and see when more information trickles in.
 
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