Nokia N9 Review

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Posted: 24 Oct 2011, 09:34, by Basil K.

Categories: Nokia Nokia

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Interface:

The beauty of MeeGo is its simplicity. The OS is comprised of 3 screens, a fixed notifications bar at the top and hardly any layers. Screen one is a four column view of your apps. Screen two, multi-tasking, providing thumbnails of open-apps. Finally, the third screen offers a dashboard of Twitter and Facebook feeds while also indicating notifications and weather. Journeying between screens is achieved by a horizontal swipe, with all three screens cycling through a loop, so you always have somewhere to go whichever way you swipe.

Screen one, the apps screen is single layered, so no folders in sight. It looks neat and clean while allowing for basic customization. With a long press, all the app icons gray out, with small crosses appearing next to specific apps. This grayed out screen enables re-ordering or uninstalling of apps

The second screen, multi-tasking displays a thumbnail of each open application. These can be scrolled through, tapped on for quick access or long-pressed for further options. These options allow you to close windows one by one, or close all.

The final screen in MeeGo's minimalistic arsenal involves updates. These include both Twitter and Facebook, with the option of including news articles from the pre-installed AP Mobile news app. There is the option to display either 50, 100, 200 or 500 items with an update interval ranging from 10 minutes through to 24 hours.

The notification band at the top of the display indicates battery, network, Wi-Fi, Facebook chat / Gtalk status and time. This can be expanded by a tap, allowing you to select a profile, choose your chat status and your Wi-Fi connection.


Apps	Multi-tasking	Feeds	Weather

The locking mechanism on the Nokia N9 takes full advantage of the physical convex quality of the screen. It requires a two stage unlock, firstly, a double tap or press of the unlock button. Second, an edge to edge swipe across the sleek fascia, with the tapering edges indicating that at the end of your swipe, you have indeed reached your destination.

All this talk of swiping alludes to the final point to note about MeeGo's UI: managing windows. With any window other than a main screen open, a swipe from bottom edge to top edge, or either horizontal edge across will send the application to the multi-tasking pane, and send you to a main screen. If you wish to close an app completely, simply swipe down.

This step by step explanation goes to indicate the beautiful simplicity of MeeGo, at its heart, it's an operating system that's easy to get to grips with, looks charming and adopts gestures more fundamentally than any other major mobile OS before it, with the exception of perhaps HP WebOS. While it can jitter and slow down, and there are a few kinks to iron out in terms of functionality (swipe up won't close video player), had we not already known MeeGo's future, we would have anticipated it to be very promising.

Functionality:

As far as key phone tools, the dialer and phone functionality works well. Every button, icon and drop down menu is touch optimized and looks charming. Adding a contact is a piece of cake and the Nokia N9 synchronized easily with our Google contacts. Unfortunately, the calendar wasn't so easy to sync, but sill performs well, with a split panel view and attractive UI.


Phonebook	Adding a new contact	Calendar

Messaging on the Nokia N9 is a treat. The keyboard offers amongst the best haptic feedback you're going to experience, while the keyboard in landscape is well laid out and easy to get to grips with. The portrait QWERTY is a touch thin for comfortable thumb typing, though we got used to it pretty quickly.

There is support for a range of accounts, with the aforementioned Facebook and Twitter integration also coming in the form of fully functioning apps. There is also support for Skype, Flickr, Picasa, Youtube, and other accounts such as mail for exchange.


Messaging	Accounts	Facebook	Twitter

There are also a range of other useful applications on the N9, such as notes, document viewer, RSS feeds, AccuWeather and AP Mobile, not to mention some pre-installed games, including trials of Angry Birds, Galaxy on Fire 2, Need for Speed Shift and Real Golf 2011. Finally, MeeGo also sports a useful search function that enables you to trawl the entire phone for whatever it is you're after.

As far as the market experience goes, Ovi Store is sorely lacking. We were able to find a screenhot app and some additional new apps, however this isn't the handset to buy if you're looking for an engaging app experience. In the Nokia N9's defence however, most of what you'll ever need is pre-installed on the device.


RSS Feeds	AccuWeather	AP Mobile	Ovi Store

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1. sarb009 posted on 24 Oct 2011, 09:36 18 3

a sexy mobile phone

6. SGS2FTW posted on 24 Oct 2011, 11:38 2 27

Looks CHEAP to me

14. Cyd07 posted on 24 Oct 2011, 12:27 9 5

So funny. And what looks good to you ?

Every review I read say the build quality is just premium, just one of the best ever since. Some say it's one of the best designed phones ever.

But you, you're probably right...have you at least seen the device, have it in your hand, an only time ?

34. Muhannad posted on 28 Oct 2011, 12:35 6 6

Cheap? We're not talking about the Galaxy S II.

40. windowsRocks posted on 03 Nov 2011, 12:16 3 6

symbian is dying. Only windows can save Nokia.

41. daqwid2727 posted on 03 Nov 2011, 12:54 8 0

that's not a Symbian - it's MeeGo ;o (facepalm)

50. andresgalcia posted on 06 Jan 2012, 00:44 4 0

the os in the n9 is not symbia, is meego and it is more intelligent than wp7 also the interface is more nice....

63. mikejordan posted on 02 Feb 2012, 05:13 0 5

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This comment is posted in response to #50 Show

This comment is posted in response to #50 Hide

57. miamicarpet posted on 18 Jan 2012, 02:08 0 2

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49. erikazara posted on 30 Nov 2011, 20:47 0 1

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59. paintingfairfax posted on 24 Jan 2012, 00:47 0 0

I have N7 and i think they almost have the same features. it's just that it has more advanced features and I think it's still symbianized. Anyway, I want to share with you what I know about Painting Fairfax VA:http://www.paintingfairfaxva.com/. They can provide excellent painting services, exterior and interior painting needs. Fairfax painters provide the most reliable fast and excellent painting services.

60. bradfeet posted on 25 Jan 2012, 05:35 0 0

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61. bradfeet posted on 26 Jan 2012, 03:38 0 0

I so love the new Nokia N9. In fact I purchased it immediately when it was out and I guess it's one of the best smart phone ever. Anyway, I want to share with you what I know about auto repair services Fairfax visit us at:http://fairfaxva.autorepairproz.com/. They can offer assistance in providing the highest level of auto repair services like car maintenance, car care services, heating and cooling services, transmission, electrical and undercar services and all types of car services.

62. bradfeet posted on 01 Feb 2012, 23:16 0 0

They actually look like a really nice phone. It's s shame the OS won't have development, this would be a nice Android device. Anyway, I want to share with you what I know about Fairfax auto repair:http://fairfaxva.autorepairproz.com/. They can offer assistance in providing the highest level of auto repair services like car maintenance, car care services, heating and cooling services, transmission, electrical and undercar services and all types of car services.

65. AppleHateBoy posted on 03 Mar 2012, 15:22 0 0

Ah! ICS with this interface would rock.

2. Muhannad posted on 24 Oct 2011, 09:50 28 3

I think it at least deserves an 8/10. I mean it's a great phone but Nokia's stupid CEO "Stephan Elop" killed it and the OS. R.I.P MeeGo, an OS with great potential but was handled by the wrong people.

58. andresgalcia posted on 18 Jan 2012, 21:27 1 0

finally some one understand what happen here, if that stupid ceo did not that mistake, nokia with meego be now competing with the other OS, but going with windows it is like walking in a lake and by the way out of 100 people only 5 of then buying windows phone, id went to tmobile to buy the lumia 710 and sale rep says to ARE YOU CRAZY TO BUY A WINDOWS PHONE, he say it good a windows phone not a NOKIA ajajajajaj

3. Mozarrt posted on 24 Oct 2011, 10:11 18 3

Well that was disappointing rating.

4. Stevedojob posted on 24 Oct 2011, 10:23 10 2

This OS is very Brilliant. Nokia suppose to wait until the OS to be matured so it can compete with IOS or Android. However the Window Trojan Horse has destroying the whole thing, because he know that this OS one day can compete with IOS or Android and destroying his boss WIndow Phone OS etc

12. parthpatels007 posted on 24 Oct 2011, 12:22 5 0

hey stevedojob!! haha!! i totally agree, WP7 proved to be a torjan horse :(

5. AKm007 posted on 24 Oct 2011, 10:58 8 2

Has nobody heard Stephen Elop saying that while they're abandoning Meego, they will still be supporting the N9 with updates and all. Plus the limited app support negative point is not fair with Alien Dalvik being available. I can't comment about the buggy UI, but I think the N9 rcieves at least and 8.5....

7. ivanko34 posted on 24 Oct 2011, 11:46 6 1

Very nice. Why so late ?

8. Ravail posted on 24 Oct 2011, 11:55 8 6

only way ill get another nokia phone is if they release one with Android ICS on it.

9. Muhannad posted on 24 Oct 2011, 11:57 4 2

You're crazy, that's like saying iOS will become an open source OS.

15. Cyd07 posted on 24 Oct 2011, 12:29 3 4

Yeah ! And Apple should use Android, and Samsung should give up with bada to use only Android, and Blackberry too, and our desktop computers should use Android too...

16. ledbetterp3 posted on 24 Oct 2011, 13:09 5 3

cyd, that's exactly what I was thinking!

17. bbblader posted on 24 Oct 2011, 13:31 5 3

android android android...
dude you know your using a computer that isnt running on android right?

26. ledbetterp3 posted on 25 Oct 2011, 05:51 2 0

Really, Sherlock?

42. daqwid2727 posted on 03 Nov 2011, 12:57 2 0

my PC use Linux, so i use almost Android :P

21. Damien_666 posted on 24 Oct 2011, 20:00 6 1

Next you'll ask for quad core...and then 14MP camera.....then a 5" screen....then say it's too slow and move on to another ANDROID phone - LOL

23. bbblader posted on 25 Oct 2011, 01:03 1 2

even quad core wont be able to handle android + more battery drain

30. Mehha posted on 25 Oct 2011, 20:35 0 0

Damn...You are asking too much man! :P

10. HTCiscool posted on 24 Oct 2011, 12:07 8 3

its a great phone, but Mr. Elop murdered it like he did
Nokia. The E6, 701, N9, all of them could have been excellant...
But mr Elop!!!1

11. HTCiscool posted on 24 Oct 2011, 12:10 2 7

Plus I don't like TI OMAPs

13. parthpatels007 posted on 24 Oct 2011, 12:24 5 0

not all TI OMAPs are bad!

18. vishu9 posted on 24 Oct 2011, 14:20 7 2

Seriously? I was thinking atleast an 8 or 8.5 on 10..the hardware is amazing..the UI is fluid, and the camera is great. Granted it will never have an app catalog as rich as Android or iOS but its got the developers' support and you can definitely expect some greatly intuitive stuff from them. I know that a review is subjective to the reviewer but somehow the score of 7 feels a little too harsh...and its really makes me sad that the OS has to die in the hands of the mole that Elop is!!

P.S. Even if the move to WP Mango proves to be good for the company, I will always hate Elop for being unfair to MeeGo.

22. Damien_666 posted on 24 Oct 2011, 20:04 3 0

Did you see that IPhone 4S got an 8.5/10? So for phone arena, 8.5 is the new 10!
So N9's actual rating is something like 8.5/10 :-)

19. McLTE posted on 24 Oct 2011, 16:24 1 5

I find this review so funny.. yes it looks like a solid phone, very smooth and will undoubtedly be great!

However.. how the F is this phone any more sexy than the Galaxy Prime? In review after review, PA bags on the "square" phones that resemble the SGSII saying they are kind of boring.. and suddenly this is super sexy??

"dramatic flat top and side" really PA??? lol

I'm not knocking the phone.. it looks great, but I personally find a phone with a little more personality like the PRIME to be more exciting. This phone seems rather.. boring to me.

(I'm not talking about build quality or materials here.. just aesthetics)

25. o7o posted on 25 Oct 2011, 04:27 6 1

"resemble SGSII"?!!
"little more personality"?!!

Dude .. you have never even dreamed of this phone in your hands!!
I assure you, once you grap it .. you'll forget everything about any other phone in the world!

32. XiphiasGladius posted on 26 Oct 2011, 09:27 0 1

Your point of view is obtunded

20. RORYREVOLUTION posted on 24 Oct 2011, 18:35 0 0

MeeGo was discontinued even before this phone was released basically. It was dead before it even lived.

24. winsaki234 posted on 25 Oct 2011, 03:12 0 0

just hate Nokia!

27. ledbetterp3 posted on 25 Oct 2011, 05:54 0 0

Haha, the guy who wrote this review's name is Basil! lol

48. Muhannad posted on 29 Nov 2011, 15:14 0 0

I don\'t get it.

28. Stevedojob posted on 25 Oct 2011, 14:49 3 0

Stephen Elop the "Trojan Horse"

29. Galen20K posted on 25 Oct 2011, 18:23 0 0

soooo sexy - D

31. arash84v posted on 26 Oct 2011, 06:26 2 0

No offense to any windows mobile fans,..Bu i would without a doubt prefer the N9 over the Windows Mango Edition!!!

33. MobileTx posted on 27 Oct 2011, 03:30 0 0

If we buy this phone what guaranty of meego service coz meego is officialy canceld ?

35. ToneDef posted on 29 Oct 2011, 02:43 0 0

Great design, but the simplicity of the UI is also its downfall for users like me who have gotten used to the sheer customisability of Android phones. As for the apps, I'm afraid that the sheer breadth of the droid market is a big factor for me. I'm not dissing the phone, just saying that these are 2 deal-breakers that would keep me away.

51. blakkpanter posted on 07 Jan 2012, 09:02 1 0

customisability ? You do know this phone is open source right? That u can basically change nearly everything about it if u know something about Linux? The maemo/meego community write their own apps and basically almost anything is possible? N900 still gets support from that community though Nokia stopped yrs ago

53. andresgalcia posted on 08 Jan 2012, 15:49 0 0

ok you got good point there my friend but remember that symbian is costumizeble and stable mms, sms, email, java, works in any network like nothing-out but big problem that they have is the Marjorie of apps are for sale and don't to like thing because free better, android OS is base in Linux that if know how to root a nokia you can install android firmware on it..

36. Blankyash posted on 30 Oct 2011, 10:06 0 2

Nokia N9 will be dead soon enough !!

37. Blankyash posted on 30 Oct 2011, 10:09 0 0

the lumia is far better you can see for yourself
http://techdweller.com/entries/general/nokia-800-vs-nokia-n9

38. jellmoo posted on 31 Oct 2011, 10:08 1 0

Um... did you just make a statement saying that the Lumia is better and then link to article showing that the N9 is better? Am I missing something here?

39. Nathan posted on 31 Oct 2011, 15:03 2 0

Great phone although it will probably become a collectors item. D:

43. nameless1521 posted on 07 Nov 2011, 07:16 0 0

Meego is already aborted by its mom. Sad.
Tizen(Samsung&Intel) is replacing Meego, but i'm afraid it's gonna end up like Meego.

44. shan5115 posted on 07 Nov 2011, 10:54 0 0

you guys dont know how to review the phone, u guys said ui is good but then told buggy

45. sirocco8800 posted on 18 Nov 2011, 21:05 0 0

I was just wondering If N9 is capable of sending a multimedia messaging/ MMS? I had the N900 before and MMS is not in a way supported. The Nokia N900 is also a linux based OS, the Maemo. Can anyone help me on this before I can finally buy the cp? I have had posted the same question in Nokia Support in their webside but with no apparent reason up to these days, I have not gotten any reply from them. Thanks.

46. Loepoes posted on 26 Nov 2011, 10:01 0 0

No problem sending MMS\'s with the N9. Have done so and like everything else on this phone it works like a charm.

52. blakkpanter posted on 07 Jan 2012, 09:03 0 0

And I had N900 with which i could send MMS.. Not supported out of the box but the community fixed it with fmms.

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