Here is a dose of déjà vu; Nokia’s N97 and Sony Ericsson’s Satio went through pretty much the same problems last year when they got pulled off shelves. Now, the same problem is happening to the N97 Mini and XPERIA X2.
The N97 was beset with so many problems that at the end of the day, retailers starting pulling the device off shelves and urging people to get the N97 Mini instead; which, in retrospect, was not really a great idea. Seem like Nokia’s Mini also had its full sized share of problems as it was revealed that Orange Mobile UK would no longer be offering the device.
Apparently, the phone failed many of Orange’s quality tests.
The poor performance of the N97 Mini does nothing to help the bad image painted by the original N97. While users still claim that the Mini is far more stable than the original device, the fact that it has been off an operator’s listing shows the device still suffers from too many problems.
In a more surprising twist, Vodafone has announced that it will no longer be releasing the XPERIA X2 on its shelves, citing that the technical problems that delayed the launch of the device has made unfit to be part of Vodafone’s 2010 lineup.
While not many people are sad about the loss of a WinMo phone, it goes to show that without HTC’s Sense user interface, the OS is a mobile dead-end for manufacturers.
So as not to end on a sad note, it is important to remember that the Sony Ericsson Satio was saved by a timely hot fix that not only solved the device’s problems, but also found a way to improve the performance. The fix was then converted into a patch to update the Aino and Yari phones too.
Posts Tagged ‘Nokia-N97-Mini’
N97 Mini and X2 Pulled Out of Shelves
Friday, January 8th, 2010N97 Will Redirect You to the Mini
Monday, December 7th, 2009
It is no news that the Nokia N97 is suffering from software issues. The big news is that salespeople are now encouraging buyers against it.
The phone is simply suffering from too many problems, from slowdowns to freezing; the complaints from current users are endless. Some salespeople have reported that the problem stems from the device having too huge a memory (32GB -is that huge?) that “loading a picture will take five minutes”, whether this is a solid fact or an exaggeration is not known, but the mere fact that people are saying this means that something really is up.
So far, Nokia has not delivered a patch or fix for the issue. This is bad news for Symbian since they have recently been on the short end of the straw with Samsung and Nokia in rumors about companies dropping the Symbian OS in favor of their new proprietary platforms. Samsung will be launching the Bada soon and Nokia has already released the N900 with the Maemo OS.
While Nokia has made it clear that they will be supporting the Symbian continuously, the fact that they left the N97 to its problems does not bode well. Phones4U salespeople are redirecting people to buy the N97 Mini instead, as the Mini is more efficient and does not suffer from problems.
At the moment, Vodafone and Phones4U have effectively suspended all sales of the N97 and the device is officially ‘off the shelves’.
In other Symbian related news, Sony Ericsson’s Satio mobile phone also got pulled out of shelves just before the holidays (in fairness to Sony, they made a fix, but the phones have yet to be put back on sale). With the Satio’s errors not so different from the N97 (slowdowns and freezing), people are starting to wonder if Symbian is losing its touch.
With new operating systems getting launched next year (Bada, Maemo, Brew MP and the ELSE Intuition), as well as updates for the Google Android 2.X (who knows what version Google has in store for 2010) and Windows Mobile 7 on the way, Symbian has to take things up a notch.
N97 Wins Asia Mobile Awards’ Best Broadband Device
Friday, November 20th, 2009
The results of the Asia Mobile Awards and the Mobile Innovation Grand Prix – Asia Tournament are finally out. Nokia’s N97 Mini won the “Best Mobile Broadband Handset/Device”. It comes as to no surprise that the N97 won this category. Thanks to excellent design aesthetics and functionality, the N97 is truly an impressive mobile phone.
The N97 was first announced in December 2008 and it was considered as the closest bridge between a computer and a mobile phone. When it launched mid 2009, the phone took everyone by surprise with its amazing design and number of features.
This award winning mobile phone comes with Quick Office, Adobe Reader, Boingo and JoikuSpot Premium. Adding more functionality is the proprietary Ovi apps such as Ovi Maps and the Ovi store.
To top it, the processor was an ARM1 434MHz core that despite the seemingly slow speed, delivered a smooth and fluid browsing experience (it also helped that the RAM was a good 128MB). The internal storage was a huge 32GB. Digging further on its plus points, this 3G phone supports full broadband capabilities as it also has access to GPRS, EDGE and WiFi (including WEP and WPA security). Now the imaging part made waves as the 5 mega pixel camera was impressive at the time of its release.
Overall, the N97 provided a huge range of features and adaptability thanks to the hardware setup. Physically, the device looks amazing too, as when the device is folded out to reveal the screen and the full QWERTY keyboard, it closely resembles a small computer to anyone’s delight.
Other winners of the Asia Mobile Awards are Huawei and Grameenphone for the “Green Mobile Award”, and Gameloft won the “Best Mobile Game Award” for Hero of Sparta. The “Best Mobile Music Service” award went to AMPed (by SingTel), while the “Best Mobile Enterprise Application Product” award went to Bangladesh-based Banglalink Jigyasha.
Do Colours Make a Difference with Mobile Phones?
Wednesday, November 11th, 2009The next person who tells you that they do not care what colour their mobile phone is deserves to have their device coated with neon green paint with glitters. Colours may be an external feature that does not require much for a manufacturer to change, still this design aspect affects any mobile device in such a grand manner.
The reason is because colours affect how we perceive the approximated shape and size of any object. Phones, aside from the obvious functional purposes they serve, are also accessories. These devices can either complement or distract attention away from our attires. More often than not, phones blend in with casual clothes and office wear that we rarely take the time to wonder if our phones match our style.
Nokia has recently released the N97 Mini in white, not purely white. The N97 Mini has polished silver chrome border running on the sides of the device giving it a very elegant look. Personally, I am not much for all white devices. I like my gear a little grungy and touch looking. But the occasional polished look still has me giving quick thumbs up for the amazing first impression it makes.
Well, I doubt that the release of this new colour will really get more fans. White is not as popular as most of us think (though in my circle of friends, more use white), what Nokia should have done was release special casings for the N97. They could have even taken a gamble by releasing some really nice decals. Now, before anyone points out how well an all white phone matches the upcoming holiday season; let me remind you that snow does not fall all year round. If Nokia thinks that the spirit of the holidays is going to boost their sales, they should stop drinking that eggnog.
Orange Mistakenly Offers N97 Mini Early In UK
Tuesday, October 13th, 2009
Orange has accidentally offered the Nokia N97 Mini mobile phone for purchase in the United Kingdom, leading Nokia to make a statement revealing that it will be first to launch the new handset.
Orange has had to provide an explanation over the mistake, and has promised that it will work the issue out; “We can confirm that there has been a technical error with our information feed that has supplied third party websites with availability and pricing for the Nokia N97 Mini,” the company said, adding; “We are working to resolve this issue. Orange can confirm it will be ranging the Nokia N97 Mini and correct pricing and availability will be available in due course.”
The whole event led Nokia to deny that the company (Orange) would be first to sell the Nokia N97 Mini, as it has plans to do so sim free.
A spokesperson for Nokia said; “The Nokia N97 mini will begin shipping in October, however an exact UK release date has not yet been announced. We can confirm that the device will go on sale in Nokia’s flagship stores before it is sold through any operators.”
Customers will likely see the mobile phone made available to order via third party websites, including Omio, which will then lead the user over to the official Orange website to make the actually purchase.
When the Nokia N97 Mini does eventually, legitimately, arrive on Orange – the price seems set at a minimum cost of £97.50 for the handset itself, as well as still having to sign up for a very costly £63.61 per month contract that lasts two years.
This doesn’t sound quite right to us, as the Nokia website is currently offering the handset for £429 sim free as a pre order. Check back in, as we expect the pricing on contracts to change significantly before the phone hits shelves.
A More Accessible Nokia N97 – the N97 Mini
Saturday, October 10th, 2009
As seen in the recent Nokia World Event, Nokia unveils a new touchscreen slider smartphone that’s smaller and more affordable than its highly successful flagship mobile phone, the N97. What else but buy the Nokia N97 Mini. Nokia appears to be introducing trimmed down version of upscale mobile phones that have proven to be successful in the market.
With the same technical marvels as its N97 flagship, the Mini features a smaller set of hardware that is expected to give it a more affordable price tag that Nokia hopes will give a taste of N97 features to a wider market base.
Major Upscale Feature Set
- The Nokia N97 Mini is a quad band GSM/GPRS/EDGE that supports high speed 3G/HSDPA/HSUPA for no-wait internet browsing and downloading. Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g is there for fast wireless data connectivity.
- It runs on the same proven reliability and versatility of Symbian OS S60 released 5 and sports an 8GB internal memory with up to 16Gb expandability form its microSD slot.
- It has a widescreen 2.9“ TFT WVGA resistive touchscreen with 16 millions colors. It comes with handwriting recognition, a proximity sensor for disabling the touchscreen when it touches your face in a call, and an accelerometer for automatic portrait or landscape viewing orientation with the corresponding tilt of the handset.
- It has a smaller body with 113 x 52.5 x 14.2 mm dimension and weighs 12 grams lighter than its bigger N97 version at 138 grams.
- There’s a 5 megapixel autofocus camera with Carl Zeiss optics and 30fps VGA recording.
- Its internet browser supports RSS feeds and Flash Lite 3.0. There’s support for GPS and assisted GPS with preloaded Nokia Maps and stereo FM radio with RDS and Visual radio and has its own Fm transmitter.
Availability
Expected to arrive to European markets this fall, the N97 Mini will come in three colors: cherry, black and garnet and be priced €100 cheaper than its €450 N97 brother.
Nokia N97 Mini Links:
Nokia N97 Mini UK Release Date
Tuesday, October 6th, 2009Those of you waiting to get your hands on a neat little Nokia N97 Mini wont be waiting much longer – October 23rd is set to be the release date for the device in the UK, according to a Tweet from one of their stores.
Currently the official Nokia website still has a November release date set, but as we have seen time and time again, the site can be the last to know. The handset price on the website is sitting at £20 less than the original Nokia N97 at £429.99.
The new mobile phone looks like a trimmed down version of its predecessor, while still boasting a large 3.2 inch screen. The navigation pad previously on the full QWERTY keyboard has been removed to accommodate for the smaller size and lighter weight of the device.
There is also a 5 mega pixel camera with auto focus and dual LED flash, built in memory of 8 GB with the option to add additional memory with microSD support, an FM radio, the ability to shoot video at 30 fps and naturally, a touch screen interface.
The changes and improvements to the mobile phone’s body and weight make it a rather choice alternative to its big brother, the original Nokia N97; many buyers of which are slightly disappointed to say the least that almost immediately after they purchased the handset this slimmer, smaller version was unveiled.
Those of you wanting to grab one will be able to head into town on Friday the 23rd of this month, just be prepared for a rather costly contract or, if bought Sim free, a price tag of somewhere around £430.
The Nokia N97 Mini For a Wider N97 Market
Monday, September 28th, 2009The Nokia N97 gets a little brother with the new Nokia N97 Mini. This trimming down is emerging to be product strategy that Nokia is adopting for successful upscale mobile phones like coming out with a smaller E63 brother to the E71 and the cheaper 5300 Xpress Music to the 5800. So, how little is Mini compared to the regular N97? Apart from sporting the same set of technical wonders for a slider touchscreen smartphone, here’s how the two compare.
Physical Form
Both handsets sport full QWERTY side slider Touchscreen form with just the following differences.
The Mini’s QWERTY keyboard tilts and slides but takes out the dedicated navigation pad in the regular N97. It’s 113 x 52.5 x 14.2 mm size is smaller compared with the 117.2 s 55.3 x 15.9 mm dimensions of the regular N97. It also weighs lighter at 138g compared with the 150 grams of the bigger N97.
The N97 has a larger 3.6” display reduced to 2.9” in the Mini. But with the same VGA resolution at 16 million colors, the N97 Mini comes out with a more brilliant screen.
Memory
It sports an 8 GB internal memory while its bigger brother has a more generous 32 GB. Both gets microSD expansion slot, nevertheless.
Application
Both handsets run on the same latest Symbian S60 operating system, the more recent N97 Mini comes with more screen widgets and a more updated Ovi Maps.
Battery Life
It’s a bit disappointing that the smaller Mini sports a mini powered battery as well. And this accounts for its shorter life. The Nokia N97 Mini uses a smaller 1200 mAh Lithium-Ion battery while the more powerful N97 has 1500 mAh that makes it lasts longer on the same set of features.
Pricing
Priced at €450, the smaller Nokia N97 Mini is €100 cheaper once it gets to its markets during the last quarter of this year.
Nokia N97 Mini Links:
X3, X6 and N97 Mini announced at Nokia World
Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009
Today was the day of Nokia World where Nokia shows off all the phones it has that are in the latter stages of development and will soon be up for release. At today’s Nokia World three new phones were revealed to the general public, one a scaled down version of an already released and highly popular phone, and the other two the first in a line of music-oriented phones.
Photos of the scaled down N97, known as the N97 Mini, have been circulating about for some time. While some had been sceptical about their authenticity Nokia have put all doubt to rest with their announcement today. The N97 Mini seems to be pretty much identical to the N97 aside from a scaled down casing and keyboard. Other differences include the omission of the navigational pad and a software update but these differences do not provide enough benefits for people to change from the N97 to the Mini and will perhaps merely provide more choice in terms of size for people who were considering purchasing the N97.
The X Series that was also unveiled today is an attempt by Nokia to combine the features of Comes With Music and XpressMusic to create a new strand of music phone. The X6 is the more feature rich phone and boasts a 3.2” touch sensitive screen that has a widescreen ratio of 16:9. With 32GB storage there is plenty of 
room for music and there is also access to services like the Ovi Store where more music can be purchased.
The X3 is a lower priced phone in the new series operating on a sliding style. While the onboard storage is much smaller than that of the X6 at just 46MB this can be upgraded to 16GB with microSD. There is also access to Ovi Stores as well as stereo speakers and FM radio, and the X3 also comes with a 3.2 megapixel camera.
All three phones will be released towards the end of the year and an exact release date for each will be announced closer to the time.
Nokia N900 and mini N97
Thursday, August 27th, 2009
People have been talking about the rumoured N97 Mini for some months now. Back in July pictures emerged showing the N97 next to what appeared to be a smaller version of itself. More information has been quite scant about the baby N97 until a French website just released new images of the device. The new images give a glimpse at what may be the reality of the N97 Mini and the French website also offered some indication of specifications.
Like the N97 the N97 Mini will run on Symbian S60 5th Edition and will come with the same slide out QWERTY pad only on a smaller scale. The screen has been scaled down a notch from 3.5″ to 3″ and the internal memory will be a smaller 8 or 16GB compared to the N97′s 32GB. This scaling down of specifications should also result in a reduction in price which will come as good news for fans of the N97 who are not big fans of its hefty price tag.
In other news more information has emerged about another Nokia phone that could eclipse interest even in the Nokia N97 Mini. The new N900 is a tablet-style handset that also features a slide out QWERTY pad much in the style of the 
N97. Like the latter phone, the N900 will also come with 32GB internal memory and also a 5 megapixel camera is thought to be included. The main area of interest with the N900, however, is that it will see Nokia making a departure from their favoured OS, Symbian, and instead making use of Maemo 5.
The N900 appears to be in the latter stages of development and Nokia will most likely make an official announcement in the next few weeks. As interest in the phone is already growing steadily it could look to be one of the most successful releases of the year and is expected to be available sometime in Q4.