iPhone 3Gs n N900 - the better buy?

[espressobreak]

HI!

I searched this topic in this forum and i came up with a video but it was just about dimensions.

Has anyone reviewed both or at some point used both?  I'm just wondering which would be a better buy.

I know the iPhone 3Gs has a capacitive touchscreen vs the resistive on the N900.  But the N900 compensates for the lack of a better touchscreen with a physical keyboard.  However the N900 is a little thicker, whereas the iPhone is a little longer.  Then again, the N900 sports a 5mp camera with flash and the iPhone only a 3.2mp rite?

Also what about the operating systems in the two and surfing the net or chatting?  Which do u guys think is more user friendly?  I know they're both HSDPA compatible and that the N900 runs Maemo.  I dont see that many complains about the Maemo as compared to the S60 v5 nokia's but then again, I guess less people can afford the N900's price tag.  What about firmware updates?  I've never used an iPhone, as I never really liked the way it looked or wanted to spend so much on one. 

It's just someone asked me, which one would be better to buy?  Naturally being a Nokia user i tipped towards the N900.  But I want an unbiased opinion and I thought maybe u guys could help me out.

[andnewman]

Depends on your requirements. N900 has a better browser supporting Flash and Java. But its heavier and bigger. It has a great screen, and the touch is almost as good as a capacitive but also supports stylus.
The Iphone is simpler to use and has a lot more applications at this point. In a year Maemo might be closer.

N900 and Iphone are different phones, targeting different groups.

[espressobreak]

Hi andnewman and thanks for your opinion.

Well besides the usual sms and calling, i think he wants to use it for chatting on msn, as well as checking mails and surfing the web.

I thought the n900 was Nokia's response to the iphone 3Gs.  Well I know he travels alot and I know with a capacitive touchscreen, u need to use ur fingers.  So gloves and all that are not going to work in colder conditions rite?

As far as apps are concerned, seeing that he is from a slightly older age bracket, I dont think downloading the latest themes or games or stuff like that would matter very much.  Well the phone is supposed to be an upgrade for the Blackberry 8310.  He said that the blackberry lags badly on chat, as well as the 2mp picture quality being poor.  I think that the 65k color screen is way out dated too.

Yeah I've heard that the Iphone is user friendly but if ur used to a blackberry, would that make much of a difference?  I really have no idea because I've not used both phones.  I'm more of a nokia/motorola person.

What about the stability of the OS on those phones?  Which one do you think is the winner?

I recommended the n900 because of the more up to date camera, the physical keyboard (i think its better than fumbling around a virtual one) and also because the N900 has 256mb RAM + 768mb virtual.  That should mean faster operation right?

Theres the question of whats more in and in this case I think the Iphone is the winner.  At least from what I see around town, there are more people on Iphone's than I've seen with the n900.

The question is a decision of purchase, as the cost of the phone will be covered for by his company, its just a matter of deciding which one. 

[andnewman]

Well besides the usual sms and calling, i think he wants to use it for chatting on msn, as well as checking mails and surfing the web.

N900 is great for both. The chat is integrated into the system. And with multitasking he'll be able to chat and surf the web. The Iphone needs to be jailbreaked to support multitasking. And as I said, it lacks flash and java which reduces the web-experience.

I thought the n900 was Nokia's response to the iphone 3Gs.  Well I know he travels alot and I know with a capacitive touchscreen, u need to use ur fingers.  So gloves and all that are not going to work in colder conditions rite?

Well, no! Why does everyone think that every new phone with a touchscreen is a respond to the Iphone?
The capacitive screen on the Iphone won't work with gloves, and it will lose sensitivity when it gets colder. The N900 will be the same even at -30C.

As far as apps are concerned, seeing that he is from a slightly older age bracket, I dont think downloading the latest themes or games or stuff like that would matter very much.  Well the phone is supposed to be an upgrade for the Blackberry 8310.  He said that the blackberry lags badly on chat, as well as the 2mp picture quality being poor.  I think that the 65k color screen is way out dated too.

Ask him about this, it's always better for him to decide whether he wants thousands of useless apps (Iphone) or just a bunch of more or less useful beta apps (N900).

Yeah I've heard that the Iphone is user friendly but if ur used to a blackberry, would that make much of a difference?  I really have no idea because I've not used both phones.  I'm more of a nokia/motorola person.

It's easier to adapt to the Iphone than to the N900 as the N900 lacks logic buttons and information. To close a pop-up message you'll need to tap outside in the faded area, just as an example.
It doesn't matter what brand you're coming from, Iphone is always the winner in ease of getting started with.
But sometimes you have to choose between userfriendliness and the features you want.

What about the stability of the OS on those phones?  Which one do you think is the winner?

Can't say, but my guess is a non-jailbreaked Iphone. As soon as something is open for the user it tends to get unstable. That's a law of computers.

I recommended the n900 because of the more up to date camera, the physical keyboard (i think its better than fumbling around a virtual one) and also because the N900 has 256mb RAM + 768mb virtual.  That should mean faster operation right?

It will make it faster when you use a lot of apps and for really heavy websites. Usually if you're not a power user it might be overkill. But hey, in a year the web will be different, and 1GB of memory might be to little, who knows.

Theres the question of whats more in and in this case I think the Iphone is the winner.  At least from what I see around town, there are more people on Iphone's than I've seen with the n900.

The N900 is new and very hard to get your hands on, so that might also be a reason for it to seem unpopular. But it will never be as popular as the Iphone.

Holy ****, I did answer to almost everything you wrote.

[espressobreak]

Hey man, thanks seriously, thanks alot because nobody has answered a question i've posted on any forum as detailed as you have.

As for where I got the idea that the N900 was put out to combat the Iphone 3GS, well I read some online articles and its just what people say.  Why?  Well I guess its because, it has the same specs and in some categories better.  It came out a couple of months after the Iphone.  I guess basically people believe that, the Iphone is the 'in thing' and they want to see another mobile company try to get a piece of the cake.  Of course you could say that the Nokia X6 too might have been purposed as an Iphone killer but then the guy with the 'big guns' seems to be the N900.

I dont know and to me it doesnt really matter who is out to kill who.  Judging from the specs of both the phones and the quantity of memory available on the n900, as well as a more sophisticated, executive look, the keyboard, the camera...I'll go with the n900.

I think the fact that you said, the n900 is built for multitasking makes a whole lot of difference for him.  I saw a video on Youtube, that shows it runs 5 different homescreens at the same time.

What might make a difference for him is the chunky build, if he should choose the Iphone.

Thanks man 

[Invalid Username]

iPhone 3gs is tried and tested and doesn't lack much, performance is great and it feels really good in your hand.

I am biased I am an iPhone owner having just switched from many years of suffering Nokia with it's "We don't care" attitude.

iPhone is so much more than just a phone, it's your best friend too.  

[espressobreak]

haha yeah n I'm more of a nokia user, so I am biased to nokia.  Was kind of looking for both sides.

I agree with you about the Nokia attitude towards its customers but the thing is, their phones are still good, despite their attitude.