Data transfer, summary
We really have every possible data transfer protocol, starting to GPRS and ranging to HSDPA, all European standards are supported, just like WLAN and Bluetooth, but there is no HSUPA, the highest available mobile network speed is “only” 3.6 Mbps. It doesn’t have DLNA certification yet, but hopefully we won’t have to wait too much for that; until then there is the uPnP standard. N97 is a data communication all-doer.
The built-in web browser works great, it has flash support and most of the websites fit nicely on the widescreen display. The software is fast, we won’t see lags even when dragging a complex site around. If we double-tap on the screen the browser zooms in, and at the second double-tap it zooms back out, just like iPhone’s browser. Unfortunately our version couldn’t handle YouTube, although there is a dedicated module on N97 for using the popular video sharing site, but in my case I only heard the sound, there was no picture. I can only say again that maybe the next software version will fix this too.
The handset doesn’t come with PC Suite this time, but with OVI Suite. Of course all that makes it OVI is that we can download applications via an internet connection on our PC, but I’d like to calm everyone down, I managed to get the good old PC Suite to work with the phone after some (10 minutes) automatic installation. The handset can be charged through the USB port from our computer.
UPDATE! During writing this review, the V11 software has been released. Unfortunately we can install this only with OVI suite, so we gave it a try. The application on the supplied CD requires 480 megabytes of free space, installation is not a very short process, but it had no errors. But after that connecting the handset started such a series of events on two test PCs that have to be mentioned. It ruined the operating system’s USB device drivers, the attached peripherals and devices disappeared, Windows had to reinstall them one by one. It has recognized N97, but lost connection immediately and played this game until I got bored of it. OVI Suite and Nokia N97 couldn’t find each other for a second, the software update failed. I have tried the whole thing on two separate computers to make sure that there is no problem with the PC or the operating system, but all attempts were useless, I just had to resort to restart and reinstallation. Both OVI Suite and N97 had an ultimate fail and for the first time in the history of our website we have revoked the Recommended award from the device.
The weakest spot of the phone is evidently the battery. No matter the performance of 1500 mAh, if we seriously use the handset’s features (widgets, GPS, camera, web browsing) it takes only a day to get the battery dry. One reason is of course the continuous communication on the network and the TFT display (that is way far from the ones on the new top Samsung phones), which consumes much more than an OLED screen of the same size and resolution. But it’s cheaper.
N97, however, is not cheap at all. It costs almost as much as its two rivals, HTC Touch Pro2 and Samsung i8910 HD. I still have to say that the Finnish guys gave all they could, and although it has nothing really of a breakthrough, it has a balanced set of features. Samsung owns it in terms of display and imaging and Touch Pro2 is more powerful on paper. Nokia can surely count on its loyal customers, who will probably be satisfied – in half a year’s time. Launching a phone with so many bugs… I can’t say anything else than it’s shameful. The fact that the V11 software is already out, shows that the designers also knew that V10 has tons of bugs. UPDATE! Meanwhile it has turned out that V11 doesn’t solve most of the problems, many users have reported hangups.
The thing is that it’s no use to write that I think it’s not yet worth running to the stores to get it. It’s expensive and has many problems. Based on current information customers simply make stocks disappear. And yes, N97 will be a great phone – it will be. It’s nice, it’s usable, it’s a real business companion and it’s also a prestige gadget. Of course it’s not perfect, as the lack of more metal, the TFT display and the energy consumption cannot be fixed with software patches. I’d give two awards, but it will receive only one:
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| Nokia N97 |
Oh, and there is a “guys, really go to hell with this beta software” look for Nokia.
Bog
Translated by Szaszati
Nokia N97 has been provided by MGSM.hu. The handset can be purchased at:
Budapest II. Lövőház utca 12.
On-line at www.mgsm.hu.
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