Nokia N900 revealed...!

Apparently Nokia's big reveal at their World Conference in Stuttgart wasn't to be a mobile phone, but rather an 'internet tablet' - the N900. This device almost slipped by us due to the choice of an entirely different operating system - Linux-based Maemo as opposed to the stalwart Symbian platform - as well as frequent protestations that this was a computer or web-browsing device rather than a dedicated mobile phone, which is true. However, Mobile-Review's Eidur once again has the inside scoop, offering an insight into one of Nokia's most exciting hybrid handsets for years, as well as their decision to kick S60 to the curb and opt for an all new user experience with the N900. Whilst lower end phones had the more simplistic Symbian S30 and S40 platforms to run on, S60 had begun to arc across many handsets in a disconcerting fashion, with entry-level devices like the Nokia 5530 XpressMusic sporting largely the same software as their most bleeding edge phone - the N97. The Nokia N97 was always in an unfortunate position, being dubbed a multimedia computer and iPhone killer in the same breath put the device under tremendous pressure to wow, and being hamstrung with S60 left it overstretched and technically underwhelming upon its eventual release. Features such as the active widgets and aspects of the form factor were highly compelling, yet the overly familiar user interface and lack of true innovation left many wondering why there was so much of a gulf between this device and others in the same price point. The real bombshell in this piece is that the N97 is rumoured to be the last S60 flagship phone from the Finnish manufacturer, before moving on to life with Maemo. Eidur explores the similarities between the N97 and the N900 (which are incidentally closely related under the hood), and the resultant gulf that the Maemo interface brings, both in terms of visual effects and touch screen reaction time. Nokia N900 - 2 The Nokia N900's design credentials are far more in line with their tablet range, an solidly built slider with a 3-row QWERTY keyboard and little by way of flash and glamour...at least on the surface. The mechanism is simple, evoking the workmanlike E75 rather than the N97's angular effort, and the 5 megapixel camera is almost identical in both feature and form to their current hero handset's offering. Memory capacity is much like in the N97 with a hot-swappable microSD slot supplementing the 32GB of internal storage space. Power comes from a 1320 mAh battery which can be recharged via microUSB, whilst TV-out is also an option for presentation of items on the big screen. GPS is powered by the latest and prettiest edition of Ovi Maps, and the connectivity game is sewn up thanks to Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on board. The images supplied show an aesthetic as well as practical navigation flow, as Maemo bears all of the hallmarks of a Nokia device dragged willingly into the 21st Century with a cool minimalist theme, and awesome visual flourishes like overlaying current menu options whilst 'frosting' the screen behind. Eschewing the shortcomings whilst evoking the spirit of S60, Maemo offers menu options in a structured fashion without the need for scrolling through a myriad of options, all selections are visible in a clear and concise fashion. It certainly takes both visual and navigational cues from a home computer, from the degree of customisation down to the desktop menu that acts as homepage, allowing shortcut icons to be placed in any location the user desires. Lest we forget, it is still a mobile phone and can fulfil that part of proceedings fully and capably, although that side of things was not analysed in nearly as much detail. This device looks poised to surprise many by sideswiping the mobile market rather than going head-on, and could lead the N900 to be more favourably received than the glut of Cupertino clones that have saturated the industry. Having said that, the N900 comes off well as Eidur types the golden soundbite that "the N900 feels more like the Apple iPhone," and the fact that the browsing experience that the handset trades on proves to be capable. Flash, video and applet support are real feathers in the cap, and the promise of bringing a new interface to Nokia devices seems to be one they are eager to get right. Really right. With the right price point, suite of applications and correct push, the N900 will the the perfect poster-child of a new breed of handset from Nokia, proof that they are moving forward with a new ethos in both phone feature and functionality. Maemo needs to turn heads from consumers attracted to the iPhone's charms as well as those requiring their handset to be versatile, and an Maemo-powered internet tablet could fend off the two-pronged assualt of BlackBerry and Apple on the handset front, as well as Windows Mobile on the software side. There is no doubt that the Nokia N900 has a lot riding on it, and we will be looking closely as it gets closer to an official unveiling in due course. With a rumoured 2009 release date and a €550 (£445) price, the N900 could indeed prove to be the ultimate multimedia device that Nseries has promised (and arguably is yet to deliver) since the brand's inception.