N97 Test Image #8

Both the new flagship Nokia N97 and the previous flagship N95 8GB boast the same specifications 5 megapixel auto-focus camera with Carl Zeiss lens. Apart from the fact that the former has dual LED flash while the latter only has a single LED flash, how do the resulting still camera photos from the two phones compare? Could there be some slight differences in the optics, or in the software producing the JPEG image output? Well, I’ve put them to the test and found that there are noticeable differences.

This is no professional critique of camera performance. However, I got my hands on both the N97 and N95 8GB for testing at the same time. The photos were basically taken from the same spot (the phones are physically adjacent to each other), looking at the same angle, and taking the photo at the same time. Both cameras were left in their default setting, all photos shot in fully automatic mode.

The gallery below shows the photos from the two phones. Click on the thumbnails to get a larger, but not yet full resolution image. (View the full resolution images at my Ovi album.)

You can see that the photos produced by the two phones are noticeably different. The camera of the new N97 seems to produce more accurate colours and the overall exposure is quite well balanced.

In the indoor shots, you can also tell quite clearly that the N97 produced sharper images. The outdoor shots were a mixed bag though.

I don’t have flash photography comparisons to share here. My own experience is that the N97 does produce slightly better flash photos, no doubt thanks to the added light from its dual LED flashes.

Is the N97 a better camera than the N95 8GB? I think, yes. But it is not something to justify upgrading from a N95 8GB to the N97 though. At least it is not a good enough reason on its own. The improvements are very marginal.

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A little misadventure with my Nokia N95 8GB a few days ago prompted me to check out, among other things, synchronization capabilities with web-based services: Google Sync and Nokia’s own Ovi. The promise of synchronization with “the cloud” is that your precious data can be available through multiple channels (such as different phones, computers, etc), and at the same time, “the cloud” serves as a sort of data backup too.

The short story is that both Google Sync and Ovi works, although to varying degrees. Google Sync with the N95 8GB  works through Nokia’s Mail For Exchange (MfE) software. MfE was designed to synchronize with Microsoft Exchange servers, but it will also work with Google’s mobile services, which presumably can also present itself with Microsoft Exchange type of interfaces.

The MfE configuration was a little tricky for me. It was not terribly clearly documented, but here are a few things to take note of:

• Your username is something like userid@gmail.com.
• Domain should be empty (None).
• You can only synchronize Contacts and Calendar. Trying to also synchronize Tasks and Email will result in MfE complaining: “Server Error. Try again later.”

Once you’ve got your contacts and calendar linked up to Google Sync, you can essentially get the data sync’ed up to various other devices, or simply access Google Calendar or Gmail with a web browser to get your calendar and contacts respectively.

The other synchronization option is Nokia’s Ovi. This really looks to me like Nokia’s version of Apple’s MobileMe. The Ovi synchronization capabilities are built into most newer Nokia Symbian phones, and it is more closely integrated with the phone like the PC Suite software (for synchronization with your PC). It will sync calendar (including tasks), contacts, bookmarks, notes, and I’m not sure what else more, but not including multimedia content and email. Multimedia content is transferred to Ovi separately, which is not an issue in my opinion, since you probably don’t want to synchronize your photos and videos like you do your PIM data.

The Ovi web interface has improved. At least it looks a lot better now than it did before, probably like last year when I last played with it. It has nice AJAX-ified interface, but my main complaint is that the website, in general, is slow. It’s probably the Internet bandwidth to the Ovi servers. I imagine they, being lesser established than the big names like Google and Apple, probably don’t have their server cluster sufficiently distributed to serve everyone in all corners of the world fast enough. It’s a pity I think, because Ovi being designed by Nokia would work very well with Nokia phones.

I’m still a bit lost as to how to synchronize my Mac OS X data with Ovi though. That would be a problem for Mac users.

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I’m looking at the new Nokia N97 flagship smartphone. It seema like a worthy upgrade replacement for my existing Nokia N95 8GB. For a Mac OS X user, a big question is if there is an iSync plugin available for the N97? Or an easy hack of an existing plugin to use with the N97?

I’m taking an interest in the N97 because, well, I just realized that my N95 8GB is actually worth $400 trade-in value to the telcos. Of course, the N97 is also a pretty good phone. Something that, finally, I consider an upgrade from the N95 8GB.

The N97 prices vary greatly between the different telcos. SingTel, with a reasonably low-end 24 month contract plan, sells for $598; M1 for $638 and StarHub for $888. It looks like SingTel has the best offer. I wonder whether they still have the $30 discount when you order online after 9pm.

The problem with the N97, however, is that it seems to have received quite a number of criticisms for its slow processor and lousy QWERTY keyboard (poor tactile feedback, etc). The N95 8GB has dual ARM 11 332 MHz processors, while the N97 lists only one ARM 11 processor running at 434 MHz. The N95 8GB also has 3D graphics hardware accelerator which is not mentioned for the N97. So, then again, I’m not sure after all whether the N97 would really prove to be a worthy upgrade to the N95 8GB.

Update (27 Jun 2009): I’ve heard that Nokia Multimedia Transfer now supports the N97. Nokia web pages do not specify N97 support, but once the Nokia Multimedia Transfer software is run, and it checks for updates, it will download new plugins which will detect and use the N97 device.

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I’ve been a Nokia Nseries smartphone user for some years, starting with the N73 and now currently the N95 8GB. I’m still quite pleased with my N95 8GB, and you could say I’ve become quite a fan of the Nseries smartphones. So the latest Nokia Nseries N97 is piquing my interest. It’s due to hit the stores in Singapore in June. What’s new about the phone?

Like the N95 8GB, this phone has “the works”. Everything. Quad-band GSM, tri-band UMTS, 802.11b/g Wireless LAN, Bluetooth 2.0 (with a great variety of profiles supported), A-GPS, 5 megapixel camera, and a micro-USB port. It has 128MB of RAM and 32GB of internal flash memory.

Here’s some new feature highlights: The N97 is a side-slider phone with touch screen and a full QWERTY keyboard. Yes, a real keyboard, not a virtual on-screen keyboard. It will have a bunch of sensors too: proximity sensor, accelerometer, and compass. It will run the Symbian S60 5th edition OS. It’s new battery will boast over 5 hours of 3G talk-time, 400 hours of 3G standby time, 37 hours of music playback and 4.5 hours of video playback.

Really great.

However, there are some departments that have stood still in time. The Nseries has had 5 megapixel cameras for some time. Perhaps if you thought pixel count isn’t too important, surely they could have considered improving the flash? The N97 uses Dual LED flash, which seems a step back from the Xenon flash in the N82. The 3G HSDPA speed still tops out at 3.6Mbps.

The N97 has become somewhat clunky too, measuring 117.2 x 55.3 x 15.9 mm and weighing 150g, although it is certainly not bad considering that it is a side-slider with full QWERTY keyboard.

I was really hoping for improved camera features. The N95 8GB has been great, but the camera-phone world has since moved along and come to have greater expectations in photo quality. Nevertheless, it could still be a worthy upgrade from the N95 8GB that the N96 wasn’t. I wonder how it would be priced when launched in Singapore.

Yeah, I still have little interest in the iPhone.

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I was just having this chat with my colleague about upgrading his DSLR camera. His camera is clunky and inconvenient to carry around. Nowadays cameras have advanced so much. How about getting a camera like mine? For all purpose and intent, I’ve got a pretty good camera you know. It features Carl Zeiss optics and Tessar lens, complemented by autofocus system, macro shooting, 8 scene modes, built-in flash with red-eye reduction, and produces high quality 5 megapixel images that make for superb 4R photo prints. It also captures full VGA resolution video at 30fps in MPEG4 format. It is tinier than most compact cameras.

My camera also has lots of other bells and whistles. It comes with bluetooth, which allows me to very easily transfer my photos to a PictBridge compatible printer. This is really very convenient. In fact, it also has other wireless data transfer capabilities such as InfraRed and 802.11b/g Wireless LAN support. I can sync my freshly taken photos directly with Flickr and a variety of online photo sharing websites. Built-in GPS features also let me geo-tag the photos taken.

The wireless network capabilities make this camera gadget really powerful. Included in the built-in software are applications like a full-fledge web browser. Yes, wireless web-surfing with from this little gadget. In fact, it has a whole lot more things: appointment scheduler, address book, VOIP internet phone client, MSN Messenger client, etc.

Okay, if you still haven’t gotten a sense of where I’m headed… here’s a big clue about what my camera gadget is: It also features quad-band GSM with UMTS/HSDPA capabilities, so that I can even make phone calls and video calls with this thing.

Have you gotten it yet? It’s a camera phone actually. More specifically, my Nokia N95 8GB.

Yes, camera phones like the Nokia N95 8GB does work pretty well as a camera. In fact, I like it so much more than a DSLR or even a compact camera because a camera phone is always with me, always on-hand to take photos at a moment’s notice.

Camera phones don’t yet have the speed, image quality, flash lighting capability, lens flexibility and other accessories to match the big DSLR cameras. But how useful is a camera if it is not there when you need to take a photo?

The camera phone has also become quite indispensable at work. I think companies should probably buy camera phones for their employees, or pay/subsidize one that they employee buys, much like how many companies give their employees notebook computers. I find myself taking lots of photos for work related purposes: capture evidence of work done, or work not done, or violation or infringing work, etc. Sometimes it is to just capture images for asset tags, serial numbers, etc, so that I can batch compile them later. How about photographing all the nonsense scribbled on a whiteboard during a meeting for later transcription? Photographing or video recording an activity to document a “situation” for reporting? Documenting the “before” and “after” of an activity? There’s a whole lot of work-related need for a camera phone eh!

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The N95 8GB was officially launched on 29 Aug 2007, just one day shy of 16 months ago. Many technology gadgets don’t last very long as they are quickly replaced by a better models in just a few months. Sometimes they are even obsoleted in just months. So it is quite unusual that, 16 months on, the Nokia N95 8GB still holds its own against the many newer phones, be it from Nokia or competitors.

The N95 8GB became available for sale in October 2007. Since then, Nokia has launched many new phones. Amongst the new models like the N96 and the N82, the flagship N95 8GB still remains a worthy contender. Just to recap a little on the N95 8GB specs. It has “the works”: Quadband, 3.5G HSDPA, Bluetooth, 802.11b/g, A-GPS, 5 megapixel Carl Zeiss auto-focus lens with LED flash, large 2.8″ display, etc.

None of the newer Nokia models are significantly superior to the N95 8GB. Of course they each have their own advantages. The N82 has Xenon flash. The N96 has DVB-H (digital TV broadcast). These phones will appeal to specific consumer groups. But as an overall package, I feel that the N95 8GB still continues to reign supreme. 

For the “business users”, Nokia launched the E66 and E71 this year. They are excellent phones with very high-quality builds (physically). But again, as an overall package they are not distinctly superior to the N95 8GB.

What about other phone brands? Well, a significant development this year was the launch of the Apple iPhone 3G. I’ve blogged a lot about it. I don’t like the iPhone (read about it here, here, here and here). It is beautiful. Like the E66 and E71 are rather classy. But I need the phone to be more than beautiful.

Another major development is the launch of 8 megapixel camera phones such as the Samsung Innov8. The marketing people like consumers to believe that more megapixels means better camera or better pictures. Of course, we know that is not the case. 

A lot of focus in new phones is on good looks and fanciful user interface. HTC, for example, has been trying to copy the iPhone’s suave interface experience. But alas, new models like the HTC Touch Diamond were not impressive to me. If the interface experience was so important, I’d get the iPhone. (Which reminds me… Apple had to face the wrath of the Advertising Standards Authority of UK, not once but twice, for misleading advertisements about the iPhone’s functions and performance.)

Of course, I must admit that at the end of the day, what makes a phone “better” depends very much on what is it you want the phone for. Just to put things in context, what is it I want? Well, I want a phone with “everything” (function-wise). When I say “everything”, I mean everything mainstream. It is okay not to have DVB-H since it is not very common (besides, what would I watch on it anyway?); But it better have A-GPS since just about any decent phone has it nowadays. I want it to work with my Mac, for syncing and Internet access. I want it to be reasonably compact. In particular, I want reasonably good quality photos and videos.

I was just asking myself… if I am to go get a phone today, which model will it be? I think it will be the Nokia N95 8GB. I’m surprised. Phones get outdated very quickly. I bought my N95 8GB in November 2007. One year later, I still want the same phone.

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The issue of the N95 8GB camera cover, or the lack thereof, has repeatedly come up many times over. Most people want the camera cover back, because it keeps the camera window from getting dirtied and scratched. I kind of think so too. It’s a pity that the N95 8GB, with a pretty fine camera and lens for a camera, should have been designed without any protection for the camera.

Some N95 8GB owners are mistaken that it is the camera lens itself that is exposed and unprotected, and thus risks getting scratched. The truth is that the lens is well protected. There is a window made of clear plastic that is exposed to the outside and which protects the lens inside.

To me, it makes little difference. Of course, when the camera window is scratched, it is cheaper to replace it, as opposed to having to replace the camera lens. However, the risk of scratching something, in this case the camera window, remains unchanged. Whichever it is that gets scratched still affects the picture quality in about the same way. Whichever it is that needs changing is equally inconvenient.

So why was the camera cover gotten rid off in the first place? Some had speculated the reason was the lack of space on the redesigned back of the N95 8GB which had to accommodate a marginally larger battery. A few people think the lack of camera cover makes it easier to snap quick shots, because you don’t have to open any physical cover. I feel the cover opening time is negligible, compared to the time it takes to start up the camera application and focus.

My camera window had been badly damaged too. It looked something like this All About Symbian article. Mine seemed like some kind of coating was peeling off the surface rather than distinct scratches. Fortunately, Nokia Care replaced my camera window under warranty.

We can’t do anything about the lack of camera cover. What N95 8GB owners can do is to get something to protect the camera window. My recommendation is to go with a screen protector, like I did using the Martin Fields screen protector. If your camera window is already scratched, get it replaced. It is only a few $10 even if Nokia Care won’t do it under warranty.

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The Nokia N95 8GB seems to be getting fairly regular software updates. That’s a good thing, since each new version introduces new features, updates existing features, improves functionality, or fixes problems. The last software update was v20.0.016 and was released about 5 months ago. The latest software is now v30.0.018 which seems to have been released since 4 September 2008 (yeah, I’m a bit slow to pick it up this time around).

A change log has been posted on The Symbian Blog. Notable new features include Maps 2.0, full version of N-Gage, Nokia Search 4.0 with Google plugin and Share on Ovi. Many of these features were already also available as separate downloads previously. There’s also a bunch of other improvements.

For some reason this time around, although the software upgrade itself worked perfectly, the restore from backup created some problems. For example, there were quirks like my Access Points all being defined twice (with identical names). It happened before, but while previously a reset and re-restore worked fine, it didn’t work this time. So for the first time, I decided to give up on restoring from backup. Most of my “precious” information is already sync’ed to my notebook, so it is not a problem to get back my contacts and calendar information. (It’s probably a good idea to not restore all the cruft built up from several months of use back into the phone anyway…)

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Hello, Singapore. SingTel has announced their iPhone 3G prices. You could get the phone free, if you’re willing to shell out $205 every month for the next 24 months. The prices are high, but not unexpected (see here and here). Once M1 and StarHub get into the fray, the prices might fall. Or it might drop anyway soon after launch, because Singaporeans are not going to fall simply for the iPhone “wow” factor.

So here are the details. SingTel has introduced three new voice+data plans to go with the iPhone 3G. At $56 a month, the iPhone 3G goes for $348 and $508 (8GB and 16GB models respectively); At $95 a month, the iPhone 3G goes for $49 and $208 (8GB and 16GB models respectively); At $205 a month, the iPhone 3G is free. All these are with a 24 month contract.

Subscribers on existing voice-only plans can also get the subsidized iPhone 3G. It’s $698 and $848 for the iPhone 3G (8GB and 16GB models respectively) with the $25.68 plan; $348 and $508 with the $48.15 plan; $49 and $208 with the $82.93 plan; Free for the $192.60 plan. These have a 24 month contract too, and you’d probably need to add on a data service on top of the voice plan, otherwise your iPhone 3G will be data-less (or cost a bomb to use data without a data plan).

How does the iPhone 3G price stack up with other phones in Singapore? Let’s analyse the numbers a little.

With a $25.68 voice plan on a 24-month contract, I can get the N95 8GB for about $628. Total cost over 24 months is $1244.32. The iPhone 3G, however, will cost me $1314.32 (8GB model) or $1464.32 (16GB model) over 24 months with the same plan.

The N95 8GB definitely beats the iPhone 3G in functionality, although the “wow” factor award probably goes to the iPhone 3G.

What will Singapore buyers choose?

The iPhone 3G goes on sale at SingTel’s ComCentre headquarters at the stroke of midnight on 22nd August 2008. It’ll be fun to see if queues form up like elsewhere in the world. Singaporeans, afterall, love queueing (yeah, remember the queueing and fighting over Hello Kitty at MacDonalds).

M1 and StarHub will get their hands on the iPhone 3G in time for Christmas. This gives SingTel a little head start. I imagine there will be a price correction shortly before M1 and StarHub jumps onboard, but not before diehard iPhone 3G fans have signed themselves over to SingTel (at least for the next two years).

Note: All prices where are in Singapore Dollars, unless otherwise stated.

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Yesterday was a software upgrade day. Mozilla released Firefox 2.0.0.13, Apple released Safari 3.1.1, and finally Nokia N95 8GB software v20.0.016 became available for update through the NSU. Many N95 8GB owners were eagerly anticipating the availability of this software update, because one of the new features included automatic screen rotation. I haven’t seen the official update announcement from Nokia’s Device software update website, but you can check the unofficial changelogs from Symbian Web Blog.

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