Nokia launches the N8 and history looks set to repeat itself
By The Prodigal Fool, published on 27 April 2010
Yeah, OK, this looks rather nice.
Announced today, the Nokia N8 is all set to provide some healthy competition to the iPhone HD when they’re both released some time in Q3 this year.
History looks to be repeating itself though: The Nokia is likely to have the edge from a media capture perspective (the sample shots we’ve seen are very impressive and the unit can record and output via HDMI in HD) but the Apple will trounce it from a software pespective (the N8′s virtual keyboard is still not up to scratch and many other UI elements look disappointing).
We’re looking forward to getting our hands on a review unit to bring you the full story.
In the meantime, know this (from Nokia’s Conversations blog):
The biggest feature on the Nokia N8 is its 12-megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics and Xenon flash. It features a substantially larger sensor than any ever used in any other Nokia device – even bigger than many found in dedicated cameras.
The Nokia N8 also introduces the ability to record high definition videos and edit them with a smart built-in editing suite on the device. Playback quality is just as important, and the 3.5-inch HD capacitive touchscreen is the ideal window for assessing your flicks and footage. There’s also a HDMI connector allowing you to hook the smartphone to your HD TV and share your media with friends and family in superb quality.
Powering the Nokia N8 is the all-new Symbian^3 platform. This latest incarnation introduces major new advances including multi-touch and support for gestures such as pinch-to-zoom. Onboard there’s also three customisable homescreens that can be loaded with applications and widgets and flicked through by a swish of the finger. There’s also improved 2D and 3D graphics for a faster and more responsive UI, greater memory management and a visual task manager.
Not to be outdone by its innards the Nokia N8 is carved from a single piece of anodised aluminium and looks glorious decked in one of five eye-catching colours (we’ll shortly be bringing you an entire article dedicated to the colours). It will cost €370 (before the usual local taxes and subsidies) when it starts shipping in the third quarter of 2010.
Head on over to All About Symbian for full coverage.
Nokia launches the N8 and history looks set to repeat itself
Yeah, OK, this looks rather nice. Announced today, the Nokia N8 is all set to provide some healthy competition to the iPhone HD when they’re both released some time in Q3 this year. History looks to be repeating itself though: The Nokia is likely to have the edge from a media capture perspective (the sample [...]
14 Responses to “Nokia launches the N8 and history looks set to repeat itself”
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John Strauss
27 April 2010
Really? The iphone virtual keyboard is terrible, much worse than any ever touch keyboard I’ve used. The vertical one is literally unusable.
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John, I’m afraid we’re going to have to disagree on that: I think the iPhone has the best virtual keyboard in the business.
But even if we agreed that the iPhone’s keyboard wasn’t the best, you can’t honestly be saying that the N8′s will beat it, are you?
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John,
I can only assume one of two things: 1. That you have no idea what you are talking about or, 2. (See 1.)
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LOL James!
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Juan
28 April 2010
Sorry for this, but normally you make interesting and usually right points, by this time your commet is a little silly (to be elegant).
Firt, we are talking here about a 350 euro device (unlocked), so is not the same money that iPhone HD, second quoting:
(the N8′s virtual keyboard is still not up to scratch and many other UI elements look disappointing).
We’re looking forward to getting our hands on a review unit to bring you the full story.Intelligent will be wait to get your hands on an unit and later talk about the virtual keyboard or anything else…
Very disappointed to read this in your site.
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Juan
Thanks for your comment – I’m going to take it as a back-handed compliment!
So, here’s the thing: maybe I picked a poor example with the virtual keyboard – that’s somewhat subjective – but I stand by the gist of the post and it is this: historically, Nokia is excellent at media capture and hardware but gets beaten by Apple on ease of use and elegance of UI design. I haven’t seen anything in the N8 videos that leads me to beleive that history won’t repeat itself.
By the way, I hope that I’m wrong. I’d like nothing more than for someone to give Apple some strong competition.
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John Strauss
28 April 2010
Ok you’re used to it, but even after a decent time of use I still can’t type properly on the iphone keyboard. The Horizontal one is serviceable but the verticle one is terrible, and you’re forced to use it on so many places!
Don’t even get me on the lack of haptic feedback, which does help you get a better feel while you type.
Seriously neither of us has typed on an N8, so we won’t know so soon, but just about every other device, android or symbian, that I have used is easier to type on than ipod touch / iphone.
Is the fact that it’s fullscreen really that much of a bother? Most people I know don’t really care that much….-
John – I totally agree with you, and indeed I said the same in my post: we need to wait until we can get a review unit before we can have the full story and make any judgements on this device.
I wasn’t trying to make a judgement with this post, merely pointing out that early indications are that the historic pattern of Nokia=best hardware / Apple=best software looks set to repeat itself.
As to your specific point about the fullscreen keyboard, I know I may not represent the majority but it does bother me. Having the keyboard take up the majority of the screen and impose a completely new layout when it comes up is a very odd user interface decision in my view.
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Mark
1 May 2010
Hi there,
Have you seen the UI video’s? Not the Nokia ones, they were somewhat older, but the ones that were up briefly yesterday. In those vids the UI looks solid and smooth. 60 frames per second smooth, kinetic scrolling everywhere, pinch to zoom smooth. Apple make a great UI, but if you think about it:
I look at a grid of icons. Images. Not information, images. Maybe the number of something within the app, like calls missed. That is it. To me that is vastly inferior to both Android and S^3 with live widgets etc.
Second, UI feels a lot faster with single click and a strong GPU that is pushing 32 million polygons, which is purely from a number perspective, slightly better than 3GS.
Now, the Iphone 4G may be even better in the graphics department when it comes out, but, the N8 is not the flagship to compete with that anyway. We will see MeeGo devices perform that function.
The point is, even though you still might like Iphone OS better, I think S^3 has the level it needs for it to not be dismissed by people. It is good enough now. S^4 but especially MeeGo will be a real tour de force for Nokia in the UI department. As a stopgap, I think the S^3 improvements are rather impressive.
Also, thanks for doing this site. I like the font, the design, the class it conveys and the fact that we do not have Gizmodo type discussion here, and you actually take the time to respond.
Thanks.
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Hi Mark
I’m totally with you as far as the Symbian home screen vs Apple menu screen is concerned. I’ve been saying for ages that what the iPhone really lacked was a proper, useful home screen. But that’s just one aspect – albeit a very important one – of living with a device.
I’m not denying that the S^3 improvements are impressive and I’m really looking forward to trying them for myself. With the the software improvements and the capacitive screen, the next generation of Nokia devices may finally have what it takes. But I still think that overall, purely in terms of usability, iPhone OS will continue to reign.
Anyway – to wrap up – I just wanted to say a massive thank you for your final comment. I’m delighted that the site is appreciated. Indeed, we aimed to set-up something that was a bit different to what already existed, a site that mixed our various different interests, that took a slightly more discriminate look at things (less is more) and that was more personal and intimate because it reflected our own interests. Delighted it has struck a chord with you.
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Yes! you are true that besides all greatness and capacities, Symbian^3 doesn’t seem to be doing wonder due to the fact that Nokia is forced to keep backward compatibility and consistency with its other devices (I was cursing Maemo when didnt got Google Map and full fledged Ovi on it). Ease of use have been made a standard by Apple for sure, but the way it just asks money and leave hardware underutilized just for eye candy is not acceptable.
Definitely its wrong to call Nokia N8 off before you get your hands over a review unit, it has best smartphone camera in world, best of the connections, best of multi tasking and best of service that just not ask for money from you. Its not about what it do, its about what you can do. There are many things which you cant do with Apple, but you will find it hard to say about Nokia.
Requesting you not to be pre-judgmental. Wait before you say and make points on worth of money
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