GSMArena.com GSMArena.com

Tip us

1.5m
109k
RSS

EV

Merch

Log in

Login

I forgot my password
Sign up
  • Home
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Videos
  • Featured
  • Phone Finder
  • Deals
  • MerchNew
  • Coverage
  • Contact
ADVERTISEMENTS
GSMArena team, 26 November 2009

A new hope


Nokia N900 review: A new hope

  • Comments (208)
  • User reviews
  • N900

1. Introduction
  1. 1. Introduction
  2. 2. Retail package, 360-degree spin, design and construction
  3. 3. QWERTY keyboard, controls
  4. 4. User interface
  5. 5. Phonebook, telephony, messaging
  6. 6. File manager, gallery, music player, FM transmitter
  7. 7. Audio quality, video player, camera, video recording
  8. 8. Connectivity, web browser, organizer
  9. 9. Games, GPS navigation, applications
  10. 10. Conclusion
  11.  
  12. Nokia N900 specification
  13. User opinions and reviews
  14. Review comments (208)

Nokia Maemo Touch UI

Introduction

It's crystal clear by now that the Nokia N900 has almost nothing to do with the traditional Nseries values. The full QWERTY side-slider may look similar to its double-digit mates but the Maemo experience is completely different. However, the N900 is not there for the mere sake of difference - a tablet and a phone, it tries to get the best of both worlds. These are worlds though where Nokia feels at home.

Nokia N900 Nokia N900 Nokia N900
Nokia N900 official photos

The internet tablet genes are strong in the Nokia N900 so connectivity and web-browsing are its greatest virtues. The large high-res display and great typing skills are the right kind of backup but we've seen plenty of similar packages already. We told you though - the N900 is different. It's a Maemo-powered phone with Mozilla browsing and all-you-can-eat connectivity. Call it good news, call it a good start or just call it good. Let's see if it calls back.

Key features

  • 3.5" 65K-color resistive touchscreen of WVGA (800 x 480 pixel) resolution
  • Maemo 5 OS
  • State-of-the-art Mozilla-based web browser with Adobe Flash 9.4 support
  • Slide-out three-row full QWERTY keyboard
  • ARM Cortex A8 600MHz CPU, PowerVR SGX graphics accelerator; 256 MB of RAM
  • Quad-band GSM and tri-band 3G support
  • 5 MP autofocus camera with dual-LED flash and active camera lens cover
  • WVGA (848 x 480 pixels) video recording @ 24fps
  • 10 Mbps HSDPA and 2 Mbps HSUPA support
  • Wi-Fi and GPS with A-GPS
  • 32GB onboard storage
  • DivX and XviD video playback
  • Foldable kickstand
  • microSD card slot with microSDHC support
  • Built-in accelerometer
  • Proximity sensor
  • 3.5 mm audio jack and TV-out
  • FM Radio receiver, FM transmitter
  • microUSB port (charging) and stereo Bluetooth v2.1
  • Solid audio quality
  • Kinetic scrolling
  • Contacts integration of Skype, Google Talk and other VoIP services
  • Great build quality

Main disadvantages


  • Large and heavy
  • UI only works in landscape mode (for now)
  • No video call capabilities, smart and voice dialing
  • Outdated camera interface and features
  • No preinstalled voice-guided SatNav application
  • No voice recorder, no MMS, and no handwriting recognition
  • No FM radio application (despite that the hardware's there)
  • Limited third-party software availabilty
  • Limited 3G support in the US (no AT&T)

In our preview we saw the Nokia N900 as a lean and mean browsing machine. This price range though has little to no room for one-trick ponies. The chubby phone/tablet will have to play its best and that's where Nseries come in. Of course, the Maemo has still to catch up with Symbian in terms of system expandability but the N900 is an Nseries handset and all-round service is implied.

Nokia N900 Nokia N900 Nokia N900 Nokia N900
Nokia N900 studio shots

One thing to definitely note about the Nokia N900 is the WVGA screen, which is not too frequent to see in other smartphones - platform limitations are hard to get around. There is of course the Vodafone 360 H1produced by Samsung and running LiMo, which even adds 16M-colors support, but it's very much a niche device. Now add the QWERTY keyboard, which turned out pretty comfortable despite the three-row layout, and things are starting to get there.

So, it's time we checked what the Nokia N900 can do for you and where it can possibly fail. A new OS (new to phones anyway) should be able to at least come close to the current crop of smartphone platforms and show a high enough development potential. For what we saw in our preview, the Maemo and the N900 may as well be even more ambitious. But if you take nothing for granted you've come to the right place. Join us on the next page as we power up the N900 and the review unfolds.

Next Page » 2. Retail package, 360-degree spin, design and construction
1. Introduction
  1. 1. Introduction
  2. 2. Retail package, 360-degree spin, design and construction
  3. 3. QWERTY keyboard, controls
  4. 4. User interface
  5. 5. Phonebook, telephony, messaging
  6. 6. File manager, gallery, music player, FM transmitter
  7. 7. Audio quality, video player, camera, video recording
  8. 8. Connectivity, web browser, organizer
  9. 9. Games, GPS navigation, applications
  10. 10. Conclusion
  11.  
  12. Nokia N900 specification
  13. User opinions and reviews
  14. Review comments (208)

Reviews Nokia N900 review
  • Comments (208)
  • User reviews
  • N900

Nokia N900 review: A new hope - Reader comments

D
  • Drayne
  • r3a
  • 12 Dec 2019

Nokia N900 is not for regular phone users at least even in 2019 I am still running my nokia N900. I manage all my servers from this phone both Linux and Windows servers alike. I have written apps for my own use alone for the N900. The phone is a linu...

  • Reply
R
  • Roxkster
  • 6sE
  • 09 Mar 2018

Hi Guys can i have to go with this phone in 2018?for buying pls help me if u can

  • Reply
D
  • AnonD-130377
  • gJn
  • 29 Mar 2013

i have a lot of phones but n900 is different the others !

  • Reply
  • Read all comments
  • Post your comment
Total reader comments: 208

Phone finder

  • Samsung
  • Apple
  • Huawei
  • Nokia
  • Sony
  • LG
  • HTC
  • Motorola
  • Lenovo
  • Xiaomi
  • Google
  • Honor
  • Oppo
  • Realme
  • OnePlus
  • vivo
  • Meizu
  • BlackBerry
  • Asus
  • Alcatel
  • ZTE
  • Microsoft
  • Vodafone
  • Energizer
  • Cat
  • Sharp
  • Micromax
  • Infinix
  • TCL
  • Ulefone
  • Tecno
  • Doogee
  • Blackview
  • BLU
  • Panasonic
  • Plum

All brands Rumor mill

ADVERTISEMENTS

Related articles

  • Nokia and Samsung extend cross-license patent agreement
  • Nokia C12 launches with Android 12 Go Edition, 6.3" display
  • Nokia X10 and X20 start receiving Android 13
  • Nokia confirms Android 13 is coming to five more phones
ADVERTISEMENTS

Popular reviews

Apple iOS 14 review

Apple iOS 14 review
Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra review

Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra review
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G review

Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G review

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Tesla Model S beats 28 cars for winter range test crown Tesla Model S beats 28 cars for winter range test crown Nissan Qashqai e-Power real life test yields disappointing resultsTesla Model Y is now eligible for $7,500 IRA tax credit in the US
ADVERTISEMENTS

Home News Reviews Compare Coverage Glossary FAQ RSS feed Youtube Facebook Twitter Instagram

© 2000-2023 GSMArena.com Mobile version Android app Tools Contact us Merch store Privacy Terms of use Change Ad Consent Do not sell my data