I want to update you all on the devices I’ve been testing recently. It’s a super range of advanced devices that represent the best in the smartphone, MID and ultra mobile PC market. All four are advanced, fun and productive mobile devices.
Possibly the most advanced device of the four is the N900. It runs one of the newest and most powerful ARM-based platforms out there with one of the newest mobile operating systems. From what I’ve seen, the Maemo teams have done a great job in preparing an operating system for today’s web-focused user. Nokia have also done a a great job in tying it together with some amazing hardware. Camera, keyboard, screen, GPS, accelerometer, FM TX/RX, consumer IR, keyboard, speakers, Wifi, BT, 3G, voice along with strong quality materials and an attractive, if slightly understand, design.
Users considering the N900 need to consider the following important points.
- Battery life. With all that power, it’s easy to end up with a device that can’t do anything after 2pm!
- Applications. While the developer community is active and passionate, there’s relatively few people out there. Android, iPhone and Windows Mobile will provide you with a better application suite at the moment.
- Despite the lack of applications, much of what you need is already built in to the N900. From exchange support to Skype and of-course a full desktop-standard web browser with full Flash 9 support.
- Price. The N900 is up there with the Droid, iPhone 3GS and HTC HD2. (See my post about WVGA phones for more information)
- One-handed use. The N900 is a two-handed device because most of the user interface only supports landscape mode. This can affect use in ultra-mobile situations.
Unfortunately the backlight has stopped working on my test device now but I’ve managed to get together enough material and make enough notes that I can answer most of your questions on it now. Don’t forget to check out my previous articles and videos on it before you fire-away with queries though.
The global roll-out of the Omnia Pro B7610, a WVGA slider smartphone running on Windows Mobile 6.1 with an 800Mhz ARM11 CPU has been a very staggered, uncoordinated affair, typical of the way Samsung works independently in its different regions. The only reason I’ve got it is because it was one of the best sliders available when I decided it was time to start watching the high-end smartphone sector very closely. The HTC Touch Pro2 was available but as the Omnia Pro was new in the market (I’m still one of the only people to have written detailed English-language posts on it) so I went for it. Despite talk of the Droid, the HD2 and the N900, It’s still one of the best WVGA sliders available right now and with a recent price drop, represents excellent value but it’s disappointing that the Windows Phone upgrade has delayed the launch in most areas. I’m actually waiting for the Windows Phone upgrade before I do my full review on it but I can tell you that the screen is stunning, the keyboards (hard and soft) are great, the camera and camera software is amazing (i’ve tested it in detail against my current camera favorite, the Nokia N82) and Samsung have done a great job with the Touch-Wiz software. It extends wide and deep into Windows Mobile and is not just a user interface, it’s a subsystem and front-end application suite too. As a day-to-day phone (rather than MID) the Omnia Pro is actually better than the N900. It has longer battery life, is cheaper, has nearly all the end-user features of the N900, has more software and the correct focus on voice calling for most people. It is much slower all round and the browser quality is a big step down from the class-leading one you’ll find on the N900 but for 390 Euros (lowest current price in Europe) it is better value than the N900 for most people.
I’ve been focusing heavily on the Omnia Pro in a side project called ‘MyOmniaPro‘ If the B7610 slider interests you, there’s no better resource than the one I’ve created over there!
The Viliv S7 has been an extremely hard device to review. My wife is simply in love with it and has even nicknamed it ‘Willy’ (That’s Villy in her German accent!) The result is that I can’t prise it out of her hands for long enough to be able to write about it. Fortunately, Ben, the co-editor here at UMPCPortal, did an excellent full review for our friends at Pocketables.net and has covered everything I could have ever said about it. I will be writing up an article which focuses on the unique features of the S7 (power/weight/battery life ratio, 3G, convertible touchscreen) but for the time being, take it from me that the Viliv is a solid device, has amazing battery life, great return-from-standby speeds, reaches the usual build-quality standard that we’ve come to expect from Viliv and is a lot of fun to use. Out of the box it’s a much faster device than the U820 and I’d argue that it’s more productive than the Sony Vaio P-Series. Viliv needs to know that the white finish isn’t getting many fans from the male-sector of our readership and as that makes up the most of our readership, maybe they should think about toughening up the looks a bit. The white-leather case just makes the matter worse!
One last note on the S7: Speaker quality and volume…WOW!
If there’s one device that’s proven to me recently that there IS a market out there for dedicated MIDs and that my 3.5 year-old Carrypad idea still has legs, it’s the Archos 5 IT. It also highlights something else that I believe and that’s that ARM-based devices will have the upper-hand in the MID market during 2009. That will carry through until Moorestown finds its feet in late 2010.
Combining a great browsing experience, high-quality YouTube experience, one of my favorite mobile Twitter applications (Twidroid,) good media playback, 32GB storage, WiFi and Bluetooth on an interesting mobile operating system with some interesting applications it shows how the ARM platform has really come of age in the ‘full web experience’ market.
I wouldn’t recommend this as a pro or business-level product to anyone but for those looking for social and entertainment activities at home, in the car, on holiday and in the coffee-shop, I don’t think there’s a better device out there. Only gaming is missing from the line-up of web, music, video, navigation (could do better) and social internet capabilities. At 230 Euros for the 8GB version with Wifi and Bluetooth it sets a new pricing level for MIDs and I’m excited to see what follows. The Dell Streak certainly looks like it could be a better device (keyboard, camera) but the price is still unknown.
When you read about the Motorola Droid/Milestone and the great web experience on that, remember that the Archos is faster and more comfortable due to its bigger screen. It also plays YouTube videos like no other device in the smartphone, MID, netbook or even low-end laptop category. I haven’t bought the TV docking station for this but I’m very close. The DVB-T adaptor is on my list too.
Not a converged, voice-capable or 100% stable device but if you’re into mobile gadgets, this is probably the best Christmas present you could give yourself this year. Go for a low-end SSD version and drop a 16GB Micro-SDHC card in for the best value.
Coming up soon.
We’re looking at the Eking S515 (review unit secured. arrival in the next week), the Viliv S10 (review unit probable. Timescale unknown), Wits A81 (we’re 50:50 on this one as we need to buy it to review it), UMID M2 (need to chase a few people about that one) and Evi Group Pad (contact made. Review unit likely at end of November) and praying for the Dell Streak to just turn up at the door here! We’re also working on the HTC HD2, Motorola Milestone and KAX-15 and as always, waiting for a iPod Plus.
This sentence about the Archos 5 IT is shocking me: “It also plays YouTube videos like no other device in the smartphone, MID, netbook or even low-end laptop category.”
From what I’ve seen, playing YouTube on this device involves playing directly the media file, instead of inside the browser. Am I right?
If it’s the case, any netbook or (Intel) MID can play those files with no problem at all either. Just use Video DownloadHelper (for instance) to download the file and then read them outside of flash.
I’d even add that netbooks and MIDs with a GMA500 IGP (the GPU integrated in the US15W “Poulsbo” chipset) are able to play HD videos — in theory, when the drivers and software is correctly set. Netbooks with Nvidia ION simply plays HD videos under Windows Vista/Seven. Or under XP with the proper choice of software to use hardware decoding.
Let me know if I’m missing the point.
OK Let’s add ‘out-of-the-box’ to my statement!
Chippy, do you think there will be access to a decent linux video driver for poulsbo once moblin 2.1 launches allowing any linux distro to work properly on a Viliv S7 etc?
Thanks
Yes. I think it there will be access to the driver. Maybe even in a few weeks.
2.1 for handhelds, Alpha, is due soon.
Dell Streak seems like the device for me. I was tempted by Viliv because full blown of OS but resistive screen set me back. Some may need a hardware keyboard but iphone has shown that a capacitive with a good implementation of the touch screen greatly closes the gap. Not having a hardware keyboard lives space for a smaller device. Playing with Android 2.0 browser I was able to access and interact with web sites I use for work the same way I am able with my windows laptop. I couldn’t with opera mobile, nokia or windows mobile. Not having a full OS on Streak will mean I have to remotely access my PC to do quick work with some docs while I am traveling or not willing to carry a full Windows machine with a resitive touch screen, but thats is a treade off I am willing to pay if I can have a lighter devise in my pocket with at least 4.8 inch screen
I’m interested in your review of the Viliv S7, as I’m currently waffling back and forth between picking up one of these versus a Fujitsu U820. I understand the Fujitsu will have definite limitations as you compare a HDD vs SSD and XP vs Vista, but I would love to hear your opinion on which is the better device nonetheless.
Wow. That’s a tough one. How mobile are you? The main difference is that the U820 can be used standing up with thumbs where the S7 is just too wide for comfortable thumbing. The S7 is faster out-of-the-box though.
I’d like something I can take back/forth to work with me. The CF slot in the U820 appeals to me since I’m a amateur photo guy. The U820 *looks* like it’s a friendlier tablet device, but I rely on people like you for that confirmation. The S7 is $200 cheaper, and the U820 will require an OS and SSD swap pretty soon after purchase if the reviews I’ve read are correct (ie, Vista and the HDD seem to cripple its performance).
Sorry to go on… I’ll just wait for your review (but appreciate discussion in the meantime).
If you can survive with SD card slot and cf-usb adaptor the s7 might be better. Better screen, cheaper, faster.
jcddvm,
I would also add that the CF slot of the U820 is pretty slow. It has been a complaint of many users that it has very slow throughput. I have a 4gb card in my CF slot and moving files back and forth take much longer than they should. So if you are a photographer and take many photos then expect that the card slot will be your biggest bottleneck. I have the U820 with Vista and the HDD. I am thinking of swapping out for an SSD and Win 7 now that the drivers are out from Fujitsu. I have Vista optimized so that it is a pretty good experience. The U820 is a device that I keep coming back to, even though I seem to pick up just about every device that comes out. For being mobile and having some good computing power it is hard to beat. The S7 is a nice device, I don’t have one because at that size it overlaps a lot of capabilities I already have in other devices. I have had the U820 for over a year now and it lives in my grab and go gadget bag, blue tooth or usb tethers to my Touch Pro 2 with no issues. But for my Canon cameras I find that an external usb cf reader is much much faster.
Excellent! Two votes for Viliv, that’s what I was looking for. I’m no fan for slow CF transfers, so I imagine the convenience of a built-in device on the U820 would lead only to frustration. Thanks for that warning, mobilegadgetgeek!
Last question on the Viliv S7. Dynamism has a deal going for a free battery, but I can find nowhere an independent battery charger. Is there such a thing, or can you only charge batteries in the S7 itself? I’d like to know so I can get all my accessories on the front end.
Thanks!
I’m thinking if i should wait for Dell Streak, or should i go with Archos.
perfect device would be
4.x-5.0 OLED capacitive screen
Camera ~ 5MP Video Rec. D1@24FPS
Andorid OS 2.0
hardware keyboard
SSD Memory
Powerful CPU Cortex A8 @ 800MHz, or Nvidia Tegra?… to play 720p movies..
High Gaming Compatibility :| looks like Android OS has good potential in gaming apps….
If the rumors about the Streak specs are correct, its for you! Actually for me too. If its a real Google Android device ill probaby be buying asap.
Chippy, the Archos has no compass which I think is important for any GPS device. Does the Streak fill in this gap?
The Moto AMP 5 claims to have 3 axis compass and everything else I would want but it doesn’t seem to be real.
Chippy,
Based on you and jkk’s feedback, I’m really tempted to get the Archos 5. But I noticed that many of the customer reviews on Amazon are negative — really negative. Comments like “unusable,” “rubbish,” and “a nightmare.” These reviewers all say it crashes constantly when on the web and that nothing really works well. You and jkk seem to be having a far different experience, though. You say you “don’t think there’s a better device out there” for social, entertainment, and casual web browsing (which is how I’d be using it). Help me reconcile these vastly different opinions on the device.
The first set of devices went out with a terrible build which was totally useless. Latest build (you can update firmware yourself) is much better.
I cant say it’s a perfect device so you need to be prepared for crashes and the frustration of the poor appslib but for the uses I outlined, I think its good value for money. I cant think of anything that is better for the price and future builds would (should) get better. One other thing, dont expect the Google experience on it. None of the Google apps are built-in or available.
Also: Navigation app seems poor although I think its still in beta stage right now.