Nokia N8 gets lots of stick in early reviews, we wonder why

03 October, 2010
The Nokia N8 started shipping this week and reviews of the Finnish company's latest flagship are spreading like wildfire. Checking out the first batch of those we noticed a certain trend, which we cannot...

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  • m
  • miscof_3
  • vaQ
  • 06 Oct 2010

hellerman, 05 Oct 2010It makes literally NO sense when you declare that Nokia har... moreIt makes literally NO sense when you declare that Nokia hardware isn't good compared to other because it wouldn't run good if you were to port another OS on it.

In fact, what ARE you talking about anyway? You can't port Android to Symbian, end of story. Also, the N8 is made out of anodized aluminium, the same internals carved into the expensive laptops out there. It also has a gorilla-glass screen, on the front, and as a camera lena protector on the back, so the hardware is good in that sense.

Lastly, stop comparing Android and Symbian like "all you need to do is take this RAM here and put it here". It doesn't work like that. They are designed ti handle internals in different ways. That's why the N8 doesn't require so much RAM or Ghz. Have you seen the scrolling through albums? It handles that with ease.

good point hellerman, but, im not comparing android with symbian, i dont even like android... im just explaining the power of a good hardware. android is a very demanding os, requiring a lot from the phone, so is wp7 and ios... and you said it yourself, n8 isnt good in running android os, its because its hardware specs isnt that high enough unlike the wave s8500. true, n8 is durable but the usability just is limited to symbian alone, nothing more unlike n900. but you gotta admit, 512 mb ram is better than 256 mb ram right? so why buy n8 if theres a better phone, not unless all you want in an n8 is its camera... and fyi, android cant definitely be ported to symbian because symbian is an os, not a phone...

    • m
    • miscof_2
    • vaQ
    • 06 Oct 2010

    Anonymous, 05 Oct 2010Why put android on this? If people want android, they'll bu... moreWhy put android on this? If people want android, they'll buy android phones.


    Android is battery eater

    im just insinuating that n8 harwares are not that great, that it cant run gingerbread. yes, it eats a lot of power, and that's another reason wave s8500 is better than n8 because it has a better battery... so if you're gonna buy n8 think it over and buy wave s8500 instead...

      • m
      • miscof_1
      • vaQ
      • 06 Oct 2010

      Anonymous, 05 Oct 2010Lamer... N900 has the 3GS hardware and iOS isn't ported on ... moreLamer... N900 has the 3GS hardware and iOS isn't ported on anything because it's closed source and manufacturers aren't interested in it because it $ucks$.

      Here's why:
      1) http://theiphonefever.blogspot...ia-flop.html

      2) http://theiphonefever.blogspot...nt-list.html

      what are you even saying? and how can 3gs suck? though its expensive for a phone, many are still buying... is does how it sucks?

        • N
        • Nokia Fan
        • Rwj
        • 06 Oct 2010

        A Sad Nokia Fan, 06 Oct 2010Nokia's new N8 smartphone has impressive specifications and... moreI agree with some of the statements.But the demand processor speed depends up on the OS.Other mobiles like HTC 4G ,Droid 2,Galaxy are not running in symbian platform.For Symbian OS this processor (N8's) speed and 3D graphics HW accelerator is more than enuf :) .For other OS the requirments are much much higher so they need higher processing speed.Every OS has its own flaws.iphone/Android/Symbian are having its own draw backs.Market share of symbian may go down below 40%.But that is good for users; as competition increases we will get better phones with advanced technology ;).

          • ?
          • Anonymous
          • S6p
          • 06 Oct 2010

          Anonymous, 06 Oct 2010I thought Mobile Review.com is European and now it hates th... moreMobileReview is Eldar Murtazin's site. If you have followed tech news at all, you'll know that he's on the outs with Nokia. This is why nothing on his site referring to Nokia can ever be considered impartial.

            • ?
            • Anonymous
            • ib1
            • 06 Oct 2010

            symbian rocks

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              • Fernando
              • NH8
              • 06 Oct 2010

              GSM Arena is the benchmark of mobile phone reviews websites, due to their unbiased and technical superior reviews. I know the websites mentioned here and I would like to say as a professional in this space that the comments made by GSM Arena is absolutely correct in my opinion and that the Nokia N8 have much to offer. Having owned the latest and greatest of Mobile Technology from consumer to exotic handsets, Nokia N8 is more than just another attempt at Apple iPhone, it makes its own statement with own character and is indeed an compelling offering by any standard.

                • ?
                • Anonymous
                • Er2
                • 06 Oct 2010

                Anonymous, 06 Oct 2010Most Nokia haters are American. They hate it for Symbian, w... moreI thought Mobile Review.com is European and now it hates the almighty brand the most...

                  • ?
                  • Anonymous
                  • pqB
                  • 06 Oct 2010

                  Gizmondo's Jason Chen issues an apology! Calls N8 better than any iPhone ever created and serious competition for iPhone 5:
                  http://theiphonefever.blogspot.com/p/idont-list.html

                  AWESOME NEWS!

                    • ?
                    • Anonymous
                    • t7X
                    • 06 Oct 2010

                    A Sad Nokia Fan, 06 Oct 2010Nokia's new N8 smartphone has impressive specifications and... moreUsers are allowed to replace the battery, with the right tool.


                    And for sure there will be battery extenders for this, just like the iphone.

                      • ?
                      • Anonymous
                      • S6p
                      • 06 Oct 2010

                      Anonymous, 06 Oct 2010? just skimmed through mobile-review's camera comparison, ... moreIt is not a full review nor a full comparison. This article is just a tidbit for anxious readers out there until the full review is read. What's so hard to understand?

                        • ?
                        • Anonymous
                        • S6p
                        • 06 Oct 2010

                        ThineMother, 05 Oct 2010Clearly they have a problem with symbian itself, its not a ... moreMost Nokia haters are American. They hate it for Symbian, which is not American. See any relation here? I do. American blog sites feed the hate in Apple/Android fans and those come to other blogs such as GSMA and vent their hate here. Face it, Americans have zero tolerance for other nations' or people's success. Especially if that success eclipses their own. This is why the hate campaign against Nokia has reached an unprecedented high. The N8 beats all the mobile devices out there in many areas, and US hardware/software manufacturers are feeling threatened.

                          • n
                          • nyahahaha
                          • 2A3
                          • 06 Oct 2010

                          A Sad Nokia Fan, 06 Oct 2010Nokia's new N8 smartphone has impressive specifications and... morenice try buddy,but your arguments has no weight in Nokia N8 sales..

                            • A
                            • A Sad Nokia Fan
                            • uZ9
                            • 06 Oct 2010

                            Nokia's new N8 smartphone has impressive specifications and is perhaps the best smartphone the Finnish mobile phone maker has launched yet. Its powerful camera features, Symbian 3 OS, and huge storage capacity (up to 48GB via a MicroSD card slot) are certain to attract early adopters. But can it be a threat to Apple's iPhone 4?

                            Analysts don't think so. Though the N8 is "a clear improvement" over previous Nokia offerings, Gartner analyst Carolina Milanesi believes that the N8 won't wipe the floor with the competition.

                            According to independent technology analyst Per Lindberg, the N8 is "certainly a step in the right direction (as) it's much more multimedia" than previous Nokia smartphones, but "whether it will move Nokia's market share upwards is more debatable."

                            Ovum's Tony Cripps also thinks the N8 is far from being industry changing: "I don't think Nokia would position the N8 as a revolutionary device."

                            There are five reasons the N8 won't be able to beat the iPhone 4 or the latest smartphones from rivals such as Motorola, HTC, or Samsung.

                            1. Weak processor. Nokia claims the N8 has a "lightning-fast processor" and is capable of rendering graphics and playing videos and games "smoother and faster" than previous Nokia smartphones.

                            Technically, Nokia is right, because its last smartphone, the N97, ran on a 434MHz processor, while the N8 runs at 680MHz. However, to call the N8's processor "lightning-fast" is a misnomer. The iPhone 4, HTC's Evo 4G, Motorola's Droid 2, and Samsung's Galaxy S all run on a more powerful 1GHz processor. Comparing the N8 processor to these models is like comparing an Oldsmobile to a Lamborghini.

                            2. Low memory. For a top-end smartphone, the N8 has a low memory capacity. The device has only 256MB of SDRAM, while its high-end rivals boast twice as much. If you run too many applications at once, the N8 will quickly succumb to the pressure.

                            3. Symbian OS. Although Symbian OS is N8's strength, it is also its biggest weakness.

                            According to Gartner, even though Symbian OS will have controlled 40.1% of the smartphone market in 2010, it will witness a sharp drop to 30.2% by 2014. The only OS expected to gain ground over the period is Google's Android platform, whose market share will surge from 17.7% in 2010 to 29.6% in 2014. But even Research In Motion, Apple, and Microsoft are expected to lose less OS share than Nokia will.

                            According to CCS Insight analyst Ben Wood, Nokia's new smartphones were "critical" in the fight to grab market share, but the Symbian software, despite refinements aimed at making it easier for developers to write apps for the phones, was "not positioned to challenge the iPhone."

                            "Nobody doubts Nokia's credentials. It has the market share but has lost the mindshare," Wood said. "Nokia, along with all the other mobile manufacturers, has been wrongfooted by Apple and Google, and it will be a tough road to recovery."

                            There's nothing to set Symbian apart from its competition, and that's contributing to its sharp decline. Symbian devices are also unable to update beyond the core system software with which they shipped. Updates are an essential part of how smartphones work -- not only to offer bug fixes, but also to introduce new features and develop brand equity and loyal users. Android, BlackBerry OS, and Apple's iOS all offer upgrade paths beyond core system updates. For instance, users of the two-year-old 3G iPhone can upgrade their device from iOS 2.0 to iOS 4.1. Likewise, anyone who got a Motorola Droid last year can switch from Android 2.0 to Android 2.2. But Nokia has historically not supported a commercial upgrade path for older Symbian-based devices.

                            4. Internal battery. Like the iPhone, the N8's battery is sealed inside the unit. Nokia has recommended that N8 users not try replacing the battery. "It can easily be replaced at a Nokia service center," the company said in a blog post.

                            5. Price. The N8 will cost $549 in the United States. Meanwhile, you can get a 32GB iPhone 4 for $299 by signing a two-year contract with AT&T. Other top-end smartphones -- including the BlackBerry Torch 9800, Droid 2, Evo 4G, and Samsung Galaxy S -- are available at subsidized prices between $149 and $249 when you sign with a provider.

                            Not surprisingly, some observers believe that Nokia's insistence on selling its devices unsubsidized and without operator input represents an arrogance on the company's part that has become its pitfall.

                            Conclusion
                            The N8 is no iPhone killer. It may also have a hard time competing with other leading smartphones. But analysts suggest that the N8 represents a good start from a company that's always struggled in the high-margin smartphone segment and could herald the start of a good fight toward smartphone leadership.

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                              • yeah
                              • t7J
                              • 06 Oct 2010

                              jasdeep, 06 Oct 2010se is the best.12 mp of nokia wud be equal to 5 mp of se.guess they didnt include satio in the shootout because it was out phased by pixon.

                                • j
                                • jasdeep
                                • up9
                                • 06 Oct 2010

                                se is the best.12 mp of nokia wud be equal to 5 mp of se.

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                                  • allan
                                  • QKq
                                  • 06 Oct 2010

                                  n8 need to have two sim card and it will be the best phone

                                    • F
                                    • Fostil
                                    • nCj
                                    • 06 Oct 2010

                                    hx-custom-roms.com/?p=2545

                                    Check this out. Best symbian custom fw cooker hyperX did it again. This time with N8. Increased photo quality and size from 2mb to 11mb. And video recording rised to 30fps!

                                      • ?
                                      • Anonymous
                                      • 3LU
                                      • 06 Oct 2010

                                      how can people say that the processor is slow
                                      n8 has a cpu and a gpu
                                      e.g. htc desire has only 1ghz cpu which acts as a gpu as well

                                      also, you have to realize that symbian is less power hungry and the screen resolution is lower, which does count!

                                      if n8 did have a 1ghz cpu and a gpu, it would be the fastest mobile ever and would probably cost more


                                      as for the ram, it uses virtual ram


                                      those two things make n8 very energy efficient and although i would want a 1500mah battery, it will still last longer than any hi-end smartphone
                                      like with engines, you can have a 100hp engine in a truck - or 68hp in a city car. which would be faster?