It looks like Nokia isn't too happy that its big
N8 / Symbian^3 reveal this morning was tarnished by
Eldar Murtazin's harsh preview of the device and OS a few days ago: in a new
Conversations blog post, the company says that Eldar's "salacious headlines" masked the fact that he was looking at a "very early, pre-production prototype with dated software that is not yet ready," and that it only ships products that are "refined, tested, re-tested, evaluated, [and] tested again." Now, Eldar says the devices he examined had the very latest hardware and software, so it's a bit of a he-said-she-said at this point, but there's no denying that Nokia's definitely shipped some not-quite-ready-for-prime-time devices lately -- the N900 and Maemo 5 shipped in
pretty roughed-out form, and the company itself has said the
N97 was a "tremendous disappointment." How that recent history reflects on Symbian^3 and the N8 remains to be seen, but it's clear that Nokia's feeling pretty defensive about things; Eldar's been scooping Espoo's gear for years now and the company's never made a peep about it. Either that, or someone at Nokia is just trying to cash in on all this
iPhone 4 drama by saying things like "we want our prototype back" and "we are not the Secret Police, and we want to maintain our culture of openness," but come on -- that would be a pretty crass publicity stunt, right? We want to believe.
posted April 27th 2010 5:29PM
This comes as a surprise.
Nope, actually bearing in mind Eldar's relationship with Nokia it doesn't.
@MarkAnderson Nokia phones that shipped with standout bugs:
N80
N95
X6
E72
N97
5800
N900
N91
N90
N93
N85
N96
Yeah.
@iLoveApple
And this has what to do with Eldar's relationship with Nokia?
@iLoveApple ok when U mentioned it, tell us one Apple product that came out without a problem in the last 2-3 years
@nk Who said anything about Apple? I'm responding to this:
----and that it only ships products that are "refined, tested, re-tested, evaluated, [and] tested again."----
@iLoveApple ok sry then, your nick got me confused
@iLoveApple
Yeah, they're referring specifically to the N8 though. I mean you couldn't type that about the N97 or the X6 (with original firmware - it's fine now) without bursting into uncontrollable laughter.
@MarkAnderson My N97 is still a pile of crap with the latest firmware. Some things on it cannot be fixed in software - like its small amount of core memory.
@Vaio
Yeah, but photography's just one aspect of the phone. I expect it to be pretty good based on the X6 which, niggles aside, is a fine all rounder but I'm still a bit sceptical about them getting the firmware right first time.
@Angelworks
No argument from me there - the N97 is just horrible.
@iLoveApple
I hate your user name but the phones you listed that I have personally used did in fact ship with pretty shitty nasty bugs on the launch \ production firmware. Upranked.
@MarkAnderson
I'm really glad I chose the i8910 last year instead of the N97...I sold the i8910 recently, but still, even with all the bugs it had (most have been fixed by modder community), it still was \ is not as bad as the N97 is STILL with the latest firmware.
@Angelworks
Agreed.. All the n8 fans who don't have the n97 or n900 waiting for this to come out.......just wait and see when you have this in your hand!
This time next year..you will be as bitter as me about Nokia and their underpowered phones ( slow processor, low ram and the amount of crappy low grade apps on the poor pooor ovi download service)
@iLoveApple
Upranked you because you are correct about the 5800 and N97.
While we can all agree the N97 was a disappointing device, I take comfort knowing that Nokia feels the same way. They know they screwed up with the N97 (and the N900 isn't aimed at the mass market either), and they've said it a million times about how they're going to make sure this doesn't happen again. Considering the fact that this is a slightly new OS, and Nokia's coming out with a new attitude, I expect this to be a solid phone. I hope I'm not wrong, because Nokia is a company I would still love to see competing in the smartphone market.
@MarkAnderson That 12mp cam surely perk someone up. I think i'll go for the silver. Just hopefully it gets released early Q3.
Price is indeed surprising low, but i guess this is the part when they really start moving MeeGo to high end Symbian flagship is already 200 euros cheaper than the previous. Reactions. http://j.mp/nokia-n8-compiled-impressions
@melissafreid
What is the price of this phone? If it's lower than 380usd then imma buy one just for the camera and a htc phone unless htc comes out with a super phone with a good camera. The phone must be unlocked and run on a 3g/gsm network though, as well as 4g cuz that is what my country supports
@kuruptedbhoy
No I won't be as I've been very happy with my 5800 and X6. A couple of bad phones does not mean they all stink.
@MarkAnderson Its been said before but ppl seem to have forgotten so I am going to repeat it again.
Last year Eldar "outed" the n900(RX-51) as the next Nokia device & on his Livejournal & Twitter accounts he raved about it. When Nokia pressured him to reveal his source of getting the prototye (he said it was from Nokia, they said it was a stolen prototype not issued by them and with very early alpha build), his tone changed and went on to recommend a Samsung dumbphone instead! & has been slamming Nokia ever since.
The evidence (if it hasn't been deleted) should still be on the MR forums, twitter & his Livejournal blog.
--------
S^3 since the begining was supposed to iron out the bugs, streamline the interface and lay the groundwork (QT support etc) for s^4 six months later. As such, no one in the know expected it to be groundbreaking. Then again the complain from s60 users was never the functionality but the UX in that it was frustrating due to the number of steps and clicks required. They have already reduced this by 75% in S^3 and should provide a similar experience to the other touch screen OS's.
The proof's in the pudding and people should judge the device for themselves upon its release 4-5 months from now rather than a rant based on a 8month old prototype.
@nk
And also to put things in perspective, the early iphone 4G, lost/stolen didn't even boot in public !!
@luckys ahahahahaha true true :D
Why not just let them review it but just make sure the reviewers say that it is running early and not fully baked software?
@Teslanaut
I think the "review" and Eldar is a big joke!! Come on, if the SW was ready we would be able to buy the N8 tomorrow. It's like a writer wouldn't use spell-check and an editor before publishing a book. Eldar is saying that it's "nothing special" and "good average phone". Riiiight....12MPX, 720P, 3,5" OLED etc etc, very average! He even tweeted saying there's actually now 2 different HW's, whatever, what a tool!!
@Teslanaut Ask this to uncle Steve... He wants to jail the gizmodo guys.
All of those prototypes they belong to the company.
IMO, Eldar is lying. All Nokia prototypes have on the back, and some in the front, "property of Nokia". So, he is saying that this one does not even have the inscription. I call it BS. ALL, and when I say ALL I mean I never saw a proto from Nokia without that tag/inscription, come with property of Nokia.
What caught my attention in this little blog post from Engadget is that they still try to discredit Nokia from requiring its property and mocking for trying to imitate Apple to get some PR, as if its wrong from Nokia to be doing EXACTLY what Apple is doing.
When Apple does it = fine
When Nokia does it = playing catch up, pr stunt, and so on.
Engadget blabber is like tea party: "I am not saying your mom is a wh0r3 I am just speculating that she sleeps with tons of guys for money"
Cell phone leaks are the new celebrity scandals.
@AckbarsFist And ... roger that.
So.. they are admitting its not finished?
If thats so it's Deja Vu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJpEuMidcSU
@commenter7 Yep.
Nokia continually provides that deja vu feeling to their purchasers every year. What a reliable company.
/s
@commenter7
Err... no. They're saying the device and firmware Eldar has is old. Judging from Eldar's Twitters it's probably at least a month or two older than the latest versions.
@MarkAnderson
yes but that doesnt mean the latest build would be that much different, I mean S60 v5 for example hardly changed since the day it was released
@commenter7
Nonsense. The 5800 for example has had 4 major firmware revisions which have introduce kinetic scrolling, keyboard activation, improved application launching and a gazillion other tweaks.
Quite aside from the fact that the n8 doesn't run S60v5 - Symbian^1 - it runs Symbian^3.
@MarkAnderson
fair enough, however the N97 did dissapoint alot of people, lets just hope Nokia learns from their mistakes but judging from what we have seen so far, its quite unlikely, I could be wrong though
@commenter7
Absolutely - the N97 was a big bucket of s**t without the saving grace of actually having a bucket. A disgrace just as the N96 was.
The point I don't get about Eldar's rant is that we all knew the purpose of Symbian^3 was to correct the mistakes made with Symbian^1 - it is purely a cosmetic makeover to remove the more irritating stuff like single/double clicks, etc. He even moans about this in mobile review in February.
Then he has a pop at Symbian^3 because the OS is just a cosmetic improvement to Symbian^1... which he already knows and has already whined about two months earlier. He even says that it's great that Symbian^4 - which is the real rewrite - is coming out in 2011. That's what I don't get - bitching about something not being a radical change when he knew it was never going to be.
@MarkAnderson
I think the real issue with Nokia is that they are a hardware company and not a software company - just look at their PC Suite and Ovi desktop software - I have NEVER used one release that is not buggy - same goes with all of their phones of which I have owned (many).
I like Nokia and will continue to buy their products (just a personal thing I guess), but I continually get stung on every product purchased (my 5800 home screen has a software bug that does not allow the touch dial or apps to be used for example - nice. 4 firmware updates and still a known issue).
finnished or not the main problem was UI and thats the thing thats gonna stay, I use to be a huge Nokias fan, but now...its all about the design Nokia ...ALL ABOUT THE DESIGN
test
Refined? Tested?
lol - nokia please (seriously) explain the N97, and to a lesser extent every single smart phone you've ever release?
I'll never buy another Nokia product for as long as I live because the N97.
@Angelworks
Exactly..
Even months after it's released they will claim it's an early build and needs to be fixed.
Why sell it to people and charge a fortune for something that sucks shit and doesn't work as demonstrated!? Nokia is so frustrating.
@Angelworks
Excuse me? Their E-Series phones were some of the best phones released during their times. The N95 is one of the most popular smartphones ever. The N97 was indeed a flop, but the 5800 sold like crazy in the UK and mainland EU.
Sweeping statements like that will get you labeled as a fan boy. Learn to generalize without exaggerating, or making things up.
@Angelworks The N97 was a faulty device, they were rushed into the touch-screen business along with all other manufracturers because of Apple, so they tried and failed.
TBH, all smartphones with touch capabilities that came out in that time-frame, were bad. Nokia was by far the best when it came to it's OS, yes it wasn't touch friendly, but it was more functional and still is most functional up to date.
Also, as soon as this comes out i'll sell my 3GS for it. I'm tired of crappy headphones, usb cables and mediocre apple policy.
@jellotime91 Nokia is not responsible for the failed intellect of most humans.
@Angelworks Yes I do mean other phones other than the N97. My brother has an e71x that crashes on startup that requires he remove the battery, then it starts up ok.
My n95 I admit was rock solid, but it cost as much as an iPhone and had 1/10th the features - even though it was released around the same time.
The N97 I have right now is a lemon - it works for the most part, but every single thing on it is slow and clunky, it crashes a lot, apps close because it doesn't have enough memory and they are buggy. I really am so jaded I'd never buy another Nokia phone ever again, and I'd warn ANYONE thinking about the N8 to read lots of reviews before even thinking about getting one.
If they gave me one - I'd use it, but I'd never spend good money (no matter how much) on a N8.
@M3 Creative criticism in any forum related to Nokia is labeled as "Fanboy" even if the criticism is coming from a Nokia owner or a nokia fanatic...
Most people who criticize certain shortcomings off Nokia products which heeds to deaf ear at Espoo. I quit iPhone and came to nokia X6 my first touchscreen..and cannot tell you how disappointed I am with the product..Never thought Nokia would sell a product like that with that OS. Nokia might have sold millions of touchscreen 5800s...but they are loosing mindshare when it comes to S60 OS 5. We all hope symbian ^3 and ^4 are better OS...but the fact off the matter is that it is an uphill battle for them to win back their customers who moved to iPhone and Android OS. N8 seems to be a good device...but my skepticism is what's running it and how user friendly it is...
@livindreamer
"I quit iPhone and came to nokia X6 my first touchscreen"
Uh...the iPhone is a touchscreen so the X6 wasn't your first.
@Angelworks "My n95 I admit was rock solid, but it cost as much as an iPhone and had 1/10th the features - even though it was released around the same time."
What were the other 9/10ths, touchscreen?
Mind you, the N95 had a GPS, FF-cam, and 3G before the iPhone.
@Angelworks
N95 had 1/10th the features of the iPhone? ARE YOU FUCKING INSANE? The first iPhone lacked at least 30 basic features of the 2006 N95. It took Apple 2 years with the 3GS to put all the shit in the N95. STILL, it has less features. Unless you consider touchscreen a feature - no, 47 features in one.
@Angelworks "My n95 I admit was rock solid, but it cost as much as an iPhone and had 1/10th the features"
You got to be kidding me. Featurewise the N95 was one of the most complete smartphones of its time, starting with HSDPA, GPS, a good camera, to things like TV out, a SIP client, a VPN client, a comprehensive BT stack and so on... The original iPhone sucked ass (again, featurewise) compared to it.
@N900 And multi-tasking, auto focus camera, native applications, FLASH... The list goes on
@fabarati
And miniUSB, barcode reader, tether, modem capability, camera flash, CZ optics, FREE ONBOARD MAPS, file system... but all these dozens of features put together are nothing compared to the power of the concentrated Kool-Aid that is... scrolling content with your finger.
@DaHauns Great, but when it came to text messaging, or actually using any of those apps it really sucked - at least for me it did. My N95 wasn't all that special because it lacked a keyboard - if it had one I'd still be using it right now.
I guess what I should have said is I probably would have been happier with an iPhone (same price actually) since its user experience is better - even though on paper its inferior.
Man Nokia fanboys are way worse than the Apple people. You're talking to a guy who has had more Nokia phones than most people on here.
@Angelworks Yeah, maybe you should have. "I wasn't sold on the interface itself, the hardware was fine but I didn't like S60." makes much more sense from the starting line.
And anybody responding to you would have agreed with you. I agree with you that S60, while functional and capable, isn't that pretty of an OS unless you skin it.
Instead, you're taking the low road now and calling us all Nokia fanboys. Doesn't really help the situation in hindsight, does it?