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Most so-called iPhone alternatives are nothing of the sort
I think a lot of people are getting confused as to what expensive phones are actually designed for. Analysts are trying to compare the iPhone to efforts from other companies, or folks like Walt are touting the Nokia N95 and BlackBerry Curve as potential alternatives. While I might be a little biased since I write for TUAW, I still think these are bad comparisons. Just because a phone costs north of $400 or $500, doesn't mean that phone is designed for the same purposes as any other phone in the general vicinity of its price. Take the Nokia N95, for example - it's an über-camera phone (which costs nearly $800, by the way). That's what it does. It has a freaking 5 megapixel camera that is making mobile photo geeks go nuts, and that's what it should do. It doesn't have any form of a full QWERTY keyboard, and it isn't designed to be a full-featured multimedia rollercoaster ride of music, movies, and podcasts. It's an über-camera phone. Period.
Nokia N95 + RC plane = unlimited DIY aerial photography
If you've found yourself tempted by other interesting DIY aerial photography rigs, but spent all your dough on the Nokia N95 instead, you may still be able to make a lifelong (or momentary) dream come true. A pioneering lad over at the N95 Blog has suggested that nearly unlimited high-resolution aerial photography can be yours if you're willing to strap your precious handset to an RC plane and get savvy with Pict'Earth software. The application allows users to create a theoretical Google Earth of their own if the existing imagery isn't up to snuff with their personal standards. Still, we'd have to mull this one over mighty hard before attaching such a valuable communicator to a potential death bed, but feel free to let us know how things go if you can muster the courage.[Via AllAboutSymbian]
Dell selling unlocked high-end Nokia phones online
In a welcome, yet odd, development, Dell has started selling several high-end Nokia phones in an unlocked state via its online store. So far searches reveal that Dell is selling the Nokia N80, E61i, and E61 for around $400, and the N95 for $732. Those prices don't sound too great when compared to in-contract prices, but compared to similar unlocked offerings from high street stores they're pretty damn competitive. Besides, it doesn't look as if Dell is partnering with any mobile operators, and is instead highlighting the unlocked prices. Unlocked cellphone price war, anyone? If Dell's in the game, then you can bet that others will join.
Keepin' it real fake, part LIX: E-PDA V16 mocks Nokia N95
Can't afford the $750 or so required to pick up a Nokia N95 right now? Fret not, as the Chinese knockoff factories have been workin' overtime in order to crank out a somewhat similar alternative to fit the bill. The E-PDA V16 comes in a bit larger than the authentic iteration and includes a three-inch QVGA touchscreen, three-megapixel camera, Bluetooth, multimedia player, and a touch of tacky to top things off. Of course, any of your pals that are in the know won't be impressed by your futile attempts to fool 'em, but considering that this thing won't cost you nearly as much coin as the real deal, it might be worth the embarrassment (or not). Catch a few more snapshots of the impostor after the jump.[Via iTechNews, thanks lionsense]
Keepin' it real fake, part LXI: E-PDA V16 mocks Nokia N95
Can't afford the $750 or so required to pick up a Nokia N95 right now? Fret not, as the Chinese knockoff factories have been workin' overtime in order to crank out a somewhat similar alternative to fit the bill. The E-PDA V16 comes in a bit larger than the authentic iteration and includes a three-inch QVGA touchscreen, three-megapixel camera, Bluetooth, multimedia player, and a touch of tacky to top things off. Of course, any of your pals that are in the know won't be impressed by your futile attempts to fool 'em, but considering that this thing won't cost you nearly as much coin as the real deal, it might be worth the embarrassment (or not). Catch a few more snapshots of the impostor after the jump.[Via iTechNews, thanks lionsense]
Battle of the 3+ megapixel cameraphones
Comparing cameraphone image quality can be a tough nut; apart from obvious things like poor focus or grainy quality, it can be a pretty subjective beast. PhoneArena went wild with high end handsets to give us a "thousand-angle" view of what it takes to stand out in an über (notice the umlauted u? We don't do that often, so this is serious business) shootout between three 3 megapixel cams -- including the D900, K800, and N93i -- and the KG920 and N95 at 5 megapixels. Each handset is put through a series of grueling tests including shooting outdoors, night shots, and macro mode with points awarded based on how they fare in each challenge. We won't spoil the read for you, but as a hint the winner rhymes with "okia." Hit the read link to check it out.[Thanks, Orhan C]
T-Mobile USA to get Nokia N95?
We're not too sure what to make of this, but the industry journal Mobile/Cellular Technology slips a couple interesting details in its profile page for T-Mobile USA: one, that it'll be picking up the Nokia N90 (a little old, no?), and more interestingly, that it'll also rock the N95. To be fair, they manage to accidentally swap the N90's and N95's pictures in their sidebar, so they may have absolutely no idea what they're talking about, but for a country (and a carrier) starved for S60 devices, this is a rumor we'd very much like to cling to. As always, we'll remain cautiously optimistic until we're given sufficient reason to the contrary.[Thanks, Ray D.]
Keepin' it real fake, part LV: Nokia N95 gets cloned
We love Tuesday, and even more so when said day includes a couple knockoffs of the ever-so-hot Nokia N95. The Nokia-N95 and MB1500 (pictured top and bottom respectively) eschew sliding action for the traditional candybar format, a touchscreen (complete with that ever-present set of fixed icons on the lower part of the screen), forward-facing camera, and various other specs that we can't make out from the pics. The MB1500, however, has a rear camera that claims to be a Carl Zeiss 5 megapixel piece with autofocus and appears to be running something resembling Windows Mobile 6 (the doubt factor on both those points is at an all-time high over here at Engadget central). These handsets looks fairly legit, and judging by the real N95's popularity, we can expect a few more iterations like this, the highest form of flattery, in the coming months.Read - Nokia-N95Read - MB1500
Nokia installs clever touchscreen game to market N95
These days, it really takes something special to catch to eye of the desensitized market, and Nokia's shifting the focus back to the consumer with its lighthearted touchscreen game at a London bus stop. The interactive advertisement requests that the player flip the pockets in order to find matches, but it also insinuates that the sleek Nokia N95 smartphone is just too slim and inconspicuous to readily pick out. Of course, we highly doubt it's all that difficult to spot after a flip or two, but the idea here is novel nonetheless. If nothing else, it sure breaks up the boredom (or frustration) felt whilst waiting on the next bus, so be sure to click on through for a video of the thing so you'll know it when you cross it.[Via FreshCreation]
Nokia N95 sees crippling by UK carriers
Are you one of those Windows Mobile handset VoIP hackboys / hackgirls (wireless Skype, anyone)? How about that voice minute-less wireless VoIP on that Orange or Vodafone Nokia N95 handset? Wait, let's go back a bit -- right back to that Nokia S60 flagship handset in Europe. It appears that Vodafone and Orange in the UK have removed an important feature from carrier-branded N95s there. In what can be considered one extreme example of handset crippling, the two carriers have apparently stripped the N95 on store shelves of is VoIP capability in an attempt to preserve voice revenue. The solution -- as always with GSM carriers -- is to buy the more expensive, unlocked N95 and install your Symbian VoIP client of choice. Did we say we can't stand carrier-branded madness like this?
The 2006 Engadget Awards: Vote for the Most Anticipated Gadget of 2007
We're down to the last three, everybody -- the biggies. And sure, it may be 2007 now, but it's still entirely possible for you to cast your ballot for the Most Anticipated Gadget of 2007! Our Engadget Awards nominees are listed below, and you've got until 11.59PM EST on Wednesday, April 18th to file your vote. You can only vote once, so make it count, and may the best tech win! The nominees: Apple iPhone, Apple iPod (6g), Nokia N95, Optimus Maxiumus keyboard, PSP 2, SED HDTVs, and Vista / CableCARD PCs. %Poll-353%
This Nokia N95 is listening
So we get the Big Brother / CIA / James Bond appeal of a phone that sends all ambient audio, phone calls, and text messages to a third party; we really do. What we can't fathom, though, is what circumstance would lead to you giving a frickin' N95 to someone you're trying to spy on. If you're trying to spy on them, that presumably means that you're not on the best of terms -- and frankly, if we got a $1,000 handset from an enemy of ours with no strings attached, we'd be just a tad suspect of the device. Anyhoo, if you've got money to burn and privacy to violate, this Nokia N95 specially equipped with "Interceptor Software" will keep you in the loop on any form of communication its user engages in. Oh, and at £2,300 (about $4,560), you'd better really need to eavesdrop.[Via SCI FI Tech]
Hands-on with the Nokia N95
There's something about a $750 mobile that incites conflicted feelings of shock, awe, lust, and disgust in its beholder. It's unavoidable. Every time you lay eyes on the N95, you can almost hear Nokia saying, "we're through playin' -- this is our phone multimedia computer to end all phones. We know it's not for everyone, but whatever, here it is." As a reviewer with a unit on loan, your paranoia runs deep; you start to have irrational thoughts about your precious cargo being run over by garbage trucks, lost down sewer drains, and stolen by shadowy figures in darkened alleys, so we can't even imagine what kinds of nightmares keep actual owners of this superphone awake at night. Alas, we hear sales have been strong, with units hard to come by just days after its US debut. Is the love justified? Read on for our quick take. Gallery: Hands-on with the Nokia N95
Nokia unloads N95 on US flagships
In the plus column, Nokia's gotten consistently better and better about keeping the US -- or its two US flagship stores, at least -- in the loop on its hottest releases, and as "hot releases" go, it really doesn't get much hotter than the GPS-sportin', HSDPA-havin' dual slide N95. In the minus column, though, the guts inside the American N95 are identical to its European counterparts, meaning we still have to go without any 3G data (let alone HSDPA, a Nokia first). Is it just us, or is EDGE no longer cool? Anyway, yeah, grab yours next time you're in New York or Chicago for a stout $750.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Nokia adding gray to N95 color palette?
If neither "plum" nor "sand" were to your liking, it seems the Nokia N95 palette is already expanding just weeks into its official release. Nokia doesn't seem to be admitting it yet, but a HowardForums member recently took delivery of an N95 decked out in dark gray (the bottom device, compared to a plum example on the top). We can only hope Espoo's going to bless this one as being available to the public at large, since it'd clearly make for a more business-savvy (never mind neutral) choice than either beige or purple -- and remember, Nokia, an expanded selection was promised at some point![Via Just Another Mobile Phone Blog, image via Darla Mack, thanks Benny]
Nokia's N95 unboxed
Having just started shipping today, you'll be hard pressed to find Nokia's N95 gracing the shelves of your local high street shop. That little fact didn't stop the kids over at All About Symbian from getting their mits on a new production unit however. They weren't planning on a formal unboxing until they found the latest N-Series sporting some of that new (for Nokia) "arty, minimalist packaging" adored by unboxers the world over. The inclusion of a 2GB microSD card (with adapter) was a notable bonus, too.
Nokia's N95 now shipping... everywhere but here
It's not much use to those of us in North America but Nokia flagship "multimedia computer" just launched pretty much everywhere but here. It's mid-march which means the €550 ($736) Nokia's N95 is now shipping in "key markets" spread across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. So while the rest of world is enjoying that 5 megapixel camera, integrated GPS, WiFi, HSDPA, and dual-slidin' S60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 1 action, we get to probe the FCC filing in hopes of a hint for a release closer to home. Remember, if you do manage to snap one up then please let us know where and for how much dinero -- mama says it's good to share.
Nokia's YouTube features in action
We weren't exactly sure what sort of level of integration to expect from this YouTube and Nokia dealio, and now we've got some legit video proof that's simultaneously promising and disappointing. On the plus side, the YouTube videos seem to be easy access, and are accompanied by a nice collection of other RSS-subscribable vids, which makes content consumption much less of a chore than it can tend to be on phones. It's also nice to see that the YouTube channel being accessed seems to be for the most part a stream of YouTube's featured videos, so you can keep up with what all the cool kids are watching. Unfortunately, it looks like the selection stops there: no search or browsing capabilities to speak of. From the looks of things, you might be able to subscribe to other YouTube channels, but it seems that dreams of free-roaming mobile access to YouTube content will have to be put on hold for the time being. What we do know is that more partnerships are in the works, so hopefully YouTube will keep on trying out partners until somebody actually gets it right. The video is after the break. [Via Ring Nokia]
Nokia's N95 gets FCC approval
The lovingly gracious FCC has yet again spoiled the secret party on another handset, as we spied the Nokia N95 with all its technical and RF detail at the FCC website. This means, umm, the N95 will probably be here in the U.S. by maybe June (or not). With the average delays we see from FCC approval to hitting carrier shelves being months (many months sometimes), the N95 should wash ashore by early summer -- and maybe late Spring. With the N95 being such a high-end handset, though, maybe Nokia is planning to sell it directly from its new retail storefront(s) instead of going straight to a carrier. Both T-Mobile and Cingular (err, at&t) are not that known for carrying manufacturer flagships (and the N95 may be that in some form), so will Nokia shun the carriers this time around with this UMTS / HSDPA unit? Most likely, yes.
Nokia N95 set for mid-March UK launch date?
Mmm, launch dates. We can't help but thank our lucky stars a bit for this one, but we'll admit, knowing that we'll have to wait around two extra months to see Nokia's N95 make its way into retail distribution channels is a bit tough to stomach. After finally seeing this mobile get legit, get reviewed, get set back, and get picked up by Doctor Z himself, we're delighted that the blokes (and gals) across the pond won't be waiting too much longer for their own turn. According to MobileToday, the forthcoming Nokia will hit UK users "in the second week of March," and after a fortnight of exclusivity in the UK, it'll then be loosed onto other parts of Europe. Of course, Nokia is mum on the whole deal, so we're not hearing any more juicy details just yet, but hey, knowing how long you've got to save up is reason enough to celebrate, right?[Via DarlaMack]