Now that’s a fair amount of linkbait right there, but before I reveal which handset I’m going to bestow such a high prize upon (chortle), let’s first cover off those who definitely haven’t won my phone of the year.
The first phone it’s definitely not, is the iPhone.
Before you all launch into the whole ‘iPhone is the best thing in the world’ spiel and flame me from here well into 2012, just stop and think. The iPhone was – and arguably still very much is in its 3GS form – a luxury device.
Costing at the absolute minimum £300 – £400 either on PAYG or on contract, the iPhone has priced itself out of the competition by attempting to manufacture an allure of exclusivity. Yes, the iPhone is a great handset, but phone of the year it is not.
Nor for that matter, is the HTC Hero.
An Android device heralded by some as the best yet, after having a hands-on, I must say that I still prefer the HTC Magic. Either way, the still ‘in beta’ Android OS is yet to break into the hearts and minds of the mass-market. Though I have a very strong suspicion that – what with the upcoming Nexus launch next month and the apparently awesome work that the Motorola Droid is doing stateside – Android will truly arrive in 2010.
What about the Palm Pre? Er…Not a chance.
Which of course, leaves us with Nokia.
Is it the N97?
No. The early firmware troubles playing a key factor here, leaving the mobile users of the world divided. The mini may yet turn things around, but has arrived too late for this party.
Could it be the N86 8MP?
Close, very close in fact. For me, the N86 would have snagged it, but you simply don’t see it anywhere. I know that I personally have been responsible for at least ten sales of the N86 from an extended network of friends reading the N86 review I wrote earlier this year. However, the networks didn’t buy into it and – as we all know – without operator backing, nothing sells.
So what does that leave us with?
Of course, the N900 – right? Wrong. The N900 has only just been released! So how on earth could it even be a contender? Even though Dan loves his and I love mine, here – the N900 does not win. Not this year anyway.
No, the handset that I’ve chosen as my phone of the year is…
This phone, launched in January 2009, brought touchscreen smartphones to the masses in a way that no other handset has yet to reproduce. Two years ago, such an accolade would have gone to the Nokia N95; ubiquitous, funtional and a big step towards change in the mobile computing world. You couldn’t move for N95s when you asked anyone what phone they had.
For me, this year (and based on entirely the same science), the 5800 snags it.
I’ve had one in my possession since around March or April, and I am STILL using it. Be it as a secondary device or as an email device, this small yet functional phone is the 2009 equivalent of the N95, no scratch that – the N73. Not the best in class by any stretch, but pitched at exactly the right price, at exactly the right market, this handset has sold by the bucket load. The 5800 has repeated that success. On the tube, on the bus, in the pub and on the street, I see the 5800 everywhere.
Available for less than £200 SIM free, the 5800 is a fantastic entry level device for all ages. Featuring a surprisingly capable 3.2mp camera, Nokia’s first touch screen (and forerunner to the Xseries range), is still to this day a regular in my pocket. Its design is simple yet durable and is perfect for the days when you just need something to last all day, without fear of crashing halfway through an important call/email.
It’s light, cheap and it just works.
For me, the 5800 is my 2009 Phone of the Year.
What’s yours?
whatleydude.com 
Seems a solid call from myviewpoint. We had David take ours for testing about 7 months ago. He won’t give it back. Lives on it all day every day and loves it. And he’s the envy of all his friends, in part because nobody else ever had one around here. It’s a very nice phone.
Thanks Ken, appreciate you dropping by to add your agreement. It seems like you – as well as many others – have surprisingly agreed with me! I thought it might be a controversial choice but I honestly didn’t expect as many to come and say ‘Right on!’
🙂
Such a nice phone that you leave it scattered around foreign cities you visit for others to trial 🙂
Niall, Niall, Niall… that was my N86 😉
Wow, I have an e71, n82 and 5800. I’d say the 5800 is the worst of the 3 by far. I don’t use it much because the touch screen is the worst out there. The camera and video recording are horrible, battery is weak and it looks and feels cheap.
Why did I buy it, to replace an ipod touch that was stolen. For playing music and watching videos, I’d say its adequate but not even close to phone of the year.
Motorola droid, pre or even the iphone 3gs blow away the 5800 (in the US at least they are 200 with contract).
You should have said n86, because I’ll probably end up getting that when it comes down in price. Anyway, I hope you reconsider your decision because it still baffles me.
I’ll agree with you when you say that the 5800 is no replacement for the iPod touch. What with one being an iPod and the other being a phone, I can see why that might be!
Droid, Pre and iPhone 3GS might blow the 5800 away SPEC wise, but – as the post suggests – this is just about specs. The Droid isn’t even out in the UK yet, so I could hardly pick that!
200 + contract you say? How much is contract? For how long?
The N86 is an AWESOME phone, I love mine. But, it did not gain operator traction here in the UK and sales haven’t been stellar. So, again – I couldn’t pick that…
You see?
Seems a solid call from myviewpoint. We had David take ours for testing about 7 months ago. He won't give it back. Lives on it all day every day and loves it. And he's the envy of all his friends, in part because nobody else ever had one around here. It's a very nice phone.
Seems a solid call from myviewpoint. We had David take ours for testing about 7 months ago. He won't give it back. Lives on it all day every day and loves it. And he's the envy of all his friends, in part because nobody else ever had one around here. It's a very nice phone.
Such a nice phone that you leave it scattered around foreign cities you visit for others to trial 🙂
Such a nice phone that you leave it scattered around foreign cities you visit for others to trial 🙂
Wow, I have an e71, n82 and 5800. I'd say the 5800 is the worst of the 3 by far. I don't use it much because the touch screen is the worst out there. The camera and video recording are horrible, battery is weak and it looks and feels cheap.Why did I buy it, to replace an ipod touch that was stolen. For playing music and watching videos, I'd say its adequate but not even close to phone of the year.Motorola droid, pre or even the iphone 3gs blow away the 5800 (in the US at least they are 200 with contract).You should have said n86, because I'll probably end up getting that when it comes down in price. Anyway, I hope you reconsider your decision because it still baffles me.
Wow, I have an e71, n82 and 5800. I'd say the 5800 is the worst of the 3 by far. I don't use it much because the touch screen is the worst out there. The camera and video recording are horrible, battery is weak and it looks and feels cheap.Why did I buy it, to replace an ipod touch that was stolen. For playing music and watching videos, I'd say its adequate but not even close to phone of the year.Motorola droid, pre or even the iphone 3gs blow away the 5800 (in the US at least they are 200 with contract).You should have said n86, because I'll probably end up getting that when it comes down in price. Anyway, I hope you reconsider your decision because it still baffles me.
I agree that 2 years ago the N95 was probably a good choice for phone of the year but not because they where so popular but because it was the first mainstream phone to pack so much into a device and on the whole it worked well. But for 2009 the 5800???? Just because they are common, cheap and you can’t go anywhere without seeing them doesn’t make it phone of the year. Going off that criteria we’ll have a Chav nominated personality of the year.
No, it’s not just because the 5800 is common, cheap and everywhere.
Other reasons include: Durability, ease of use and long battery life.
Also (and I actually need to clear this part up in the post actually), on retrospect, I guess the 5800 is more like the N73 than the N95. Y’know?
My N95-1 is still the phone of the year for me. I could have “upgraded” several times but never bothered because no subsequent models have had all its features. They either have a good camera and lousy graphics, or a good camera but no shutter cover, or don’t have any buttons, or don’t have built-in SIP, or lack some apps that I use a lot (no internet radio in the 5800?!), etc, etc…
Heh. I would’ve loved to have picked the N95-1 or even the N95 8GB but… neither of them qualify!
Re: No Internet Radio in the 5800. Your average consumer simply doesn’t care! What they want is a cheap touch screen handset that they can just pickup and use. I’ve seen Mums, kids, businessmen, plumbers… all with 5800s. Do you think they care about Internet Radio? Really?
I understand that you might like these features, but hey – that’s why the 5800 is MY phone of the year and not yours – right? 😉
Exactly. À chacun son gout, as they say in Wapping.
interesting thoughts james, hard to argue in the way you present this. i have the 5800 myself and dont use it after all. i just dont get along with it in terms of symbian being not designed to be a touchscreen OS in any way, and the resistive screen is not my cup of tea either.. i know the 5800 has a fanbase, as well as some haters – i dont wanna sort myself into any of those.
So.. whats my Device of the Year? Do we talk about Devices that made it’s Way into Markets in 2009 or Phones that have impressed me the most, no matter which production year?! allow me to go with the second thought, i like to mention 3 Names here:
HTC Hero: i’m going to start off with the Hero. I had a very close Look on Android in 2009. I trialed the G1 initially and saw the Magic in action in a friends hand, and after seeing the Sense UI in the wild i was practically sold. Nokia has disappointed big Time and i was looking after both, new Provider and new Handset, so in mid-2009 i decided to go for the Hero and it’s social Network integrations and overall Experience with the Android OS made this a big hit for me. But, is it THE Phone? Close, but not yet..
Nokia N900: i still remember that WOW moment i had on the first boot. and that wow moments kept on coming and left me with a very positive impression. in fact, the N900/maemo combination did deliver. brand new user experience, a very powerfull device .. Please Nokia, continue in that Way on your high-end devices. I felt comfortable with being back on Nokia and don’t have to worry about RAM or a bad Camera (Hero). Software Crashes? not one.. So what does hold me back to name it my Device of the Year? A missing developer scene.. A bitching Nokia Mail Client made me wish a Profimail Port in every Second and Nokia is just not the same without Gravity. But, i think its just a Matter of Time and the Dev Scene is very active, Maemo 6 comes next Year..exciting Times ahead!!
So, whats left? Simple, my Phone of the Year is..
…the Nokia N82! Yes thats right. 2 Years old and still rocking! Hard to beat the N82 in a Camera Shoot-out. 92 MB Ram after Startup, anyone? Of Course, some Things might be outdated. Not a big Fan of the QVGA Screen, for example, but no matter what i do, no matter where i’m going, the N82 is with me as my VERY reliable backup phone. i love going back to this Phone everytime, regardless which Phone i used before. i’m still waiting for a TRUE N82 successor nokia, are you reading!?
GREAT Post James, as usual! 🙂
Thank you Michael!
For a) actually answering my question! i.e.: What is YOUR phone of the year? and b) picking a great phone as your pick.
However, I have to ask – wasn’t the N82 a 2008 phone?
PS. Love your Hero/N900 reasoning. Spoken like a true phone freak 🙂
the N82 is indeed a 2008 Phone, mine’s 1 year and 7 months old now, still proud of it. Of course it’s 2008, but this Device ranks on Top of every Years List, at least in my humble Opinion.
for actual 2009 releases it would be the above two.. The Hero for getting me away from the Chaos that was/is Nokia, and the N900 for the Start of something new and my possible Return back to the “mothership” 😉
2010 will be an awesome year!
You know what Jimbo, I think you may well be right. There’s something about the 5800, it just feels right, it has a lot to do with the missing slide-out keyboard and the complete lack of lens cover of any kind. It’s solid, it works, and it’s perfectly priced.
The phones that have wowed me in 2009 are…
iPhone 3GS
Nokia N86
Samsung i8910
Coming from you mate, high praise indeed. Nice to know that there are informed opinion leaders out there who agree with me 🙂
Also, I agree on all the wow factors there – except maybe for the Samsung i8910.
I’ve not used the 5800 so i’m not really in a position to comment on it… but this was the year that I defected to an iPhone 3GS after 8 years using Nokias – so my vote would be for the iPhone.
I should also point out that i’ve seen many, many more iphones “around” than any other handset, 5800 included, whether it is a “premium” phone or not!
So the iPhone 3GS is your phone of the year? Not a bad choice at all and I can see why you made it. I reckon there are fair few people out there who’d agree with you… it’s just that I’m not one of them 😉
Absolutely – just me 😉
But I got the feeling that this year was when a lot of people who had previously dismissed the iPhone began to take it seriously as a device that is actually capable of doing the stuff they want. I was certainly one of those who thought that the previous models had a lovely interface but were just not capable enough.
For me, the 3GS wasn’t a massive step but it hit a criticle mass of features required for me. It took a lot for me to defect 😀
It absolutely is – looking at it from all viewpoints. As one person put it, the 5800 is not an iPhone killer, it’s an iPhone PRICE killer. The level of value packed in there is unbelievable. I’m totally biased, but I don’t think a phone like the 5800 could have been created with any OS but Symbian. I just wish more journos took the common sense approach that you have done and stopped looking at only the most expensive devices. It’s not realistic to do that. To be fair, the 5800 has got praise from pretty much everybody (except those idiots who bought it expecting something top-end, no such thing as a free lunch mate!).
You’re right, the 5800 is definitely NOT a top end phone. But it does satisfy a consumer need and therefore wins out, spectacularly.
Bias? From the Symbian Foundation? NEVER! 😉
And Symbian Software Ltd. before that 😉 And not just that, but the 5800 is the first device that was released to have software I worked on in it. Now that’s sentimental value! Anyway, I think some people are missing the point which is that it’s your phone of the year. It’s definitely mine too.
“Anyway, I think some people are missing the point which is that it’s your phone of the year.”
+1!
;D
I didn’t actually read the comments when I posted, but there are some fairly bizarre ones so I feel like saying something. You can’t nominate the N82 or N95 as phone of the year, crazy people, that’s like calling The Godfather film of the year. The damn thing has to have been released, you guessed it, THIS YEAR!! Somebody else trawled up the old ‘weak battery’ argument. This is hardly true, I’d never call over 24 hours of solid use ‘weak’. Also, in general, I would never use the number of ‘sightings’ of a device you own as a measure of how many people have one. Psychologically you’re way more likely to notice something if you’re familiar with it, so it’s not exactly a fair test.
Surely my dear 5800 btw Nokia where the hell is firmware update ?
We’re on v30 these days, right?
5800 Seriously? Maybe phone of the year 2007……..
Things have moved a lot in the last 2 years, I don’t doubt its a decent enough bit of hardware the problem here really is S60.
Its no good to look at a device & OS as a stand alone product anymore, we live in a world where phones should be viewed as a whole ecosystem, the hardware, the OS and the app’s & services that support it. This is where Apple & Google have really taken the old telco guard to school, Lets face it the Ovi store experience is awful, Nokia’s system of firmware updates is erratic at best and most developers see it as a 3rd class platform.
I was a die hard S60 fan for years having owned one of the first pre-release 7650’s (ask your Dad kids) but S60v5 was the final straw for me, its been twisted & extended beyond its original purpose now and the touch interface just feels like its been stuck on with gaffer tape.
Time for a one-way trip to the vets for Symbian.
I’m not quite sure what I would vote for as Phone of the year, I guess based on my thoughts above it would have to be either an Android or iPhone probably with an Honorable Mention to SonyEricsson for holding up the ‘Feature Phone’ end of the business.
But the 5800 wasn’t launched in 2007. It was launched in 2009. 😛
Regarding SonyEricsson; really?! I mean, REALLY? After the endless returns of nearly all their flagship devices this year? Eesh.
Fair points regarding the ecosystem and I think, come 2010, that will indeed be the playing field that this battle is won and lost. However, for the normobs of this world, those things simply do not matter… YET.
I’m a big fan of the Android ideal. But as yet, we’ve not seen the ideal Android. 2010? Maybe..
I was only referring to SE for their non-smartphones, I agree that their ‘flagship’ devices suck even more than Nokia! However if we’re looking at what Normobs are using for cheap regular phones then SE seem to do pretty well, I couldn’t name a specific model as they all seem pretty similar and they release far too many to keep up but it seems to be what the kids want, probably helped by the Walkman & CyberShot brands
That’s a good shout. The T and Wseries etc…
I’ll have a look at their sales, nicely done.
I wouldn’t be so fast to dismiss the SE Satio. I really like that phone. My wife won’t let go of it.
the 5800XM is a wonderful media device, the sound from the speakers is the best i’ve heard on any phone and i’ve been running with the 5800XM as my 2nd phone and leisure phone since Feb 2009. I’m still using it with spotify, mobbler, bbc iplayer, mecanto, and my own music, plus sitting watching the tv and scrolling throught tweets using Gravity is such a joy.
For the price and the media uses of the 5800XM it makes it a great little 1st time phone for anyone
‘Leisure phone’ – nice. I remember the first time I booted up the iPlayer on my 5800, way back in January actually, it was stunning 🙂
And Gravity works a treat.
I dont see any advantage of 5800 except for its cheap price. But its good to have a cheap price coz u also get a lower spec. =) I don’t like 5800 on the top 1. I’d rather go for Nokia N86 8mp. =)
When you’ve broken as many N86s as I have, the durability of the 5800 is a wonder to behold.
Seriously.
Maybe 5800 was just made for durability not for performance? =)
My down for 5800 is the music. The integration of the media UI is old and even N81 can bring down 5800 on music section. heheh
I agree that 2 years ago the N95 was probably a good choice for phone of the year but not because they where so popular but because it was the first mainstream phone to pack so much into a device and on the whole it worked well. But for 2009 the 5800???? Just because they are common, cheap and you can't go anywhere without seeing them doesn't make it phone of the year. Going off that criteria we'll have a Chav nominated personality of the year.
I agree that 2 years ago the N95 was probably a good choice for phone of the year but not because they where so popular but because it was the first mainstream phone to pack so much into a device and on the whole it worked well. But for 2009 the 5800???? Just because they are common, cheap and you can't go anywhere without seeing them doesn't make it phone of the year. Going off that criteria we'll have a Chav nominated personality of the year.
My N95-1 is still the phone of the year for me. I could have “upgraded” several times but never bothered because no subsequent models have had all its features. They either have a good camera and lousy graphics, or a good camera but no shutter cover, or don't have any buttons, or don't have built-in SIP, or lack some apps that I use a lot (no internet radio in the 5800?!), etc, etc…
My N95-1 is still the phone of the year for me. I could have “upgraded” several times but never bothered because no subsequent models have had all its features. They either have a good camera and lousy graphics, or a good camera but no shutter cover, or don't have any buttons, or don't have built-in SIP, or lack some apps that I use a lot (no internet radio in the 5800?!), etc, etc…
interesting thoughts james, hard to argue in the way you present this. i have the 5800 myself and dont use it after all. i just dont get along with it in terms of symbian being not designed to be a touchscreen OS in any way, and the resistive screen is not my cup of tea either.. i know the 5800 has a fanbase, as well as some haters – i dont wanna sort myself into any of those. So.. whats my Device of the Year? Do we talk about Devices that made it's Way into Markets in 2009 or Phones that have impressed me the most, no matter which production year?! allow me to go with the second thought, i like to mention 3 Names here:- HTC Hero: i'm going to start off with the Hero. I had a very close Look on Android in 2009. I trialed the G1 initially and saw the Magic in action in a friends hand, and after seeing the Sense UI in the wild i was practically sold. Nokia has disappointed big Time and i was looking after both, new Provider and new Handset, so in mid-2009 i decided to go for the Hero and it's social Network integrations and overall Experience with the Android OS made this a big hit for me. But, is it THE Phone? Close, but not yet.. – Nokia N900: i still remember that WOW moment i had on the first boot. and that wow moments kept on coming and left me with a very positive impression. in fact, the N900/maemo combination did deliver. brand new user experience, a very powerfull device .. Please Nokia, continue in that Way on your high-end devices. I felt comfortable with being back on Nokia and don't have to worry about RAM or a bad Camera (Hero). Software Crashes? not one.. So what does hold me back to name it my Device of the Year? A missing developer scene.. A bitching Nokia Mail Client made me wish a Profimail Port in every Second and Nokia is just not the same without Gravity. But, i think its just a Matter of Time and the Dev Scene is very active, Maemo 6 comes next Year..exciting Times ahead!!So, whats left? Simple, my Phone of the Year is.. …the Nokia N82! Yes thats right. 2 Years old and still rocking! Hard to beat the N82 in a Camera Shoot-out. 92 MB Ram after Startup, anyone? Of Course, some Things might be outdated. Not a big Fan of the QVGA Screen, for example, but no matter what i do, no matter where i'm going, the N82 is with me as my VERY reliable backup phone. i love going back to this Phone everytime, regardless which Phone i used before. i'm still waiting for a TRUE N82 successor nokia, are you reading!?GREAT Post James, as usual! 🙂
interesting thoughts james, hard to argue in the way you present this. i have the 5800 myself and dont use it after all. i just dont get along with it in terms of symbian being not designed to be a touchscreen OS in any way, and the resistive screen is not my cup of tea either.. i know the 5800 has a fanbase, as well as some haters – i dont wanna sort myself into any of those. So.. whats my Device of the Year? Do we talk about Devices that made it's Way into Markets in 2009 or Phones that have impressed me the most, no matter which production year?! allow me to go with the second thought, i like to mention 3 Names here:- HTC Hero: i'm going to start off with the Hero. I had a very close Look on Android in 2009. I trialed the G1 initially and saw the Magic in action in a friends hand, and after seeing the Sense UI in the wild i was practically sold. Nokia has disappointed big Time and i was looking after both, new Provider and new Handset, so in mid-2009 i decided to go for the Hero and it's social Network integrations and overall Experience with the Android OS made this a big hit for me. But, is it THE Phone? Close, but not yet.. – Nokia N900: i still remember that WOW moment i had on the first boot. and that wow moments kept on coming and left me with a very positive impression. in fact, the N900/maemo combination did deliver. brand new user experience, a very powerfull device .. Please Nokia, continue in that Way on your high-end devices. I felt comfortable with being back on Nokia and don't have to worry about RAM or a bad Camera (Hero). Software Crashes? not one.. So what does hold me back to name it my Device of the Year? A missing developer scene.. A bitching Nokia Mail Client made me wish a Profimail Port in every Second and Nokia is just not the same without Gravity. But, i think its just a Matter of Time and the Dev Scene is very active, Maemo 6 comes next Year..exciting Times ahead!!So, whats left? Simple, my Phone of the Year is.. …the Nokia N82! Yes thats right. 2 Years old and still rocking! Hard to beat the N82 in a Camera Shoot-out. 92 MB Ram after Startup, anyone? Of Course, some Things might be outdated. Not a big Fan of the QVGA Screen, for example, but no matter what i do, no matter where i'm going, the N82 is with me as my VERY reliable backup phone. i love going back to this Phone everytime, regardless which Phone i used before. i'm still waiting for a TRUE N82 successor nokia, are you reading!?GREAT Post James, as usual! 🙂
“Costing at the absolute minimum £300 – £400 either on PAYG or on contract…”That’s just not true. 3GS is £87 with a 24 month £35 contract. 3G is free on the same. “The iPhone was – and arguably still very much is in its 3GS form – a luxury device.”James, the iPhone, in 3G and 3GS form, is no longer a luxury device.Apple Q4 2009 (Third calendar quarter) Results: “Quarterly iPhone unit sales reached 7.4 million.” They’re well on track to sell 10M+ in Q1 2010 (October – December 2009).Seems people are buying the ‘luxury phone’ in their droves. Those are not the sales numbers of some exclusive phone. That’s mass market penetration that doesn’t know stopping.”This phone, launched in January 2009, brought touchscreen smartphones to the masses in a way that no other handset has yet to reproduce.”Oh, come on. If there’s one thing you give the iPhone credit for, make it this.”On the tube, on the bus, in the pub and on the street, I see the 5800 everywhere.”Funny, because replace the 5800 with the iPhone in that sentence and that’s exactly how I feel. In fact, I challenge you: Let’s go to Oxford Street and ask 50 people what phone they have. If there’s more 5800s then the iPhone, the pints are on me.My main gripe here is the attribute of your choice. You keep telling me the 5800 is good because it’s cheap. Since when is that the main measure of things good? In that case, my phone of the year is the Nokia 1661 ; It’s £20 on PAYG! It can make calls!How about user experience for one? I know one person apart from you who owns a 5800 – a UX designer – and thinks it’s one of the least usable devices he’s ever owned. Or gee, I don’t know, how about revolutionising how we judge mobile phones; as platforms, not devices?Like it or not, the iPhone is the new ubiquitous smartphone, the new N95 if you will. The hardware is only half the reason for that, the other half is what Nokia’s got a lot of catching of up to do on. At least now they’ve got a small fighting chance; Maemo.
“Funny, because replace the 5800 with the iPhone in that sentence and that’s exactly how I feel. In fact, I challenge you: Let’s go to Oxford Street and ask 50 people what phone they have. If there’s more 5800s then the iPhone, the pints are on me.”
Yeah, ’cause you’re on Oxford Street mate. Try the train to Greenwich at the end of the day…
Hey Hey look at the specs of iPhone, it is more of APPS but lacks simple and basic features of a smartphone for connectivity and multimedia. I am saying this last line not for stereotyping or judging the people, MOST people love iPhone because they didnt experience many Nokia Phones and they can’t appreciate what the REAL innovations are.
Utku, I love you man – but… ready? Here we go!
“3GS is £87 with a 24 month £35 contract. 3G is free on the same.”
Um.. so that’s minimum £87 plus…. excuse the math for a second.
(35×24) = 840
So, for the 3GS, that’s a minimum of £927 AND you’re locked in for two years?
Er thanks, but I’ll take my £180 SIM FREE device any day.
The sales of the iPhone are unclear. Which iPhone? Are they combining sales figures across the three models? You’re saying in Q4 they reached 7million. Er… the 5800 sold 3million in Q1 of last year. Q1. Not Q4. Not combined with anything else, just on it’s own – in three months.
Yes, of course iPhone sales are up, the former models are now cheaper – however, for many, the price of the thing is still offputting.
Of course you wouldn’t notice it in London, where the cost of living is so high that people have the budgets for such things. However, I get around our fair country a bit and – even out in the sticks – the 5800 is a common handset.
I would expect someone like you to argue back that the iPhone is their phone of the year (that is what you’re saying right?), what I’m asking you is why and which?
The 5800 isn’t my handset of the year simply because of PRICE. It is the sum of its parts, as listed above.
But, putting all of that aside – you can’t argue with this one fact: the iPhone changed the world in 2008, not 2009.
😛
PS. The iPhone isn’t a smartphone.
Hey Utku.
I love you too.
But the 5800 is by far the largest volume selling handset in the UK in 2009.
Consumers can get it free on £20 pcm tariffs, that’s what the majority want.
Mines a Staropramen cheers.
You know what Jimbo, I think you may well be right. There's something about the 5800, it just feels right, it has a lot to do with the missing slide-out keyboard and the complete lack of lens cover of any kind. It's solid, it works, and it's perfectly priced.The phones that have wowed me in 2009 are…iPhone 3GSNokia N86Samsung i8910
You know what Jimbo, I think you may well be right. There's something about the 5800, it just feels right, it has a lot to do with the missing slide-out keyboard and the complete lack of lens cover of any kind. It's solid, it works, and it's perfectly priced.The phones that have wowed me in 2009 are…iPhone 3GSNokia N86Samsung i8910
Seeing as so many of these comments seem to be about popularity, I think I may as well chime in with my own observations.
Everyday I travel on the South West Trains service that starts at London and finishes at Weymouth. When I board my carriage at Hamworthy (just outside Poole), I count the number of phones being used and what they’re being used for.
The most popular phone is the iPhone, further down the list and fighting for second place is some form of Blackberry and the Nokia 5800.
Perhaps more interesting are the phones that I have never seen in usage, not even one single time – the Hero and the Pre.
What phone do you own though? I’d say that we have a tendency to acknowledge things that are familiar more easily. I notice a lot of 5800’s, and I own one. If you don’t own either then maybe your view is a bit more objective?
I totally understand what you’re saying. I do own and use the iPhone 3GS. But as the owner of both Nokia Creative and Samsung Creative I do tend to notice phones of all types and sizes.
I think my results are more likely to be skewed by the location of my observations if anything. Commuters love their iPhones.
You’re very objective dude. If you just experience having the 5800 from the time it was launched. Not so COOLEST specs of smartphones but still the features of iPhone are very very small compare to many devices. lets just compare Nexus One, iPhone 3GS and Xperia X10 then? see? even HTC hero CAN kill your iPhone.
You are saying that MASSES are going for iPhones, but EXPERIENCED pepz didnt went to iPhone =).
for a humane way lets say it depends on ur taste and necessity !
I see a surprising amount of G1’s and Heroes in use in Hackney, get half a mile in to Shoreditch and it’s almost entirely iPhones, shame none of the Shoreditch folk can get a call through O2’s congested network there.
I've not used the 5800 so i'm not really in a position to comment on it… but this was the year that I defected to an iPhone 3GS after 8 years using Nokias – so my vote would be for the iPhone.I should also point out that i've seen many, many more iphones “around” than any other handset, 5800 included, whether it is a “premium” phone or not!
I've not used the 5800 so i'm not really in a position to comment on it… but this was the year that I defected to an iPhone 3GS after 8 years using Nokias – so my vote would be for the iPhone.I should also point out that i've seen many, many more iphones “around” than any other handset, 5800 included, whether it is a “premium” phone or not!
It absolutely is – looking at it from all viewpoints. As one person put it, the 5800 is not an iPhone killer, it's an iPhone PRICE killer. The level of value packed in there is unbelievable. I'm totally biased, but I don't think a phone like the 5800 could have been created with any OS but Symbian. I just wish more journos took the common sense approach that you have done and stopped looking at only the most expensive devices. It's not realistic to do that. To be fair, the 5800 has got praise from pretty much everybody (except those idiots who bought it expecting something top-end, no such thing as a free lunch mate!).
It absolutely is – looking at it from all viewpoints. As one person put it, the 5800 is not an iPhone killer, it's an iPhone PRICE killer. The level of value packed in there is unbelievable. I'm totally biased, but I don't think a phone like the 5800 could have been created with any OS but Symbian. I just wish more journos took the common sense approach that you have done and stopped looking at only the most expensive devices. It's not realistic to do that. To be fair, the 5800 has got praise from pretty much everybody (except those idiots who bought it expecting something top-end, no such thing as a free lunch mate!).
well done.. my son will agree with you for sure.. myself, I find myself still missing the E71 for some reason.. its simply fit all of my needs (and fit my pocket nicely as well) although the N97 was a close second.. cheers!
We had 2 new phones in our house this year, the iPhone I bought the boyf on PAYG so he could access email and the Internet at work and an N86 for me. The N86 is definitely my phone of the year, a nice step up on the camera front from my N82 and it works. The iPhone doesn’t! Thankfully he doesn’t use it for calls as the O2 signal is pants, it has been great for him as a “normob” though, he took to the iPhone for web use instantly. I’d been trying to convince him to use his nokia to go online for years but he just hated the interface.
I bought the Nokia 5800 XM mainly because I expected it to be a massive pile of FAIL, but it was the first S60v5-powered handset, and well, something I wanted to have. The result is that I agree wholeheartedly with you. In fact, I spent 3 months solid with the thing as my primary phone recently and it is the reason that I’m now sold on touchscreens. Before, I was dead convinced that touchscreen was a fad.
My mom also uses the 5800XM now, an upgrade from the N95-3 that I handed her before, and she loves it. Sends me MMS with pics and vids all the time, does her messaging on it, etc. Loves it.
It is, of course, by no means a ‘monster’ phone. It lacks all manner of refinements, but as you point out, it’s sold bucket loads, is dirt-cheap (look at the recently launched 5800 Navigation Edition – US$250 for the phone, SIM-free, AND an official dashboard mount. It’s simply unheard of for a 3G touchscreen smartphone with built-in GPS, 3.2MP cam, and more. The whole package (price, features, build quality, interface) is what makes it awesome.
you are very right rick! 5800 was the middle spec SMARTphone. I really like the 5800 as a model for some nokia devices.
I didn't actually read the comments when I posted, but there are some fairly bizarre ones so I feel like saying something. You can't nominate the N82 or N95 as phone of the year, crazy people, that's like calling The Godfather film of the year. The damn thing has to have been released, you guessed it, THIS YEAR!! Somebody else trawled up the old 'weak battery' argument. This is hardly true, I'd never call over 24 hours of solid use 'weak'. Also, in general, I would never use the number of 'sightings' of a device you own as a measure of how many people have one. Psychologically you're way more likely to notice something if you're familiar with it, so it's not exactly a fair test.
I didn't actually read the comments when I posted, but there are some fairly bizarre ones so I feel like saying something. You can't nominate the N82 or N95 as phone of the year, crazy people, that's like calling The Godfather film of the year. The damn thing has to have been released, you guessed it, THIS YEAR!! Somebody else trawled up the old 'weak battery' argument. This is hardly true, I'd never call over 24 hours of solid use 'weak'. Also, in general, I would never use the number of 'sightings' of a device you own as a measure of how many people have one. Psychologically you're way more likely to notice something if you're familiar with it, so it's not exactly a fair test.
I don’t know whether the Nokia 5800 can be titled as phone of the year. That’s a difficult call even though I am a proud owner of a Nokia 5800. I would consider the N97 Mini as the phone of the year inspite of the fact that it came out late. But the 5800 definitely is VFM Phone of the year, no doubt about that.
The N86 doesn’t qualify simply because it has no touch screen. The phone of the year 2009 cannot be a non-touchscreen phone.
The iPhone 3GS & the Droid are not available universally so I would penalise them by not considering them for the title.
Surely my dear 5800 btw Nokia where the hell is firmware update ?
Surely my dear 5800 btw Nokia where the hell is firmware update ?
what about the samsung i8910hd ??
I have no device of 2009, I still use my E71 from 2008. Best device I’ve ever owned. I’ve been tempted to pick up a Nokia N86 8 MP since I could use a better camera, but I’ve heard bad things from you and lots of other people about the state of the current firmware. That and Canon is now making cameras the size of credit cards so I’m actually thinking of going back into carrying a dedicated device that does one thing really, really well.
Anyway, count me as shocked, I didn’t know you would go with the 5800.
5800 Seriously? Maybe phone of the year 2007……..Things have moved a lot in the last 2 years, I don't doubt its a decent enough bit of hardware the problem here really is S60.Its no good to look at a device & OS as a stand alone product anymore, we live in a world where phones should be viewed as a whole ecosystem, the hardware, the OS and the app's & services that support it. This is where Apple & Google have really taken the old telco guard to school, Lets face it the Ovi store experience is awful, Nokia's system of firmware updates is erratic at best and most developers see it as a 3rd class platform. I was a die hard S60 fan for years having owned one of the first pre-release 7650's (ask your Dad kids) but S60v5 was the final straw for me, its been twisted & extended beyond its original purpose now and the touch interface just feels like its been stuck on with gaffer tape. Time for a one-way trip to the vets for Symbian.I'm not quite sure what I would vote for as Phone of the year, I guess based on my thoughts above it would have to be either an Android or iPhone probably with an Honorable Mention to SonyEricsson for holding up the 'Feature Phone' end of the business.
5800 Seriously? Maybe phone of the year 2007……..Things have moved a lot in the last 2 years, I don't doubt its a decent enough bit of hardware the problem here really is S60.Its no good to look at a device & OS as a stand alone product anymore, we live in a world where phones should be viewed as a whole ecosystem, the hardware, the OS and the app's & services that support it. This is where Apple & Google have really taken the old telco guard to school, Lets face it the Ovi store experience is awful, Nokia's system of firmware updates is erratic at best and most developers see it as a 3rd class platform. I was a die hard S60 fan for years having owned one of the first pre-release 7650's (ask your Dad kids) but S60v5 was the final straw for me, its been twisted & extended beyond its original purpose now and the touch interface just feels like its been stuck on with gaffer tape. Time for a one-way trip to the vets for Symbian.I'm not quite sure what I would vote for as Phone of the year, I guess based on my thoughts above it would have to be either an Android or iPhone probably with an Honorable Mention to SonyEricsson for holding up the 'Feature Phone' end of the business.
the 5800XM is a wonderful media device, the sound from the speakers is the best i've heard on any phone and i've been running with the 5800XM as my 2nd phone and leisure phone since Feb 2009. I'm still using it with spotify, mobbler, bbc iplayer, mecanto, and my own music, plus sitting watching the tv and scrolling throught tweets using Gravity is such a joy. For the price and the media uses of the 5800XM it makes it a great little 1st time phone for anyone
the 5800XM is a wonderful media device, the sound from the speakers is the best i've heard on any phone and i've been running with the 5800XM as my 2nd phone and leisure phone since Feb 2009. I'm still using it with spotify, mobbler, bbc iplayer, mecanto, and my own music, plus sitting watching the tv and scrolling throught tweets using Gravity is such a joy. For the price and the media uses of the 5800XM it makes it a great little 1st time phone for anyone
I dont see any advantage of 5800 except for its cheap price. But its good to have a cheap price coz u also get a lower spec. =) I don't like 5800 on the top 1. I'd rather go for Nokia N86 8mp. =)
I dont see any advantage of 5800 except for its cheap price. But its good to have a cheap price coz u also get a lower spec. =) I don't like 5800 on the top 1. I'd rather go for Nokia N86 8mp. =)
Phone of the year for me is the HTC Magic. I prefer it to the Hero, I love the Android OS, and the email integration with Gmail is superb. Wins it for me.
I owned a 5800 for 6 months (upgraded to N900) and its biggest failing for me was the lack of memory… Very off putting when you get out of memory warnings when browsing the web! Also frustrating firmware update experience if Nokia actually released the firmware for your region!!!!!
Great phone for the price though but dont know if I would agree with the best phone of the year.
I agree completely. I bought a 5800 after much consideration and use of the All About Symbian phone chooser chart and I have not been dissapointed despite having one of the very early ones, (Feb 2009), with the dodgy screen which was replaced. A brilliant phone for the price. When travelling, with the right applications, it’s like having a laptop that you can carry in a pocket. Brilliant screen, decent storage, usable camera and easy WiFi connection and possibly the bet phone for playing music, with or without headphones. There are phones that are better at individual things but as an all-round package at the price you are spot on.
“Costing at the absolute minimum £300 – £400 either on PAYG or on contract…”That's just not true. 3GS is £87 with a 24 month £35 contract. 3G is free on the same. “The iPhone was – and arguably still very much is in its 3GS form – a luxury device.”James, the iPhone, in 3G and 3GS form, is no longer a luxury device.Apple Q4 2009 (Third calendar quarter) Results: “Quarterly iPhone unit sales reached 7.4 million.” They're well on track to sell 10M+ in Q1 2010 (October – December 2009).Seems people are buying the 'luxury phone' in their droves. Those are not the sales numbers of some exclusive phone. That's mass market penetration that doesn't know stopping.”This phone, launched in January 2009, brought touchscreen smartphones to the masses in a way that no other handset has yet to reproduce.”Oh, come on. If there's one thing you give the iPhone credit for, make it this.”On the tube, on the bus, in the pub and on the street, I see the 5800 everywhere.”Funny, because replace the 5800 with the iPhone in that sentence and that's exactly how I feel. In fact, I challenge you: Let's go to Oxford Street and ask 50 people what phone they have. If there's more 5800s then the iPhone, the pints are on me.My main gripe here is the attribute of your choice. You keep telling me the 5800 is good because it's cheap. Since when is that the main measure of things good? How about user experience for one? I know one person apart from you who owns a 5800 – a UX designer – and thinks it's one of the least usable devices he's ever owned. Or gee, I don't know, how about revolutionising how we judge mobile phones; as platforms, not devices?Like it or not, the iPhone is the new ubiquitous smartphone, the new N95 if you will. The hardware is only half the reason for that, the other half is what Nokia's got a lot of catching of up to do on. At least now they've got a small fighting chance; Maemo.
“Costing at the absolute minimum £300 – £400 either on PAYG or on contract…”That's just not true. 3GS is £87 with a 24 month £35 contract. 3G is free on the same. “The iPhone was – and arguably still very much is in its 3GS form – a luxury device.”James, the iPhone, in 3G and 3GS form, is no longer a luxury device.Apple Q4 2009 (Third calendar quarter) Results: “Quarterly iPhone unit sales reached 7.4 million.” They're well on track to sell 10M+ in Q1 2010 (October – December 2009).Seems people are buying the 'luxury phone' in their droves. Those are not the sales numbers of some exclusive phone. That's mass market penetration that doesn't know stopping.”This phone, launched in January 2009, brought touchscreen smartphones to the masses in a way that no other handset has yet to reproduce.”Oh, come on. If there's one thing you give the iPhone credit for, make it this.”On the tube, on the bus, in the pub and on the street, I see the 5800 everywhere.”Funny, because replace the 5800 with the iPhone in that sentence and that's exactly how I feel. In fact, I challenge you: Let's go to Oxford Street and ask 50 people what phone they have. If there's more 5800s then the iPhone, the pints are on me.My main gripe here is the attribute of your choice. You keep telling me the 5800 is good because it's cheap. Since when is that the main measure of things good? How about user experience for one? I know one person apart from you who owns a 5800 – a UX designer – and thinks it's one of the least usable devices he's ever owned. Or gee, I don't know, how about revolutionising how we judge mobile phones; as platforms, not devices?Like it or not, the iPhone is the new ubiquitous smartphone, the new N95 if you will. The hardware is only half the reason for that, the other half is what Nokia's got a lot of catching of up to do on. At least now they've got a small fighting chance; Maemo.
Thanks Ken, appreciate you dropping by to add your agreement. It seems like you – as well as many others – have surprisingly agreed with me! I thought it might be a controversial choice but I honestly didn't expect as many to come and say 'Right on!':)
Thanks Ken, appreciate you dropping by to add your agreement. It seems like you – as well as many others – have surprisingly agreed with me! I thought it might be a controversial choice but I honestly didn't expect as many to come and say 'Right on!':)
Niall, Niall, Niall… that was my N86 😉
Niall, Niall, Niall… that was my N86 😉
I'll agree with you when you say that the 5800 is no replacement for the iPod touch. What with one being an iPod and the other being a phone, I can see why that might be!Droid, Pre and iPhone 3GS might blow the 5800 away SPEC wise, but – as the post suggests – this is just about specs. The Droid isn't even out in the UK yet, so I could hardly pick that! 200 + contract you say? How much is contract? For how long? The N86 is an AWESOME phone, I love mine. But, it did not gain operator traction here in the UK and sales haven't been stellar. So, again – I couldn't pick that… You see?
I'll agree with you when you say that the 5800 is no replacement for the iPod touch. What with one being an iPod and the other being a phone, I can see why that might be!Droid, Pre and iPhone 3GS might blow the 5800 away SPEC wise, but – as the post suggests – this is just about specs. The Droid isn't even out in the UK yet, so I could hardly pick that! 200 + contract you say? How much is contract? For how long? The N86 is an AWESOME phone, I love mine. But, it did not gain operator traction here in the UK and sales haven't been stellar. So, again – I couldn't pick that… You see?
No, it's not just because the 5800 is common, cheap and everywhere. Other reasons include: Durability, ease of use and long battery life. Also (and I actually need to clear this part up in the post actually), on retrospect, I guess the 5800 is more like the N73 than the N95. Y'know?
No, it's not just because the 5800 is common, cheap and everywhere. Other reasons include: Durability, ease of use and long battery life. Also (and I actually need to clear this part up in the post actually), on retrospect, I guess the 5800 is more like the N73 than the N95. Y'know?
Heh. I would've loved to have picked the N95-1 or even the N95 8GB but… neither of them qualify! Re: No Internet Radio in the 5800. Your average consumer simply doesn't care! What they want is a cheap touch screen handset that they can just pickup and use. I've seen Mums, kids, businessmen, plumbers… all with 5800s. Do you think they care about Internet Radio? Really?I understand that you might like these features, but hey – that's why the 5800 is MY phone of the year and not yours – right? 😉
Heh. I would've loved to have picked the N95-1 or even the N95 8GB but… neither of them qualify! Re: No Internet Radio in the 5800. Your average consumer simply doesn't care! What they want is a cheap touch screen handset that they can just pickup and use. I've seen Mums, kids, businessmen, plumbers… all with 5800s. Do you think they care about Internet Radio? Really?I understand that you might like these features, but hey – that's why the 5800 is MY phone of the year and not yours – right? 😉
Thank you Michael! For a) actually answering my question! i.e.: What is YOUR phone of the year? and b) picking a great phone as your pick. However, I have to ask – wasn't the N82 a 2008 phone? PS. Love your Hero/N900 reasoning. Spoken like a true phone freak 🙂
Thank you Michael! For a) actually answering my question! i.e.: What is YOUR phone of the year? and b) picking a great phone as your pick. However, I have to ask – wasn't the N82 a 2008 phone? PS. Love your Hero/N900 reasoning. Spoken like a true phone freak 🙂
Coming from you mate, high praise indeed. Nice to know that there are informed opinion leaders out there who agree with me 🙂 Also, I agree on all the wow factors there – except maybe for the Samsung i8910.
Coming from you mate, high praise indeed. Nice to know that there are informed opinion leaders out there who agree with me 🙂 Also, I agree on all the wow factors there – except maybe for the Samsung i8910.
So the iPhone 3GS is your phone of the year? Not a bad choice at all and I can see why you made it. I reckon there are fair few people out there who'd agree with you… it's just that I'm not one of them 😉
So the iPhone 3GS is your phone of the year? Not a bad choice at all and I can see why you made it. I reckon there are fair few people out there who'd agree with you… it's just that I'm not one of them 😉
You're right, the 5800 is definitely NOT a top end phone. But it does satisfy a consumer need and therefore wins out, spectacularly.Bias? From the Symbian Foundation? NEVER! 😉
We're on v30 these days, right?
You're right, the 5800 is definitely NOT a top end phone. But it does satisfy a consumer need and therefore wins out, spectacularly.Bias? From the Symbian Foundation? NEVER! 😉
We're on v30 these days, right?
But the 5800 wasn't launched in 2007. It was launched in 2009. :PRegarding SonyEricsson; really?! I mean, REALLY? After the endless returns of nearly all their flagship devices this year? Eesh. Fair points regarding the ecosystem and I think, come 2010, that will indeed be the playing field that this battle is won and lost. However, for the normobs of this world, those things simply do not matter… YET. I'm a big fan of the Android ideal. But as yet, we've not seen the ideal Android. 2010? Maybe..
But the 5800 wasn't launched in 2007. It was launched in 2009. :PRegarding SonyEricsson; really?! I mean, REALLY? After the endless returns of nearly all their flagship devices this year? Eesh. Fair points regarding the ecosystem and I think, come 2010, that will indeed be the playing field that this battle is won and lost. However, for the normobs of this world, those things simply do not matter… YET. I'm a big fan of the Android ideal. But as yet, we've not seen the ideal Android. 2010? Maybe..
'Leisure phone' – nice. I remember the first time I booted up the iPlayer on my 5800, way back in January actually, it was stunning 🙂 http://www.flickr.com/photos/whatleydude/321438…And Gravity works a treat.
'Leisure phone' – nice. I remember the first time I booted up the iPlayer on my 5800, way back in January actually, it was stunning 🙂 http://www.flickr.com/photos/whatleydude/321438…And Gravity works a treat.
'Leisure phone' – nice. I remember the first time I booted up the iPlayer on my 5800, way back in January actually, it was stunning 🙂 http://www.flickr.com/photos/whatleydude/321438…And Gravity works a treat.
'Leisure phone' – nice. I remember the first time I booted up the iPlayer on my 5800, way back in January actually, it was stunning 🙂 http://www.flickr.com/photos/whatleydude/321438…And Gravity works a treat.
When you've broken as many N86s as I have, the durability of the 5800 is a wonder to behold. Seriously.
When you've broken as many N86s as I have, the durability of the 5800 is a wonder to behold. Seriously.
I was only referring to SE for their non-smartphones, I agree that their 'flagship' devices suck even more than Nokia! However if we're looking at what Normobs are using for cheap regular phones then SE seem to do pretty well, I couldn't name a specific model as they all seem pretty similar and they release far too many to keep up but it seems to be what the kids want, probably helped by the Walkman & CyberShot brands
I was only referring to SE for their non-smartphones, I agree that their 'flagship' devices suck even more than Nokia! However if we're looking at what Normobs are using for cheap regular phones then SE seem to do pretty well, I couldn't name a specific model as they all seem pretty similar and they release far too many to keep up but it seems to be what the kids want, probably helped by the Walkman & CyberShot brands
And Symbian Software Ltd. before that 😉 And not just that, but the 5800 is the first device that was released to have software I worked on in it. Now that's sentimental value! Anyway, I think some people are missing the point which is that it's your phone of the year. It's definitely mine too.
And Symbian Software Ltd. before that 😉 And not just that, but the 5800 is the first device that was released to have software I worked on in it. Now that's sentimental value! Anyway, I think some people are missing the point which is that it's your phone of the year. It's definitely mine too.
“Funny, because replace the 5800 with the iPhone in that sentence and that's exactly how I feel. In fact, I challenge you: Let's go to Oxford Street and ask 50 people what phone they have. If there's more 5800s then the iPhone, the pints are on me.”Yeah, 'cause you're on Oxford Street mate. Try the train to Greenwich at the end of the day…
“Funny, because replace the 5800 with the iPhone in that sentence and that's exactly how I feel. In fact, I challenge you: Let's go to Oxford Street and ask 50 people what phone they have. If there's more 5800s then the iPhone, the pints are on me.”Yeah, 'cause you're on Oxford Street mate. Try the train to Greenwich at the end of the day…
Utku, I love you man – but… ready? Here we go! “3GS is £87 with a 24 month £35 contract. 3G is free on the same.”Um.. so that's minimum £87 plus…. excuse the math for a second.(35×24) = 840 So, for the 3GS, that's a minimum of £927 AND you're locked in for two years? Er thanks, but I'll take my £180 SIM FREE device any day. The sales of the iPhone are unclear. Which iPhone? Are they combining sales figures across the three models? You're saying in Q4 they reached 7million. Er… the 5800 sold 3million in Q1 of last year. Q1. Not Q4. Not combined with anything else, just on it's own – in three months. Yes, of course iPhone sales are up, the former models are now cheaper – however, for many, the price of the thing is still offputting. Of course you wouldn't notice it in London, where the cost of living is so high that people have the budgets for such things. However, I get around our fair country a bit and – even out in the sticks – the 5800 is a common handset. I would expect someone like you to argue back that the iPhone is their phone of the year (that is what you're saying right?), what I'm asking you is why and which? The 5800 isn't my handset of the year simply because of PRICE. It is the sum of its parts, as listed above. But, putting all of that aside – you can't argue with this one fact: the iPhone changed the world in 2008, not 2009.:PPS. The iPhone isn't a smartphone.
Utku, I love you man – but… ready? Here we go! “3GS is £87 with a 24 month £35 contract. 3G is free on the same.”Um.. so that's minimum £87 plus…. excuse the math for a second.(35×24) = 840 So, for the 3GS, that's a minimum of £927 AND you're locked in for two years? Er thanks, but I'll take my £180 SIM FREE device any day. The sales of the iPhone are unclear. Which iPhone? Are they combining sales figures across the three models? You're saying in Q4 they reached 7million. Er… the 5800 sold 3million in Q1 of last year. Q1. Not Q4. Not combined with anything else, just on it's own – in three months. Yes, of course iPhone sales are up, the former models are now cheaper – however, for many, the price of the thing is still offputting. Of course you wouldn't notice it in London, where the cost of living is so high that people have the budgets for such things. However, I get around our fair country a bit and – even out in the sticks – the 5800 is a common handset. I would expect someone like you to argue back that the iPhone is their phone of the year (that is what you're saying right?), what I'm asking you is why and which? The 5800 isn't my handset of the year simply because of PRICE. It is the sum of its parts, as listed above. But, putting all of that aside – you can't argue with this one fact: the iPhone changed the world in 2008, not 2009.:PPS. The iPhone isn't a smartphone.
“Anyway, I think some people are missing the point which is that it's your phone of the year.”+1! ;D
“Anyway, I think some people are missing the point which is that it's your phone of the year.”+1! ;D
That's a good shout. The T and Wseries etc… I'll have a look at their sales, nicely done.
That's a good shout. The T and Wseries etc… I'll have a look at their sales, nicely done.
Seeing as so many of these comments seem to be about popularity, I think I may as well chime in with my own observations.Everyday I travel on the South West Trains service that starts at London and finishes at Weymouth. When I board my carriage at Hamworthy (just outside Poole), I count the number of phones being used and what they're being used for.The most popular phone is the iPhone, further down the list and fighting for second place is some form of Blackberry and the Nokia 5800.Perhaps more interesting are the phones that I have never seen in usage, not even one single time – the Hero and the Pre.
Seeing as so many of these comments seem to be about popularity, I think I may as well chime in with my own observations.Everyday I travel on the South West Trains service that starts at London and finishes at Weymouth. When I board my carriage at Hamworthy (just outside Poole), I count the number of phones being used and what they're being used for.The most popular phone is the iPhone, further down the list and fighting for second place is some form of Blackberry and the Nokia 5800.Perhaps more interesting are the phones that I have never seen in usage, not even one single time – the Hero and the Pre.
What phone do you own though? I'd say that we have a tendency to acknowledge things that are familiar more easily. I notice a lot of 5800's, and I own one. If you don't own either then maybe your view is a bit more objective?
What phone do you own though? I'd say that we have a tendency to acknowledge things that are familiar more easily. I notice a lot of 5800's, and I own one. If you don't own either then maybe your view is a bit more objective?
I totally understand what you're saying. I do own and use the iPhone 3GS. But as the owner of both Nokia Creative and Samsung Creative I do tend to notice phones of all types and sizes.I think my results are more likely to be skewed by the location of my observations if anything. Commuters love their iPhones.
I totally understand what you're saying. I do own and use the iPhone 3GS. But as the owner of both Nokia Creative and Samsung Creative I do tend to notice phones of all types and sizes.I think my results are more likely to be skewed by the location of my observations if anything. Commuters love their iPhones.
The 5800 XM has been last year’s phone for me, although it arrived in my hands in December. 2010 might really turn out to be Android’s year, but I will still go with the N97/Mini with the previously-not-working-properly home screen 🙂 True the initial firmware virtually rendered the phone unusable but for the latter half of the year, the phone has been great to use…
Absolutely – just me ;)But I got the feeling that this year was when a lot of people who had previously dismissed the iPhone began to take it seriously as a device that is actually capable of doing the stuff they want. I was certainly one of those who thought that the previous models had a lovely interface but were just not capable enough.For me, the 3GS wasn't a massive step but it hit a criticle mass of features required for me. It took a lot for me to defect 😀
Absolutely – just me ;)But I got the feeling that this year was when a lot of people who had previously dismissed the iPhone began to take it seriously as a device that is actually capable of doing the stuff they want. I was certainly one of those who thought that the previous models had a lovely interface but were just not capable enough.For me, the 3GS wasn't a massive step but it hit a criticle mass of features required for me. It took a lot for me to defect 😀
well done.. my son will agree with you for sure.. myself, I find myself still missing the E71 for some reason.. its simply fit all of my needs (and fit my pocket nicely as well) although the N97 was a close second.. cheers!
well done.. my son will agree with you for sure.. myself, I find myself still missing the E71 for some reason.. its simply fit all of my needs (and fit my pocket nicely as well) although the N97 was a close second.. cheers!
We had 2 new phones in our house this year, the iPhone I bought the boyf on PAYG so he could access email and the Internet at work and an N86 for me. The N86 is definitely my phone of the year, a nice step up on the camera front from my N82 and it works. The iPhone doesn't! Thankfully he doesn't use it for calls as the O2 signal is pants, it has been great for him as a “normob” though, he took to the iPhone for web use instantly. I'd been trying to convince him to use his nokia to go online for years but he just hated the interface.
We had 2 new phones in our house this year, the iPhone I bought the boyf on PAYG so he could access email and the Internet at work and an N86 for me. The N86 is definitely my phone of the year, a nice step up on the camera front from my N82 and it works. The iPhone doesn't! Thankfully he doesn't use it for calls as the O2 signal is pants, it has been great for him as a “normob” though, he took to the iPhone for web use instantly. I'd been trying to convince him to use his nokia to go online for years but he just hated the interface.
I bought the Nokia 5800 XM mainly because I expected it to be a massive pile of FAIL, but it was the first S60v5-powered handset, and well, something I wanted to have. The result is that I agree wholeheartedly with you. In fact, I spent 3 months solid with the thing as my primary phone recently and it is the reason that I'm now sold on touchscreens. Before, I was dead convinced that touchscreen was a fad.My mom also uses the 5800XM now, an upgrade from the N95-3 that I handed her before, and she loves it. Sends me MMS with pics and vids all the time, does her messaging on it, etc. Loves it. It is, of course, by no means a 'monster' phone. It lacks all manner of refinements, but as you point out, it's sold bucket loads, is dirt-cheap (look at the recently launched 5800 Navigation Edition – US$250 for the phone, SIM-free, AND an official dashboard mount. It's simply unheard of for a 3G touchscreen smartphone with built-in GPS, 3.2MP cam, and more. The whole package (price, features, build quality, interface) is what makes it awesome.
I bought the Nokia 5800 XM mainly because I expected it to be a massive pile of FAIL, but it was the first S60v5-powered handset, and well, something I wanted to have. The result is that I agree wholeheartedly with you. In fact, I spent 3 months solid with the thing as my primary phone recently and it is the reason that I'm now sold on touchscreens. Before, I was dead convinced that touchscreen was a fad.My mom also uses the 5800XM now, an upgrade from the N95-3 that I handed her before, and she loves it. Sends me MMS with pics and vids all the time, does her messaging on it, etc. Loves it. It is, of course, by no means a 'monster' phone. It lacks all manner of refinements, but as you point out, it's sold bucket loads, is dirt-cheap (look at the recently launched 5800 Navigation Edition – US$250 for the phone, SIM-free, AND an official dashboard mount. It's simply unheard of for a 3G touchscreen smartphone with built-in GPS, 3.2MP cam, and more. The whole package (price, features, build quality, interface) is what makes it awesome.
Maybe 5800 was just made for durability not for performance? =)My down for 5800 is the music. The integration of the media UI is old and even N81 can bring down 5800 on music section. heheh
Maybe 5800 was just made for durability not for performance? =)My down for 5800 is the music. The integration of the media UI is old and even N81 can bring down 5800 on music section. heheh
I don't know whether the Nokia 5800 can be titled as phone of the year. That's a difficult call even though I am a proud owner of a Nokia 5800. I would consider the N97 Mini as the phone of the year inspite of the fact that it came out late. But the 5800 definitely is VFM Phone of the year, no doubt about that.The N86 doesn't qualify simply because it has no touch screen. The phone of the year 2009 cannot be a non-touchscreen phone.The iPhone 3GS & the Droid are not available universally so I would penalise them by not considering them for the title.
I don't know whether the Nokia 5800 can be titled as phone of the year. That's a difficult call even though I am a proud owner of a Nokia 5800. I would consider the N97 Mini as the phone of the year inspite of the fact that it came out late. But the 5800 definitely is VFM Phone of the year, no doubt about that.The N86 doesn't qualify simply because it has no touch screen. The phone of the year 2009 cannot be a non-touchscreen phone.The iPhone 3GS & the Droid are not available universally so I would penalise them by not considering them for the title.
Hey Hey look at the specs of iPhone, it is more of APPS but lacks simple and basic features of a smartphone for connectivity and multimedia. I am saying this last line not for stereotyping or judging the people, MOST people love iPhone because they didnt experience many Nokia Phones and they can't appreciate what the REAL innovations are.
Hey Hey look at the specs of iPhone, it is more of APPS but lacks simple and basic features of a smartphone for connectivity and multimedia. I am saying this last line not for stereotyping or judging the people, MOST people love iPhone because they didnt experience many Nokia Phones and they can't appreciate what the REAL innovations are.
hel yeah 5800s!!! i am absolutly in love with mine and reccomend that anyone who is thinking about buying one get it!!!! ifone sucks!!
You're very objective dude. If you just experience having the 5800 from the time it was launched. Not so COOLEST specs of smartphones but still the features of iPhone are very very small compare to many devices. lets just compare Nexus One, iPhone 3GS and Xperia X10 then? see? even HTC hero CAN kill your iPhone.You are saying that MASSES are going for iPhones, but EXPERIENCED pepz didnt went to iPhone =).for a humane way lets say it depends on ur taste and necessity !
You're very objective dude. If you just experience having the 5800 from the time it was launched. Not so COOLEST specs of smartphones but still the features of iPhone are very very small compare to many devices. lets just compare Nexus One, iPhone 3GS and Xperia X10 then? see? even HTC hero CAN kill your iPhone.You are saying that MASSES are going for iPhones, but EXPERIENCED pepz didnt went to iPhone =).for a humane way lets say it depends on ur taste and necessity !
you are very right rick! 5800 was the middle spec SMARTphone. I really like the 5800 as a model for some nokia devices.
you are very right rick! 5800 was the middle spec SMARTphone. I really like the 5800 as a model for some nokia devices.
what about the samsung i8910hd ??
what about the samsung i8910hd ??
I have no device of 2009, I still use my E71 from 2008. Best device I've ever owned. I've been tempted to pick up a Nokia N86 8 MP since I could use a better camera, but I've heard bad things from you and lots of other people about the state of the current firmware. That and Canon is now making cameras the size of credit cards so I'm actually thinking of going back into carrying a dedicated device that does one thing really, really well.Anyway, count me as shocked, I didn't know you would go with the 5800.
I have no device of 2009, I still use my E71 from 2008. Best device I've ever owned. I've been tempted to pick up a Nokia N86 8 MP since I could use a better camera, but I've heard bad things from you and lots of other people about the state of the current firmware. That and Canon is now making cameras the size of credit cards so I'm actually thinking of going back into carrying a dedicated device that does one thing really, really well.Anyway, count me as shocked, I didn't know you would go with the 5800.
I usually do not post anything anywhere, but this thread is quite relevant to me. I have recently defected back to Nokia from somewhat forced use of other brands. For this reason I am feeling a bit zealous and even pleased with my phone, especially compared to recent handsets.
The issue of being forced to use certain brands is because I live in the “States”, even though it is the State of Alaska. 😉 In the “States” we have multiple carriers that use CDMA frequencies, and with that tech phones are tied to the carrier (no such thing as buying a phone and putting your sim in and off you go…) It is even worse than the iPhone exclusivity deals.
And of course as a lot of people who like phones and pay attention to the state of affairs in the “States” know Nokia has a sad lack of market presence here. We are forced to wait for NAM versions of their phones and even if they do come, carriers do not subsidize many of them. When the carriers do deign to lower themselves to subsidising a Nokia product they completely mitigate the act by essentially destroying it. One just has to look into the Nokia e71 vs. the e71x from AT&T. Once again a rather iPhone like moment.
So if somebody over here wants a functional Nokia product they have to buy it unsubsidized, and this is what I did with the 5800. I am very happy with my choice and cannot believe how much I missed Nokia products. Here is my short list of why it does deserve praise and accolades over what seems to be the most contentious product other posters have mentioned:
Durability – Ever drop or see an iPhone dropped? Not pretty. I have already dropped my 5800 a few times. The battery cover came off once, but other than that you cannot even notice. How about sitting on an iPhone? Not good either. I never worry what pocket my 5800 is in. Also the iPhone seems to be extremely sensitive to moisture. My 5800 is still ticking away after many uses in the rain and a large number of small boat trips.
Stability – The only phones that seems lock up, stall, crash, and auto-reset more than iPhones are BlackBerrys. The single issue I have had with my 5800 has been apps that hang. This is not a problem though as you can just kill it and go on using the phone. No waiting long laborious minutes for the phone to reboot. Not to mention the aggravation and sometimes downright unbearable inconvenience of having your phone do that in the middle of a call or writing an e-mail.
Reception/Call Quality – Most of all even though it has “Smart” in its name it is a PHONE! It should do what a phone is meant to do, make and take calls. It should be able to do this with a reasonable amount of signal strength, and then not drop your call three times or more before you finish your conversation. One thing that all the Nokia phones I have ever had do best is work as a phone. Where I live and what I do for an occupation often puts me in poor/fringe signal areas and I have always been able to make calls, receive texts/e-mails, and access data with my Nokia when other brands could not. This is doubly true for iPhones! Does the thing actually have an antenna?
Functionality – First mention here of course has to be battery life. Not sure there is a phone with worse battery life than the iPhone. I doubt there was one ever made. With moderate use it will not even get a full work day done without shutting off the radios. I am sure there are some Nokias that I have not owned that have poor battery life, but we are here about the 5800, and I for one have no problem with a day and a half of moderate use before worrying about a recharge.
Then there is the the mystifying lack of multitasking on the iPhone. It is just a pain in the rear to deal with.
One of the biggest deal breakers for me is all the restrictions that Apple and AT&T have placed on the handset. The main one here is locking out use as a wireless access point or even tethered modem.
There are many other things that make the 5800 a better “phone” than other contenders in my opinion too. In saying that it is not in my mind perfect either, but it is to me a wonderful compromise of all that I find important. I for one will be using it till Nokia releases another similar device with higher speced hardware that will allow for even greater functionality.
Maybe its time to frame your 5800XM and then upgrade to another nOkia? =)
ur story can be now play in the theater or cinemas.
I think the price of 5800 with ur network provider can be also a advantage.
The price is certainly an issue here in the “States”. If you get a subsidized smartphone handset from a provider you are locked into a 2 year contract for a $30 plus a month data plan, and that does not include any voice or messaging. If you buy a sim free or as we call them, unlocked, you do not have to buy the data plan. And even if you decide to get a data plan you can get an unlimited one for $15 a month.
State sucks in network providers. Obama should make network bill hahah.
But I consider people in states that loves and uses Nokia phones as a LUCKY one. It’s better to use nontouch phone than iPhone
Phone of the year for me is the HTC Magic. I prefer it to the Hero, I love the Android OS, and the email integration with Gmail is superb. Wins it for me.
Phone of the year for me is the HTC Magic. I prefer it to the Hero, I love the Android OS, and the email integration with Gmail is superb. Wins it for me.
I owned a 5800 for 6 months (upgraded to N900) and its biggest failing for me was the lack of memory… Very off putting when you get out of memory warnings when browsing the web! Also frustrating firmware update experience if Nokia actually released the firmware for your region!!!!!Great phone for the price though but dont know if I would agree with the best phone of the year.
I owned a 5800 for 6 months (upgraded to N900) and its biggest failing for me was the lack of memory… Very off putting when you get out of memory warnings when browsing the web! Also frustrating firmware update experience if Nokia actually released the firmware for your region!!!!!Great phone for the price though but dont know if I would agree with the best phone of the year.
I agree completely. I bought a 5800 after much consideration and use of the All About Symbian phone chooser chart and I have not been dissapointed despite having one of the very early ones, (Feb 2009), with the dodgy screen which was replaced. A brilliant phone for the price. When travelling, with the right applications, it's like having a laptop that you can carry in a pocket. Brilliant screen, decent storage, usable camera and easy WiFi connection and possibly the bet phone for playing music, with or without headphones. There are phones that are better at individual things but as an all-round package at the price you are spot on.
I agree completely. I bought a 5800 after much consideration and use of the All About Symbian phone chooser chart and I have not been dissapointed despite having one of the very early ones, (Feb 2009), with the dodgy screen which was replaced. A brilliant phone for the price. When travelling, with the right applications, it's like having a laptop that you can carry in a pocket. Brilliant screen, decent storage, usable camera and easy WiFi connection and possibly the bet phone for playing music, with or without headphones. There are phones that are better at individual things but as an all-round package at the price you are spot on.
the N82 is indeed a 2008 Phone, mine's 1 year and 7 months old now, still proud of it. Of course it's 2008, but this Device ranks on Top of every Years List, at least in my humble Opinion. for actual 2009 releases it would be the above two.. The Hero for getting me away from the Chaos that was/is Nokia, and the N900 for the Start of something new and my possible Return back to the “mothership” 😉 2010 will be an awesome year!
the N82 is indeed a 2008 Phone, mine's 1 year and 7 months old now, still proud of it. Of course it's 2008, but this Device ranks on Top of every Years List, at least in my humble Opinion. for actual 2009 releases it would be the above two.. The Hero for getting me away from the Chaos that was/is Nokia, and the N900 for the Start of something new and my possible Return back to the “mothership” 😉 2010 will be an awesome year!
Hey Utku.I love you too.But the 5800 is by far the largest volume selling handset in the UK in 2009.Consumers can get it free on £20 pcm tariffs, that's what the majority want.Mines a Staropramen cheers.
Hey Utku.I love you too.But the 5800 is by far the largest volume selling handset in the UK in 2009.Consumers can get it free on £20 pcm tariffs, that's what the majority want.Mines a Staropramen cheers.
I see a surprising amount of G1's and Heroes in use in Hackney, get half a mile in to Shoreditch and it's almost entirely iPhones, shame none of the Shoreditch folk can get a call through O2's congested network there.
I see a surprising amount of G1's and Heroes in use in Hackney, get half a mile in to Shoreditch and it's almost entirely iPhones, shame none of the Shoreditch folk can get a call through O2's congested network there.
The 5800 XM has been last year's phone for me, although it arrived in my hands in December. 2010 might really turn out to be Android's year, but I will still go with the N97/Mini with the previously-not-working-properly home screen 🙂 True the initial firmware virtually rendered the phone unusable but for the latter half of the year, the phone has been great to use…
The 5800 XM has been last year's phone for me, although it arrived in my hands in December. 2010 might really turn out to be Android's year, but I will still go with the N97/Mini with the previously-not-working-properly home screen 🙂 True the initial firmware virtually rendered the phone unusable but for the latter half of the year, the phone has been great to use…
hel yeah 5800s!!! i am absolutly in love with mine and reccomend that anyone who is thinking about buying one get it!!!! ifone sucks!!
hel yeah 5800s!!! i am absolutly in love with mine and reccomend that anyone who is thinking about buying one get it!!!! ifone sucks!!
I usually do not post anything anywhere, but this thread is quite relevant to me. I have recently defected back to Nokia from somewhat forced use of other brands. For this reason I am feeling a bit zealous and even pleased with my phone, especially compared to recent handsets. The issue of being forced to use certain brands is because I live in the “States”, even though it is the State of Alaska. 😉 In the “States” we have multiple carriers that use CDMA frequencies, and with that tech phones are tied to the carrier (no such thing as buying a phone and putting your sim in and off you go…) It is even worse than the iPhone exclusivity deals. And of course as a lot of people who like phones and pay attention to the state of affairs in the “States” know Nokia has a sad lack of market presence here. We are forced to wait for NAM versions of their phones and even if they do come, carriers do not subsidize many of them. When the carriers do deign to lower themselves to subsidising a Nokia product they completely mitigate the act by essentially destroying it. One just has to look into the Nokia e71 vs. the e71x from AT&T. Once again a rather iPhone like moment.So if somebody over here wants a functional Nokia product they have to buy it unsubsidized, and this is what I did with the 5800. I am very happy with my choice and cannot believe how much I missed Nokia products. Here is my short list of why it does deserve praise and accolades over what seems to be the most contentious product other posters have mentioned:Durability – Ever drop or see an iPhone dropped? Not pretty. I have already dropped my 5800 a few times. The battery cover came off once, but other than that you cannot even notice. How about sitting on an iPhone? Not good either. I never worry what pocket my 5800 is in. Also the iPhone seems to be extremely sensitive to moisture. My 5800 is still ticking away after many uses in the rain and a large number of small boat trips.Stability – The only phones that seems lock up, stall, crash, and auto-reset more than iPhones are BlackBerrys. The single issue I have had with my 5800 has been apps that hang. This is not a problem though as you can just kill it and go on using the phone. No waiting long laborious minutes for the phone to reboot. Not to mention the aggravation and sometimes downright unbearable inconvenience of having your phone do that in the middle of a call or writing an e-mail.Reception/Call Quality – Most of all even though it has “Smart” in its name it is a PHONE! It should do what a phone is meant to do, make and take calls. It should be able to do this with a reasonable amount of signal strength, and then not drop your call three times or more before you finish your conversation. One thing that all the Nokia phones I have ever had do best is work as a phone. Where I live and what I do for an occupation often puts me in poor/fringe signal areas and I have always been able to make calls, receive texts/e-mails, and access data with my Nokia when other brands could not. This is doubly true for iPhones! Does the thing actually have an antenna?Functionality – First mention here of course has to be battery life. Not sure there is a phone with worse battery life than the iPhone. I doubt there was one ever made. With moderate use it will not even get a full work day done without shutting off the radios. I am sure there are some Nokias that I have not owned that have poor battery life, but we are here about the 5800, and I for one have no problem with a day and a half of moderate use before worrying about a recharge.Then there is the the mystifying lack of multitasking on the iPhone. It is just a pain in the rear to deal with.One of the biggest deal breakers for me is all the restrictions that Apple and AT&T have placed on the handset. The main one here is locking out use as a wireless access point or even tethered modem.There are many other things that make the 5800 a better “phone” than other contenders in my opinion too. In saying that it is not in my mind perfect either, but it is to me a wonderful compromise of all that I find important. I for one will be using it till Nokia releases another similar device with higher speced hardware that will allow for even greater functionality.
I usually do not post anything anywhere, but this thread is quite relevant to me. I have recently defected back to Nokia from somewhat forced use of other brands. For this reason I am feeling a bit zealous and even pleased with my phone, especially compared to recent handsets. The issue of being forced to use certain brands is because I live in the “States”, even though it is the State of Alaska. 😉 In the “States” we have multiple carriers that use CDMA frequencies, and with that tech phones are tied to the carrier (no such thing as buying a phone and putting your sim in and off you go…) It is even worse than the iPhone exclusivity deals. And of course as a lot of people who like phones and pay attention to the state of affairs in the “States” know Nokia has a sad lack of market presence here. We are forced to wait for NAM versions of their phones and even if they do come, carriers do not subsidize many of them. When the carriers do deign to lower themselves to subsidising a Nokia product they completely mitigate the act by essentially destroying it. One just has to look into the Nokia e71 vs. the e71x from AT&T. Once again a rather iPhone like moment.So if somebody over here wants a functional Nokia product they have to buy it unsubsidized, and this is what I did with the 5800. I am very happy with my choice and cannot believe how much I missed Nokia products. Here is my short list of why it does deserve praise and accolades over what seems to be the most contentious product other posters have mentioned:Durability – Ever drop or see an iPhone dropped? Not pretty. I have already dropped my 5800 a few times. The battery cover came off once, but other than that you cannot even notice. How about sitting on an iPhone? Not good either. I never worry what pocket my 5800 is in. Also the iPhone seems to be extremely sensitive to moisture. My 5800 is still ticking away after many uses in the rain and a large number of small boat trips.Stability – The only phones that seems lock up, stall, crash, and auto-reset more than iPhones are BlackBerrys. The single issue I have had with my 5800 has been apps that hang. This is not a problem though as you can just kill it and go on using the phone. No waiting long laborious minutes for the phone to reboot. Not to mention the aggravation and sometimes downright unbearable inconvenience of having your phone do that in the middle of a call or writing an e-mail.Reception/Call Quality – Most of all even though it has “Smart” in its name it is a PHONE! It should do what a phone is meant to do, make and take calls. It should be able to do this with a reasonable amount of signal strength, and then not drop your call three times or more before you finish your conversation. One thing that all the Nokia phones I have ever had do best is work as a phone. Where I live and what I do for an occupation often puts me in poor/fringe signal areas and I have always been able to make calls, receive texts/e-mails, and access data with my Nokia when other brands could not. This is doubly true for iPhones! Does the thing actually have an antenna?Functionality – First mention here of course has to be battery life. Not sure there is a phone with worse battery life than the iPhone. I doubt there was one ever made. With moderate use it will not even get a full work day done without shutting off the radios. I am sure there are some Nokias that I have not owned that have poor battery life, but we are here about the 5800, and I for one have no problem with a day and a half of moderate use before worrying about a recharge.Then there is the the mystifying lack of multitasking on the iPhone. It is just a pain in the rear to deal with.One of the biggest deal breakers for me is all the restrictions that Apple and AT&T have placed on the handset. The main one here is locking out use as a wireless access point or even tethered modem.There are many other things that make the 5800 a better “phone” than other contenders in my opinion too. In saying that it is not in my mind perfect either, but it is to me a wonderful compromise of all that I find important. I for one will be using it till Nokia releases another similar device with higher speced hardware that will allow for even greater functionality.
Maybe its time to frame your 5800XM and then upgrade to another nOkia? =)ur story can be now play in the theater or cinemas.I think the price of 5800 with ur network provider can be also a advantage.
Maybe its time to frame your 5800XM and then upgrade to another nOkia? =)ur story can be now play in the theater or cinemas.I think the price of 5800 with ur network provider can be also a advantage.
The price is certainly an issue here in the “States”. If you get a subsidized smartphone handset from a provider you are locked into a 2 year contract for a $30 plus a month data plan, and that does not include any voice or messaging. If you buy a sim free or as we call them, unlocked, you do not have to buy the data plan. And even if you decide to get a data plan you can get an unlimited one for $15 a month.
The price is certainly an issue here in the “States”. If you get a subsidized smartphone handset from a provider you are locked into a 2 year contract for a $30 plus a month data plan, and that does not include any voice or messaging. If you buy a sim free or as we call them, unlocked, you do not have to buy the data plan. And even if you decide to get a data plan you can get an unlimited one for $15 a month.
Hmm… nice call I’d say. It’s very easy to overlook the 5800 in since it has been out for so long compared to the other nominees. However, you are correct James, it is the perfect mid-range smartphone for its time. I actually went into the city (Boston) today with a friend of mine specifically to get him a 5800 Navigation Edition. For the last two weeks we have been trying to figure out which smartphone would be the best value for him to buy and still, a year later, the 5800 is the biggest bang for your buck. The 5800 may not have been the most exciting phone released in 2009, but it was certainly one of the most important.
Yeah, the damn thing just works and it’s reliable and capable of doing everything you want and more. I even use mine as a torch. For what I paid for my 5800, (239 USD, unlocked) it’s one of the best investments I’ve made. GPS, decent cam, sports tracker, music player, portable cinema.. durable, scratch resistant, can use the screen with gloves, the stylus is fantastic. A great touchscreen phone for the masses, the Windows XP of smartphones! Completely agree with you, Mr. Whatley.
Thats an incredibly well reasoned set of arguments, and I can’t argue with your conclusion. Maybe the 5530 or 5230, purely on pricing? They bring touchscreen smartphones to the masses in a way that nothing else can.
Have to laugh at the comments on the N95 though. I’ve got an N95-1. Since I got it, I’ve had a 5800 and N85, and in each case I’ve always gone back to the N95. It definitely justifies the tag of smartphone of the decade.
State sucks in network providers. Obama should make network bill hahah.But I consider people in states that loves and uses Nokia phones as a LUCKY one. It's better to use nontouch phone than iPhone
State sucks in network providers. Obama should make network bill hahah.But I consider people in states that loves and uses Nokia phones as a LUCKY one. It's better to use nontouch phone than iPhone
Hmm… nice call I'd say. It's very easy to overlook the 5800 in since it has been out for so long compared to the other nominees. However, you are correct James, it is the perfect mid-range smartphone for its time. I actually went into the city (Boston) today with a friend of mine specifically to get him a 5800 Navigation Edition. For the last two weeks we have been trying to figure out which smartphone would be the best value for him to buy and still, a year later, the 5800 is the biggest bang for your buck. The 5800 may not have been the most exciting phone released in 2009, but it was certainly one of the most important.
Hmm… nice call I'd say. It's very easy to overlook the 5800 in since it has been out for so long compared to the other nominees. However, you are correct James, it is the perfect mid-range smartphone for its time. I actually went into the city (Boston) today with a friend of mine specifically to get him a 5800 Navigation Edition. For the last two weeks we have been trying to figure out which smartphone would be the best value for him to buy and still, a year later, the 5800 is the biggest bang for your buck. The 5800 may not have been the most exciting phone released in 2009, but it was certainly one of the most important.
didnt expect that
didn’t expect that
Exactly. À chacun son gout, as they say in Wapping.
Exactly. À chacun son gout, as they say in Wapping.
James, I was expecting you to pick the N86 8MP because I know you love that phone, but understand the availability killed it from being your pick.
I have to say I think your pick is a solid choice and I too was impressed by the 5800 and would still be using it if I wasn’t such a hardcore geek that needed the N900. I liked that the 5800 included everything, but the kitchen sink in the box too. I had a slick foldable stand, nice slip case, cables, free Amazon movie coupon, extra stylus, etc. and the packaging fully equipped me. I LOVED that I could watch Amazon Video on Demand movies on the 5800. The dang thing was durable, inexpensive, and gave me my first glimpse of a touchscreen experience on a Nokia device. I have argued that T-Mobile USA should have jumped on this handset and it could have been a killer seller for them before they started off on their Android kick.
Yeah, the damn thing just works and it's reliable and capable of doing everything you want and more. I even use mine as a torch. For what I paid for my 5800, (239 USD, unlocked) it's one of the best investments I've made. GPS, decent cam, sports tracker, music player, portable cinema.. durable, scratch resistant, can use the screen with gloves, the stylus is fantastic. A great touchscreen phone for the masses, the Windows XP of smartphones! Completely agree with you, Mr. Whatley.
Yeah, the damn thing just works and it's reliable and capable of doing everything you want and more. I even use mine as a torch. For what I paid for my 5800, (239 USD, unlocked) it's one of the best investments I've made. GPS, decent cam, sports tracker, music player, portable cinema.. durable, scratch resistant, can use the screen with gloves, the stylus is fantastic. A great touchscreen phone for the masses, the Windows XP of smartphones! Completely agree with you, Mr. Whatley.
Thats an incredibly well reasoned set of arguments, and I can't argue with your conclusion. Maybe the 5530 or 5230, purely on pricing? They bring touchscreen smartphones to the masses in a way that nothing else can.Have to laugh at the comments on the N95 though. I've got an N95-1. Since I got it, I've had a 5800 and N85, and in each case I've always gone back to the N95. It definitely justifies the tag of smartphone of the decade.
Thats an incredibly well reasoned set of arguments, and I can't argue with your conclusion. Maybe the 5530 or 5230, purely on pricing? They bring touchscreen smartphones to the masses in a way that nothing else can.Have to laugh at the comments on the N95 though. I've got an N95-1. Since I got it, I've had a 5800 and N85, and in each case I've always gone back to the N95. It definitely justifies the tag of smartphone of the decade.
Well said. Truly NOKIA 5800 is the best phone out in the market for the money.
hé hé, been through Nokia N95, Nokia N958Gb, Nokia E90, Nokia 5800, Samsung i8910 HD, HTC Hero, and latest Acer liquid and for me, the Acer Liquid offers the Best Value For Money, It’s MY phone of the year !
😉
The 5800? Phone of the year?
My god man… have you bumped your head? …did you have one too-many mulled wines? …was the sherry trifle a bit strong for you? …did Santa bring you a bag of ‘wrong’ for Christmas? … is there too much ‘nog’ in your ‘egg’?
The 5800 has sold plenty of units… but that’s a triumph of ignorance over innovation. Most of those units will have been bought on the basis of a dummy phone stuck on the wall of a high-street store… tick-box shopping. You like touch-screen? You remember Nokia sounds like a good name? It’s a poster-child for all that’s wrong with mobile handsets right now… The big-name manufacturers trading on their past glory mimicking the attractive features of better handsets, but failing (massively) in the execution… another Nokia that needs a couple of software updates to make it half-way usable. I wonder what it’s done to consumer opinion of Nokia’s brand?
Yes it’s robust, yes it’s cheap, but that’s hardly handset of the year material in my book.
My handset of the year is the iPhone (again – same as last year). It’s expensive, closed, fragile and generally a niche device, but none of those factors feature in my consideration… It’s the impact the device has had that matters. The iPhone has grabbed attention and mind-share. Apple have put a rocket up the established manufacturers and the influence extends far beyond their own products or directly competitive products. The iPhone is responsible for:
the explosion of app stores, the ‘app economy’ and the single-handed education of consumers over what apps are and what they can do. Listen to the teenagers in our recent interview… they didn’t know you could get apps on any other platform even though they used Blackberry.
the popularity of touch-screens. Apple didn’t settle for the lack-lustre performance of earlier touch-screen units which had limited mass popularity. They got finger-touch working and even those still using resistive screens are copying the interface and interaction…. take a look at LG’s recent units. They owe a lot to what Apple did in the iPhone interface.
challenging the dominance of the mobile network operators. Google and Palm have both now created platforms that they control and promote… lacking the bastardisation from the outset that had been increasingly popular by network operators previously. However, it was Apple that blazed this trail on the back of consumer anticipation for the iPhone.
exposing the ‘good enough’ culture of the big handset manufacturers… the iPhone might be a limited platform, but it does what it promises and it executes it well. I don’t mean it has the best battery or calling performance, but it far more stable, consistent in what it does do. What’s more unsatisfactory for a consumer – buying a handset they know won’t multi-task or having one that does but crashes unpredictably?
Of course the big problem here is that little of this argument is new for 2009… a few of the names and nuances are different, but little has improved from 2008. The iPhone retains its title in my book due to the under-performance of others rather than a significant improvement in what it does.
Next year Android and Maemo look promising and I look forward to the final demise of Palm (may it come soon), but they’ve some way to go before they re-shape consumers’ ideas of what a mobile device can be like the iPhone did. To be honest though I’m already thinking that the handset of 2010 will be determined by Indian and Chinese consumers… Europe and North America can’t promised the growth for manufacturers that these markets can.
Here’s hoping you’re feeling better in 2010 and see sense 😉
Well it’s disappointing to see someone coming up with the same old cliches again.
Did it ever to occur to you that the reason the 5800 was a success – and why Nokia smartphones are increasing sales volumes again – is precisely because they are so familiar?
Just a thought.
I don’t see these views as disappointing, just ignorant and elitist. What quite a few people can’t seem to grasp is that most people don’t need to make a fashion and status statement with their phone.
Most just need a phone to work and to keep working through the rigors of their hectic lives. Also if they are buying a smartphone they need useful functionality, not useless fluff apps. That is what Nokia seems to do best, not perfectly, but best.
I didn’t make any reference to the iPhone being a fashion statement. I said its influence extended to many other handset segments and manufacturers.
Yeah it occurred to me, but it’s completely irrelevant to my argument so I didn’t mention it. My point is that the phone of the year for me is one that has influenced many others, including the 5800.
Ben, if you’re talking about the iPhone 3G – which I think is definitely the phone of 2008 – you’re right. All the points you mention refer to events that happened in 2007 or 2008 – the challenging of the carriers, the launch of the app store, etc. so when you’re talking about trading on past glories then you may want to bear that in mind.
The main point where you fall down though is the assumption that people are somehow conned into buying the 5800 and don’t even consider other options out of ignorance. To me that’s a remarkably blinkered and cynical view.
I suspect most people buy their phones after considering the holy trinity of price, utility and coolness. For some people that’ll mean the iPhone, for others it’ll be the Hero and for others still it’ll be the 5800. I’m sure some people bought the 5800 because it was a dummy handset on the wall and Nokia have a good name, however I’m equally sure some people bought the iPhone based on the massive advertising campaign that Apple undertook and never actually used an iPhone either. Presenting only one side of the coin kind of diminishes your argument.
didnt expect that
didn't expect that
didnt expect that
didn't expect that
James, I was expecting you to pick the N86 8MP because I know you love that phone, but understand the availability killed it from being your pick.I have to say I think your pick is a solid choice and I too was impressed by the 5800 and would still be using it if I wasn't such a hardcore geek that needed the N900. I liked that the 5800 included everything, but the kitchen sink in the box too. I had a slick foldable stand, nice slip case, cables, free Amazon movie coupon, extra stylus, etc. and the packaging fully equipped me. I LOVED that I could watch Amazon Video on Demand movies on the 5800. The dang thing was durable, inexpensive, and gave me my first glimpse of a touchscreen experience on a Nokia device. I have argued that T-Mobile USA should have jumped on this handset and it could have been a killer seller for them before they started off on their Android kick.
James, I was expecting you to pick the N86 8MP because I know you love that phone, but understand the availability killed it from being your pick.I have to say I think your pick is a solid choice and I too was impressed by the 5800 and would still be using it if I wasn't such a hardcore geek that needed the N900. I liked that the 5800 included everything, but the kitchen sink in the box too. I had a slick foldable stand, nice slip case, cables, free Amazon movie coupon, extra stylus, etc. and the packaging fully equipped me. I LOVED that I could watch Amazon Video on Demand movies on the 5800. The dang thing was durable, inexpensive, and gave me my first glimpse of a touchscreen experience on a Nokia device. I have argued that T-Mobile USA should have jumped on this handset and it could have been a killer seller for them before they started off on their Android kick.
Well said. Truly NOKIA 5800 is the best phone out in the market for the money.
Well said. Truly NOKIA 5800 is the best phone out in the market for the money.
hé hé, been through Nokia N95, Nokia N958Gb, Nokia E90, Nokia 5800, Samsung i8910 HD, HTC Hero, and latest Acer liquid and for me, the Acer Liquid offers the Best Value For Money, It's MY phone of the year !;)
hé hé, been through Nokia N95, Nokia N958Gb, Nokia E90, Nokia 5800, Samsung i8910 HD, HTC Hero, and latest Acer liquid and for me, the Acer Liquid offers the Best Value For Money, It's MY phone of the year !;)
The best phone I had so far was the Blackberry “Bold2” 9700. Very good looking, fast, battery lasts a couple of days with moderate usage, push email, and most importantly RELIABLE, something that Nokia phones seem to lack.
It is a shame, I LOVE Nokia and it is my number one brand but unfortunately nothing works the way it is supposed to.
BB’s are in theory great devices for the market they are trying to reach. They are not good for a large portion of the populace, at all. I think the Storm is a exemplary case in point.
BB’s also suffer from many of the same issues as iPhones do. They are terribly fragile and the real killer that I cannot understand how people can get past is the auto resets that the phones love to do. On top of that I had reception issues with every one of them I owned. Only the iPhone makes BB reception look ok. A final nail in the coffin as I see it is the limited app storage memory. What is RIM thinking?
I agree that the e-mail on BB’s is by far and away the best I have ever used. Other companies should just license the software/system from them. Then everybody could concentrate on something they are good at…
This being said I truly did want to love my many BlackBerrys, but after the fifth one and the constant issue of resetting and of course the memory deal I could not.
The 5800? Phone of the year?My god man… have you bumped your head? …did you have one too-many mulled wines? …was the sherry trifle a bit strong for you? …did Santa bring you a bag of 'wrong' for Christmas?The 5800 has sold plenty of units… but that's a triumph of ignorance over innovation. Most of those units will have been bought on the basis of a dummy phone stuck on the wall of a high-street store… tick-box shopping. You like touch-screen? You remember Nokia sounds like a good name? It's a poster-child for all that's wrong with mobile handsets right now… The big-name manufacturers trading on their past glory mimicking the attractive features of better handsets, but failing (massively) in the execution… another Nokia that needs a couple of software updates to make it half-way usable. I wonder what it's done to consumer opinion of Nokia's brand?Yes it's robust, yes it's cheap, but that's hardly handset of the year material in my book.My handset of the year is the iPhone (again – same as last year). It's expensive, closed, fragile and generally a niche device, but none of those factors feature in my consideration… It's the impact the device has had that matters. The iPhone has grabbed attention and mind-share. Apple have put a rocket up the established manufacturers and the influence extends far beyond their own products or directly competitive products. The iPhone is responsible for:* the explosion of app stores, the 'app economy' and the single-handed education of consumers over what apps are and what they can do. Listen to the teenagers in our recent interview… they didn't know you could get apps on any other platform even though they used Blackberry.* the popularity of touch-screens. Apple didn't settle for the lack-lustre performance of earlier touch-screen units which had limited mass popularity. They got finger-touch working and even those still using resistive screens are copying the interface and interaction…. take a look at LG's recent units. They owe a lot to what Apple did in the iPhone interface.* challenging the dominance of the mobile network operators. Google and Palm have both now created platforms that they control and promote… lacking the bastardisation from the outset that had been increasingly popular by network operators previously. However, it was Apple that blazed this trail on the back of consumer anticipation for the iPhone.* exposing the 'good enough' culture of the big handset manufacturers… the iPhone might be a limited platform, but it does what it promises and it executes it well. I don't mean it has the best battery or calling performance, but it far more stable, consistent in what it does do. What's more unsatisfactory for a consumer – buying a handset they know won't multi-task or having one that does but crashes unpredictably?Of course the big problem here is that little of this argument is new for 2009… a few of the names and nuances are different, but little has improved from 2008. The iPhone retains its title in my book due to the under-performance of others rather than a significant improvement in others.Next year Android and Maemo look promising and I look forward to the final demise of Palm (may it come soon), but they've some way to go before they re-shape consumers' ideas of what a mobile device can be like the iPhone did. To be honest though I'm already thinking that the handset of 2010 will be determined by Indian and Chinese consumers… Europe and North America can't promised the growth for manufacturers that these markets can.Here's hoping you're feeling better in 2010 and see sense ;-)The 5800? Phone of the year?My god man… have you bumped your head? …did you have one too-many mulled wines? …was the sherry trifle a bit strong for you? …did Santa bring you a bag of 'wrong' for Christmas?The 5800 has sold plenty of units… but that's a triumph of ignorance over innovation. Most of those units will have been bought on the basis of a dummy phone stuck on the wall of a high-street store… tick-box shopping. You like touch-screen? You remember Nokia sounds like a good name? It's a poster-child for all that's wrong with mobile handsets right now… The big-name manufacturers trading on their past glory mimicking the attractive features of better handsets, but failing (massively) in the execution… another Nokia that needs a couple of software updates to make it half-way usable. I wonder what it's done to consumer opinion of Nokia's brand?Yes it's robust, yes it's cheap, but that's hardly handset of the year material in my book.My handset of the year is the iPhone (again – same as last year). It's expensive, closed, fragile and generally a niche device, but none of those factors feature in my consideration… It's the impact the device has had that matters. The iPhone has grabbed attention and mind-share. Apple have put a rocket up the established manufacturers and the influence extends far beyond their own products or directly competitive products. The iPhone is responsible for:* the explosion of app stores, the 'app economy' and the single-handed education of consumers over what apps are and what they can do. Listen to the teenagers in our recent interview… they didn't know you could get apps on any other platform even though they used Blackberry.* the popularity of touch-screens. Apple didn't settle for the lack-lustre performance of earlier touch-screen units which had limited mass popularity. They got finger-touch working and even those still using resistive screens are copying the interface and interaction…. take a look at LG's recent units. They owe a lot to what Apple did in the iPhone interface.* challenging the dominance of the mobile network operators. Google and Palm have both now created platforms that they control and promote… lacking the bastardisation from the outset that had been increasingly popular by network operators previously. However, it was Apple that blazed this trail on the back of consumer anticipation for the iPhone.* exposing the 'good enough' culture of the big handset manufacturers… the iPhone might be a limited platform, but it does what it promises and it executes it well. I don't mean it has the best battery or calling performance, but it far more stable, consistent in what it does do. What's more unsatisfactory for a consumer – buying a handset they know won't multi-task or having one that does but crashes unpredictably?Of course the big problem here is that little of this argument is new for 2009… a few of the names and nuances are different, but little has improved from 2008. The iPhone retains its title in my book due to the under-performance of others rather than a significant improvement in others.Next year Android and Maemo look promising and I look forward to the final demise of Palm (may it come soon), but they've some way to go before they re-shape consumers' ideas of what a mobile device can be like the iPhone did. To be honest though I'm already thinking that the handset of 2010 will be determined by Indian and Chinese consumers… Europe and North America can't promised the growth for manufacturers that these markets can.Here's hoping you're feeling better in 2010 and see sense 😉
The 5800? Phone of the year?My god man… have you bumped your head? …did you have one too-many mulled wines? …was the sherry trifle a bit strong for you? …did Santa bring you a bag of 'wrong' for Christmas?The 5800 has sold plenty of units… but that's a triumph of ignorance over innovation. Most of those units will have been bought on the basis of a dummy phone stuck on the wall of a high-street store… tick-box shopping. You like touch-screen? You remember Nokia sounds like a good name? It's a poster-child for all that's wrong with mobile handsets right now… The big-name manufacturers trading on their past glory mimicking the attractive features of better handsets, but failing (massively) in the execution… another Nokia that needs a couple of software updates to make it half-way usable. I wonder what it's done to consumer opinion of Nokia's brand?Yes it's robust, yes it's cheap, but that's hardly handset of the year material in my book.My handset of the year is the iPhone (again – same as last year). It's expensive, closed, fragile and generally a niche device, but none of those factors feature in my consideration… It's the impact the device has had that matters. The iPhone has grabbed attention and mind-share. Apple have put a rocket up the established manufacturers and the influence extends far beyond their own products or directly competitive products. The iPhone is responsible for:* the explosion of app stores, the 'app economy' and the single-handed education of consumers over what apps are and what they can do. Listen to the teenagers in our recent interview… they didn't know you could get apps on any other platform even though they used Blackberry.* the popularity of touch-screens. Apple didn't settle for the lack-lustre performance of earlier touch-screen units which had limited mass popularity. They got finger-touch working and even those still using resistive screens are copying the interface and interaction…. take a look at LG's recent units. They owe a lot to what Apple did in the iPhone interface.* challenging the dominance of the mobile network operators. Google and Palm have both now created platforms that they control and promote… lacking the bastardisation from the outset that had been increasingly popular by network operators previously. However, it was Apple that blazed this trail on the back of consumer anticipation for the iPhone.* exposing the 'good enough' culture of the big handset manufacturers… the iPhone might be a limited platform, but it does what it promises and it executes it well. I don't mean it has the best battery or calling performance, but it far more stable, consistent in what it does do. What's more unsatisfactory for a consumer – buying a handset they know won't multi-task or having one that does but crashes unpredictably?Of course the big problem here is that little of this argument is new for 2009… a few of the names and nuances are different, but little has improved from 2008. The iPhone retains its title in my book due to the under-performance of others rather than a significant improvement in others.Next year Android and Maemo look promising and I look forward to the final demise of Palm (may it come soon), but they've some way to go before they re-shape consumers' ideas of what a mobile device can be like the iPhone did. To be honest though I'm already thinking that the handset of 2010 will be determined by Indian and Chinese consumers… Europe and North America can't promised the growth for manufacturers that these markets can.Here's hoping you're feeling better in 2010 and see sense ;-)The 5800? Phone of the year?My god man… have you bumped your head? …did you have one too-many mulled wines? …was the sherry trifle a bit strong for you? …did Santa bring you a bag of 'wrong' for Christmas?The 5800 has sold plenty of units… but that's a triumph of ignorance over innovation. Most of those units will have been bought on the basis of a dummy phone stuck on the wall of a high-street store… tick-box shopping. You like touch-screen? You remember Nokia sounds like a good name? It's a poster-child for all that's wrong with mobile handsets right now… The big-name manufacturers trading on their past glory mimicking the attractive features of better handsets, but failing (massively) in the execution… another Nokia that needs a couple of software updates to make it half-way usable. I wonder what it's done to consumer opinion of Nokia's brand?Yes it's robust, yes it's cheap, but that's hardly handset of the year material in my book.My handset of the year is the iPhone (again – same as last year). It's expensive, closed, fragile and generally a niche device, but none of those factors feature in my consideration… It's the impact the device has had that matters. The iPhone has grabbed attention and mind-share. Apple have put a rocket up the established manufacturers and the influence extends far beyond their own products or directly competitive products. The iPhone is responsible for:* the explosion of app stores, the 'app economy' and the single-handed education of consumers over what apps are and what they can do. Listen to the teenagers in our recent interview… they didn't know you could get apps on any other platform even though they used Blackberry.* the popularity of touch-screens. Apple didn't settle for the lack-lustre performance of earlier touch-screen units which had limited mass popularity. They got finger-touch working and even those still using resistive screens are copying the interface and interaction…. take a look at LG's recent units. They owe a lot to what Apple did in the iPhone interface.* challenging the dominance of the mobile network operators. Google and Palm have both now created platforms that they control and promote… lacking the bastardisation from the outset that had been increasingly popular by network operators previously. However, it was Apple that blazed this trail on the back of consumer anticipation for the iPhone.* exposing the 'good enough' culture of the big handset manufacturers… the iPhone might be a limited platform, but it does what it promises and it executes it well. I don't mean it has the best battery or calling performance, but it far more stable, consistent in what it does do. What's more unsatisfactory for a consumer – buying a handset they know won't multi-task or having one that does but crashes unpredictably?Of course the big problem here is that little of this argument is new for 2009… a few of the names and nuances are different, but little has improved from 2008. The iPhone retains its title in my book due to the under-performance of others rather than a significant improvement in others.Next year Android and Maemo look promising and I look forward to the final demise of Palm (may it come soon), but they've some way to go before they re-shape consumers' ideas of what a mobile device can be like the iPhone did. To be honest though I'm already thinking that the handset of 2010 will be determined by Indian and Chinese consumers… Europe and North America can't promised the growth for manufacturers that these markets can.Here's hoping you're feeling better in 2010 and see sense 😉
The best phone I had so far was the Blackberry “Bold2” 9700. Very good looking, fast, battery lasts a couple of days with moderate usage, push email, and most importantly RELIABLE, something that Nokia phones seem to lack.It is a shame, I LOVE Nokia and it is my number one brand but unfortunately nothing works the way it is supposed to.
The best phone I had so far was the Blackberry “Bold2” 9700. Very good looking, fast, battery lasts a couple of days with moderate usage, push email, and most importantly RELIABLE, something that Nokia phones seem to lack.It is a shame, I LOVE Nokia and it is my number one brand but unfortunately nothing works the way it is supposed to.
BB's are in theory great devices for the market they are trying to reach. They are not good for a large portion of the populace, at all. I think the Storm is a exemplary case in point.BB's also suffer from many of the same issues as iPhones do. They are terribly fragile and the real killer that I cannot understand how people can get past is the auto resets that the phones love to do. On top of that I had reception issues with every one of them I owned. Only the iPhone makes BB reception look ok. A final nail in the coffin as I see it is the limited app storage memory. What is RIM thinking?I agree that the e-mail on BB's is by far and away the best I have ever used. Other companies should just license the software/system from them. Then everybody could concentrate on something they are good at…This being said I truly did want to love my many BlackBerrys, but after the fifth one and the constant issue of resetting and of course the memory deal I could not.
BB's are in theory great devices for the market they are trying to reach. They are not good for a large portion of the populace, at all. I think the Storm is a exemplary case in point.BB's also suffer from many of the same issues as iPhones do. They are terribly fragile and the real killer that I cannot understand how people can get past is the auto resets that the phones love to do. On top of that I had reception issues with every one of them I owned. Only the iPhone makes BB reception look ok. A final nail in the coffin as I see it is the limited app storage memory. What is RIM thinking?I agree that the e-mail on BB's is by far and away the best I have ever used. Other companies should just license the software/system from them. Then everybody could concentrate on something they are good at…This being said I truly did want to love my many BlackBerrys, but after the fifth one and the constant issue of resetting and of course the memory deal I could not.
Any new nokia-lover would instantly name the N900 as the top phone, but since it’s still effectively “beta,” of course, the next best thing would be the 5800.
Nice Call. 🙂
(that’s not pov btw… i have a n900 and love it, but it’s still early. maybe next year (maybe next device for that matter…)
Well it's disappointing to see someone coming up with the same old cliches again.Did it ever to occur to you that the reason the 5800 was a success – and why Nokia smartphones are increasing sales volumes again – is precisely because they are so familiar?Just a thought.
Well it's disappointing to see someone coming up with the same old cliches again.Did it ever to occur to you that the reason the 5800 was a success – and why Nokia smartphones are increasing sales volumes again – is precisely because they are so familiar?Just a thought.
I don't see these views as disappointing, just ignorant and elitist. What quite a few people can't seem to grasp is that most people don't need to make a fashion and status statement with their phone. Most just need a phone to work and to keep working through the rigors of their hectic lives. Also if they are buying a smartphone they need useful functionality, not useless fluff apps. That is what Nokia seems to do best, not perfectly, but best.
I don't see these views as disappointing, just ignorant and elitist. What quite a few people can't seem to grasp is that most people don't need to make a fashion and status statement with their phone. Most just need a phone to work and to keep working through the rigors of their hectic lives. Also if they are buying a smartphone they need useful functionality, not useless fluff apps. That is what Nokia seems to do best, not perfectly, but best.
Any new nokia-lover would instantly name the N900 as the top phone, but since it's still effectively “beta,” of course, the next best thing would be the 5800.Nice Call. :)(that's not pov btw… i have a n900 and love it, but it's still early. maybe next year (maybe next device for that matter…)
Any new nokia-lover would instantly name the N900 as the top phone, but since it's still effectively “beta,” of course, the next best thing would be the 5800.Nice Call. :)(that's not pov btw… i have a n900 and love it, but it's still early. maybe next year (maybe next device for that matter…)
I have been recommending the 5800 for skint college students because (1) it works well and (2) it should survive a few drops onto pub floors.
Hi James…Happy New Year to you first off all the best to you and yours!!!
5800 as the phone of the year. I tend to agree with you.
1. Popularity – i remember when it was released. Nokia fans were excited to have nokia’s “1st touchscreen” but what was amazing was that not only nokia fans caught on…lots of other non nokia fans caught on..from networks to man in the street.
Specs – 3.2mp wifi touch video recording accelerometer 8gb card included hellava sales package with goodies loud/quality speakers…and the list can go on…plus as a symbian user i didnt have to go looking for 5th edition apps per se, as s60v3 apps easily installed with no fuss…lastly i got mine sim free…not a feature but my next point will show the relation.
Cost – i dont know about others but 2009 was a bit hard economically for alot of people…so to find a SIM free touch screen device packing a majority of features sub £300…was a bargain. lets compare spec for spec, price for price (iphone +£450 sim free 5800 sub £300 with the same spec sheet)
Value for Money – which ties in with cost….but to further state they are not alot of phones in the price range that comes with such specs etc. at this price.
its a good device – well self explanatory
device support – nokia have kept up firmware updates etc for this device. also it may not be general knowledge but the 5800 has a 434mhz processor rather than the 369mhz processor it was intially specified at!(it was overclocked) pleasant surprize!
so yes james i agree with you on your choice!
(the n900 was a close 2nd but i believe that should a fw update have come in 2009 to fix
certain niggles it would have been my choice of device of the year)
The criteria being used – throughout both article and comments – are so diverse that this one could run and run indefinitely.
Clearly mobile phones elicit a fervour never seen for things like DVD players, washing machines or WiFi access points. This speaks strongly to the relationship that humans have with them – and how carefully and cleverly they are marketed and segmented to different social groups.
(I think most commentators are surprised simply because they hadn’t put James down to being in the classic 5800 demographic, not because it’s a particularly bad device)
This is all good of course. But in your zeal, please spare a thought for the poor app and mobile web developers who have to continue to provide services for all of you and your diverse pocket-shaped passions 😉
This is possibly my favourite comment so far. I really like the gentle nudge that you give to the relationship aspect that arguably all humans have with their handsets. Something that is hard to design for, hard to predict and certainly, as you point out, hard to develop for.
Who knows what we’ll see over the next five years or so, what will remain the same is this key dynamic that is central to any success; the relationship it has with its owner.
I have been recommending the 5800 for skint college students because (1) it works well and (2) it should survive a few drops onto pub floors.
I have been recommending the 5800 for skint college students because (1) it works well and (2) it should survive a few drops onto pub floors.
Hi James…Happy New Year to you first off all the best to you and yours!!!5800 as the phone of the year. I tend to agree with you.1. Popularity – i remember when it was released. Nokia fans were excited to have nokia's “1st touchscreen” but what was amazing was that not only nokia fans caught on…lots of other non nokia fans caught on..from networks to man in the street.2. Specs – 3.2mp wifi touch video recording accelerometer 8gb card included hellava sales package with goodies loud/quality speakers…and the list can go on…plus as a symbian user i didnt have to go looking for 5th edition apps per se, as s60v3 apps easily installed with no fuss…lastly i got mine sim free…not a feature but my next point will show the relation.3. Cost – i dont know about others but 2009 was a bit hard economically for alot of people…so to find a SIM free touch screen device packing a majority of features sub £300…was a bargain. lets compare spec for spec, price for price (iphone +£450 sim free 5800 sub £300 with the same spec sheet)4. Value for Money – which ties in with cost….but to further state they are not alot of phones in the price range that comes with such specs etc. at this price.5. its a good device – well self explanatory6. device support – nokia have kept up firmware updates etc for this device. also it may not be general knowledge but the 5800 has a 434mhz processor rather than the 369mhz processor it was intially specified at!(it was overclocked) pleasant surprize!so yes james i agree with you on your choice!(the n900 was a close 2nd but i believe that should a fw update have come in 2009 to fixcertain niggles it would have been my choice of device of the year)
Hi James…Happy New Year to you first off all the best to you and yours!!!5800 as the phone of the year. I tend to agree with you.1. Popularity – i remember when it was released. Nokia fans were excited to have nokia's “1st touchscreen” but what was amazing was that not only nokia fans caught on…lots of other non nokia fans caught on..from networks to man in the street.2. Specs – 3.2mp wifi touch video recording accelerometer 8gb card included hellava sales package with goodies loud/quality speakers…and the list can go on…plus as a symbian user i didnt have to go looking for 5th edition apps per se, as s60v3 apps easily installed with no fuss…lastly i got mine sim free…not a feature but my next point will show the relation.3. Cost – i dont know about others but 2009 was a bit hard economically for alot of people…so to find a SIM free touch screen device packing a majority of features sub £300…was a bargain. lets compare spec for spec, price for price (iphone +£450 sim free 5800 sub £300 with the same spec sheet)4. Value for Money – which ties in with cost….but to further state they are not alot of phones in the price range that comes with such specs etc. at this price.5. its a good device – well self explanatory6. device support – nokia have kept up firmware updates etc for this device. also it may not be general knowledge but the 5800 has a 434mhz processor rather than the 369mhz processor it was intially specified at!(it was overclocked) pleasant surprize!so yes james i agree with you on your choice!(the n900 was a close 2nd but i believe that should a fw update have come in 2009 to fixcertain niggles it would have been my choice of device of the year)
I wouldn't be so fast to dismiss the SE Satio. I really like that phone. My wife won't let go of it.
I wouldn't be so fast to dismiss the SE Satio. I really like that phone. My wife won't let go of it.
The criteria being used – throughout both article and comments – are so diverse that this one could run and run indefinitely.Clearly mobile phones elicit a fervour never seen for things like DVD players, washing machines or WiFi access points. This speaks strongly to the relationship that humans have with them – and how carefully and cleverly they are marketed and segmented to different social groups.(I think most commentators are surprised simply because they hadn't put James down to being in the classic 5800 demographic, not because it's a particularly bad device)This is all good of course. But in your zeal, please spare a thought for the poor app and mobile web developers who have to continue to provide services for all of you and your diverse pocket-shaped passions 😉
The criteria being used – throughout both article and comments – are so diverse that this one could run and run indefinitely.Clearly mobile phones elicit a fervour never seen for things like DVD players, washing machines or WiFi access points. This speaks strongly to the relationship that humans have with them – and how carefully and cleverly they are marketed and segmented to different social groups.(I think most commentators are surprised simply because they hadn't put James down to being in the classic 5800 demographic, not because it's a particularly bad device)This is all good of course. But in your zeal, please spare a thought for the poor app and mobile web developers who have to continue to provide services for all of you and your diverse pocket-shaped passions 😉
Yeah it occurred to me, but it's completely irrelevant to my argument so I didn't mention it. My point is that the phone of the year for me is one that has influenced many others, including the 5800.
Yeah it occurred to me, but it's completely irrelevant to my argument so I didn't mention it. My point is that the phone of the year for me is one that has influenced many others, including the 5800.
I didn't make any reference to the iPhone being a fashion statement. I said it's influence was extended to many other handset segments and manufacturers.
I didn't make any reference to the iPhone being a fashion statement. I said it's influence was extended to many other handset segments and manufacturers.
hel yeah 5800s!!! i am absolutly in love with mine and reccomend that anyone who is thinking about buying one get it!!!! ifone sucks!!
This is possibly my favourite comment so far. I really like the gentle nudge that you give to the relationship aspect that arguably all humans have with their handsets. Something that is hard to design for, hard to predict and certainly, as you point out, hard to develop for. Who knows what we'll see over the next five years or so, what will remain the same is this key dynamic that is central to any success; the relationship it has with its owner.
This is possibly my favourite comment so far. I really like the gentle nudge that you give to the relationship aspect that arguably all humans have with their handsets. Something that is hard to design for, hard to predict and certainly, as you point out, hard to develop for. Who knows what we'll see over the next five years or so, what will remain the same is this key dynamic that is central to any success; the relationship it has with its owner.
hel yeah 5800s!!! i am absolutly in love with mine and reccomend that anyone who is thinking about buying one get it!!!! ifone sucks!!
hel yeah 5800s!!! i am absolutly in love with mine and reccomend that anyone who is thinking about buying one get it!!!! ifone sucks!!
It’s a pretty cheap shot to call the 5800 “phone of the year” over the obscenely-superior 3GS without clearly qualifying that there’s a price limit in play, especially when the price difference is apparently local to the UK. Here in the admittedly-screwed-up United States, a 16GB 3GS will run you $199 (~£124) on contract, and dodging the $30/month charge for data is just as easy (or difficult, depending on your personality) as it is when using any other GSM/UMTS smartphone.
Granted, the 5800 NAM would be moving for “free” on contract if it was sold by a carrier here, and I’ll admit that I routinely recommend that folks who think they want to put up with Symbian get a cheap 3GS with their contract and dump it on eBay/HowardForums to subsidize the purchase of something from Nokia. But the point remains that at least in this part of the world, the cost of the 3GS is actually the “cheap” part and is used as the dubious carrot that sucks so many Americans into paying obnoxious prices for their service. AT&T and Verizon are horrible companies, but that’s a constant for customers here.
This is absolutely subjective, but in my mind a “phone of the year” exemplifies the best product, not the stuffer that landed in the most stockings. If the latter were the case, why not nominate some shitty 2009 dumbphone that moved crazy units, too?
For pure prestige, the competitors are very clearly the 3GS, the N900, and the Motorola Droid (unless you don’t want to count it until a proper UMTS version drops, which is legitimate). Mobile software development was quite obviously 2009’s focus, and I think it’s apparent that Android, iPhone OS, and Maemo have the brightest futures in that department — and for as painful an admission as it is, iPhone OS has the best present. We’d all like an Android phone or an iPhone with the N86’s camera, but it’s downright ridiculous to suggest that another S60 catastrophe is a viable purchase at this stage in the game.
Nokia has made a business out of abusively flooding the market with devices and then intentionally fragmenting software features even though the “OS” is allegedly the same. Half the fun of owning a smartphone is watching it get better along the way, and it shouldn’t take more than a quick look to Fruit’s original Jesusphone 2007 edition which has been steadily supported, can still run most of the latest software, and still commands a high resale value to see that. People upgraded for worthwhile hardware improvements that arguably should have been in the first iteration (3G, GPS, video recording), but they didn’t get hoodwinked into buying a product that’s going to fade into obscurity just as many Nokias do. HTC pulls this gambit with Windows Mobile, but they’ve at least got the fine folks at xda-developers to bail them out. Nokia customers have no such trump card.
If you’ve only got £200 to spend on a smartphone, settle for the HTC Hero with the full understanding that you’re buying a 2008-level rehash with a headphone jack slapped on. Better yet, find a way to save up another £200 and invest in a smartphone worth owning.
“This is absolutely subjective, but in my mind a “phone of the year” exemplifies the best product, not the stuffer that landed in the most stockings. If the latter were the case, why not nominate some shitty 2009 dumbphone that moved crazy units, too?”
You’ve not caught on that the point of this article is that the 5800 does a lot for less (I don’t understand what kind of wizardry you use to get the iPhone for $200 and then avoid the contract, but I assume it falls under ‘theft’). It’s not about price OR quality, it’s about both put together.
“If you’ve only got £200 to spend on a smartphone, settle for the HTC Hero with the full understanding that you’re buying a 2008-level rehash with a headphone jack slapped on. Better yet, find a way to save up another £200 and invest in a smartphone worth owning.”
On what planet does the HTC Hero cost £200?! I guess it’s the same one you got that iPhone from.
As for Nokia deliberately fragmenting software features, you do realise that one of the reasons why the ‘two taps’ interaction mode for list items in S60 5th edition is there was a vain attempt to keep compatability? If you do actually want to live in a world where every manufacturer makes essentially one device and ‘maintains compatability’ forever and ever than fine. You should have a little think about the implications though…
If you re-read my post, you’ll see that I said $199 on-contract (not off) for the 3GS, which is what it costs here — in response to James’ sentiment that the 3GS was too expensive because it’s “absolute minimum £300 – £400 either on PAYG or on contract.” I’ll admit I’m not sure what a UMTS HTC Hero costs you guys over there; the CDMA version (which is the only 3G-capable version we can use here in the U.S.) is moving on eBay right now for $325 USD (£201), and since James didn’t complain about the Hero’s cost in his initial posting I’m assuming it’s “fine” for the purpose of this abstract exercise where phones are crowned champion on the guise of some imaginary MSRP guideline.
As for the Nokia predicament, I’m not talking S60 3rd vs. S60 5th and you know it. I own an E70-2 that will never see S60 3rd FP1 (or even the small updates the E70-1 saw, for no good reason), and an N82 that will never see FP2 even though the hardware is plenty capable. We regularly see mindbendingly poor choices with software exclusions, too: ask recent Eseries device owners how they like the Podcasting app situation.
I’m not saying Google’s gotten it right with Android, because there’s absolutely fragmentation in that ecosystem. But it’s quite plain to see that they’ve got a better software deployment path moving forward: Android Market vs. Ovi Store and a tangled mess of developer websites is a no-brainer decision. Additionally, HTC’s Android devices — just like their Windows Mobile devices — are routinely hacked and updated courtesy of the folks at xda-developers, so we know there’s at least -some- software upgrade path, even if Google and the manufacturer both fail to provide it.
Phone of year is samsung i8910 omnia hd!a fantastic amoled screen with amoled touchscreen..player with divx codec, very good camera for video and foto (not so much at 1280×720 in this moment, but maybe the best a 720×480!), gps very fast, phone very fast (cortex a8 cpu),nice interface with widget, task 3d, POSSIBILITY OF COOKING ROM AS WINDOWS MOBILE (first time for a symbian phone), radio fm with mp4 recording, very good music player with 5.1 surround feature,from january with kinetic scroll in every part of menù..THE BEST
It's a pretty cheap shot to call the 5800 “phone of the year” over the obscenely-superior 3GS without clearly qualifying that there's a price limit in play, especially when the price difference is apparently local to the UK. Here in the admittedly-screwed-up United States, a 16GB 3GS will run you $199 (~£124) on contract, and dodging the $30/month charge for data is just as easy (or difficult, depending on your personality) as it is when using any other GSM/UMTS smartphone.Granted, the 5800 NAM would be moving for “free” on contract if it was sold by a carrier here, and I'll admit that I routinely recommend that folks who think they want to put up with Symbian get a cheap 3GS with their contract and dump it on eBay/HowardForums to subsidize the purchase of something from Nokia. But the point remains that at least in this part of the world, the cost of the 3GS is actually the “cheap” part and is used as the dubious carrot that sucks so many Americans into paying obnoxious prices for their service. AT&T and Verizon are horrible companies, but that's a constant for customers here.This is absolutely subjective, but in my mind a “phone of the year” exemplifies the best product, not the stuffer that landed in the most stockings. If the latter were the case, why not nominate some shitty 2009 dumbphone that moved crazy units, too?For pure prestige, the competitors are very clearly the 3GS, the N900, and the Motorola Droid (unless you don't want to count it until a proper UMTS version drops, which is legitimate). Mobile software development was quite obviously 2009's focus, and I think it's apparent that Android, iPhone OS, and Maemo have the brightest futures in that department — and for as painful an admission as it is, iPhone OS has the best present. We'd all like an Android phone or an iPhone with the N86's camera, but it's downright ridiculous to suggest that another S60 catastrophe is a viable purchase at this stage in the game.Nokia has made a business out of abusively flooding the market with devices and then intentionally fragmenting software features even though the “OS” is allegedly the same. Half the fun of owning a smartphone is watching it get better along the way, and it shouldn't take more than a quick look to Fruit's original Jesusphone 2007 edition which has been steadily supported, can still run most of the latest software, and still commands a high resale value to see that. People upgraded for worthwhile hardware improvements that arguably should have been in the first iteration (3G, GPS, video recording), but they didn't get hoodwinked into buying a product that's going to fade into obscurity just as many Nokias do. HTC pulls this gambit with Windows Mobile, but they've at least got the fine folks at xda-developers to bail them out. Nokia customers have no such trump card.If you've only got £200 to spend on a smartphone, settle for the HTC Hero with the full understanding that you're buying a 2008-level rehash with a headphone jack slapped on. Better yet, find a way to save up another £200 and invest in a smartphone worth owning.
It's a pretty cheap shot to call the 5800 “phone of the year” over the obscenely-superior 3GS without clearly qualifying that there's a price limit in play, especially when the price difference is apparently local to the UK. Here in the admittedly-screwed-up United States, a 16GB 3GS will run you $199 (~£124) on contract, and dodging the $30/month charge for data is just as easy (or difficult, depending on your personality) as it is when using any other GSM/UMTS smartphone.Granted, the 5800 NAM would be moving for “free” on contract if it was sold by a carrier here, and I'll admit that I routinely recommend that folks who think they want to put up with Symbian get a cheap 3GS with their contract and dump it on eBay/HowardForums to subsidize the purchase of something from Nokia. But the point remains that at least in this part of the world, the cost of the 3GS is actually the “cheap” part and is used as the dubious carrot that sucks so many Americans into paying obnoxious prices for their service. AT&T and Verizon are horrible companies, but that's a constant for customers here.This is absolutely subjective, but in my mind a “phone of the year” exemplifies the best product, not the stuffer that landed in the most stockings. If the latter were the case, why not nominate some shitty 2009 dumbphone that moved crazy units, too?For pure prestige, the competitors are very clearly the 3GS, the N900, and the Motorola Droid (unless you don't want to count it until a proper UMTS version drops, which is legitimate). Mobile software development was quite obviously 2009's focus, and I think it's apparent that Android, iPhone OS, and Maemo have the brightest futures in that department — and for as painful an admission as it is, iPhone OS has the best present. We'd all like an Android phone or an iPhone with the N86's camera, but it's downright ridiculous to suggest that another S60 catastrophe is a viable purchase at this stage in the game.Nokia has made a business out of abusively flooding the market with devices and then intentionally fragmenting software features even though the “OS” is allegedly the same. Half the fun of owning a smartphone is watching it get better along the way, and it shouldn't take more than a quick look to Fruit's original Jesusphone 2007 edition which has been steadily supported, can still run most of the latest software, and still commands a high resale value to see that. People upgraded for worthwhile hardware improvements that arguably should have been in the first iteration (3G, GPS, video recording), but they didn't get hoodwinked into buying a product that's going to fade into obscurity just as many Nokias do. HTC pulls this gambit with Windows Mobile, but they've at least got the fine folks at xda-developers to bail them out. Nokia customers have no such trump card.If you've only got £200 to spend on a smartphone, settle for the HTC Hero with the full understanding that you're buying a 2008-level rehash with a headphone jack slapped on. Better yet, find a way to save up another £200 and invest in a smartphone worth owning.
I complete agree with you that the 5800 is the most underestimated device in Nokia’s current portfolio. I also agree that the N86 is a phenomenal multimedia device. Pity that the networks did not support it so widely as you say.
I would also add that the standard of feature devices running on proprietary interfaces has also vastly improved offering practicality and value for those simply wishing to have a right out of the box solution without being interested in customisation.
2010 will be a very interesting year in the development of all these product segments.
Ben, if you're talking about the iPhone 3G – which I think is definitely the phone of 2008 – you're right. All the points you mention refer to events that happened in 2007 or 2008 – the challenging of the carriers, the launch of the app store, etc. so when you're talking about trading on past glories then you may want to bear that in mind.The main point where you fall down though is the assumption that people are somehow conned into buying the 5800 and don't even consider other options out of ignorance. To me that's a remarkably blinkered and cynical view. I suspect most people buy their phones after considering the holy trinity of price, utility and coolness. For some people that'll mean the iPhone, for others it'll be the Hero and for others still it'll be the 5800. I'm sure some people bought the 5800 because it was a dummy handset on the wall and Nokia have a good name, however I'm equally sure some people bought the iPhone based on the massive advertising campaign that Apple undertook and never actually used an iPhone either. Presenting only one side of the coin kind of diminishes your argument.
Ben, if you're talking about the iPhone 3G – which I think is definitely the phone of 2008 – you're right. All the points you mention refer to events that happened in 2007 or 2008 – the challenging of the carriers, the launch of the app store, etc. so when you're talking about trading on past glories then you may want to bear that in mind.The main point where you fall down though is the assumption that people are somehow conned into buying the 5800 and don't even consider other options out of ignorance. To me that's a remarkably blinkered and cynical view. I suspect most people buy their phones after considering the holy trinity of price, utility and coolness. For some people that'll mean the iPhone, for others it'll be the Hero and for others still it'll be the 5800. I'm sure some people bought the 5800 because it was a dummy handset on the wall and Nokia have a good name, however I'm equally sure some people bought the iPhone based on the massive advertising campaign that Apple undertook and never actually used an iPhone either. Presenting only one side of the coin kind of diminishes your argument.
“This is absolutely subjective, but in my mind a “phone of the year” exemplifies the best product, not the stuffer that landed in the most stockings. If the latter were the case, why not nominate some shitty 2009 dumbphone that moved crazy units, too?”You've not caught on that the point of this article is that the 5800 does a lot for less (I don't understand what kind of wizardry you use to get the iPhone for $200 and then avoid the contract, but I assume it falls under 'theft'). It's not about price OR quality, it's about both put together. “If you've only got £200 to spend on a smartphone, settle for the HTC Hero with the full understanding that you're buying a 2008-level rehash with a headphone jack slapped on. Better yet, find a way to save up another £200 and invest in a smartphone worth owning.”On what planet does the HTC Hero cost £200?! I guess it's the same one you got that iPhone from. As for Nokia deliberately fragmenting software features, you do realise that one of the reasons why the 'two taps' interaction mode for list items in S60 5th edition is there was a vain attempt to keep compatability? If you do actually want to live in a world where every manufacturer makes essentially one device and 'maintains compatability' forever and ever than fine. You should have a little think about the implications though…
“This is absolutely subjective, but in my mind a “phone of the year” exemplifies the best product, not the stuffer that landed in the most stockings. If the latter were the case, why not nominate some shitty 2009 dumbphone that moved crazy units, too?”You've not caught on that the point of this article is that the 5800 does a lot for less (I don't understand what kind of wizardry you use to get the iPhone for $200 and then avoid the contract, but I assume it falls under 'theft'). It's not about price OR quality, it's about both put together. “If you've only got £200 to spend on a smartphone, settle for the HTC Hero with the full understanding that you're buying a 2008-level rehash with a headphone jack slapped on. Better yet, find a way to save up another £200 and invest in a smartphone worth owning.”On what planet does the HTC Hero cost £200?! I guess it's the same one you got that iPhone from. As for Nokia deliberately fragmenting software features, you do realise that one of the reasons why the 'two taps' interaction mode for list items in S60 5th edition is there was a vain attempt to keep compatability? If you do actually want to live in a world where every manufacturer makes essentially one device and 'maintains compatability' forever and ever than fine. You should have a little think about the implications though…
If you re-read my post, you'll see that I said $199 on-contract (not off) for the 3GS, which is what it costs here — in response to James' sentiment that the 3GS was too expensive because it's “absolute minimum £300 – £400 either on PAYG or on contract.” I'll admit I'm not sure what a UMTS HTC Hero costs you guys over there; the CDMA version (which is the only 3G-capable version we can use here in the U.S.) is moving on eBay right now for $325 USD (£201), and since James didn't complain about the Hero's cost in his initial posting I'm assuming it's “fine” for the purpose of this abstract exercise where phones are crowned champion on the guise of some imaginary MSRP guideline.As for the Nokia predicament, I'm not talking S60 3rd vs. S60 5th and you know it. I own an E70-2 that will never see S60 3rd FP1 (or even the small updates the E70-1 saw, for no good reason), and an N82 that will never see FP2 even though the hardware is plenty capable. We regularly see mindbendingly poor choices with software exclusions, too: ask recent Eseries device owners how they like the Podcasting app situation.I'm not saying Google's gotten it right with Android, because there's absolutely fragmentation in that ecosystem. But it's quite plain to see that they've got a better software deployment path moving forward: Android Market vs. Ovi Store and a tangled mess of developer websites is a no-brainer decision. Additionally, HTC's Android devices — just like their Windows Mobile devices — are routinely hacked and updated courtesy of the folks at xda-developers, so we know there's at least -some- software upgrade path, even if Google and the manufacturer both fail to provide it.
If you re-read my post, you'll see that I said $199 on-contract (not off) for the 3GS, which is what it costs here — in response to James' sentiment that the 3GS was too expensive because it's “absolute minimum £300 – £400 either on PAYG or on contract.” I'll admit I'm not sure what a UMTS HTC Hero costs you guys over there; the CDMA version (which is the only 3G-capable version we can use here in the U.S.) is moving on eBay right now for $325 USD (£201), and since James didn't complain about the Hero's cost in his initial posting I'm assuming it's “fine” for the purpose of this abstract exercise where phones are crowned champion on the guise of some imaginary MSRP guideline.As for the Nokia predicament, I'm not talking S60 3rd vs. S60 5th and you know it. I own an E70-2 that will never see S60 3rd FP1 (or even the small updates the E70-1 saw, for no good reason), and an N82 that will never see FP2 even though the hardware is plenty capable. We regularly see mindbendingly poor choices with software exclusions, too: ask recent Eseries device owners how they like the Podcasting app situation.I'm not saying Google's gotten it right with Android, because there's absolutely fragmentation in that ecosystem. But it's quite plain to see that they've got a better software deployment path moving forward: Android Market vs. Ovi Store and a tangled mess of developer websites is a no-brainer decision. Additionally, HTC's Android devices — just like their Windows Mobile devices — are routinely hacked and updated courtesy of the folks at xda-developers, so we know there's at least -some- software upgrade path, even if Google and the manufacturer both fail to provide it.
Phone of year is samsung i8910 omnia hd!a fantastic amoled screen with amoled touchscreen..player with divx codec, very good camera for video and foto (not so much at 1280×720 in this moment, but maybe the best a 720×480!), gps very fast, phone very fast (cortex a8 cpu),nice interface with widget, task 3d, POSSIBILITY OF COOKING ROM AS WINDOWS MOBILE (first time for a symbian phone), radio fm with mp4 recording, very good music player with 5.1 surround feature,from january with kinetic scroll in every part of menù..THE BEST
Phone of year is samsung i8910 omnia hd!a fantastic amoled screen with amoled touchscreen..player with divx codec, very good camera for video and foto (not so much at 1280×720 in this moment, but maybe the best a 720×480!), gps very fast, phone very fast (cortex a8 cpu),nice interface with widget, task 3d, POSSIBILITY OF COOKING ROM AS WINDOWS MOBILE (first time for a symbian phone), radio fm with mp4 recording, very good music player with 5.1 surround feature,from january with kinetic scroll in every part of menù..THE BEST
I complete agree with you that the 5800 is the most underestimated device in Nokia's current portfolio. I also agree that the N86 is a phenomenal multimedia device. Pity that the networks did not support it so widely as you say. I would also add that the standard of feature devices running on proprietary interfaces has also vastly improved offering practicality and value for those simply wishing to have a right out of the box solution without being interested in customisation. 2010 will be a very interesting year in the development of all these product segments.
I complete agree with you that the 5800 is the most underestimated device in Nokia's current portfolio. I also agree that the N86 is a phenomenal multimedia device. Pity that the networks did not support it so widely as you say. I would also add that the standard of feature devices running on proprietary interfaces has also vastly improved offering practicality and value for those simply wishing to have a right out of the box solution without being interested in customisation. 2010 will be a very interesting year in the development of all these product segments.
The 5530 is to the 5800, as the N97 mini is to the N97. So phone of the year would have to be the 5530; but for one thing; the Nokia 5630.
It has even more features that either the 5800 or the 5530 and is only 83 grams. That is assuming you can do without a qwerty keypad. But it does have intelligent text input.
Phone of the year is the Nokia 5630.
Saying that non-touch devices “don’t qualify” is one of the most inane and obtuse comments I have read in a very long time. Anyone who has spent any quality time with a touch UI knows that, at this stage, they are a hinderance to usage. They are, currently, a gimmicky fad that MUST change, and change quickly, in order to survive. The feedback from hard keys CANNOT be replicated by even the most responsive touch UI and until they can touch UI’s are a flashy, pointless, labor-intensive, fiddly and downright crap way to use a phone. I should know. I own both the 5800 and the N97 mini and they pale into insignificance next to the N86 8MP and the N95 8GB (although the latter is beginning to get a bit creaky round the edges. Thinking about it the 5800 was creaky round the edges straight out of the box).
The 5530 is to the 5800, as the N97 mini is to the N97. So phone of the year would have to be the 5530; but for one thing; the Nokia 5630. It has even more features that either the 5800 or the 5530 and is only 83 grams. That is assuming you can do without a qwerty keypad. But it does have intelligent text input.Phone of the year is the Nokia 5630.
The 5530 is to the 5800, as the N97 mini is to the N97. So phone of the year would have to be the 5530; but for one thing; the Nokia 5630. It has even more features that either the 5800 or the 5530 and is only 83 grams. That is assuming you can do without a qwerty keypad. But it does have intelligent text input.Phone of the year is the Nokia 5630.
Saying that non-touch devices “don't qualify” is most inane, obtuse comments I have read in a very long time. Anyone who has spent any quality time with a touch UI knows that, at this stage, they are a hinderance to usage. They are, currently, a gimmicky fad that MUST change, and change quickly, in order to survive. The feedback from hard keys CANNOT be replicated by even the most responsive touch UI and until they can touch UI's are a flashy, pointless, labor-intensive, fiddly and downright crap way to use a phone. I should know. I own both the 5800 and the N97 mini and they pale into insignificance next to the N86 8MP and the N95 8GB (although the latter is beginning to get a bit creaky round the edges. Thinking about it the 5800 was creaky round the edges straight out of the box).
Saying that non-touch devices “don't qualify” is most inane, obtuse comments I have read in a very long time. Anyone who has spent any quality time with a touch UI knows that, at this stage, they are a hinderance to usage. They are, currently, a gimmicky fad that MUST change, and change quickly, in order to survive. The feedback from hard keys CANNOT be replicated by even the most responsive touch UI and until they can touch UI's are a flashy, pointless, labor-intensive, fiddly and downright crap way to use a phone. I should know. I own both the 5800 and the N97 mini and they pale into insignificance next to the N86 8MP and the N95 8GB (although the latter is beginning to get a bit creaky round the edges. Thinking about it the 5800 was creaky round the edges straight out of the box).
woah! comment tastic post.
i agree, as i bought a second one after i lost the first.
it’s my back up second phone of delight. not perfect but kinda does the job. and occasionally saves my bacon.
woah! comment tastic post.i agree, as i bought a second one after i lost the first.it's my back up second phone of delight. not perfect but kinda does the job. and occasionally saves my bacon.
woah! comment tastic post.i agree, as i bought a second one after i lost the first.it's my back up second phone of delight. not perfect but kinda does the job. and occasionally saves my bacon.
My phone of the year is the iPhone 3GS.
I don’t disagree with your view though, the iPhone is a luxury phone and does (for me) so much more than what just a phone would do.
Still waiting for a decent N95 replacement though.
E71i for me in North America using AT&T. I bought the unlocked phone and moved the SIM from my older phone. E71i may not be a 2009 phone, but I bought it this year. It is the best phone among the smartphone category — best radio of them all I guess. The keyboard works very well for one or two thumbs. Great Symbian features like auto name lookup and long-press for number instead of text. Small enough to slip in your shirt pocket. Strong enough to survive regular falls out of the shirt pocket. Slim enough to put in your jeans pocket.
Have you ever considered the N86?
http://thereallymobileproject.com/2009/09/love-your-n95-get-the-nokia-n86/
My phone of the year is the iPhone 3GS.http://elearningstuff.wordpress.com/2010/01/04/…I don't disagree with your view though, the iPhone is a luxury phone and does (for me) so much more than what just a phone would do.Still waiting for a decent N95 replacement though.
My phone of the year is the iPhone 3GS.http://elearningstuff.wordpress.com/2010/01/04/…I don't disagree with your view though, the iPhone is a luxury phone and does (for me) so much more than what just a phone would do.Still waiting for a decent N95 replacement though.
E71i for me in North America using AT&T. I bought the unlocked phone and moved the SIM from my older phone. E71i may not be a 2009 phone, but I bought it this year. It is the best phone among the smartphone category — best radio of them all I guess. The keyboard works very well for one or two thumbs. Great Symbian features like auto name lookup and long-press for number instead of text. Small enough to slip in your shirt pocket. Strong enough to survive regular falls out of the shirt pocket. Slim enough to put in your jeans pocket.
E71i for me in North America using AT&T. I bought the unlocked phone and moved the SIM from my older phone. E71i may not be a 2009 phone, but I bought it this year. It is the best phone among the smartphone category — best radio of them all I guess. The keyboard works very well for one or two thumbs. Great Symbian features like auto name lookup and long-press for number instead of text. Small enough to slip in your shirt pocket. Strong enough to survive regular falls out of the shirt pocket. Slim enough to put in your jeans pocket.
Have you ever considered the N86?http://thereallymobileproject.com/2009/09/love-…
Have you ever considered the N86?http://thereallymobileproject.com/2009/09/love-…
N900 obviously!!! Ppl don’t need a year to try/test a cellphone >.<
it was release in 2009 so!!!
N900 obviously!!! Ppl don't need a year to try/test a cellphone >.<it was release in 2009 so!!!
N900 obviously!!! Ppl don't need a year to try/test a cellphone >.<it was release in 2009 so!!!
The 5800 will keep you entertained longer..I would give 9/10 for 5800 but camera is not that bad but video is better plus all that lovely big high pixel screen and all the smartfone add ons..
The 5800 will keep you entertained longer..I would give 9/10 for 5800 but camera is not that bad but video is better plus all that lovely big high pixel screen and all the smartfone add ons..
The 5800 will keep you entertained longer..I would give 9/10 for 5800 but camera is not that bad but video is better plus all that lovely big high pixel screen and all the smartfone add ons..