Battle of the Black Metal Titans (i-Mate Ultimate 9502 vs Nokia E90)
Published by Steve Litchfield at 8:27 UTC, April 22nd 2008
Upon acquiring the i-Mate Ultimate 9502 for review, the first thing I thought of was its similarity to the Nokia E90. Not in terms of exact form factor, but in terms of feel, weight, spec and purpose. Here's my detailed head-to-head analysis...
| Nokia E90 | i-Mate Ultimate 9502 | |
| Form factor | Clamshell | Transverse Slider |
| Weight | 210g | 200g |
| Display | 800 by 352 pixels inner screen, plus QVGA outer screen. Most S60 applications work, though few use the whole screen efficiently |
640 by 480 pixels touch-screen, hard to read in sunlight. Most applications run in a smooth QVGA form, you have to manually enable high resolution browsing in Internet Explorer and then the text is too small to read. Even photo viewing doesn't use the whole screen |
| Comms | Quad band, HSDPA, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Infrared | Quad band, HSDPA, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
| Interface | S60 3rd Edition, Symbian OS 9 - see WM6 description to the right(!) - S60 isn't quite as klunky, it's quicker but the app support isn't as wide. |
Windows Mobile 6 Professional - clunky all the time, sometimes painfully slow, but with wide application support |
| Navigation | GPS, Nokia Maps (plus Google Maps and other solutions) |
GPS, no software included, Google Maps works fine though |
 |
||
| Keyboard | 8cm (q to p) qwerty keyboard, fairly stiff keys, small travel, dedicated number key row |
5.5cm qwerty thumb keyboard, keys have good feel but are wastefully tiny |
| Stills camera |
3 megapixels, LED flash, photo quality very good (here showing 1:1 fragments at the centre of a full 3 megapixel photo):
Camera lens protected by plastic rim |
3 megapixels, LED flash, photo quality is utterly awful:
Camera lens proud of device bottom, open to immediate scratching. Not that it'll make photos any worse - that just wouldn't be possible! |
| Video camera | Full VGA resolution, 30 frames per second, good quality | 352 by 288 pixels, 15 frames per second, poor audio and picture quality |
| Audio out |
2.5mm smartphone jack, stereo speakers |
2.5mm smartphone jack, mono speaker |
| Controllers | External d-pad great, internal one adequate | Very cheap and wobbly d-pad and main phone controls |
 |
||
| Battery |
1500mAh, 2 days of moderately heavy use |
1660mAh, 2 days of moderately heavy use |
| Office | Quickoffice 3 built-in, later versions to come in future firmwares. Adequate but not perfect Office editing |
Office Mobile built-in, on a par with Quickoffice overall. Adequate but not perfect. |
| Browser | S60 Web based on Webkit, full desktop browsing (now with Flash Lite 3 as well in latest beta firmware) | Pocket Internet Explorer is getting very tired now. PIE 7 will be here in a year's time and brought more up to date, but in the meantime the browsing experience is both slower and much worse than any other mobile browser |
| Multimedia | Music playback great but fiddly control (though setting one of the 'My own' buttons to Music player helps), all formats supported | Music playback good, but more limited format support and even more fiddly control |
| Software scene | S60 3rd Edition has a good app base now, but not all programs work well on the large screened E90. Game support is particularly sparse. | A wealth of third party apps, including hundreds of games and vertical apps for companies. |
| Expansion | microSD, up to 32GB | microSD, up to only 2GB (no SDHC support) |
You'll get a sense from the above text that the E90 comes out an easy winner overall, despite being by no means a perfect product itself. The i-Mate Ultimate 9502 simply loses too many points with its appalling camera, appalling d-pad and unnecessarily miniscule keyboard.
Moreover, the use of a VGA screen in Windows Mobile is simply handled badly. If you thought the way E90 adapted S60 was poorly thought out, then VGA in WinMob 6 is worse. Most applications display their interfaces in exactly the same way as on QVGA, just wirh smoother fonts. The end result is pretty, but it's a criminal waste. And then some applications, such as the web browser, have a 'hi-res' mode, which displays everything in 1:1 on the VGA screen rather than pixel-doubling elements. This results in content which is too tiny to be read properly. What's needed is more intelligent handling of VGA by the operating system, with screen elements and fonts which are smaller and more flexible than those in the QVGA system but not as unusable as those in a 1:1 VGA environment. The end result should be more content on-screen and yet still readable. Rant over....
If it's hard to recommend the Nokia E90, in that it's an arguably niche device, then it's much harder still to recommend the i-Mate Ultimate 9502. Not only is it a niche device, it's one that's poorly realised, with some cheap components spoiling the otherwise impressive metal build.
Steve Litchfield, 23 April 2008, All About Symbian
PS. Watch for a video review of the 9502 in Smartphones Show 58.
Categories: Hardware
Platforms: General, S60 3rd Edition
Feature Discussion
santa's son
both phones suck.....e90 is a nightmare i would like to forget with its myriad problems...i managed to sell it for half the amount i had purchased it for.....as for imates most of them are overpriced and dont deliver what they promised....the ultimate line they promised hasnt arrived yet.....they make me laugh
bills2north
Thanks Steve!
I canīt believe that other companies still canīt seem to beat E90 hands down. Theyīve had the chance to copy it for almost a year!
imate is a poor competitor and so is Xperia X1 or the hybrid portable device dubbed 'HDPC (Hybrid Dual Portable Computer)' in the Korea market.
If you want a good laugh review those! :D
I canīt believe that other companies still canīt seem to beat E90 hands down. Theyīve had the chance to copy it for almost a year!
imate is a poor competitor and so is Xperia X1 or the hybrid portable device dubbed 'HDPC (Hybrid Dual Portable Computer)' in the Korea market.
If you want a good laugh review those! :D
DevilsRejection
You forgot to mention that the 9502 has XGA video out. The killer app for that device was demoed to me at the MWC. It was a 9502 using Remote Desktop Mobile to connect to a Vista machine, then the bloke connected his mobile to a HDTV then connected a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard to it and it ran flawlessly.
unregistered
It depends on whether you want a phone or a smart device.
Physically, 9502 is no match for E90. With "A wealth of third party apps, including hundreds of games and vertical apps for companies", 9502 has the upper hand in terms of smartness, one can overcomes the software complaints easily if they willing to :)
In conclusion, one with poor software support and the other with poor hardware, both are lousy "smartphone" :D
Physically, 9502 is no match for E90. With "A wealth of third party apps, including hundreds of games and vertical apps for companies", 9502 has the upper hand in terms of smartness, one can overcomes the software complaints easily if they willing to :)
In conclusion, one with poor software support and the other with poor hardware, both are lousy "smartphone" :D
Unregistered
amazing how people don't "get" the e90. I understand it may have some limitations, however, when taken into consideration.. the 3.2 mpxl camera is very decent, the gps is super good (with wayfinder) mp3 player is usable, video player works great and the web browser is on par with the computer browser oh, and as a phone, it works great.
Richard Ross
I've never liked the E90 - I tried it for two weeks, via my operator as I was wary, and returned it.
It's an odd size - too small to really be a mini-laptop and too big to be a comfortable phone - and the lack of optimisation for the larger screen and full keyboard is maddening.
All that being said, and while I'm not tied to a particular platform (I've used WM, UIQ3 and S60 in the past 2 years), it will take a substantial revision before I go anywhere near another WinMob device: the user experience is dreadful especially when just trying to do simple things like dial a number!
In the end I've gone for a two-box solution, an E51 tethered to an N810 and I'd strongly advise anyone looking at the E90 to at least think about this option: you get a small easy but full-featured smartphone and a genuinely open (though not new-user-friendly) handheld PC.
What I'd really love is aproperly optimised S60v3 VGA clamshell in the 9300 form factor - the 9300 is the best phone I've ever owned and only my extremely nerdish desire for new toys stops me from using it to this day, though it remains my back-up device.
It's an odd size - too small to really be a mini-laptop and too big to be a comfortable phone - and the lack of optimisation for the larger screen and full keyboard is maddening.
All that being said, and while I'm not tied to a particular platform (I've used WM, UIQ3 and S60 in the past 2 years), it will take a substantial revision before I go anywhere near another WinMob device: the user experience is dreadful especially when just trying to do simple things like dial a number!
In the end I've gone for a two-box solution, an E51 tethered to an N810 and I'd strongly advise anyone looking at the E90 to at least think about this option: you get a small easy but full-featured smartphone and a genuinely open (though not new-user-friendly) handheld PC.
What I'd really love is aproperly optimised S60v3 VGA clamshell in the 9300 form factor - the 9300 is the best phone I've ever owned and only my extremely nerdish desire for new toys stops me from using it to this day, though it remains my back-up device.
RBaker
The E90 is a Niche phone for my Job in IT its great the ability to use it for remote desktop administration and various network connectivity fits the bill perfectly, plus its a Nokia so you know your getting good quality and S60 functionality.
Unregistered
I can't imagine anyone who is seriously considering an E90 (or anything similar) going with an E51 and an N810. I'm not saying that the combination is bad, but if someone wants a device that can do everything, albeit with some limitations (and you name me one device that has NO limitations), is not going to be satisfied with a simple(-ish) phone and a large(-ish) tablet running an unfamiliar OS.
I moved to an E90 from a P910i, and I couldn't be happier. Yes there are some issues, which hopefully will be fixed by a FW update, but on the whole, I find the E90 to be a fantastic device, and the experience of using it a positive one.
I moved to an E90 from a P910i, and I couldn't be happier. Yes there are some issues, which hopefully will be fixed by a FW update, but on the whole, I find the E90 to be a fantastic device, and the experience of using it a positive one.
Pythonista
E90 plus N810 is still the best I can find but at least the Eee PC can run tabbed browsing with NoScript (NoScript.net).
This is important for Nokia to recognize because NoScript reduces CPU utilization, especially when hundreds of tabs are open.
Why can't Canon stick Wifi and Linux in one of their cameras? The camera on the E90 is excrutiatingly sssllloooowwww.
Given exorbitant prepaid GPRS rates, it is impossible to use the phone as a browser, but sending a folder of html files from a Macbook via bluetooth is not quick and easy. The phone says it can not accept files of that type (a folder full of web pages). Of course there are workarounds, but given that the pricing of GPRS is limited to Saudi oil sheiks, more attention should be paid to allowing Macbook users to send hundreds of tabs over via Bluetooth quickly and easily.
Nokia will introduce Qt to the maemo platform in addition to GTK+. Nokia wants to explore cross-platform possibilities between S60 and maemo because Linux is the operating system of the future.
This is important for Nokia to recognize because NoScript reduces CPU utilization, especially when hundreds of tabs are open.
Why can't Canon stick Wifi and Linux in one of their cameras? The camera on the E90 is excrutiatingly sssllloooowwww.
Given exorbitant prepaid GPRS rates, it is impossible to use the phone as a browser, but sending a folder of html files from a Macbook via bluetooth is not quick and easy. The phone says it can not accept files of that type (a folder full of web pages). Of course there are workarounds, but given that the pricing of GPRS is limited to Saudi oil sheiks, more attention should be paid to allowing Macbook users to send hundreds of tabs over via Bluetooth quickly and easily.
Nokia will introduce Qt to the maemo platform in addition to GTK+. Nokia wants to explore cross-platform possibilities between S60 and maemo because Linux is the operating system of the future.
Unregistered
I need that e90 firmware. Nokia gods, give me my firmware.
Hardeep1singh
Quote:
| but given that the pricing of GPRS is limited to Saudi oil sheiks |
Arthur
E90... best phone ever. Period. Forget plasticky little phone-toys for kids.
The_Fellowship
i've had my e90 for about a month now and absolutely love it!
sure it's a large and heavy device but it's got one of the best internal screens and qwerty keyboards on a mobile. the extra functionality including gps, wifi and a semi-decent camera make it a joy to use. i upgraded from my n95 and have never looked back. the e90 has a solid feel and is built much better than the n95. the e90 is a good device in my opinion and i'd recommend it to all...
sure it's a large and heavy device but it's got one of the best internal screens and qwerty keyboards on a mobile. the extra functionality including gps, wifi and a semi-decent camera make it a joy to use. i upgraded from my n95 and have never looked back. the e90 has a solid feel and is built much better than the n95. the e90 is a good device in my opinion and i'd recommend it to all...
Menneisyys
Absolutely agree with the outcome: the 9502 is pretty bad. No wonder I didn't recommend it in my MWC report either...
Menneisyys
Quote:
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Originally Posted by DevilsRejection
You forgot to mention that the 9502 has XGA video out. The killer app for that device was demoed to me at the MWC. It was a 9502 using Remote Desktop Mobile to connect to a Vista machine, then the bloke connected his mobile to a HDTV then connected a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard to it and it ran flawlessly.
|
Raven
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Pythonista
Why can't Canon stick Wifi and Linux in one of their cameras? The camera on the E90 is excrutiatingly sssllloooowwww.
|
Quote:
| Given exorbitant prepaid GPRS rates, it is impossible to use the phone as a browser |
Quote:
| sending a folder of html files from a Macbook via bluetooth is not quick and easy. The phone says it can not accept files of that type (a folder full of web pages). |
WinMoFreak
You guys should try checking out the HTC Tytn II. It beats the pants off any current Nokia/i-Mate device.
Unregistered
I have both TyTN II and the imate Ultimate 9502. I prefer the imate anytime, which is much better than the TyTN II.
Unregistered
I own the Ultimate 9502
your review is totally biased !
did you doctor the picture to deliberately make it look that bad ?
or are you just lousy at taking photographs ?
And as for that first picture you put on top of the page !
Well the E90's screen is facing the camera while the 9502 is laying flat with the screen facing upwards.
How much did Nokia pay you to post this crap ?
people are'nt as stupid as you would like them to be.
your review is totally biased !
did you doctor the picture to deliberately make it look that bad ?
or are you just lousy at taking photographs ?
And as for that first picture you put on top of the page !
Well the E90's screen is facing the camera while the 9502 is laying flat with the screen facing upwards.
How much did Nokia pay you to post this crap ?
people are'nt as stupid as you would like them to be.
Unregistered
I bought an E90 some time ago and sent it back. My main problems:
1. The 3G is on a frequency that no US carrier supports, something Nokia did not make clear on their web page; when I phoned them to check I was told that the U.S. version did support 3G in the U.S., which is not true.
2. The word processor is much worse than on my 9300. It can only have one book loaded at a time, and loading a book takes about ten minutes. One of the things I use a phone for is as a portable library/word processor.
The software also felt generally clunky--I don't know if it has improved since.
Is there a good third party word processor that one can use instead of the built in one?
1. The 3G is on a frequency that no US carrier supports, something Nokia did not make clear on their web page; when I phoned them to check I was told that the U.S. version did support 3G in the U.S., which is not true.
2. The word processor is much worse than on my 9300. It can only have one book loaded at a time, and loading a book takes about ten minutes. One of the things I use a phone for is as a portable library/word processor.
The software also felt generally clunky--I don't know if it has improved since.
Is there a good third party word processor that one can use instead of the built in one?
Unregistered
Quote:
|
I own the Ultimate 9502 your review is totally biased ! did you doctor the picture to deliberately make it look that bad ? or are you just lousy at taking photographs ? And as for that first picture you put on top of the page ! Well the E90's screen is facing the camera while the 9502 is laying flat with the screen facing upwards. How much did Nokia pay you to post this crap ? people are'nt as stupid as you would like them to be. |
The 9502 is huge in comparison to what the E90 offers. Very few phones could rival the E90's wide 800x352 internal screen. Websites don't look nearly as good on VGA resolution, despite having more pixels.
I still miss my extensive and powerful software on my old XDA2 though. Begin a programmer, I found developing for WinMo/PocketPC using the familiar Win32 API was very easy compared to developing on the S60. If the SE Xperia X1 delivers what it promises, then the E90 will finally have a serious competitor (although by then the E90 will be more available and far less expensive).
Unregistered
Biased and outdated review,imate supports larger amounts of memory with wm 6.1 and its half the price of what E90 is where i live,and i do agree that your pic taking skills suck or you did it on purpose cos my imate 9502 takes pretty decent pics for a phone not as bad as you are showing,its not a picture phone alright but it handles everything at once.Oh also you dont have to use the internet explorer for web browsing you can purchase or download other software and get more efficiency out of that VGA screen so half the points you marked as a "cons" is BS.