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06-11-2008 09:16 PM

Raven

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unregistered

You can actually transfer files from and to a computer using a third party application called SymSMB, and it does it perfectly.

Right. I forgot about SymSMB. Still, it is payware.

Quote:

Youtube isn't the only video sharing website in the world

The iPhone will play flash videos from other sites than Youtube just fine.

Quote:

Another thing is that applications for the iPhone haven't outnumbered those for S60, and a lot of them aren't anything but fun apps that don't make you any more productive. Of course, S60 has those kinda apps, but are out numbered by the actually useful ones.

Sorry, but that's just bullsh!t. I suppose you've browsed Handango and counted all the S60 themes, ringtones and other multimedia stuff? The actual number og S60 apps available is somewhere around 550 - 750. My-Symbian shows 550 S60 apps available, but they are sure to have missed some, so I'll be generous and give you 200 more. (http://my-symbian.com/s60v3/software/index.php). I have no idea about the actual number of iPhone 3G apps available right now, but it is at least five times more.

As to what apps are "actual useful ones" - who are you to decide what people find 'useful'? Some of the most popular apps on App Store are wikipedia apps - where there is a bundle to choose from. Does S60 even have ONE decent app for viewing Wikipedia content?

Not to mention that many iPhone apps are ten times cheaper than the S60 equaliant.

Quote:

And you missed to mention the biggest iPhone handicap of all, Multitasking. You simply cannot call a mobile device a smartphone unless it has that feature built in to the OS.

Of course it is a smartphone. The widely accepted definition of a smartphone is a mobile phone with the ability to install native apps. The reason I didn't mention multitasking is simply because it hasn't been an issue for me. You exit an app to move to another, and when you move back to the previous app it will open just where you left it... Music and such can be played in the background of course.

Quote:

Sure you can do that on the iPhone, but it requires jailbreaking it, and I for one would probably prefer not to go that route.

That would be your loss. Jailbreaking takes 5 minutes and it doesn't void any warranties as you can just restore it in iTunes.

Quote:

So to sum it up, here's what I think about the iPhone: it's a great device, good for viewing web pages and not anything else "for example you can't download since you don't have file system access", great for viewing videos and photos and such, but when it comes to real power users, it simply doesn't cut it.

The fact is that you can actually do much more 'tinkering' on an iPhone than with S60 phones, and as such it is much better for power users. However, if we're talking about business users, an E90 or E71 may be more suited.

And yeah, you can, in fact, download stuff from Safari.

06-11-2008 08:08 PM

Hlorri

DRM-Free music

Most of iTMS music is still encumbered with DRM; you have to be careful to buy only 'iTunes Plus' music. This can be a hassle, especially if you are looking for something popular from the 1990s or 2000s that were added prior to their DRM-free quest.

I usually end up buying from amazonmp3.com instead, where 100% is DRM free. The selection is also en par (for some genres, even better) than iTMS.

03-11-2008 05:06 PM

BlackN91

Quote:

Originally Posted by RadicalSatDude

I'll say it again...

I’ve always been a Nokia user, but one of the one biggest holes which I’ve noticed in Nokia S60 devices is their VPN implementation.

Business users need proper VPN, even the crappy version 1 iPhone can do basic PPTP connections. Nokia can only do the horrible and expensive to implement 'IPsec'. Good luck finding affordable IPsec VPN providers for home use.

Eseries has been out for years, why isn’t Nokia covering PPTP and Open SSL/OpenVPN? It’s just softwares isn’t it?

Damn Nokia!

such application do exists for S60 for a while, but Nokia have nothing to do with that at all, in fact it looks like that Nokia is more interested to shutdown this application and not let it be available for public access. don't know why they are doing this. ill-advised approach or a hidden agenda?

03-11-2008 03:31 PM

Unregistered

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raven

It's possible to use Wi-Fi to transfer files to and from a computer though - something S60 phones can't do. I also don't like the fact that it is reliant on iTunes for a lot of things, even though I am a Mac and iTunes user.

You can actually transfer files from and to a computer using a third party application called SymSMB, and it does it perfectly. Now I rarely even use USB transfer since I can get anything I need from my computer to the phone wirelessly and with the same speeds.

About your other points, I disagree with many of them, Youtube isn't the only video sharing website in the world, and using vTap or the built in browser you can access tons more flash content.

Another thing is that applications for the iPhone haven't outnumbered those for S60, and a lot of them aren't anything but fun apps that don't make you any more productive. Of course, S60 has those kinda apps, but are out numbered by the actually useful ones.

And you missed to mention the biggest iPhone handicap of all, Multitasking. You simply cannot call a mobile device a smartphone unless it has that feature built in to the OS. Sure you can do that on the iPhone, but it requires jailbreaking it, and I for one would probably prefer not to go that route.

So to sum it up, here's what I think about the iPhone: it's a great device, good for viewing web pages and not anything else "for example you can't download since you don't have file system access", great for viewing videos and photos and such, but when it comes to real power users, it simply doesn't cut it.

01-11-2008 05:04 AM

Unregistered

Hey Steve,
U failed to mention a strong key point to Nokia S60 webkit. I was hopin on readin it here, because so many people miss this point. The fact the S60 browser will pan the text to fit ur screen, while i try an iphone it is the key point that drives me away from it, to to repeatidlly re-size the screen an pan it around. Unfortuniatly this feature seems to be lost in the s60 5th edition, but wont know for sure till first hand trials.

23-10-2008 08:25 AM

Unregistered

iPhone: The true heir of Psion!

Does anybody here remember their first encounter with a Psion device? The pleasure of using an electronic device that has been well thought-out and that can be used in an intuitive way? Despite having owned a Nokia 9300 and a SE P1i in the meantime, I didn't experience the same pleasure until I bought an iPhone. S60 devices will probably beat it in all possible technical benchmark tests, but despite some obvious shortcomings, the iPhone has a user interface that leaves other contemporary devices behind. For me, it is the true heir of the glorious Psions.

21-10-2008 05:18 PM

Unregistered

bigger is definately better

Having just read this article on my iPhone, one thing stands out, the iPhone has nearly twice (~80%) the screen estate. Double the screen size of my N95 and you then have the mythical "iPhone killer"

21-10-2008 02:36 PM

RadicalSatDude

Symbian VPN app Sucks Ass

21-10-2008 05:31 AM

malerocks

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raven

I have never met, in real life, a person owning a S60 phone actually knowing that you can install lots of great native apps on it (not to mention that is was running S60 on top of Symbian OS...). And when I've tried to explained it, the response was always that it was too much hassle.

I do agree partially with this point. I know people that are still satisfied with S60v2 phones like N70 and the N72. They the 2 MP camera and the vendor in order to effect the sale offered to personalising the phone by installing a lot of cool apps while selling the phone. The people using the phone had no clue that they could have done it themselves thought a little effort on the web.

20-10-2008 11:28 PM

Raven

Well, everyone here knows that S60 phones can do pretty much everything the iPhone can, no news there, but the focus should be on how it is done. S60 phones have a longer spec-list, no doubt about that. However, just like comparing Macs to PCs in the old days, the iPhone (Mac) 'just works'. It does what it does so much 'smoother' than any other smartphone because of an intelligent UI design. Just take data connectivity as an example... On S60 you have to choose an access point from a list every single frickin time you need to connect to the 'net, even when you actually are connected through an other application. It's just ridiculous. On the other hand the iPhone will keep you constantly connected when you are in a Wi-Fi area and it will automatically switch to a mobile network when you move out of Wi-Fi range. It all happends automatically without bothering the user. It may sound trivial to those who have never used an iPhone longer than five minutes, but it's all those small things that makes the iPhone experience so much better than any other smartphone.

The web surfing experience is unsurpassed on the iPhone too, and it does support Javascript, and flash videos will open in a separate media player. I really don't see the supposed S60 advantage here... Just how rich web experience do you really need on mobile device? I find the S60 browser to be clunky and slow as hell... I almost always used Opera Mini on my E90. E-mail works a lot better on the iPhone too. S60 doesn't even have HTML yet - after how many years now?

Also, the iPhone 3rd party software scene is a hell of a lot more active... What on earth is going on in the S60 camp? iPhone apps have long since surpassed S60 in pure numbers - and S60 phones have been around for how many years...

The iPhone is far from perfect of course, but I do feel it gets an unfair treatment from people who's obviously never used one, just arguing against it based on the spec sheet. The fact is that most of the features a power user may feel is left out or too basic on the iPhone can be remedied with a quick app download. Except for one, admittedly a really important one; bluetooth stereo handsfree support and file transfer. The crippled bluetooth on the iPhone is a disgrace! It's possible to use Wi-Fi to transfer files to and from a computer though - something S60 phones can't do. I also don't like the fact that it is reliant on iTunes for a lot of things, even though I am a Mac and iTunes user.

I have owned and used dozens of Symbian phones since the beginning, but I won't come back until they ditch or redesign S60 from scratch! S60 should have been scrapped a long time ago, imo. It has no business being on a smartphone (I did enjoy Series 80/90 and UIQ though). The only reason S60 phones have been so popular is simply because they have always had (relatively) large displays and the fanciest camera specs. Anyone saying otherwise are just deluding themselves. I have never met, in real life, a person owning a S60 phone actually knowing that you can install lots of great native apps on it (not to mention that is was running S60 on top of Symbian OS...). And when I've tried to explained it, the response was always that it was too much hassle. On the other hand I know iPhone owners (non-phone geeks) who have a whole bunch of native apps installed (thanks to AppStore off course).

20-10-2008 04:03 PM

Unregistered

"photo flicking"

hi steve
you can also try "Rock and scroll" which with the movement of the wrist flicks through photos and music.....
we dont have to dirty our screens! lol

20-10-2008 10:28 AM

ashu

nice strip

By the way,

fantastic comic strip!!!!

20-10-2008 08:37 AM

macwhu

a huge percentage of iTMS is DRM free -
0% of nokia music store is.

i only buy the DRM free stuff from apple
otherwise i goto emusic / 7 digital.

20-10-2008 08:25 AM

mattrad

I would just like to add this Dilbert strip to the discussion:

http://dilbert.com/strips/comic/2008-10-20/

Cheers

20-10-2008 08:05 AM

Hooligooner

I use my phone to follow preplanned walking/cycling routes via Viewranger, whilst simultaneously tracking them with sports tracker so I can publish the route and any photos to a widget in my blog. I also have Location Tagger running so I can have the photo's in location on Ovi share, to which I send them as I take them to save time later.

So that's 5 apps. usually 4 running at the same time, three of which are using a Bluetooth GPS as I only have a 6120c. Can the iPhone do that?

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