As part of research for PDA Essentials, I've been doing some serious testing. And there's one aspect of the new Nokia 9300i smartphone that doesn't come up to scratch. Unfortunately, it's the aspect for which the 'i' version was created...
Read on in the full article.
Using a symbian OS, what do you think would be an adequate processor speed for todays websites?
Would the 208Mhz of the p990i suffer from the same drawback?
All,
I really agree with Steve! Series 80 has long lacked a fast and efficient web browsing. This, linked to other holes in the platform's connectivity portfolio (most notably native FTP and RSS support) sometimes makes me wonder if my 9500 is really a "Communicator".
Then I think again, My Psion-Phone is well connected. Specifically relating to the Web there is a better option than the standard offering. Opera's non-beta release of Opera Mini (version 1.2) is surprisingly good and fast. However, the proxy approach to content delivery sometime makes you feel your operating with oven gloves on. Also, it can not be used in a private network environment settings for Intranet access, due to the security usually in place at network perimeters (i.e. at home or corporate).
Contrasting the native browser to Opera Mini raises the important issues that lie at the heart of this matter. Namely:
-Size and sophistication of content
-Speed of delivery
-Speed and efficiency of rendering engine.
-Speed and efficiency of underlying hardware
As Steve puts it, content complexity and delivery speeds have evolved naturally, increasing steadily in recent years.
And yes hardware has remain fairly static with this generation of Series 80. Shame, 'cause I think the operation would "fly" on a 500 MHz processor.
Which leaves us with rendering...I would be surprised to find of a better offering of than what's currently available, within the lifetime of the current Series 80 devices. Maybe Nokia will deliver next time.
I think the main thing that is lacking from my Communicator's software tools is a no-frills/fast file downloader. I often just want to quickly download a music file from my wireless LAN. Maybe a version Symbian version of wget wouldn't be a bad idea. (?). Maybe I could include the FTP and RSS support I was bleating on about.
I'd better get the notepad and pen out then...
Regards,
Irregular
I've been using the Nokia 9300i for approx 3 weeks and nothing else is in its league today! If you need - full screen web access, legacy system access via secure Citrix (can access full Microsoft browser via Citrix), usable keyboard, Blackberry email access, FAX features, POP email access, Excel and Word document function, extended battery life and Wifi! I've tried many other PDA phones - including the Cingular 8125 and nothing compares. It is an unbelievable tool! FLG>>>
>>legacy system access via secure Citrix (can access full Microsoft browser via Citrix)
(shudder) using that tiny joystick to controla remote MSIE client doesn't seem terribly efficient or pleasant 8-)
I agree about the platform though, very powerful, though I don't think most people really ever got to grips with what could be done. And a great shame that Nokia seems to have phased out the 9500, with its superior keyboard, navigator and screen....
Steve
I have a XDA Exec and a Nokia 9500. In summary, after 2 months I have stopped using my XDA Exec as it is too stressful! So many things don't really work that well (like memory leaks, poor BT, poor call quality, poor sensitivity of the wifi, excessive battery drain, etc). But I do use it with the Wm5 Opera browser over WiFi - and the experience is very good. In the round the 9500 is my preferred choice.
I've been using the 9300i for some time. Straight downloads seem OK to be, in terms of speed, but the browser just bites. I think the browser rendering engine must be terrible, because it seems that rendering over GPRS or WLAN is about the same speed. I actually tested the Nokia 770, using the 9300i's gprs connection, and it took half the time to render www.cnn.com then it took the browser on the 9300i!!
Bear in mind the P990 uses a different family of processors so its diificult to make meaningful comparisons in Mhz terms.
I had a 9500 and found the web browser unusable for real world surfing, I ended up with the 9300 because the browsing experience over GPRS was almost identical speed (albeit costs). I was hoping that the browser had been updated on the 9300i but if it's the same as the 9500 it's a waste of time. Which is a real shame as I was going to buy the 9300i this week.
slitchfield - If you get a chance try the new Citrix/Symbian/Nokia 9300 or 9500 client. It is unbelievable!
Citrix has included a scaling algorithm which makes Windows XP, IE displays and other terminal emulation products running under Windows XP extremely usable in terms of viewing. Due to the scaling the navigation and real world usage is quite effective. I will try to post a screen shot of Citrix on the 9300i.
You would be amazed with what Citrix did. I have used almost every MS Mobile and Palm based phone device made in recent years, have the Nokia 770 and the 9300i is again such a wonderful comprehensive mobile device - today! Add Datawiz Word to go and Sheet to go, along with robust BlackBerry Connect software and nothing compares for business usage. Also, the front phone is actually usable and what a speaker phone function it has.
Yes, the N 9300i could be faster but neither is any Mobile 5 or Nokia 770 very fast compared to laptops or desktops. I used a Cingular 8125 and 2125 this last week and they were not very fast in real world usage. Also, I did look and use the Nokia E61 and E70 (both were very nice) at CES in Las Vegas but over GPRS they didn't seem to be any faster when compared side by side to my N 9300 - maybe that will change when productions models arrive. As for screen display of WWW pages the 9300/9500 were again without compare.
FLG wrote:If I had an utility to capture a screen shot from the 9300i I would send you an example.
Just press Ctrl + Shift + Chr + s.
Nokia 9300, 9500 or 9300i with Citrix - Sample Screens
Screen #1 - Windows XP Start - with Scaling via Wifi or GPRS
Sceen # 2 - Windows XP Desktop - with Scaling via Wifi or GPRS
Screen #3 - Windows XP Desktop - without Citrix Scaling via Wifi or GPRS
Quite readable and usable on a small mobile device - not many alternatives that work this well in such a compact package with full encryption security. Works extremely well for off-site access.
Thanks - FLG>>>
I spend way too much time surfing via the 9500 and I can tell you that your surfing experience will be improved by turning off Javascript.
In fact, I am posting this now on a 9500 with JS turned off.
Want some irony? AAS (this site) has articles promoting the use of WAP, while the forums are mostly unusable via WAP. Go ahead, try to post a coherent message using the WAP interface.
More irony? Much of nokia.com *requires* Javascript to be enabled for navigation and enabling JS causes nokia.com pages to take several minutes to load.
Google works exceedingly well, though.
FGL, please explain what is the "Citrix/Symbian/Nokia 9300 or 9500 client" and if it is an enterprise only solution.
Steve, are you actually saying that at present Windows Mobile 5 hardware is much better fitted for web browsing?!
Cheers, dovale
dovale wrote:Steve, are you actually saying that at present Windows Mobile 5 hardware is much better fitted for web browsing?!Cheers, dovale
Yep. Windows Mobile 5 is now pretty decent for all sorts of things, too. Just being objective. Especially now that Nokia seem to be abandoning the 9500. But my heart's still with Symbian 8-) And I can't wait to try out the E70 and E61!
Steve (currently using Nokia N70)
Yes there's a problem with the WAP forums on a (especially) 9500. Its a third party script, but that's no excuse. It's on a list of things to do, but usable forums are quite hard to implement for mobile browsing scenarios. On the new high resolution device I'm looking at setting a stripped down forum style as an alternative.
ms139us; thanks a lot. I knew JS was slow but never knew it would make such a huge difference. Now browsing real sites on the 9300i browser is possible and somewhat enjoyable too with JS turned off.
This kind of proves that if device manufacturers are going to promote web site browsing on their devices they should implement a highly optimised JS engine which 3rd party developers can use; or at least browser developers should do better than this.
Thanks once again ms139us!
Boom
i just got my brand new 9300i, awesome phone.
but i can't get wi-fi to work, have tried many ways, hotspot finder, and all, but it doesn't work, i don't know its userware problem, but i jave realy tried all ways: adding it in internet connectios, with hotspot finder shortcut, everything i don't know if im missing something...
how can i find a free wifi sharing network ????? i don't know when ita free or not i can't get it to work :'(
muchas gracias.
rocho wrote:i just got my brand new 9300i, awesome phone.but i can't get wi-fi to work, have tried many ways, hotspot finder, and all, but it doesn't work, i don't know its userware problem, but i jave realy tried all ways: adding it in internet connectios, with hotspot finder shortcut, everything i don't know if im missing something...
Just go into Control panel | Connections | Wireless LAN and see what pops up on the 'Networks' list. Wander around until an open network is shown and then try connecting to this in 'Easy W-LAN' in Web.
Steve Litchfield
Thank you for answering Steve Litchfield,
i have two questions maeby you can help me.
1. i can't find how to lock keyboard of the cel phone
2. i just bought a 2 gb kingstone plus mmc, 3.3v but nokia 9300i refuse to use it, when i browse it from control panel in memory option, it says "memory is not ready" any suggestion. i also tried formatting it, FAT. (not FAT32).
much thanks for everything and the interest of help
Do you mean lock the 'keypad'? Left function-* will do nicely.
The 9300/9500 aren't properly compatible with 2GB cards, especially the slow cards from Kingston. Exchange it for a 1GB and you should be fine.
Steve
Steve,
Lot of thanks for helping people like me.
I just changed the 2 GB card for a 1 GB kingstone dual voltaje, and works just fine now. Im also doing fine with WiFi now, it was very frustrating.
May i ask you couple questions more, i don't know if this is the right place to do it. But here i go:
- still can't lock keypad of the cel phone, left key+* doesnt work, it doesnt lock the keys (phone closed)
- i managed the cfg of my browser to cache about 35MB limit, but every time i visit a visited page, it download all over again, seems cache isnt for do this, im right?
THIS IS THE BEST PHONE IVE EVER TRIED !!! powerfull than any other PPC, SYmbian phone. 4 REAL!
Left function key plus * does work, but you have to do the keypresses quickly, one after the other.
No idea on the cache thing, I suspect the pages you're viewing are set to not allow caching - this is quite common on news/dynamic sites, for example.
Steve