Wow it’s been a while since I did a ‘First Impressions‘ post havent it? I’ve started going from unboxing right to reviews for most phones I get these days. But then again, the N9 isnt just any phone.
Oh no. Not at all. For one thing, it’s unique. One might even say, a little ‘limited edition‘ which might be the reason some folks pick this one up instead of going with the ocean of iPhones and Android phones out there. It’s not selling here at my side of the planet, and it’s not selling in the US or UK. Yet you’ll managed to find it selling in Nokia stores in a couple countries if you look. We’ve been using the N9 for a couple days now, and here’s what we think. First up, a video overview:
What we liked:
For the first time in a long time, everyone kept asking me which phone I was holding. Random people at coffee houses, friends who saw me using it, people in the subway. It’s been a while since people have shown that much interest in a phone.
For better or worse, like we mentioned earlier, the N9 is unique. I’d say its a hobbyist’s phone, since the apps are somewhat limited in number on the Nokia Store. Still, if all you do is Facebook, Twitter or Foursquare, there are pre-loaded apps for that, and 4squick for Foursquare. If you dont want to be one of the gazillion people out there with an iPhone, or the increasing number of Galaxy S2 users, or the Android army, this is the phone to get.
The 3.9 Inch AMOLED ClearBlack curved display is gorgeous. I put it right up next to a Galaxy S2 (which I thought was the benchmark in mobile screen tech) and the N9 beat it in sunlight, and was almost exactly the same quality indoors (even better I’d say).Great viewing angles too
I have to confess, I wasnt sure about the N9′s design when I first saw it. I figured it might be too blocky. But oh hells no, was I wrong. The design really stands out (maybe that’s what grabbed everyone’s attention?), and the curved glass and great screen all add to the beauty. When you see people talking about how beautiful the N9 is on twitter, or facebook or even in person, trust me they’re not lieing.
MeeGo. Love it! Love the Harmattan UI, love the gestures, everythings super slick and quick, and I’m totally addicted to the Swipe gesture on the N9. Infact after just a day of using the N9, I found myself trying to swipe the screen on my iPad and iPhone a couple times by mistake too. Apparently I’m not the only one either, according to a couple tweets I got when I spoke about it. So is the UI Intuitive? Yup, I believe so. When you use the N9 for a couple minutes, the first thing that will go through your mind, would be ‘Oh what a pity‘. What a pity Nokia decided to go with Windows Phone instead. Now I’m sure Nokia’s going to make some pretty kickass hardware running on Windows Phone soon enough, but all I’m saying is, you cant help wondering ‘what if..‘ after using the N9.
I like that the speaker placement is on the bottom side of the phone. This means you can actually hear the N9 ring when its in your pocket or even flat on a table.
Uses a microSIM. Win! As far as I’m concerned, Nokia should switch to microSIM for all their new devices henceforth. It’ll just make the world a better place.
Great, solid build quality. Might not be as indestructible as the N8 though.
Absolutely LOVE the onscreen keyboard. Typing is a breeze. Finally something that actually competes with the iPhone’s onscreen keyboard.
Twitter and Facebook Apps pre-installed. And they dont completely suck, like the Symbian Nokia Social app.
RSS reader app and Wifi Hotspot apps built-in
Solid call quality, seems a bit quiet though.
The Web Browser’s one of the best we’ve used. And this is a Nokia phone we’re talking about?
NFC built-in, with Angry Birds Magic pre-installed.
I love that the lockscreen gives you iOS5-like slide-to-unlock gestures for new messages, or voicemails that pop up on the screen.
Ovi Nokia Maps with free turn-by-turn navigation. Definitely love the new maps! It’s never been smoother or slicker than on the N9.
Standard 3.5mm Audio Jack, with TV-Out.
Pre-installed games (woo!) like Angry Birds Magic, Galaxy on Fire 2, NFS Shift and Real Golf 2011.
You can ‘add‘ almost any kind of account to the N9. From Mail for Exchange for email, to Skype, Google, Facebook for chat, or Twitter, Flickr for Images, YouTube for video uploads, SIP and even the ol’ Nokia Account.
What we werent too sure about :
The camera. Yeah yeah I know what you’re going to say, it’s Carl Zeiss optics and all, but I’m so used to the N8 now that the 8 Megapixel camera on the N9 doesnt really do much for me. It’s definitely above average, but it’s nothing to really write home about. The Camera mode UI though, is definitely a huge improvement over Symbian. Lack of a camera cover and placement of the camera on the back, means you’ll get finger grease all over that lens occasionally.
The lack of apps on MeeGo. Had to be said.
Battery life isnt too great. You’ll probably need to charge the N9 every night. Then again I played with mine way too much, so that definitely wore it out faster.
The built-in Twitter app cant twitpic images right now. Software update coming up though.
No FM Radio, no HDMI-Out
What we didnt like :
I wasnt too hot on the microUSB port placement at the top. The cover seems a tiny bit too delicate and I’d be worried about breaking it. Still, I appreciate the cover being there so no dust gets into the port, or the microSIM compartment.
Couldnt find a way to use the front-facing VGA camera for pictures. Seems like it’s only there for video calls.
===========
So there you are. Our first impressions after a couple days of using the Nokia N9. I’m sure I must have forgotten something but lets see how things change by the time we do our final review. As you can tell, I was very excited to use the N9, which is something I havent felt with a lot of devices lately.
Again, if you would like to know anything about the Nokia N9, do leave us a note in the comments and we’ll try to include it in upcoming posts.
Follow us on Facebook:
Author Description
Clinton Jeff
Clinton is currently based in New Delhi, India and is executive editor for UnleashThePhones. He is responsible for all editorial decisions, and covers all forms of Mobile and mobile-related accessories.
Cj is addicted to caffeine, social media, and technology. Always up for a good conversation, you can reach him through the contact form, his website, on Google Plus or on Facebook or Twitter: Follow @clintonjeff
Hey, I know I'm a bit late, but is it possible to know where I can find the wallpaper you're using in your second-to-last picture? It's awesome!
how much wud it cost in india..!!??
Does it support Flash content ??
No flash in the Web Browser I'm afraid. But I think its a good thing lol.
Yep @ Future is HTML 5...
um... I wish they use this hardware design on cheaper models. Or better cut the price of this phone and sell on more places in the world. It's just too expensive for a phone that lack so many apps.
It would even be much better if it was released one year earlier.
I love Nokia and Ovi services. I love my N8 but if it dies, I think I will go for an iPhone.
Agreed, deffo on the expensive side. Not a fan of Windows Phone then, eh Justin?
I'd like to try WP7 IF I have that money to spend. But then I'd rather try Meego before I try WP7.
And it goes back to my comment above, ask: Would I spend so much money just to try an OS that lacks so many apps?
Both Meego and WP7 are too late to the game..
Recently there is an app from Japan called "LINE" (something like Whatsapp). Almost everyone in Hong Kong have install it on their iPhone/Pad/Touch or Android phone/tab. There is no Symbian, WP7, Blackberry or Meego version for that app. I am glad I have my iPad2 so I am not left alone.
Is there any online retailer shipping N9 in india ?
We just went through a pretty massive rebranding from ZOMGitsCJ to UnleashThePhones. You might see a couple broken links, or missing images or strangely sized videos. If you do, please let us know on Twitter or using the Contact Form.
or on Facebook or Twitter: Follow @clintonjeff 
[...] [...]