The official Nokia N8 owners thread

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3 posts

Wannabe Geek

#440535 17-Feb-2011 05:29

hey guys, i am looking for some advice about the N8... would you recommend getting this phone? software isnt my major concern as i consider that a solid hardware and ongoing software is better than crappy hardware like in most of modern smartphones.
one of my concerns is that my data plan would only be 100mb per month... does the gps system use data at all?

thanks beforehand!

lyonrouge

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#440540 17-Feb-2011 07:39

Mine uses some when performing a search, but I'm not sure how much. I've had a range of smartphones and 100mb is fine, so I would not consider that a restraint on choice.

Would I recommend a N8? Not yet, don't underestimate how software issues can tarnish your overall experience. Maybe in 3 months the rest of us will beta test this phone into a market ready state.

smgoverno

67 posts

Master Geek

#440552 17-Feb-2011 08:30

I'd somewhat agree. At the end of the day, you need to figure out how much web browsing, etc you want to be doing, but I use my GPS just fine with no Internet connection at all. Its set to off-line all the time, which means it takes a little longer to fix my location at the start, but after that works normally.
As far as the N8 being the right phone for you, well again that depends what you want to use it for. I bought it last year because of the main features that appealed to me:

12 MP Camera w Carl Zeiss lens - Best out there in my opinion
HDMI output
Free for life Ovi Maps & GPS Navigation
I can make calls on it

Each to their own, I guess :-)

Hope this helps.

Technofreak

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#440554 17-Feb-2011 08:36

The maps only use data when you are using the A-GPS option and then it is only a few kB which is used to help the GPS find its loaction so that it can start navigating. Once it's up and running it doesn't use any data.

Re recommending the phone. I don't have one, I have played with one and it seems to be a solid unit. Having said that I would seriously consider buying one, personally I am waiting for the E7 which has the Qwerty keyboard but runs the same software.

With all due respect to one poster on here, he/she seems to have a series of on going issues which don't seem to be the norm for other owners.

Sony Xperia XA2 running Sailfish OS. https://sailfishos.org The true independent open source mobile OS
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lyonrouge

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#440568 17-Feb-2011 09:04

I too bought the N8 for it's camera and GPS and those two features are undeniably outstanding, used it through Christmas and New Year and was very excited about it. It was when I returned to the drudgery of work that the software challenges became apparent, where I use multiple mobile devices, that said, the update on the weekend has addressed many of these, most importantly for me the Exchange sync remains in sync and reports a message when it can't connect. With these address I'm rekindling my Summer love affair, and maybe when the "big" version 2 update comes I'll recommend the N8 again.

nikrolls

151 posts

Master Geek

#440569 17-Feb-2011 09:04

You have the option of using it online or offline. If using it offline you still get full search and voice navigation functionality, you just don't get the online services such as Check In, Lonely Planet, Weather and Events.

In terms of the software I find it very robust and easy to use. Out of all the smartphones I've used (including current devices with other OSs) I find it to be my unbiased favourite. Make sure you get opinions from more than one source (especially from people who use it in a similar environment to you) as opinions can sometimes be affected by external circumstance.

nikrolls

151 posts

Master Geek

#440570 17-Feb-2011 09:08

Argh, Technofreak got there first. How behind am I!

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santiagoeb

3 posts

Wannabe Geek

#440804 17-Feb-2011 17:06

Thanks for the replies! i find all of them really helpful. for what my usage concerns, im planning to use it mostly for texting and networking (and off course, calling) though i would obviously use the camera and gps. i wont use a lot of browsing for i dont have a lot of mb/month. just a couple questions, how is the keyboard and battery life? i must say im highly inclined to this phone over the bb 9780 (had bad experience with 8520) and samsung captivate (doesnt look solid to me, i need a phone that lasts, thus looking for nokia quality )

lyonrouge

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#440805 17-Feb-2011 17:10

out of the box the keyboard is OK but greatly improved by turning on the predictive mode (see assistance provided to me earlier in this thread).

lyonrouge

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#441023 18-Feb-2011 09:22

nikrolls: You have the option of using it online or offline. If using it offline you still get full search and voice navigation functionality, you just don't get the online services such as Check In, Lonely Planet, Weather and Events.

In terms of the software I find it very robust and easy to use. Out of all the smartphones I've used (including current devices with other OSs) I find it to be my unbiased favourite. Make sure you get opinions from more than one source (especially from people who use it in a similar environment to you) as opinions can sometimes be affected by external circumstance.

"Unbiased favourite" ;-)

nikrolls

151 posts

Master Geek

#441107 18-Feb-2011 11:52

Straight! :)

Starplay

267 posts

Ultimate Geek

#441173 18-Feb-2011 13:59

I love my N8... I dont know how I would survive without it... Everything is very stable - Hardware and software

smgoverno

67 posts

Master Geek

#441223 18-Feb-2011 15:00

The "Apps 1.0 update" has finally hit my phone. It was released elsewhere around the world a month ago.
A couple of websites write the changelog as:

* Web browser loads faster and pinch to zoom has big improvements
* Quicker device boot time
* Folders open faster
* Camera boots faster
* Lock switch reacts faster
* Smoother transition with theme effects turned on
* More responsive accelerometer
* More responsive keyboard
* Ovi Maps pinch and zoom has a smoother feel
* Improved contact list scrolling

Would be good to know if anyone finds these results.

nikrolls

151 posts

Master Geek

#441254 18-Feb-2011 16:12

That apps update is great, some very nice performance enhancements there.

Have you received the Videos update yet? It enables subtitle files so you can watch those foreign films without hard-coding the subtitles into the video. Works very nicely through HDMI and also enables them in Nokia Big Screen (the Media Centre on your phone ... try it here if you haven't yet!)

smgoverno

67 posts

Master Geek

#441259 18-Feb-2011 16:17

nikrolls: That apps update is great, some very nice performance enhancements there.

Have you received the Videos update yet? It enables subtitle files so you can watch those foreign films without hard-coding the subtitles into the video. Works very nicely through HDMI and also enables them in Nokia Big Screen (the Media Centre on your phone ... try it here if you haven't yet!)

Yep, got the video update last month. The Apps update though, I just noticed was 246k in size, whilst the ones overseas seem to over 1mb.... Would that mean that the change log here in NZ would have only been one or two of the line items above? Is it the operator who controls the size of the release in each region? Or is it Nokia?

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