N95 - worth buying at $600?

Forums › Legacy mobile platforms (Windows Mobile, Palm OS, Web OS, Symbian, Meego, Blackberry) › N95 - worth buying at $600?

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#182173 4-Dec-2008 23:42

My e50 had a lot of random problems and then it just stopped and failed, It won't even boot now and has sat in a drawer for months.

I got the N95 mainly for the camera as I'm always needing one and misplacing my good one.

My wishlist was:
Camera, loud speakers, SIP, GPS, coverage/SAR, Recessed screen, Recessed camera lens, Wcdma900, Application support, Waterproof/resistant, Videoout, Keypad, Standard ports for headphones/usb.

I got most of what was in the first part of my list, It wasn't waterproof, not WCDMA900 and a bit chunky but won on the rest.

I use the Samsung i325 for work (same form factor as E71 and I do like the keyboard for emails and text entry and would possibly find it a pain constantly gennerating/replying emails with the regular keypad.

I'll planning getting and rehousing (with N95-1 backplate and it's smaller battery and lens cover) an N95-3 (Wcdma850) when Telecoms new network rolls into the mix as this will solve the 3g coverage instantly.

w2krules

492 posts

Ultimate Geek

#182186 5-Dec-2008 03:17

I guess the 3 negative issues for me re. the N95 are:

The "chunkiness" of the phone compared to the 6121.
Lack of 900 MHz WCDMA, a further compication being that it won't work on the new Telecom network.
Whether my next phone should have a full keypad.

Plus this would be my fourth mobile phone in 12 months! (Blackberry Pearl (truly horrible phone), Nokia E51 (lost), Nokia 6121 Classic)

Thanks everyone for your comments on the N95.

I was a geek before the word was invented!

NZtechfreak

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#182193 5-Dec-2008 06:52

Don't even get me started on how many phones I've had this year...

Oh, alright then:

N95-1, N95 8GB, N82, HTC Touch Pro, Sony Xperia, Nokia 5800

Twitter: @nztechfreak
Blogs: HeadphoNZ.org

BrentR

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#182223 5-Dec-2008 09:47

I won't go there.....

Delirium

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#182439 6-Dec-2008 08:57

Got my N95-1 from the Warehouse yesterday. Very impressed so far. It's a little sluggish and harder to use than I thought but give me a couple of days and I'll have it mastered. Most of the apps that I downloaded (the lightsaber one and rotateme etc) don't seem to work. I guess that they might require a newer firmware? Oh, how do I tell if I have the latest Vodafone firmware installed? Do I do it on the phone or via my computer? The Nokia software updater tells me that there is a new firmware available, but I guess that would void my warranty.

sbiddle

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Biddle Corp

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#182441 6-Dec-2008 09:17

Delirium: Got my N95-1 from the Warehouse yesterday. Very impressed so far. It's a little sluggish and harder to use than I thought but give me a couple of days and I'll have it mastered. Most of the apps that I downloaded (the lightsaber one and rotateme etc) don't seem to work. I guess that they might require a newer firmware? Oh, how do I tell if I have the latest Vodafone firmware installed? Do I do it on the phone or via my computer? The Nokia software updater tells me that there is a new firmware available, but I guess that would void my warranty.

NSU won't void your warranty if you're using it with the Vodafone branded firmware as it will simply upgrade the Vodafone firmware.

Using NSS to change your product code to another variant and then upgrading your firmware to generic Nokia firmware will void your warranty here in NZ.

Delirium

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#182442 6-Dec-2008 09:22

Thanks sbiddle :)

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heavenlywild

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#182445 6-Dec-2008 09:49

I would get rid of the Vodafone firmware - it's laggy, buggy and lacks the latest updates that other generic / native N95s have. The downside is that you void your warranty. You could get someone who knows what they are doing to flash your phone for you.

I have used the N95 for nearly two years now and it is the best phone I have ever owned. I usually change my phone once every 6 months - not this time. Even if you compare the N95 (nearly two years old since release) to other recently released phones, the N95 still rates highly.

w2krules

492 posts

Ultimate Geek

#182446 6-Dec-2008 10:07

IMHO I think that Vodafone/Nokia would be on very shaky ground in terms of the Consumer Guarantees Act to try to deny a warranty claim on a debranded phone. In some countries (US definitely), declining warranty claims on such grounds is illegal.

I was a geek before the word was invented!

heavenlywild

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#182448 6-Dec-2008 10:19

w2krules: IMHO I think that Vodafone/Nokia would be on very shaky ground in terms of the Consumer Guarantees Act to try to deny a warranty claim on a debranded phone. In some countries (US definitely), declining warranty claims on such grounds is illegal.

I guess if it is a hardware fault, even with a flashed handset, they still obliged to fix it under the CGA.

Then again, most repairers would tell you it's your fault for the "water damage"XD

NZtechfreak

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#182463 6-Dec-2008 12:16

I'd say get rid of the Voda firmware too. You'll find you have a better phone out of it.

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mikerussellnz

283 posts

Ultimate Geek

#183220 9-Dec-2008 23:46

Just a word of warning about debranding. Phone themes and icons are much better but Vodafone have some certificates in the official firmware. If these are missing you cant install MusicStation, as I found out. On install it complains "Certificate error, contact application vendor".

I guess it might be possible to extract the certificates from the branded firmware, but I am stuck on the unbranded one.

Anyone know where I could get the certificates? I cant use the S60 hack to disable signing checks as I am on V31 firmware which hasnt been hacked yet.

Nirodha

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#183228 10-Dec-2008 01:45

w2krules: IMHO I think that Vodafone/Nokia would be on very shaky ground in terms of the Consumer Guarantees Act to try to deny a warranty claim on a debranded phone. In some countries (US definitely), declining warranty claims on such grounds is illegal.

Yeah, I think that's pretty dodgy also, especially considering that one is only updating their phone using official Nokia firmware. It's not like we're flashing our phones with some homebrewed, hacked ROM put together by some backroom hacker from Russia.

sbiddle

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#183450 11-Dec-2008 08:36

Does anybody know of any retailers selling these at $499 still? It seems The Warehouse have now hiked their price to $599 in this weeks mailer.

BrentR

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#183559 11-Dec-2008 16:11

It was only the Warehouse doing this.

NLG were doing it with a photo frame and 2GB micro SD card if you were looking somewhere for a better deal.

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