Thinking of jumping ship...

[Confucious]

I've been using WinMo for a few years now - since I got a C500 ( a great device) and I love my Athena BUT it's getting a bit battered and the camera no longer works and I've had it a while. I've also found myself using my C600 because the Athena is, let's face it, a bit of a brick to carry all the time.

I know it's blasphemy but I've actually been looking at the Nokia E90 - has anyone else looked at this and decided to go for it - or not?

Any views on the E90?

Cheers

[cktlcmd]

To be honest, jumping from one OS to another is a tough decision. If you are dependent on 3rd party applications such as myself, then you will have a problem with symbian. If you use the device for it's calendar, phone, editing word, or any built-in application, then switchng to the E90 is the best choice for you.

My first PDA was palm OS, although I love it, switching from Palm to WM was easy because of the availability of 3rd party software that I needed.

Hope this helps...

[rorydaredkign]

i got a sony ericsson p1i, symbian uiq 3.0. if im honest, its a great normal phone, and replaced my athena. but it has bugs i cant solve like sms not appearing in the today plugin-like thing. [its basically like spb diary, with pluses for calenday inbox and tasks, but inbox always reads zero even when texts have been recieved, so i have to always check inbox manually]
Anyways, its limited though, you can get the programs you need, but it just isnt wm. when i first got it, it literally made my athena redundant, because of its small size, same camera, and realy because my athena is more for fun. but recently, ive began using my athena again. [on my trip to wigan yesterday :) i had my athena on for about an hour on the journey, purrely for opera and wlm. uiq3 has opera 8.65 or whatever the last v8 one was installed, and it works wiht finger scrolling and all that, but it just isnt the same as 96dpi 9.5. and things like i cant change the brightness easily, or connect to wlan, and theres about 6 types of gprs/3g connection and half o the time it connects to the wrong one and stuff like that.
so confucious, if you want to downscale in size and other things, then go for the symbian route, but if not, get a touch diamond :)
as ive said though, im using iuq 3, wheras the e90 has s60 [i think]
Rory

[Confucious]

Thanks for the reply - I've just bought a 'refurbished' E90 of fleabay - lets hope it's OK when it gets here!

[rorydaredkign]

i hope youre sill gona keep your athena, i will miss your funny remarks if you get rid of it.
and will you post a review or your views on the e90 like someone did ages ago (i think it was eaglesteve)
And how much was it?
Rory

[eaglesteve]

i hope youre sill gona keep your athena, i will miss your funny remarks if you get rid of it.
and will you post a review or your views on the e90 like someone did ages ago (i think it was eaglesteve)
And how much was it?
Rory

It was Leoni who posted the review I think.

[Confucious]

Would be interexted to see that review but you can't search for e90 and user Roni only has 1 post (there are many other roniXXXs)

I will, of course keep my Athena and will let you know how I get on with my e90 and how it compares - that is, of course, if it arrives and is usable.... ;)

[lakeman]

Would be interexted to see that review but you can't search for e90 and user Roni only has 1 post (there are many other roniXXXs)

I will, of course keep my Athena and will let you know how I get on with my e90 and how it compares - that is, of course, if it arrives and is usable.... ;)

I believe this is the thread that is being refered to by Leoni1980
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=377022

[Confucious]

Phone just arrived, put T-Mob SIM in and it connected straight away to the internet, then I got a text from T with their settings, up and running in no time :)

Thanks for the link lakeman just reading now.

So far, so good :)

[eaglesteve]

Yes, this is the review I was talking about. Sorry for leading you down the road by the spelling errors.

[Confucious]

Thanks for the replies, eaglesteve, it is far better to reply and make a mistake than not reply at all. Your input, as always, is appreciated.

My E90 turned up today after winning it yesterday morning £171 inc P&P - that was for the phone and battery only - I've ordered a charger and car charger for another £13 but don't have tanything else - won't miss the headphones and software I can download - am I missing anything?

I seem to have a bargain!

So far I really like it :)

[leoni1980]

Did someone mention my name???

[Confucious]

Did someone mention my name???

no ;) filler.....

[leoni1980]

no ;) filler.....

My ears pricked up.


Don't forget to upgrade your firmware to enable flash support. It works great on the E90s screen. And get an 8gb micro sdhc from play.com if you don't have one already. I thoroughly recommend coreplayer for symbian too: it works superbly with almost any video you throw at it, including .flv.

And of course Garmin xt for all you'd satnav needs

[Confucious]

Ordered 4Gb card cos they are cheap.
The latest firmware doesn't seam to be available - it was up then taken down. I guess I'll find out when it is released!
I use CP7 for SatNav - will have to get them to dort it out so it works on the E90 screen!

Thanks for the advice.

[rorydaredkign]

wow! 177 for an e90, i have never looked but always assumed they were more then the athena.
im waiting for your impressions
Rory

[leoni1980]

they're cheaper than the Athena but 177 is an incredibly low price - I'm impressed.

Ive always been caught up somewhere between a business and a pleasure device, and for me the E90 ticked more boxes than the Athena because as well as push email and document viewing/editing there's a much better camera and video recorder and better flash support from within the browser (not to mention a nicer keyboard for typing on).

With the new touch 4 rom the Athena looks great, and Opera 9.5 is a big step forward but still the E90 has the edge for me.

[Confucious]

It was £171 but another £13 for chargers.
Woke up this morning and battery is flat :(
My charger hasn't arrived yet but can borrow one at work :)
So far I'm very impressed but got problems getting my cert on it so haven't got Push email working yet.

[eaglesteve]

Ordered 4Gb card cos they are cheap.
The latest firmware doesn't seam to be available - it was up then taken down. I guess I'll find out when it is released!
I use CP7 for SatNav - will have to get them to dort it out so it works on the E90 screen!

Thanks for the advice.

You might already know that Copilot 7 is just released for Symbian devices.

http://www.pocket-lint.co.uk/news/news.phtml/14637/15661/copilot-7-available-symbian-phones.phtml

[Confucious]

Yes, i still haven't received my DVD from them but have already downloaded it. I haven't installed it yet as I am waiting for my memory card to turn up!

Apparently it doesn't work properly on the big screen so I've already asked about them fixing that....

[yarod_g14]

Hello everyone,
I might be able to offer some good advice here.
I have been spitting at nokia owners for years but I am now a proud owner of an N95.
The OS and 3d hardware acceleration make this device a REAL pleasure to use.

Now I presume your e90 runs the s60 V3, the same as my N95 but obviously for a different device and REZ

2 things that might interest you:

Battery life
and
Firmware

First off, for some reason this OS sucks the battery dry when running the 3g radio. I now turn this off unless I am actually using the connection.

Go to the main menu, tools, settings phone, then network. If I put my device onto GSM mode it will probably double my battery life.

Now the firmware is the next issue. As you said, the update disapeared from your Nokia updater (seperate program)

S60 devices are locked to a country and operator code which will affect which update they are able to recieve from the Nokia update service.

This code is something that you can change using NSS (nemesis service suite).
PM me for a link or I can just email the soft, its free and small.

For example, I got my N95 locked to T-mob. This meant that when I ran the updater, it would only find updates that had been deployed with agreement from t-mobile. (sound familiar :) ? )
This was version 12.00 or similar (cant remember now)
I used the nemesis software suite to change my region code to a generic one (given with PAYG phones from Nokia :) )
and voila, I run the update service and version 21. or similar is available. This is the version that gives me full flash and widget support, it generally makes the phone BETTER.

In terms of performance and reliability the firmware jump was as impressive as my move from windows mobile 5-6.

I can now use BBC iplayer and watch youtube youporn god knows what else through my browser on the my lovely N95.

The only problem is that the new N95 8GB has double the RAM of my N95 :(
Now I am jelous

I am coming to the conclusion that the Symbian OS means more to Nokia and its affiliates than Win mobile does to MS!

[eaglesteve]

Yes, i still haven't received my DVD from them but have already downloaded it. I haven't installed it yet as I am waiting for my memory card to turn up!

Apparently it doesn't work properly on the big screen so I've already asked about them fixing that....

You mean the non-standard aspect ratio is causing software compatibility problem?

[Confucious]

You mean the non-standard aspect ratio is causing software compatibility problem?
It works fine on the external screen but does not fill the big screen apparently.

[rorydaredkign]

any update confucious?

[Confucious]

Love the form factor of the E90, love the camera but can't get push email working and CoPilot wont work with the internal screen - only the little one on the outside.
Struggling to get used to Symbian, the number of key presses to connect and download anything is ridiculous, the lack of software and lack of customisation is very strange to me but I am persevering.
If people think they have problems with MS BT they've never tried connecting a Sony Ericsson headset with a Nokia phone.
It is very different to WM - there are some things I like so will give it more time - but I am missing my Athena....

[rorydaredkign]

Love the form factor of the E90, love the camera but can't get push email working and CoPilot wont work with the internal screen - only the little one on the outside.
Struggling to get used to Symbian, the number of key presses to connect and download anything is ridiculous, the lack of software and lack of customisation is very strange to me but I am persevering.
If people think they have problems with MS BT they've never tried connecting a Sony Ericsson headset with a Nokia phone.
It is very different to WM - there are some things I like so will give it more time - but I am missing my Athena....

me too... at first i loved my p1i, but now its annoying, its harder typing on its keypad now than when i got it somehow, opera mobile just isnt opera mobile 9.5 and it is just poor randomly, like i dont get texts when they come, and i have to turn my phone off sometime to get on the web and random crap like that... so im going to call o2 to see if i can get a replacement device
Rory

[cmonex]

Thanks for the replies, eaglesteve, it is far better to reply and make a mistake than not reply at all. Your input, as always, is appreciated.

My E90 turned up today after winning it yesterday morning £171 inc P&P - that was for the phone and battery only - I've ordered a charger and car charger for another £13 but don't have tanything else - won't miss the headphones and software I can download - am I missing anything?

I seem to have a bargain!

So far I really like it :)




yes bargain... *drools*

[cmonex]

Love the form factor of the E90, love the camera but can't get push email working and CoPilot wont work with the internal screen - only the little one on the outside.
Struggling to get used to Symbian, the number of key presses to connect and download anything is ridiculous, the lack of software and lack of customisation is very strange to me but I am persevering.
If people think they have problems with MS BT they've never tried connecting a Sony Ericsson headset with a Nokia phone.
It is very different to WM - there are some things I like so will give it more time - but I am missing my Athena....



..even though I just said I 'm drooling over this ... I understand your frustration, had the same with my nokia 9500 when I was playing with that :)

still 177GBP is very decent i think... and the pound is so weak now that it is even less if I were to buy one from ebay UK :)

[leoni1980]

hi confuscious.

push email does work well on symbian os, but its not as easy to set up as on winmo, p.m. me and I can help you out. with regards to needing too many button presses, well get a feel for the o.s. and you will discover that there are a plethora of shortcuts and shortcut options.

with regards to satnav, give garmin xt a try, it should work on the internal screen.

im currently using an axim X50 which I bought for next to nothing with an N95. the Axim, despite its age is running wm6 like a dream and handles my 8gb sdhc superbly. it bricks all over the Athena - and any other pocket pc i've ever owned with its video playback and performance and with standard-sized 8gb sdhc's under a tenner at the moment i'm in dreamland!

[Confucious]

Thank leoni1980 - I've pm'd you.

The two many buttons relates to downloads - you click on a download then you have to confirm then it asks you if you want to connect to the internet, then it asks which connection you want to use etc, etc having asked in other forums there doesn't seem a way round this...

With regards to Sat Nav, I already have a license for CP but would have to pay for any alternative so that is a problem for me and not of the device itself.

Maybe the answer is a PPC and a phone - do you browse the web on your N95 or the Axim? do you connect the 2 via WiFi? If so, what does that do to battery life? Two devices does seem to be a compromise though - but I guess everything is.

I will persevere with the E90 and hopefully it will grow on me - there is a lot to like and I'm sure it's just teething troubles, if you can help me get push email working I'll be a lot happier with it!

Thanks for your reply.

[leoni1980]

Hi. I use the n95 and axim equally. I sent my last post on the axim and am sending this on the n95 - the only drawback to using the n95 is that there is no 'return' key so i have to type one big block of text! Use opera mini 4.1- it's absolutely brilliant on the e90 AND the n95, requiring far fewer button presses than the same application on the windows mobile java midlet and allowing downloads, uploads and lightning fast browsing speed. If you set the font size to 'small' it looks fantastic on the e90. I have a bit of a history of using two devices together as i like the option of having a small device to take out when i'm short of pocket space without fiddling about with sim-swapping. As it stands i have an n95 with a great camera, video recorder, youtube downloader and garmin xt satnav, and when i need it i can share the n95's 3g connection - and gps - with the axim via bluetooth for vga browsing, messaging, email and satnav (via a neat piece of free software called extgps). My setup is probably not to most people's taste but i just couldn't get along with hardware like the athena, which for all its features just seemed more of an inconvenience for me most of the time :-(

[cmonex]

Hi. I use the n95 and axim equally. I sent my last post on the axim and am sending this on the n95 - the only drawback to using the n95 is that there is no 'return' key so i have to type one big block of text! Use opera mini 4.1- it's absolutely brilliant on the e90 AND the n95, requiring far fewer button presses than the same application on the windows mobile java midlet and allowing downloads, uploads and lightning fast browsing speed. If you set the font size to 'small' it looks fantastic on the e90. I have a bit of a history of using two devices together as i like the option of having a small device to take out when i'm short of pocket space without fiddling about with sim-swapping. As it stands i have an n95 with a great camera, video recorder, youtube downloader and garmin xt satnav, and when i need it i can share the n95's 3g connection - and gps - with the axim via bluetooth for vga browsing, messaging, email and satnav (via a neat piece of free software called extgps). My setup is probably not to most people's taste but i just couldn't get along with hardware like the athena, which for all its features just seemed more of an inconvenience for me most of the time :-(


hmm.. could it at least be x51v? :P

anyway I usually carry several devices, depending on whims really... so I understand that part :)

but when the choice is only one device then Athena usually gets picked up :)

[leoni1980]

I could have got the x51v but it was nearly 70 pounds more expensive and didn't SEEM to offer much in the way of benefits. Did i make a bad decision? There do seem to be more roms available for the x51v but i've no i idea why...so far i'm happy though, especially with the fact that it can handle any video i throw at it - even the infamous 'dog' video i did on my n95 and posted on these forums!

[cmonex]

I could have got the x51v but it was nearly 70 pounds more expensive and didn't SEEM to offer much in the way of benefits. Did i make a bad decision? There do seem to be more roms available for the x51v but i've no i idea why...so far i'm happy though, especially with the fact that it can handle any video i throw at it - even the infamous 'dog' video i did on my n95 and posted on these forums!


well the VGA screen is a big advantage I'd say :)

[leoni1980]

the x50v IS vga. thats the main thing that distinguishes it from the x50, and probably accounts for the 'v'

[cmonex]

the x50v IS vga. thats the main thing that distinguishes it from the x50, and probably accounts for the 'v'

exactly, so that's why i wondered why you got the x50 only :)

[leoni1980]

exactly, so that's why i wondered why you got the x50 only :)

I didn't! I've got the X50v....

Selling it already though as I've just bought an Exec/Universal for 72 pounds! maybe a bit of SIM swapping involved when I don't want to carry a lunchbox around with me but I forgot how great the keyboard is on the Universal. Smaller screen than the Athena but the keyboard makes up for it, and it seems to play video files a lot better than the Athena - nowhere near as well as the x50v though....shame....

[Confucious]

How much do you want for the x50v?

[leoni1980]

How much do you want for the x50v?

not sure to be honest......gonna just see what i get on Ebay. This N95/E90/X50v/Exec mixing is giving me a bit of a headache!!!!!

[Confucious]

Let me know when you do, I'll keep an eye on it and may even bid myself...

My Uni is bricked :( It was a great device - pity they never updated it... an external screen and maybe keypad...

[leoni1980]

Maybe one day....

I bought the Uni to sell but I'm going to keep it now: I think it's a fantastic device!

I'm not bothered about a good camera as when I'm out doing things where i'll need a decent camera I've got my Nokia. I've also got my Nokia for GPS, or I can use an external bluetooth adaptor I have OR if my SIM is in the Nokia I can use ExtGPS to share the nokia's GPS by bluetooth.


The keypad on the UNI is absolutely fantastic....in fact if you offered me an Ameo as a swap I would say 'no' - it just seems so much more usable as a phone and internet/office device.


seventy two quid: bargain!

[Confucious]

Thought I'd see if there was any way of reviving my bricked Uni - just flashed thingonaspring's ROM and it's back to life....

[leoni1980]

Have a play and see if you still miss your Athena. You should be pretty chuffed with your un-brick! Does Thingonaspring come with the radio.nbf as I'm currently still showng radio 0.00.0 after sim unlocking and installing Ranju.

I'm thinking of trying out different ROMs to see which I like best but I'm a bit terrified I'll brick my device. What do you think of thingonaspring?


Cheers

[Confucious]

I've only just installed itand am just syncing with my server. I can only find my extended battery and can't find the back that fits it.
The radio I have is 1.15 - not sure if it came with thingonaspring or not!

I wouldn't worry about bricking it - I've not managed a permanent brick yet, and if I can't do it I'd be surprised if anyone can!

I'll probably continue to use my E90 for now so doubt if I'll play with the Uni or the Ameo much just yet.

[cmonex]

heh uni vs athena.

screen is just way too small on uni... :( (I have two btw! :) )

and I got used to the athena keyboard pretty well.

[leoni1980]

its all down to personal opinion really. for me the universal strikes a better balance of screen size over battery life and, much as i got used to onscreen typing with the Athena, I find i can do word-intensive things a lot more productively with the Universal.

I don't really need the extra 1.4" of screen size, don't need GPS or HSDPA so for me the Universal strikes a good balance, but hey we're all different aren't we, and for many things my N95 is better than both! If only i could have the camera, graphics acceleration and convenience of an N95 combined with the convergence capability and screen resolution of the Uni or Athena in a slicker Windows Mobile format.....now that would be worth shouting about wouldn't it!

[Confucious]

I agree - I love the keyboard of the Uni and the formfactor, for GPS nothing beats the screen size of the Athena, the camera and ease of use of the E90 are great....but it runs symbian rather than WM6.1

Not one perfect device but 3 nearly perfect....

[cmonex]

I agree - I love the keyboard of the Uni and the formfactor, for GPS nothing beats the screen size of the Athena, the camera and ease of use of the E90 are great....but it runs symbian rather than WM6.1

Not one perfect device but 3 nearly perfect....


so how's the E90? :)

[Confucious]

With the latest ROM I've now got my push email working, I'm working with CoPilot on getting that working on the inner screen. The browser is great, keyboard is great and I'm finding more software for it.
I'm still getting used to Symbian but all in all I do like the E90.
Will I be tempted back to my Athena? Time will tell.