Most so-called iPhone alternatives are nothing of the sort

This is really an apples and oranges (or whatever fruit Nokia is) comparison. Two entirely different devices for two entirely different market segments.

Comparing the iPhone feature for feature with the N95, it will come up horribly short. Just like the iPods come up short (e.g., no voice recording, no FM radio, etc..) when compared to many other handheld media devices.

Compare for example the iPhone's bluetooth and that on the N95. The iPhone can use its bluetooth to pair with a headset and with a car kit, that's it. The N95 (and many other phones) can in addition use it to transfer files, sync with a PC, connect bluetooth keyboard, GPS and many other devices, you can connect it to a PC over bluetooth and use it as a modem, etc.

The iPhone is also not open for 3rd party developers, while smartphones have a plethora of 3rd party software available. As such, it would be a misnomer to call it a smartphone and you can't really compare it with them.

The point is, the iPod isn't considered one of the best in its class because of a feature checklist. It is because Apple is good at UI - they make devices that do a few things, and do them well. There's that 'it just works' factor.

The iPhone is for those who want an iPod, a cell phone and an Internet tablet in one. Wrapped up in that Apple UI experience.

The N95 is for the power user or gadget geek that wants the top of the line swiss army knife of cell phones.

After reading some of these comments I feel obliged to chip in. I am surprised that the blog owner describes the N95 as merely an 'uber camera' phone and pleased that he has been corrected on this point by a number of other posters.

I would also point out that the N95's early bugs have been corrected by freely available firmware upgrades. In addition 8Gb memory cards are due in early 2008. The theoretical ceiling for memory is, I believe, 32Gb.

Although the N95 doesn't have a QWERTY keyboard, it does have predictive text which, once you get used to it, is incredibly fast and sufficient for most purposes including e-mail. If you really need a keyboard you can set up a wireless one.

The web browser is adequate and probably not as good as the iPhone's but then it doesn't absorb 700Mb of memory. In addition I can download music via the S60 gnutella and torrent clients that it supports. I haven't tried using the browser to do this yet so can't comment if it's possible or not. Of course, once I've downloaded a track I can then set it as my ring tone should I choose to do so.

As for Google Maps, well I'm sure that's fine but compared to a fully functional GPS system and Nokia Maps it's a poor second. Of course, I would point out that the web browser supports Google Maps (and Green Flag, etc) anyway. This is sufficiently fast on 3G.

Finally, it is indeed an uber camera phone with a flash and editing facilities. It also records video at 30 fps in good quality something the iPhone doesn't do at all.

In summary, the iPhone is a lovely little device but in it's present form it's inadequate for the European market. For the money that they're asking - say £250 plus tariff - I would expect much more. As a comparison, my T-mobile tariff matches the 900 minute AT&T one, however, the unit cost me £50 (I think it's £80 now) based on an 18 month contract with the option to change after 6 months.

Style over substance methinks.

I've always loved reading these blogs. I've been awaiting this launch for so long. Not because I want to buy one (I consider myself immune to their marketing...sometimes), but because I own Apple stock. Why own the stock without any product. Simple, Apple fanatics are preditable. Preditable + Market = $$$$$. So, please buy the iPhone. Buy 2. Even if it doesn't do everything every other does, you'll be branded cool and elite with a $600 piece of fruit sitting in your pocket. Besides, your $400 iPod, iPod-mini, iPod-nano is probably getting a lil lonely. Boy, I love this company and I love you all.

well... i had (yes had) an n95 myself but gave it back. it wasnt buggy it worked just fine for me but sometimes when you view a phone on paper it's perfect for you and when you use it you realise it's too much and has more of what you practically dont need so i gave it back and i bet that something like thousands other n95 owners have done the same.

i agree very well with tr, it's how you use it and how you like using it that makes a phone successful to you, for example atm i have an n93 and it's perfect, it doesnt have a 2.6" screen or integrated GPS, or the newest symbian OS or even the new nokia music player/video center app/new web browser or the 5 megapixel but it's perfect for me. i have a friend who actually till this day has a nokia 3210, and yes that's one of the most anicent s40 phones out there, with no music (unless for fun you playback ringtones :P) no video etc. and yet he loves it and even with all his friends telling him to get a new phone he insists he needs nothing more than it. at the end of the day above how you use it, it's what you need. the n95 may be the most uber perfect phone out there with a complete feature set, but to actually use all it has you'd need one helluva busy life. sometimes more features isnt a winner, simpler, more usable features does the job and in this the iphone succeeds, it's a phone with a fun twist for the outgoing sense of being connected to the internet, viewing youtube, listening to music and watching video, it's actually built with the fun and outgoing sense of the consumer in mind unlike the n95 which does everything well but is a master of none. nuff said, it's what you need and how you use the phone that makes it successful, overpacking applications isnt good.

Nuf said..

http://darlamack.blogs.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2007/06/26/iphone.jpg

@tnkgrl

Good comments, I agree.

Been looking at an N95 for some time (I'm in the UK) and we in the EU are not deemed worthy of the iPhone yet.

I use an N800, a Mio 701 and 80Gb Ipod.. So three devices, and the question I have to have answered is will the iPhone be able to replace any of these.

I suspect not, but we have 6 months of the US getting, reviewing, breaking, returning and getting over the hype. Only then will be get a true USERS review of the iPhone. Thats what I want.

What about the Helio Ocean?

And I forgot to mention the TV-out capability of the N95 and its pairing ability to most Bluetooth keyboard, if so required...

David,

I disagree with your assessment of the Nokia N95.

I'm an Apple fangirl, and I'll be getting an iPhone on Friday (hopefully), but you can't compare the two devices...

Until Friday, the N95 is the current über phone, bar none!

Few devices come close (except perhaps, Nokia's own E90). I know what I'm talking about - I've been using the N95 since it was released early April: http://tnkgrl.wordpress.com

1) You can buy the N95 for less than $750 shipped and it's unlocked (it just works on any GSM network in the world, including AT&T and T-Mobile in the US)

2) The N95 is a smartphone running Symbian OS with hundreds if not thousands of native third-party applications (including a native YouTube player, and a native Flickr uploader)

3) The N95 is way more than a good cameraphone - it's a decent video recorder (640x480 at 30 fps), a decent GPS unit, and even a good iPod replacement (including video playback and a wired remote)

4) The N95 support 3G (in Europe and Asia), WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP and 4 GB micro-SD HC cards, and features OS X integration with iTunes, iPhoto and iSync support

5) The N95 offers a similar web browsing experience as advertised on the iPhone, albeit without the touch screen and (virtual) QWERTY keyboard

I have no doubt that the iPhone will be an über phone for other reasons (primarily the user experience), but you can't just dismiss the N95!

tnkgrl

you know, it's funny reading all these comparisons of the iPhone to other smartphones out there on the market, comparing features side by side, what has what, what doesn't have what, etc.

this sounds just like when people compare other music players to the iPod. "it has an fm tuner", "it has a voice recorder", "it has more memory for less money", etc.

but what makes the iPod so much better than your run of the mill super feature packed mp3 player?

it's how we use it, how it works. it's the user centered design.

all the features in the world don't make the iPhone. if i can use it, if i enjoy using it, if it works for what i want it to do it, then in my eyes, the eyes of the user, it will be successful.