Nokia N95 unboxing video

As the Nokia N95 inches closer to being released, more lucky bloggers are getting to play with preproduction units! Steve Garfield posted an unboxing video, and Delon on Howard Forums is answering questions about the device… Enjoy :)

Nokia N95 review

Here’s an exciting “first impressions” Nokia N95 review… It covers some of the new OS features (with screen shots), like the GPS! The N95 should be available in March, and I can’t wait.

Back to the future

In 2003, the MyOrigo MyDevice featured a touch screen with gesture recognition, a tilt sensor and tactile feedback… Hello, iPhone? Now F-Origin appears ready to license its technology to Apple’s competitors!

Oh yes, it definitely looks like 2007 will be the year of the touch-based device :)

OQO Model 02 pictures

Here are some totally unexpected (unboxing) OQO Model 02 pictures! Someone really pulled some strings at OQO for this… I’m impressed considering I’m still waiting for mine :)

It’s only the beginning

Sure, touch screens have been around for a while, but with the addition of multi-touch, gesture recognition and improved UIs, are touch-based devices finally coming of age? Are we ready to shed the stylus?

Beyond the iPhone, the LG is releasing the KE850 (Prada), a lovely touch-based device, and Nokia is dreaming up all kinds of interesting UIs for touch screens…

Even Google is (supposedly) getting into the action!

Will 2007 be the year of the touch-based device? How are touch-based devices going to affect people with seeing disabilities? Discuss.

One week later

It’s been a week since the iPhone was announced and there’s still a lot of buzz floating around…

I was wondering if Apple considered using vibration as a form of tactile feedback for the iPhone’s touch screen when I stumbled upon this nice device from Samsung and this cool one from Synaptics!

I still think that the iPhone should be sold unlocked, even if Apple’s partnership with Cingular is revealing more details about the device.

Random OQO Model 02 trivia

Here is some interesting new information I’ve gathered about the OQO Model 02:

- You can use a Model 01/01+ battery charge adapter and Model 01/01+ AC adapter to charge a Model 02 battery.

- The Model 02 RAM is located on a separate custom module (though not user upgradeable).

- The HDMI/DVI cables are a custom design. OQO reduced the diameter of the cables while ensuring high video quality.

- Windows Vista performance is good (the key is 1GB RAM).

- Every other computer with a trakstik-like pointing device uses one of a handful of off-the-shelf controllers, all of which share problems of drift, responsiveness, nonlinearity, etc… For the Model 02, OQO completely redesigned this functionality into the subprocessor, resulting in an unparalleled smooth implementation!

- There are several new software features that have not yet been highlighted in reviews, like a dedicated function key for a “show desktop” mode as well as an improved display settings control panel which makes the setup of multiple displays significantly easier than usual in Windows XP or Windows Vista.

- Once you have setup a configuration for a specific display, the displaysense software remembers the settings so when you change displays it recognizes which configuration you setup before and automatically restores the proper settings.

- If you look down the barrel of the Model 02 AC adapter there’s a red glow indicating that it’s connected.

The iPhone aftermath

Now that the iPhone is no longer a secret, I have a dilemma… Clearly, I want an Apple iPhone, but I also want a Nokia N95!

“Why not get both?” I hear you asking. That’s a fair enough question – after all, I currently have a Nokia N80 as my voice-centric phone (with T-Mobile) and a Samsung i607 (BlackJack) as my data-centric phone (with Cingular). I use the voice-centric phone for calls, pictures, MP3 playback and the data-centric phone for the QWERTY keyboard and for tethering.

But I really just want *one* phone! Is that too much to ask? For my purposes, the iPhone is missing HSDPA and is not cutting it camera-wise yet the N95 is missing a QWERTY keyboard and is not tri-band HSDPA.

To make matters even more complicated, I’ve ordered the amazing OQO Model 02, which features EVDO (with Sprint)… But the last thing I want right now is to join yet another provider!

So, here are my options:
- Skip the N95, drop T-Mobile, join Sprint for the OQO, get the iPhone, keep Cingular
- Get the N95, keep T-Mobile, join Sprint for the OQO, skip the iPhone, drop Cingular
- Get the N95, keep T-Mobile, skip Sprint for the OQO (no data), get the iPhone, keep Cingular

Keep in mind that I’m already a satisfied T-Mobile customer (now contract free) and Cingular customer (6 months left in contract).

Suggestions, opinions? Fire away :)

Nokia N95 picture gallery

Today I found this tasty Nokia N95 picture gallery (even featuring the N80 for comparison)…

Sure, the iPhone is the star of the week but there’s still something to be said about pressing real buttons and enjoying 5 megapixels of auto-focus Carl Zeiss goodness!

Macworld: other tidbits

Other than the all the iPhone excitement…

- I took some pictures
- I got interviewed by 2 hotties (Sid & Stayce?) affiliated with this site (I think)
- I hung out with Jon of Uneasy Silence fame at the Microsoft blogger lounge
- I ran into Annalee Newitz of Techspoitation fame (it’s nice to see other women tech bloggers)
- I got interviewed by Dan Pourhadi for TUAW
- I got to play with the ModBook
- I went to the Blast! party, which kinda sucked

Loads of fun :)