Nokia opens Ovi Store for N900s Nokia N900 users who have updated their OS can now access the mobile Ovi Store from their smartphones. The opening of the store was announced Tuesday by the Finnish phonemaker, which recommends that you check out the live video broadcast app Qik and lyrics-searcher TuneWiki. To access the store, you'll need to perform the over …
I still cannot find a single hint out there on how this device can properly synchronize with OS X – as any Symbian device can via its own, Nokia-provided iSync plug-in. Nokia surely doesn't expect me to lay down money if they show no interest in providing a complete product? Which is a pity, as the N900 itself is very tempting. It needs to be functional though...
But it seems the only way I can get it on contract is to switch to Vodafone for 24 months @ £35/m. I'm used to T-Mobile's more flexible pricing, where I could chuck them £100-£150 for the phone and pay £25/m instead.
Vodafone, on the other hand, are being arseholes about it - if you drop below £35 a month, you don't get net access. WHAT?? And that's on top of reduced call/text allowance! Plus, there's a 500MB/month cap on the net connection, as opposed to 3GB on T-Mobile.
Still, I really like that phone...
- About to become a Vodafone customer. :-(
Going Vodafone is not a pleasant experience. I early-adopted the N97 with them (as a new carrier) and I get: No 3G at home, no 3G at work, no 3G at my parents house, no 3G at my girlfriend's house. This despite them all being listed in 'excellent' coverage areas.
Their network is terrible, their upgrade policy is draconian and the only saving grace is they are giving me better value (for calls and texts) than H3G ever did.
You can buy a sim-free N900 for around £440. Save up your money and buy the handset outright. I will.
You can do it sim-free for a little bit cheaper (over 24 months), and with a bit more flexibility. It's a little bit involved, but worth it. First of all sign up with Quidco (yes, they really work). Then buy the phone from Nokia, and get 20% cash back. That's £400. Then get a 12-month contract from Vodafone and get £100 cash back (for new customers). That works out at £380 over 24 months. Make sure you do all your purchases through Quidco. Cost per month with a free phone = £32.50. The internet limit is 500mb per month, but they don't meter browsing, so if you're only browsing, it's unlimited.
Actually, it'll probably work out cheaper. After 12-months you can probably get a better deal somewhere else on the contract.
Just noticed after writing that, Nokia's own store has more flexible pricing options than Vodafone will offer you. They still abuse you in the anus, though. Go anywhere below £35 a month and try to keep your "unlimited" net access - you either have to pay £200 for the phone (even on £30 a month) or you lose everything else, or both.
Apparently the word is that by late january / early february both t-mobile and o2 should have this phone (the vodafone exclusive ends late january and t-mobile at least had intended to stock the phone right from release) so hopefully, we can see it on more than just the one network within a month.
Is it available sim free?
I ditched long term contracts while back, I think it was a BBC 1 documentary about how the actual cost of device with contract worked out the same if you bought the phone out right and went on a sim-only plan that influenced me
So I have ended up on O2's sim-only for £20 a month, 600 mins, 1000 texts, unlimited internet.
My 2p's worth...
It is available sim-free, £430-£500 depending on where you choose to buy it.
>>So I have ended up on O2's sim-only for £20 a month, 600 mins, 1000 texts, unlimited internet.
With that in mind then, it's likely not going to be cheaper going sim-free. £30/month will get you that same contract with the phone for £100 (as a new customer, and going by their HD2 contract prices which will likely be similar / the same for the N900 as the phones cost about the same) or free as a longstanding existing-customer upgrade. The only caveat is the 24 month contract, but you're paying £10 extra for the phone every month, getting you the phone for an effective cost of £340 spread over 2 years as a new customer, or £240 as an upgrade, vs £430 minimum sim-free.
Essentially it's generally only cheaper to go for a sim-free phone and a sim-only contract if you can then get away with only needing the allocations provided by a £10/month or so contract, if you need the extra minutes/free internet and end up paying £20+ anyway, get a cheaper phone to go with it.
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