Re: So is it any good? A: Mixed
@AC
Pros:
* Amazing screen, really gorgeous. Capacitive touch responds quickly and easily.
* Speed. Fast, fast processor means no lag
* Tight integration with Google services. Gmail app is excellent, Maps is good, Calendar is fine. Synch works flawlessly.
* Voice enabled in all text fields. Yes, it's a bit odd to be talking into the phone all the time, but when it talks to the servers back at the Chocolate Factory the results are remarkable. And improving apace.
* Google Voice: If you do not have a Google Voice account, you do now. Use it for voicemail or forwarding. Also texts or emails you when you have a new voicemail. I think this might be the real killer here. You can make it use google voice to make all calls, international calls only, etc.
* "Open" . Easily rootable if that's the way you swing. Also highly customizable out of the box.
*The famed multi-tasking.
*There's an app for that.
*Tethering. I think this has been more difficult to do this in America than in Europe, so this might be a bigger deal for us here on this side of the pond.
Cons:
*Idiot bifurcation of 3G signals in the US means that we can only use it on T-Mobile 3G here. It will, of course, talk to the ATT EDGE network when you are outside of the admittedly limited T-mo 3G coverage.
*Flash Storage: Pitiful. Only 512 on board and it ships with a 4 gig card. Will address up to 32 gig card. But the N97 has 32 gig on board and can address a 16 gig card.
*Speaker: Weak and can sound tinny at times.
*Camera: not good enough. Not a patch on the N97 or even N95
*Small UI issues with Android 2.1 Some people don;t like pressing buttons.
*Screen has trouble in direct sunlight, of course. Also doesn't work too well in the cold when you are wearing gloves. ;-)
*You need an app to use some of the MS Exchange calendar services.
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Also: call quality is OK.