Nokia N900 The Ultimate Specs Price Strengths and Weaknesses Guide

Introduction to Nokia N900

The Nokia N900, announced in August 2009 and released in November of the same year, was a groundbreaking device, blending features of a smartphone and a mobile internet device. It was after this release that the N900 became a favorite among tech enthusiasts for its robust hardware and customizable nature. The device was discontinued but it remains memorable due to the powerful Maemo 5 operating system and a unique suite of features.

Design and Build

In terms of design, the Nokia N900 departs from sleek and slim smartphones of today. The dimensions measure 110.9 x 59.8 x 18 mm and it weighs 181 grams, making it a hefty device by modern standards. The thickness was to accommodate its sliding QWERTY keyboard, a feature praised for enabling efficient typing. The solid black color gave it a serious, professional look and the build quality was robust, typical of Nokia's standards of the time.

Display

The Nokia N900 sports a 3.5-inch TFT resistive touchscreen capable of displaying 65K colors and a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels. The screen-to-body ratio stands around 52.6%, which was average for the time. Despite the resistive technology requiring more pressure compared to today’s capacitive displays, it was considered precise for stylus use, making it suitable for note-taking and drawing.

Performance and Platform

Under the hood, the device was powered by a TI OMAP 3430 chipset featuring a 600 MHz Cortex-A8 CPU and a PowerVR SGX530 GPU. The processor was complemented by 256MB of RAM. The Nokia N900 performed well for tasks of the day, including internet browsing and media playback. The Maemo 5 OS provided a desktop-like environment which was rare for mobile devices, allowing for multitasking without the constraints present in other smartphone operating systems at the time.

Memory and Storage

The device came with 32GB of internal storage, an impressive figure that allowed users to store vast amounts of data including apps, music, and videos. Additionally, there was a microSDHC card slot for memory expansion, a feature not even standard in many competitors. This meant flexibility for users to extend storage to their needs.

Camera

The primary camera was a 5MP sensor featuring Carl Zeiss optics, autofocus, and a dual-LED flash, capable of recording 480p videos at 25fps. The optics provided sharp and detailed images, which were complemented by Nokia’s image processing algorithms. The front VGA camera was basic by today's standards, used primarily for video calls.

Audio and Sound

The Nokia N900 delivered competent audio quality through its stereo speakers and offered a 3.5mm headphone jack, a standard feature appreciated by audiophiles for its versatility. Both voice and media playback were clear and free from distortion, and the device’s noise and crosstalk levels were commendable at -93.7dB and -86.9dB respectively.

Connectivity and Communication

Supporting GSM and HSPA networks, the Nokia N900 could handle 2G and 3G bands fairly efficiently. Connectivity options included Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g, DLNA, and Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP. The device featured GPS with A-GPS and Ovi Maps for navigation, an infrared port, stereo FM radio via third-party apps, an FM transmitter, and a microUSB 2.0 interface for data transfer and charging. This broad array of connectivity options made it a very versatile device at the time of its release.

Battery Life

The removable Li-Ion 1320 mAh battery provided up to 278 hours of standby time on 2G, up to 250 hours on 3G, talk time of up to 6 hours and 30 minutes on 2G, and 4 hours and 30 minutes on 3G. For music playback, the device could last up to 24 hours and 30 minutes. This battery performance was typical for devices of its class, providing satisfactory usage times for most daily tasks.

Sensors and Additional Features

The device included essential sensors such as an accelerometer and proximity sensor, which were used for automating various operations like screen orientation and call management. The Maemo browser supported xHTML, HTML, and Adobe Flash, allowing a more complete web browsing experience, closely resembling desktop environments.

Legacy and Influence

Despite being discontinued, the Nokia N900 remains a beloved device among enthusiasts who appreciate the open-source Maemo community which enabled them to continue developing apps and customizations for the device long after its market presence dissolved. It marked an era when Nokia dared to innovate with open-source Linux-based platforms, laying groundwork that would echo in its later ventures into smartphones.

Conclusion

The Nokia N900 was truly ahead of its time, offering a unique user experience with powerful hardware for 2009 and a sophisticated operating system. While it catered more to enthusiasts and tech-oriented users due to its complexity and open-source potential, it represented a notable step in mobile computing, blending internet and communication capabilities with the power of a pocket-sized computer.