Voice Of Teenagers: Why the N96 just isn't set to win the hearts of Symbian power users

The new Nokia N96 has just been launched some time ago, and as usual Nokia has devised quite a number of promotions to boost it's sales. The N96 is marketed as Nokia's next flagship device and said by some to be the successor to the now 2 years old N95. Over several firmware updates and device releases, the N95 literally become Nokia's most successful and powerful devices, and perhaps is the only mobile device manufactured that is still up to date after 2 years since it was first announced. but with the bar raised so high by the N95 8GB (N95-2), can the N96 top what the N95-2 already offered to users?

...and so the debate between the old and the new continues.

Thanks to the people at Gadget Information, there's now a clear list of the major differences between the N95 and N96. Perhaps one of the most notable differences is the CPU. Surprisingly, the N96 does not have a graphic accelerator as on the N95, and is furthur hindered by the fact that it's CPU is less powerful, yes less powerful than the one on N95s. The N96 has a ARM9 264MHz onboard while the N95 has a Dual 332Mhz ARM11 based CPU. Was Nokia so desperate to increase battery life they actually resorted used a lower powered CPU? If yes the decision is almost laughable to power users. However, the fact that the N95 has such powerful hardware only highlights its ability run amazing game like Quake 2 and Global Race, which are pretty much the only two games that fully utilise the N95's potential.

Coming back to the N96, Nokia doesn't really care about those two measly games because the know they can WOW regular users with the N-gage 2.0 series of games. As posted in several youtube videos, the N96 seems to run N-gage games just fine, which is pretty much good enough for the average user. So it all comes down to the way Nokia markets these devices, which is what Nokia has done quite well. Instead of marketing it as a "do-it-all" device like the N95, the N96 has been targeted more as a web browsing and primarily a mobile video device, hence the large screen, kick-stand and 16GB of storage space.

In my opinion the N96 is not targeted to replace the N95 and it's fan base of Symbian power users at all, instead it is aimed for users who want a phone which looks good, and still be "as powerful" as the N95. The reason i say this is because the design of the N96 itself and the build quality has improvised and from the N95s. The edges are rounder, it looks classier and even the operating user interface(UI) looks much fancier and smoother. However these are just all eye candies which will come back to haunt a user. There have reports on the net which show the N96's beautiful front glossy design being scarred with scratches after just weeks of usage, and how the fancy UI causes it to lag and be less responsive to he N95.

With all this said, to me the only true advantage the N96 seems to have is the claimed "optimal GPS reception without slider being open" which sometimes can be annoying on the N95. I think the N96 will no doubt be on the "want" list of many Nokia users, however not be enough to attract the current N95 fan base nor Symbian power users. Bear in mind that all this is currently based on the early stages of the N96's software, which i'm sure Nokia will vastly improve and work on, just as they have transformed the N95 from train wreck to mobile legend.

Seeing is beleiving - here are several video comparisons between the N95 and N95, as well as Spec comparisons

N96 VS N95 (Major differences)

Positive

16GB of integrated memory (as opposed to 8GB for N95 8GB), plus further extensibility via microSD memory card
2.8 inch display with 16 million colours (same as N95 8GB, versus 2.6" display for original N95)
Camera flash is a dual-LED in the N96 while it is only a single LED in the N95
New audio DSP for improved audio quality and longer playback time
New version of Nokia Video Centre
Longer music playback time (14 hrs) and video playback time (5 hrs)
Windows Media WMV9 video codec is added
Hardware acceleration for video codecs for H.264 and WMV (as well as MPEG4 as before)
Location tagging (geotagging) of pictures, using the integrated GPS
Mobile TV DVB-H receiver is built into N96
New release of Nokia Experience Software
- Maps 2.0 with satellite images, upgrade to pedestrian mode and voice-guided car navigation
- Internet Radio pre-installed
- Home Media Solution (sync with DLNA / UPnP devices over WLAN)
- Online sharing of pictures with plugins for Flickr, Ovi Share and other services (Can be added on N95 with newer version of Share Online Application)
S60 3rd Edition is upgraded from Feature Pack 1 to Feature Pack 2
- Symbian OS is upgraded from version 9.2 to 9.3
- The Java ME engine is upgraded from MIDP 2.0 to MIDP 2.1
- User data is preserved when upgrading firmware (This feature is also present on the N95-2 as v21 installs UDP base files)
The FM radio is upgraded with RDS
Limited graphics acceleration (only for internal apps)
N96 is a dual-band HSDPA (900 and 2100 MHz) while N95 was a single band (2100)
MicroSD memory card slot (as in original N95, while N95 8GB has no card slot)
No need to open the slide for optimal GPS reception
New design
- Landscape-oriented design (landscape oriented speakers, connectors and buttons located optimally for landscape use)
- Flip-out kickstand
- Media keys available in all modes (even when slide is closed, for background control of music)
- Media keys on short side can transform into gaming keys
- Lockswitch (enables quick lock / unlock of keypad)
- Thinner and lighter than N95 8GB
N-Gage included. About 5 games preloaded and one free game coupon (varies by country).

Negative

CPU downgraded to ARM9 264MHz for N96 (N95 have Dual 332Mhz ARM11 based CPU)
Same battery as original N95 (950 mAh), but the N96 reportedly has a much better battery life using the same battery (Nokia N95 8GB has 1200 mAh)
No infra-red port on N96
No Hardware 3D graphics accelerator for N96
Built-in support for VoIP telephony (and thus cheap Internet Calling) removed from N96 (N95 has Nokia VoIP 2.1)
Digital zoom is only x10 on N96, while it's x20 on N95 8GB
Camera Lens in the N96 is 2.8/5.2, and in the N95 2.8/5.6 (N95 have more apperture)

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