[FONT="]From a very non techy point of view.[/FONT]
Well after three years of E90 use and the other Communicators before it I took the plunge and bought myself a Milestone as Nokia do not seem interested in bringing out a business replacement for it. After owning the Stone for a week I thought I would write up some of my thoughts on it as compared to my former handset.
The physical phone.
Well here the Stone really does win hands down but with one or two caveats. The handset itself it slim and easily fits in my shirt pocket. The screen, even with the small font size (the font on the E90 is even smaller), is much better as it is deeper and only a little narrower. And of course it has touch recognition. The phone is also a little lighter but feels as solidly well built as the E90. The keypad is a little more cramped but it does light up so I can use it on the go in low light. And I do use it. This is the main reason I bought the Stone in preference to the HD. The screen is also a lot brighter than the E90. In outdoor sunlight the Stone is easily readable whereas the E90 is most definitely not. Perhaps when they bring out the Stone2 it will have the 4.1” screen and full featured Backflip keyboard (Dreamzzz).
The Caveats. Well there are a few. The volume key that controls ringtone and notices volumes, The lack of external SD slot (add to dreamzzzz), no forward facing camera for video calls.
The OS and Software.
This is a bit more of a close run thing mainly I think because the Android OS is so much more open. Stability on the E90 was almost a complete given with the handset only ever locking up twice in the three years. It also has native flash and runs java apps. Already within the OS were a Zip, PDF, office, barcode, voice com/aid, IM, PTT, Video (Real Player), and converter. Almost all of these are of course easily downloadable from the app store and most are free. But therein lays the Achilles’ heel of the Stone. No install to SD. Native on the E90. This really needs to be addressed quickly. The plus side of the Stone is that the apps are way better and easier to use and that there are a lot, and I mean a lot, more of them. I am not a game player and the E90 is not a gaming handset but the stone just makes a little leisure time enjoyable instead of painful. Both can Sync through USB and through Exchange. The Stone gains a point for also being able to do so through Google as well. I also think this is much easier to set up on the Stone. Thought the E90 is a dual processor I never really found it much good at running apps at the same time and the dedicated graphics were also not that great. Speed and functionality wise I think the Stone also has the prize. A couple of things could be sorted such as being able to remove Google Earth which is wasting space for me as I never use it. Profile adjustment by calendar, a bigger system font or the ability to use multi touch on all screens. And get rid of the swipe to unlock. Why have a button and this? Both have GPS and both have maps and paid for navigation. (I cannot get G/maps to work).
The really good thing is that the OS and software problems are getting addressed (well some of them) and things can only really improve. Once the software from 3rd parties gets rated we will know which to avoid and so get fewer lock ups and crashes.
The Phone
Not a lot I can say really and I cannot comment yet on some things such as accessing and using apps during a call (I take notes and make appointments) as I have not tried this yet. Maybe someone else has? Battery life is the one thing I have noticed that the E90 seems better with but then again I have been doing a lot with the Stone so I will reserve judgement for now on that one.
Overall
The Stone wins by a small margin which, if the things above are addressed will become a gaping chasm of a margin. I haven’t put it down in any of my free time all week and reading about it has diverted me slightly from my other interests. So given the choice of the two now I would choose the Stone straight away, no competition.
Well after three years of E90 use and the other Communicators before it I took the plunge and bought myself a Milestone as Nokia do not seem interested in bringing out a business replacement for it. After owning the Stone for a week I thought I would write up some of my thoughts on it as compared to my former handset.
The physical phone.
Well here the Stone really does win hands down but with one or two caveats. The handset itself it slim and easily fits in my shirt pocket. The screen, even with the small font size (the font on the E90 is even smaller), is much better as it is deeper and only a little narrower. And of course it has touch recognition. The phone is also a little lighter but feels as solidly well built as the E90. The keypad is a little more cramped but it does light up so I can use it on the go in low light. And I do use it. This is the main reason I bought the Stone in preference to the HD. The screen is also a lot brighter than the E90. In outdoor sunlight the Stone is easily readable whereas the E90 is most definitely not. Perhaps when they bring out the Stone2 it will have the 4.1” screen and full featured Backflip keyboard (Dreamzzz).
The Caveats. Well there are a few. The volume key that controls ringtone and notices volumes, The lack of external SD slot (add to dreamzzzz), no forward facing camera for video calls.
The OS and Software.
This is a bit more of a close run thing mainly I think because the Android OS is so much more open. Stability on the E90 was almost a complete given with the handset only ever locking up twice in the three years. It also has native flash and runs java apps. Already within the OS were a Zip, PDF, office, barcode, voice com/aid, IM, PTT, Video (Real Player), and converter. Almost all of these are of course easily downloadable from the app store and most are free. But therein lays the Achilles’ heel of the Stone. No install to SD. Native on the E90. This really needs to be addressed quickly. The plus side of the Stone is that the apps are way better and easier to use and that there are a lot, and I mean a lot, more of them. I am not a game player and the E90 is not a gaming handset but the stone just makes a little leisure time enjoyable instead of painful. Both can Sync through USB and through Exchange. The Stone gains a point for also being able to do so through Google as well. I also think this is much easier to set up on the Stone. Thought the E90 is a dual processor I never really found it much good at running apps at the same time and the dedicated graphics were also not that great. Speed and functionality wise I think the Stone also has the prize. A couple of things could be sorted such as being able to remove Google Earth which is wasting space for me as I never use it. Profile adjustment by calendar, a bigger system font or the ability to use multi touch on all screens. And get rid of the swipe to unlock. Why have a button and this? Both have GPS and both have maps and paid for navigation. (I cannot get G/maps to work).
The really good thing is that the OS and software problems are getting addressed (well some of them) and things can only really improve. Once the software from 3rd parties gets rated we will know which to avoid and so get fewer lock ups and crashes.
The Phone
Not a lot I can say really and I cannot comment yet on some things such as accessing and using apps during a call (I take notes and make appointments) as I have not tried this yet. Maybe someone else has? Battery life is the one thing I have noticed that the E90 seems better with but then again I have been doing a lot with the Stone so I will reserve judgement for now on that one.
Overall
The Stone wins by a small margin which, if the things above are addressed will become a gaping chasm of a margin. I haven’t put it down in any of my free time all week and reading about it has diverted me slightly from my other interests. So given the choice of the two now I would choose the Stone straight away, no competition.
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