As Technograph asserts

Aside from a better case, Nokia should’ve included the N97 into its Comes With Music program (currently unavailable for this phone, much less in the Philippines). The phone isn’t as hip or youth-oriented as the 5800, but purchasing a flagship Nokia model always represents brand loyalty and a significant investment for the buyer. Why not reward that kind of devotion?

All things said, each Nokia N97 comes with a lot of useful items. At the very least, the USB data cable, hands-free kit, charger adapter, and the phone’s built-in 32GB of memory means you don’t have to buy accessories to maximize the N97. The bundle is good, but pretty much standard for a high-end phone.

As far as I know, the N97 isn’t under Nokia’s Comes With Music program, which allows new phone owners to purchase as much music as they want within a year from the Nokia music store. Nokia can easily change this, and even make it available retroactively to early adopters. That will definitely provide more value for the N97.

So how long does the battery of the Nokia N97 last on a full charge? Turns out much longer than the N96 and N95: “For now though, one thing is clear: based on my (admittedly undemanding) usage, the Nokia N97 almost lasted for two days. A definite improvement over the N96!”

A complete log of the phone’s usage over two days, accompanied by frequent updates on remaining battery life, is available on Philippine affiliate Technograph.

Dear Nokia,

I like your phones, and I’m happy with the S60 platform. Really, I am. It’s just that when I see iPhone users enjoy a pretty functional Wordpress client, I feel a bit sad. I know Symbian and S60 can do much better than that.

Courtesy Nokia

I love Wordpress. I use Wordpress to blog for this site, I use Wordpress to blog for my other tech site, and I used to use Wordpress for my personal blog. I probably will when I restart that.

I’ve tried Scribe and Wordmobi, both publicized as Wordpress clients for the S60, and I appreciate the hard work and passion their authors put into them. But let’s face it, both apps are in beta and need lots of work. They’re both limited by their dependency on Python for the S60, which by itself is pretty buggy. I’ve experienced long wait times (with no progress bars to reassure me that something is happening), time-out failures, and even the occasional socket error that unfortunately requires restarting the phone to clear. Read more

At first glance, the Nokia N97 can do-it-all, literally featuring every cell phone functionality Nokia has come out with to date. But a particular feature will cause owners of this phone to be more careful with their stuff (and, not to mention, the phone itself).

You see, the N97 uses a proprietary port for both its USB cable and charger (which is weird, since Nokia agreed to implement standard USB for future phones). This means older Nokia chargers won’t work with the phone—unless the bundled adapter is used. At least this means the phone can also draw power through a computer’s USB port.

At least the adapter accepts the older, thicker charger-pin, and the much thinner one found in newer models. This should serve as warning for N97 owners to keep track of what comes with their phone, because if they lose the included charger and adapter, they’ll have no choice but to rely on the USB cable for charging, buy a new charger from Nokia (which comes at a price of course).

Unless of course, this new USB-based charging format represents Nokia’s plans for future models. You never know.

Finally getting a to play with the Nokia N97, here are some first impressions:

• The N97 is very similar in size to the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic in terms of thickness and width, and slightly longer. Will cause pocket bulge but is still impressive for a flagship.
• Compared to the N96 and N95, the N97 is more responsive. Still a bit slow though, especially when trying to run apps that use connectivity a lot (Maybe using a phone under better 3G or 3.5G coverage will provide better results?
• The sliding mechanism of the N97 is very solid and feels well made. A ribbon cable connects the upper part of the phone to the rest of the device. Very inaccessible, but this is a worrying vulnerability—cut the cable, goodbye phone?
• The QWERTY keyboard feels a bit flat. Maybe the next model should take a cue from the E-series keyboard and use slightly rounded keys?
• Why drop the plectrum/guitar key, used as the stylus for the 5800, and replace it with a detachable pen? Detachable = easily lost.

That’s all I’ve got now. A full review to follow when possible. For now, pics! (Click them thumbnails for the full-size editions)

I’ve always assumed the N97 would mimic the form-fitting slide of the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1. According to a video shared by Philippine affiliate Technograph, that’s not the case:

It seems the Nokia N97 will rely on brackets to push the top part to the side and up. Definitely not as seamless as the XPERIA X1, but it works for me. At the very least, the mechanism satisfies the gaudy need to showcase the actual model name of the phone, and the specs summary. Who this satisfies I honestly have no idea.

According to nokia.com.ph/n97preorder, the pre-order period for the Philippines will run from June 16-18. Will this apply to other countries as well? Your guess is as good as mine, but I’ll share any info as I find it out.

Pretty simple approach: instead of boring HTML, Nokia decided to go with relatively interactive animation for the N97, making press-friendly information available through a virtual version of the phone. nokia.com/press/n97 is a bit heavy on the Flash, but the whole she-bang sort of implies the manufacturer’s commitment to make this phone fly.

Would you get a Nokia N97? Personally, I was never into Nokia’s kitchen sink phones. Aside from the high cost of (usually unsubsidized) ownership, N9Xs were never known for their responsiveness. On top of that, you’ve also got usefully multi-functional models like the E63. That’s available at a much lower price point, yet literally has enough functionality for practically any mobile task.

I might change my tune if this phone meets my responsiveness standards. Here’s to hoping for quick dibs on a review unit!

Wow, it seems everyone’s jumping on the Apple marketing bandwagon nowadays. Even world-beater Nokia thinks the random artsy-fartsy online video will attract more attention to its upcoming Nokia N97 “the making” video:

What I do like about the video is how it whets my appetite for Nokia’s new flagship, with shiny and carefully-cultivated cinematography, including shots of the phone in action. But even better is the clearly inclusive approach of Nokia; no Jobsian snobbery to be found here. The ultimate implication—this phone is so cool because it lets you do practically anything, and not because it makes you stand out—kinda plays like the anti-thesis of Apple’s simplistic branding.

Nokia should keep one thing in mind though: if they’re going to push for “Internet everywhere”, sister company Nokia Siemens Networks (an infrastructure provider) had better cover the globe with its cell sites!

Fortune magazine recently reports on the worldwide launch of the Nokia N97, but primarily concentrates on Nokia’s lack of presence in the US market. A definite anomaly: just why can’t the world’s biggest cellphone manufacturer seem to make a dent on America?

You have clear proof of Nokia’s commitment to the US, and grumblings from carriers like AT&T that they’re not willing to play the carrier game. Read more

N96 buyers, consider yourselves screwed. Nokia’s just announced the N97, continuing the kitchen-sink tradition of the N9x series.

Perhaps taking a cue from the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1, Nokia has made their new flagship a side-slider, which reveals a QWERTY keyboard underneath. Standard high-end features like WiFi, Bluetooth, HSDPA, and a 5 megapixel camera are on-board, as well as the welcome integration of the standard 3.5mm headphone jack. More info, specs, pics, and a video for those who keep reading. Read more