N97 firmware update coming July 1st
Just in time to make America’s birthday even more special, it looks like N97 owners will be enjoying a shiny new gift from our friends at Nokia this July 4th weekend. Just as the firmware version was recently updated on Nokia’s RDS service, so too will the firmware be updated on the N97. According to Nokia Conversations’ Twitter account, “N97 SW 1.1 (11.x.021)” will find itself in the hands of the people this Wednesday, July 1st. Rejoice! Sure, a firmware update isn’t going to resolve all of the issues we had with the handset — such as an off-center space button on the keypad (how?!) — but it will hopefully go great lengths to eliminate many of the bugs users are currently experiencing. As for exactly which regions/product codes will have access to the new firmware right out of the gate, unfortunately there’s no way of telling until the 1st rolls around.
Thanks, Nok-eee-ugh!
Tuh Tuh Tuh Tuh Tuh Tour Hope this runs AMD while being Android and comes to VZ but no iPhone/first?
you guys need to get over the space bar thing. Own one, use it, and shut up already cuz its entirely negligible.
Brian, wrong topic?
Your comment has nothing to do with N97, it has tour, android, vz and iphone all in 1 sentence. LMAO
wtf
Bash away BoyWeenusRetort but Nokia has a steady development track.
This from someone who has used Palm/WinMoBlow from the first and crashed more gadgets than many will ever own.
But then I was also introduced to the first of HP’s “portables” in the late 60’s/early 70’s then the implementation of PLC on their test gear in the 80’s.
Oh yeah, who here had to learn basic on a teletype?
But I digress,
Nokia lacks the current flash and shows signs of fading to Android,
WebOS, iPhone OS 3.0, etc.. but they’re functional and have a solid deployment base.
Looking over at the pile of gadgets I’ve pissed money away on makes me appreciate that all the more.
All that being said, I would really like a contract free totally unlocked iPhone 3GS.
Nah, not wrong topic Patrick, just having a bit of fun with the entire comment meme
@jamaalism Negligible? Maybe you don’t type much on your phone…
I had one and had to return it after a few days because typing was impossible. How can you hit the space button with your left thumb when you end a word with I, O, P, K, L, etc? You can’t.
Space bars are put in the middle for a reason. It’s common friggin sense. Between that and the fact that when you type on the N97, the screen faces your friggin stomach… It’s a design and UX disaster. Period.
@brian
hp portables in the late 60’s??? bullcrap. Hell, their first calcultor wasn’t until 1968, and “portable” computers running cpm didn’t emerge until around 1980. In 68 we were amazed by totally electronic 4 function calculators with real key input (instead of cards or punch tape) and a visual output (ooooo, nixie tubes!)
Hmmm, long way from BS. A portable of the day came in at a slim ~40 lbs.
The HP 9830
http://www.blinkenlights.com/pc.shtml
If your parents and later yourself worked in intelligence/defense you’d be aware of this and other things.
Got to play poker on it;
W00t!
July 1 is Canada’s birthday.
Zach,
I’m with jamaalism on the space bar. I’ve played with an N97 a few times. I got used to the space bar within a few minutes, and now I wish my curve had the space bar on the right.
On a landscape keyboard it especially makes sense – hitting the space bar with your right thumb is really intuitive and beats a full width spacebar. Take a look on your laptop keyboard and you’ll see the spacebar is worn only on the right (now, I guess this could be a problem for lefties, so maybe Nokia needs to bring out a left and right handed version).
Okay, let’s get to the chase. Since you guys absolutely despise the N97 (and it’s your right to – different horses for different courses), can you please email me for my address, and I will gladly take the BGR N97 off your hands and treat it with love and care. Please? Please?
July 1st us canadas birthday get your head in the game
Posted from BGR Mobile (iPhone).
the space bar on the N97 is a non issue. Its perfectly placed. This phone rocks!
Want to sell a lot of these N97? just put Android with he new UI on it and I’ll buy one.
@brian–
nowhere near “portable”
And spent plenty of years working for various beltway bandits through the 70s-90s for the defense, aviation and intelligence communities. So your daddy worked for a defense contractor…obviously it makes you an experienced expert.
Ever have to repair windings on core memory units?
get over the space bar thing.
I’ve had winmo in the past ad I couldn’t be hapier with my n97. It’s a great smartphone just a few software updates away from perfectness.
Nowhere near portable? Being able to pick it up, put it in the passenger seat, take it across town doesn’t qualify?
What kind of expert are you?
Actually, not only did my mommy and daddy serve/work but so did I and my experience goes a bit beyond field fixes for cores scrof.
I worked in long haul RF, EMI/RFI, Tempest, telemetry interception, early fiber optic deployment and other interesting things.
We may be of a similar age, experience and apparent smart-ass demeanor.
And having actually sat a bench building circuits from scratch then going into the field to compete for contracts then deploy and support products kinda did make me an expert at a few things.
Oh, what machine did you take your Fortran class on?
I took my class remotely using a portable TI Telex with a rocking 300 baud modem that featured handset cups.
Also tuned microwave tank circuits with an X-acto.
Enough?
Do I get my cookie now?
Along the way I’ve realized how much more there is to know which is another way of saying that, yes, I own a broad swath of ignorance.
Did you ever pick that lesson up?
Just ask’n.
You being an expert and all.
Still a prick though.
BTW scrof, how things going for you at the Genius Bar these days? Got any new ink?
I cut my chops.
Was embarrassed last year though when I ripped an LG VZ phone apart looking for the sim chip after drinking. Now that was funny.
Somewhat back on topic.
The original points still stand though.
Nokia has a good track record of optimizing and seeing there products through whatever else may be said of the products themselves.
I have an N97 and I also have NO issues with the space bar placement, get over it. Use for more then 2 seconds and you’ll see its very easy to get used to.
Ahh yes, nothing like a “mine is older, wiser and bigger” sword fight in here.
Hey, electronics is just a hobby for me these days, mostly restricting my efforts to tube amp circuits. Fortran was on sun unix machines, so you got me there. My first basic classes were on big tty consoles conected by the same sort of modems to the school system’s real computer (no school could have it’s own computer, just a room with big terminals). Saving your work was punch tape.
Was mostly an RF kind of guy from radar to whatever. the spook stuff was extra fun, stuff like microphone/xmtr combos in a bic lighter (”damn, out of butane,” toss in the trash and you’ve got a 24 hour bug in someone’s office trashcan). I think my fave experience was in an offshoot of itt developing high speed fiber gear (ok, high speed at the time) and our resident boy genius digital whiz kid couldn’t figure out why his circuits were unstable and explaining to him that wirewrapping at 100mhz clock creates a lot of little antennae. An exacto to tune tanks? sure, and then using the xacto to trim a stick to fit to tweak a klystron or magnetron.
No apples hear, currently have an omnia, it still amazes me compared to the first pc that was all mine…I’m sure you relate to the ridiculous complaints from people on here when we’re talking about a few hundred dollar pocket device with hundeds of times the power, ram and storage of those devices.
So much for the old guy show!
The space bar is where it should be in the first place.
I took one glance at this pic and thought it was an iphone with keyboard
I don’t know how people are scrapping away this device without even touching one.
I have been using it from last 6 days, and so far loving it.
I am left-handed and the dpad works perfect for me. No issue at all with the space bar and the UI is very snappy (running min. 5 applications at a time).
The only issue is with the slide keylock button (unlocks after third try) which hopefully will be fixed in next firmware update.
I remember people scrapping N95 when it came out and now the same saying it is a classic smartphone.
Yeah N97 will become likeable when it will be $200 plus two year contract, right haters!
Yup, when old nerds collide.
I do lolcatz iz that what the kids say? – at the complaints voiced here.
My pseudo hobby these days is composite construction.
Surf, skate, skim and kite.
Naturally, I’m broke (hobby + real estate = yeah, I’m back to looking for another big boy job) and nursing a hacked WinMo as well. Love XDA.
But – and this will surely set someone off – love the whole Celio Redfly thing. Especially with the specs on the phones coming out now.
I’m trying to talk them into allowing me enough info to figure out if a tweak for a C8N can be set up so the video in may be used while the keyboard connects HID Bluetoof.
Not sure at all what it would take to do that on that device but figuring it out would keep me off of here for a while.
Gotta say, the keyboard is pretty good!
The space bar is very easy to hit, esp when 2 thumbed typing, your right thumb can easily move over to hit space with minimal effort.
I’m guessing the reviewer could only use the phone for a day or so and since it isn’t an iPhone, only spent half and hour with it.
Its obvious the personal issues BG has against the N97, never seen such a biased review, followed by a bunch of misleading info… Get over it already! I have the n97 is typing on it is great!