This Phone Promised to Revive Nokia 15 Years Ago, Had Amazing Hardware, and Was a Strong Competitor to the iPhone. I’m Still in Love With the Nokia N900

A phone that opened the door for me to talk about technology recently came to my mind. It’s one of those that marked me the most in my career: the Nokia N900. A real powerhouse of 2009 that not only had impressive hardware, but Nokia managed to rival the best of Apple and Google. It’s a shame that it had such a short lifespan.

When you review dozens of phones every year, it’s very difficult to find one that sticks with you for specific details, for how well it fits your needs, or how well it takes pictures. In my case, few models automatically trigger memorable memories when I think of them. The Nokia N900 is part of that elite: It was a real gem of a phone. Well, it is, I still have it.

“Do You Want a Good Camera, Stylus, Physical Keyboard, Radio FM…?” “Yes!”

Physical keyboard and stylus. Amazing.

The conversation depicted above could’ve potentially taken place between Nokia engineers and the product manager of the Nokia N900: The phone had everything. In fact, its hardware was so advanced that we wouldn’t find anything like it today. Phones are more powerful now, with better cameras, but not more versatile.

With Symbian, the operating system that propelled Nokia into the smartphone market, the brand peaked with the Nokia N95, another one of my favorite phones. However, Nokia became complacent and failed to anticipate the technological advancements of the iPhone and the rapid rise of Android. Symbian was slower and more limited compared to the new mobile systems, and Nokia needed a replacement.

Maemo, the operating system integrated into the Nokia N900, was an open-source mobile OS based on the Linux kernel, similar to Android. Its key feature was its openness. I recall how amazing it was to work with its code, and apps emerged to cater to every need. At the time, it was ahead of its competitors. The phone’s hardware enhanced the capabilities of the software.

Nokia N900 Specs

Even the Nokia N900 Had a Built-in Stylus, Two Years Ahead of the First Samsung Galaxy Note

Phone stand and camera shutter button? Check, check!

One of the drawbacks of the Nokia N900 was its resistive screen, which was less suitable for finger use compared to the capacitive screens found on the iPhone. However, I don’t recall experiencing much inconvenience while using the phone. In fact, this design also had an added advantage: It featured a built-in stylus.

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The web browsing experience was significantly better than other smartphones at the time, and the camera captured impressive photos for its era. Additionally, it was a super compact phone with a physical keyboard hidden beneath the screen, which you could access by sliding the panel, similar to the later Motorola Droid.

It was an excellent phone for writing texts, functioning perfectly as a multimedia center. Listening to music was a delight (yes, it had a headphone jack), and you could even play MP3s on a regular radio. While it’s unusual to find an FM radio receiver in smartphones today, the Nokia N900 could act as a radio station, albeit with a very short range. This was sufficient to use it in the car and tune the MP3 player.

Apps were always the Nokia N900’s weak point, despite Nokia having a specialized Maemo store. The issue was that major developers didn’t support this operating system. As Nokia was already struggling, it was more profitable for developers to focus on iOS and Android. I do recall a vibrant community of independent developers. In the end, I could install optimized apps from almost any service, including Twitter and YouTube.

Nokia N900, a Combination of Hardware and Software That Will Probably Never Happen Again

We’re currently experiencing a trend towards uniformity in smartphones, with most phones being very similar to each other and making use of generic components. Few brands are prioritizing innovation, especially beyond the folding segment. The Nokia N900 was a remarkable feat of mobile technology that’s unlikely to happen again.

My three favorite Nokia phones. From left to right: Nokia N85, Nokia N900, and Nokia Lumia 1020.

Unfortunately, Nokia couldn’t continue with Maemo. Despite facing tough competition from iOS and Android, it could’ve maintained its relevance. Ultimately, it merged with Intel’s Moblin to create MeeGo. Later, some of its components were repurposed in Samsung’s Tizen, which is primarily used in the brand’s televisions.

I have many fond memories of the Nokia N900, aside from just the phone itself. The battery no longer functions, so someday I’ll have to search for a replacement and try to revive it, just for old times’ sake.

This article was written by Iván Linares and originally published in Spanish on Xataka Móvil.

Image | Iván Linares

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