Google Docs on the Nokia N900
Regular readers know that I’m a cloud advocate and that I prefer using web services over third party apps in many cases. Of course, that presents an occasional challenge with today’s mobile browsers — very few offer a rich enough feature set that allows me to take the to clouds in my hand. The evaluation Nokia N900 I’m using is an exception to that rule, however. The handset currently uses a Mozilla browser that behaves just like a desktop browser, so it doesn’t force you to use watered-down mobile-friendly sites. You can still hit sites with the N900 formatted for mobile browsers, so you’re not locked in to desktop-style sites.
A perfect example of the N900′s robust web browser is with Google Docs, which I use both for personal and work use. See the above screenshot of the main Google Docs screen? That’s from the Nokia N900 and it looks just the same on a desktop or notebook. OK, it’s a bit smaller at 800 x 480, so maybe “just the same” isn’t quite right, but you get the point. And just like I can on any modern browser for a computer, I can open, view and edit any of these documents, right from the N900. Some document types are editable on other mobile platforms, but the big stickler has always been documents — they’re generally view-only on iPhone, webOS and even Google’s own Android platform. But on the N900, you can easily edit any document with all of the features offered by Google Docs.
Here I’ve quickly edited an old group of thoughts by adding a line and then using the highlighter to call attention to the edit. Using the N900′s keyboard it was a snap to make the edit. The only semi-tricky part was highlighting the text to apply the yellow color. For that, you have to get into “mouse cursor” mode with the device. Sliding your finger to the right from the bottom left corner of the display brings up cursor icon — tap it and you’re now in mouse mode. This makes the screen an entire mouse pad for you to select text or take other actions. Note that this screen cap didn’t capture the actual mouse — it only shows that I’m in “mouse cursor” mode.
How does all of this look on the iPhone, which is considered by many to have the best browser on a handset? Aside from being view-only, it doesn’t even show the highlight that I added from the N900 and there’s tons of scrolling involved to see all of my documents:
While I wouldn’t try to bang out any huge documents or spreadsheets on a handset, I occasionally do have short edits to make. And I’m not always at a full computer when I have the time to make those edits. With the “full featured” browser on the N900, I can do that. I’m hoping that the mobile version of Firefox that’s headed to the N900, Windows Mobile and Android continues this trend because at the moment, there aren’t too many handsets that offer this type of web functionality. Mobile-friendly sites have their place, time and value, but the web — and mobile devices — are progressing to the point where a truer experience is available. Put another way, why would you rather have the below experience, which is the mobile-friendly version on the N900, when you can enjoy it all? ;)
N900′s keyboard is worse than N810 though. Nokia is also making the screen smaller and smaller.
Nokia haven’t presented a convincing case that they will continue to support Maemo in the “tablet” form in the next 5 years. I have a hard time investing into their new hardware and platforms. A UMID M2 for example, its a much safer bet.
So why can’t the other browsers manage an edit version of GDocs? Sigh.
To be fair, the N900 *is* a full computer writ small. Its browser can handle it because it’s Firefox’s rendering engine with a different UI on top.
You can even run the full, real Firefox on Nokia’s tablets, too.
In fact, past Maemo devices already ran Mozilla-compatible browsers before, for quite some time.
about the post: Its about f*cking time someone point out clearly the Maemo superiority!
There’s no doubt about it, Maemo is superior when it comes to desktop-like applications (and by “applications”, I don’t necessarily mean software, I mean ‘things you can do on a desktop’)
However, it’s a “meh” phone experience. Still not the best of both worlds.
I have a Nokia n800 and an ipod touch. Personally I love the browser on the Nokia. Being able to plug in a thumbdrive, keyboard, play flash makes me not want to leave the device. I have had no urge to upgrade from the n800.
As a owner of both devices, what can you tell me about their diferences?
I work with iPod Touch 2G and iPhone 3G, but Im not a everyday user, just a developer. I also have a N770 at home, but I use mostly for development too, so I cant anwser this by my self.
Hi alslayer. I have inherited a n800, How do you us it and any other info you would like to share. Thanks, Scott
Really? I too have an N800 and an iPod Touch. While I loved the *promise* of the N800, I found its execution to be somewhat … lacking.
The browsers are slow compared to Safari on the iPhone. Sure, they can play back Flash, but when my whole browsing experience is pokey, why do I care if I have Flash or not?
Installing apps? Great fun! Just enable Red Pill mode, add a few APT package repositories and … hrm. I’m beginning to see why Maemo isn’t mainstream. It’s nice if you’re a Linux sysadmin and developer (which I am), but would I give an N800/N810 to my less technically-inclined coworkers? Nope.
The N900 seems to have solved/hidden a lot of the usability issues that were present in the N800 series, but from what I’ve seen the telephony experience on the device leaves much to be desired when compared to other smartphones… I wish Nokia would sort this out because the platform has *great* potential.
Come on, Kevin. I can’t believe how deceitful this article is.
You blow up the N900 screenshot bigger than the iPhone screenshots? And in portrait mode? The iPhone has something called an “accelerometer.” It’s VERY technical, but if you r-o-t-a-t-e the iPhone, it will look just like the N900.
They’re both 3.5″ displays. Forget the resolution, Maemo, blah, blah, blah. If you don’t have 20/10 vision and newborn fingers, how are you going to do anything on that Nokia screen…please.
Also, you add to the charade of Maemo being a better rendering engine than mSafari somehow, by showing the desktop version of Docs on the N900. Really? Did you scroll down to the bottom of the mobile Docs site, and tap on “desktop” in mSafari — and r-o-t-a-t-e? Apparently not.
If you haven’t taken note of Apple joining Opera and others to push W3C standards like CRAZY, to dislodge Flash, Silverlight, DirectX and other proprietary, CPU-sucking frameworks for the mobile web, you’re not paying attention.
And as @Mike said, speed matters. First thing everyone does on any Symbian phone is to download Opera and get an advanced mobile browser with Opera Link (bookmark sync), Speed Dial, fast Presto v2.4 engine, etc…
No more fooling, please…
There’s no deceit here. I didn’t blow up the screenshot at all — the screen cap is 800 x 480 and resized down to 500 pixels wide in WordPress. The platform set the size in inches based on the image resolution, so there was nothing intentional done on my part to “deceive.”
To your point of web standards, I’m all for them. And yes, I’ve viewed Google Docs in desktop mode on my iPhone — even in that highly technical landscape mode! T-H-A-N-K-S for the tip! You’re right that it can be difficult to read the text… for that I just Z-O-O-M. It works wonders. ;)
But let me ask you: when you look at a document in landscape mode on the iPhone, can you edit it? No.
Even if you couldnt see the document as well as in the iPhone: Whats worth a document editing system when you cant edit it?
I would rather have a simpler, but usable system than a pretty useless system.
I’m going to wait a year or two. It’s looking great so far, but like all new tech, it will take a bit to polish up the final product. I’ll stick with my Nokia 5730XM until then.
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