Smartphones Show 46 (Nokia E90 vs HTC Kaiser/TyTN II/Tilt)

[QuietRiot2012]

lol gosh if people think the e90 is better, you are truly lost!

[stevelitchfield]

Note that you're commenting on a VERY old show, opinions will be somewhat out of date.

[omniken66]

Although I'll give it to you as you seem to know what you're saying...I would have to say why would anyone want the E90?? You need a gun holster to carry that thing around..it's obsured! The tilt is better as you can pump it up with 3rd party applications and load it with TomTom 7 in addition to it can hold 8GB of expandable memory and The speaker is for speakerphone not for the music...Sorry but the E90 is an ugly brick phone and anyway tilt has had the WM 6.1 upgrade already

[Trigger9407]

you can play flash videos with Skyfire

[XburkoX]

Love the way you call the size of the Nokia a redeeming feature, turn a neg into a pos. You should head over to Switzerland and get on the Hadron team.

You moan that you want the Tilt to be better out of the box, but how hard is downloading a .cab and installing? That way you install what you want and don't get Bloatware which I feel is more of an issue in a limited memory environment.

Sponsored by Symbian though, so what did i expect?

[dlegeant77]

i have a E90, and i'm vrey happy, i had dopod 383 and imate, but the E 90 was the best, and vrey strong phone.

[gangstasevi]

the reason i prefer the tilt over the e90 is because of its touch screen... it adds a whole knew dimension to the phone...

[dorianthomas]

well to each his own I guess as far as screen sizes go I don't really want a TV in my pocket. Yeah E90 wins on resolution overall I'd go with the tytn for form factor more third party apps for windows and 6.1 is out now so that evens the bar for me

[crizzty]

soo..conlusion e90 its better..

[avcomth]

Of course Nokia would win. Would you trust a company with annual net income of more than 10 billion US$ or one with 300something million US$ to build your phone.Nokia's like the Toyota of the mobile industry in my opinion.

[JezdziecBezNicka]

The screen size disqualifies kaiser. What is 320x240 against 800x352?

E90 is the ultimate "mobile office" cell phone.

[JezdziecBezNicka]

I think Kaiser gets knocked out by E90 with the screen resolution. I mean - 320x240 vs 800x352... I wouldn't even consider buying the htc.

[jdbuk]

out of the box. The stero headsets with the tytn 2 were fine too. The camera problem is solved by sleeping the handset for a few seconds and you can change the settings too which makes

[jdbuk]

Htc tytn can run the blackberry conneect software aswell and there is better browsers some for free like opera mini 4.1 for the tytn 2. Office 6.1 has already been released and is included in winmo 6.1. The tytn should be able to h.264 because mine dida difference.

this is quite a bad review sorry mate.

[m8rox]

TyTN II CRUSHES Everything!

[marsCubed]

i have an e90, i have been using it for a couple of weeks now, i have heard of faults but can honestly say that i haven't experienced any, whatever might have been wrong with it must have been fixed in later releases. the keyboard takes a little getting used to, however it is more than adiquate and allows me to do my work on the move (in the pub ;)) i have yet to come accross a review of the e90 which doesn't place it at the top of the food chain.

[zeroni13]

is Kaiser the same as TyTN II?

[stevelitchfield]

Yes

[delightP]

Well done on the review. I was concerned with the sponsorship, but having viewed you other videos - I could only agree with your observation and comment. My household has N95,LG Viewty and Blackberry curve - which covers the spectrum.

I'm stuck with the choice between the Tytn II and iphone but will now throw the E90 into the mix. What is the best your on-line charting, browsing and playback of divx & avi??

Although i'm not put off by adding more software.

Thanks

[stevelitchfield]

Well, there's CorePlayer Mobile - but I'm not sure how it'd react to the E90's larger screen. Experiments needed!

[misterleoni]

coreplayer mobile works perfectly on the E90: the zoom and crop function that coreplayer offers is particularly apt for the unusual aspect ratio of the E90.

The built in Youtube function is great with Coreplayer too, as it is the only the application that allows cropping and zooming of Youtube videos to cater for the screen. It also allows viewing movies and listening to streams WHILST multitasking, which no other application allows.

[L0000000000000L]

glad I picked nokia E90..I always hated the WM because of the laggy OS and the stupid web browser..the S60 browser does support javascript so the web browsing is completely like PC's!!

S60 FTW!!

[kedikeditebby]

hello.,.,love the reviews.,., wanted to know i can watch youtube videos or veoh videos on the nokia e90.,.,thanks,. keep up the brilliant reviews

[stevelitchfield]

Use the third party Mobitubia?

[TheGodY]

i have htc tilt i liked it because it was new and no one had it but now dont really like it as much because u keep having to soft reset it. its pissing me off it freezez more than nintendo but theres no alt-ctrl-delete

[SnakeDude2000]

Hell YA!!!!!!!!! AT FIRST I WOULD TYPE I IN TEXING AND EVERYthing i typed after it wouldnt be visable so i had to hard rest then it kept freezing alot and i had to hard reset it agian!!!!!!!!!! And now it wont delete my text messages i swear if i have to hard reset it one more time im gonna get a ew phone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[photopuppet]

The HTC is much better for international use than the E90 because it supports quad-band HSDPA (and HSUPA) I think. E90 only supports single band 2100 signal!!

I had an E90 but sold it as I was disappointed with this, and also the usability of the S60 interface which wasn't meant for a phone like this - like having to always use the keys on the side of the screen for menu options - a bad design failure. Waiting for the N96 and hopefully this will be good!-this will have dual-band HSDPA at least.

[suikeli]

reset after every call?? NOT! sick and tired of symbians limitation. There's so much more for WMobile.

[stevelitchfield]

Eh? What reset?

[Teknics]

HAHAHAHA sponsored by symbian, and he picks the Nokia. A classic. good review tho

[psprules138]

I haven't got a pocket pc phone but now i have a ipaq!!!!

[Electro679]

the e90 is so mucb better... and he didnt mention the tytn II has so many hardware faults like needing to reset after everycall

[Kehaan]

Hello.

Very nice video :) It is just hard what to chose. I am in the situration of choseing the E90 og Tytn2 but i dont know which of the devices i want to buy.

But very good video keep up the good work.

From Kehaan.

[iukei]

The E90 is big and bulky and does not have a touchscreen, also I don't like its interface. I prefer the tyt ii. However for an unbiased review check cnet website

[iukei]

C'mon guys don't be easily fooled!! Didn't you notice what was written at the end of this video?? THIS VIDEO IS SPONSORED BY SYMBIAN!!!!

Symbian provides the operating platform to this phone and its bigger "enemy" is the operating platform of the tyt II phone.

[stevelitchfield]

Don't be silly. I'm not so easily 'bought'. The opinions in the show are my opinions. Full stop. I tell the truth as I see it.

[iukei]

No need to offend! I am not silly, I am just logical, and if your show is sponsored by Symbian (OS of the E90) as opposed to Microsoft (OS of TYT II) it cannot be neutral! Cnet, which is not sponsored by any of the two, rated tyt ii as excellent (with a rating of 8.3). Instead they rated the E90 as very good (7.7)... If you want to be believed as unbiased then look for a different sponsor. It is like somebody paid by Microsoft saying that Linux is worst

[stevelitchfield]

Non sequitur. I really am unbiased. I just happen to think the E90 is miles better. It's what I'm STILL using as my main smartphone day to day, after almost a YEAR.

[UkTechGuy]

I film my reviews, record my lectures and videos and even my essays (quickoffice) and watc MP4 and DivX vids when am traveling on the E90. updated the firmware which now allows up 8bg micro sd and only install implications i trust. Plus with the new Nokia media suit for Mac, he E90 is my life line. The E90 is powerful, get the job done and anybody using it nows its true value to them. Cant wait for the next installment (touch screen with the s60 touch ui?)

Well done steve.

[thakvs]

In Belgium the tytn 2 costs :€ 660

The nokia E90 :€ 792

For a difference of € 132, the E90 must obviously be (very) slightly better in some way?

It's also clear that you prefer the E90, which means that your "show" isn't impartial!

However, you wouldn't like people to get a wrong impression, walking around with such a rocket in your pocket all the time...

[stevelitchfield]

The E90 *is* better in some ways. It's also longer though, as you point out. Each to his own, etc.

[p4lestina]

Very well done review, congratulations. Very complete. I hope someday earn enough to own an E90! Actually I'm a proud owner of a 9500, but I see no price fall to E90, got to wait!

[alphacutejay]

mechanics-wise, e90's active hinge metal mechanism will surely last longer than the tytn's sliding display. the tilting display will no doubt become a floppy display w/ regular use...

the bottomline would be choosing between a pixel-less screen but "natural interface" using stylus input and touchscreen on the tytn or the versatile dual operation, double-screen one-handed and qwerty operation you get from the e90. now how's this for a comment?

[mdemenok]

I'd say steer clear of any latest HTC products based on Qualcomm platform - the cheap bastards didnt buy any drivers for the built-in ATI Imageon so expect lags with video, games, TomTom, PocketIE, menus - everything!

Sadly, I learned it the hard way :/

[bills2north]

One phone to rule them all..

I read most forums & follow Smartphones-show religiously. Thanks Steve (and Rafe too).

I got to the crossroad because I loved the qwerty keyboard of my 9300i and wide screen but also the multimedia qualities of N93, my last phone.

In the end longevity won out. Business phones have a longer shelf life. 3 different N95´s? Come on!

I´m 49 and have my own small company. In meetings E90 will make a good gavel ;-)

Thanks Santa &

Seasons Greetings!

[00386lad]

Hello, It is said that is not wise to buy the newest smartphones as soon as they hit the shops, so I'm thinking, you have to be the one that certanily knows if current E90s are already bug-free?,

Or if there is an issue with the E90 that can't be fixed with newer firmware?

Thanx,

,the best show on Youtube..

[stevelitchfield]

No device is EVER bug-free. The current E90 is pretty good overall.

[L0000000000000L]

E90 is (almost) bug-free

unlike the laggy TyTn II's WM

[IndianPalace]

Hey hi loving your shows... Well i need a new smartphone... i will often use it for chatting (msn. ;-) agile messenger) and for texting in that... I really cant decide... i was thinking about the E90 or the HTC TYTN2 or the N95 8GB ... which one do u fink is the best best best ... ????

[stevelitchfield]

Try my Grid on 3-Lib and see which one comes out top!

[andrewkeith5]

lol that statement "sponsored by symbian" at the end...that surely makes for a massively fair comparison doesnt it.

sorry, but as far as i'm concerned, the TyTN II is just better in every way. and it looks a damn sight better too.

yes windows mobile is dated, but theres MUCH more than software available than symbian. and its easy as pie to make more if it doesnt do something you want. if theres something more you want from it, then there will pretty much always be a way to do it.

[stevelitchfield]

Yes, if you pack it with 3rd party software that changes almost everything. I like devices that do pretty much everything out of the box and DON'T require masses of fiddling. And with the TyTN II you're Still stuck with the small screen etc.

[dfarndale]

Well, I have had just about every smartphone from Nokia, Palm and HTC. Of course, users often have very different needs, but for me, the E90 (whilst not perfect) is a seriously good piece of kit. For me a smartphone has to be a good phone as well as smart. It does well what it is supposed to to .. communicate! I have had mine for 3 weeks and very pleased! Ex Psion 5mx evangelist. Last smartphone used Palm 750V.

[hotevancat]

the voyager has gps and satlite tv

[stevelitchfield]

Err.... satellite TV? Really? And you err... walk round with an enormous dish to receive the signals?

[dreyfussfury]

hi, are HTC's sim free? if i bought one from there and bring it to asia, can it still work?

Can it be tweaked to turn it into an open line?

[stevelitchfield]

Yes, you *can* buy them SIM-free.

[dreyfussfury]

thanks man...

since it is open-lined and not "stuck" to a specific carrier, im having doubts about having between an iphone against an HTC tilt. i knw the iphone looks sexier but im more concerned about functionality and stability, any suggestion which among the 2?

[stevelitchfield]

I'd go for the Tilt every time, but then I'm a power user. All depends what level of apps and use you expect.

[dreyfussfury]

thnks a lot...what pda phone is your favorite?

[stevelitchfield]

I veer between the E90, the N95, the HTC Touch, the Treo 750v - oh, I don't know, it depends what mood I'm in 8-) The E90 is the ultimate, of course, but it isn't exactly affordable for most people and I do like to use what others are able to use, so that I'm writing for the mainstream, etc.

[dUnnOt17]

hey man.. i own a sony p1i. but it's just imposible to set up the push email. i've downloaded severals settings from my local network and fron sony ericsson websites but it just won't work.. help please

[dimsum05]

The Voyager uses does not have real GPS. It uses the Verizon CDMA cell signal to triangulate your whereabouts, so if you have no signal of the carrier, there is no way for you to find your location. The Nokia E90 uses the satellite around the globe to triangulate.

[chodukno]

The price is a biggie, The TyTNII is half the cost... The E90 may be better spec to spec but not by that much, so for the money, the TyTN2 is a smarter grab...

[stevelitchfield]

Half the cost? Where in the world are you? Prices in the UK are comparable on contract and not that different SIM free.

[ilordvader]

in the US Tilt (aka Kaiser) is $299 after $100 rebate

& u cant deny its a good price even tho it comes with a contract :)

[stevelitchfield]

Ah, so the contract subsidises it etc. In the uKm you can get an E90 for £200 with a contract, or even less. You've got to compare like with like. I usually go with SIM-free (i.e. contract-free) prices.

[supern001]

Not sure on the store price. but E90 on ebay is about £450 while kaiser about £300. Thats some difference.

[strawberrysubmarine]

I'm thinking of upgrading from a N95 to an E90. Do you know how the E90 video quality compares to N95? I note they have the same 640x480 maximum video resolution.

[stevelitchfield]

It's similar, but not quite as crisp.

[dimsum05]

The frame rate is also notably less than that of the N95/3, but it's still very good for a phone that is not meant for this kind of task.

[jamerican347]

I agree that this is biased. He definately passed the fact that the Nokia E90 is larger is the side to side comparison. I agree that WM has its quirks and that the Tilt should have a larger screen. Search for Full Youtube WMexperts. I can watch Youtube videos from the site on my Windows Mobile device. Can the Nokia E90 do that? I like the 320x240 because it uses less battery life and is 4:3 aspect ratio. I've also seen better pictures taken from the Tilt than the one shown in your video.

[stevelitchfield]

Agreed the E90 is longer, but it's comparable in weight, at least to my hands. YouTube? Don't make me laugh - NO current device can watch YouTube 'raw' at the moment, out of the box. With a little software addition it's possible for both WM and for S60, but....

And the Tilt's video capture is utterly appalling. It just happened to be evening when I did the review and it showed up just how bad the Tilt's video is in poor light.

[husseinj]

Another point of TyTN II vs E90 is that the E90 is pretty usable as standard. Out of the box its a nice device. The TyTN II on the other hand out of the box is a bit of a disaster. Its my first Windows Mobile device and the constant stylus use was driving me up the wall. I had to add on PocketCM iPhone style contacts management, the Photo Album software from the Touch and MS Voice Command, and now this phone is kinda ok.

[husseinj]

Great review Steve.

I am surprised at the fact you don't mention that the TyTN II is so much smaller than the E90. The Nokia is not something you can really put in a trouser pocket and be comfortable, but the HTC is.

[stevelitchfield]

It's not *that* much smaller and is about same weight and feel in the hand. And I don't know about your pockets, but I wouldn't be comfortable with EITHER! Hence belt cases etc.

[husseinj]

Might be the Nokia tinted specs?

Seriously, I *do* agree with you that the E90 is a better device, but saying the TyTN II is not significantly smaller is just a bit biased. Yes I do have my TyTN in my pocket all day, as I did with my E61 and the Treos before it. I tried the E90, and it was just too long, and it would dig while walking.

Its a big improvement over the 9500 though!

[stevelitchfield]

You must have bigger pockets than me then. Or looser trousers!!! I haven't found room in my trouser pockets for any PDA or phone EVER. Must be a fashion thing 8-) Doesn't any device dig in when you sit down??

[husseinj]

Actually the rounded corners of the TyTN II do help in this way a bit. I have it in my pocket now and its perfectly fine. I was driving here and it was in my pocket all the way without any problems.

I don't wear tight trousers I suppose. Those belt things always tend to get in the way for me... its all a personal preference thing.

[Crad54321]

yeah, but its like 1 thousand dollars! I'm not willing to spend that much when they arent that far apart

[stevelitchfield]

Yes, price is an issue in the USA. In Europe, both devices are about £200 or so on a decent business contract etc.

[akiboy1]

Is it only me or did anyone else get the feelin tht he was leanin towards the E90?

[stevelitchfield]

Yup. But only because it's the superior device in many ways. How can the Kaiser/Tilt come out on top when it's so limited in terms of screen, browser, camera, etc?

[jerryhcooke]

I got that feeling as well - and the fact that the show is sponsored by Symbian, which the E90 runs, really doesn't help ;)

[stevelitchfield]

I'll admit to a greater familiarity with Symbian OS and S60, but the show's sponsorship is irrelevant. If Microsoft want to help sponsor the show for a season, they know who to call. 8-)

[zephxiii]

yea, PIE really really needs updating, in fact, i hate it. I have both the wizard (8125) and the crippled e62, e62 with the winning browser, naturally, but opera mini 4 really out shines both over EDGE, and works super slick with the touchscreen on my wizard. Also opera mini beta (the one we love) just went final to opera mini 4, might be worth mentioning.

Steve, forgot to mention the RAM improvement of the TyTn II over the original TyTn, 128mb vs. 64mb :)

But steve

[ilordvader]

Thankx for ur Video

I always enjoy ur Videos & are alot of Help

God bless you for that

But im in US & here I feel the Tilt is better,

cos its customer service & support

also from day 1 i was able to use Office 07, none in E90 till Dec

Gps is just like tom tom while E90 u need to download the city, so have to plan it from before

got youtube working on tilt

Etc

[stevelitchfield]

Office 07 on the Tilt? Are you using the wrongly-published plugins? And GPS like TomTom? Not on my review unit. But yes, the Tilt makes more sense for USA citizens, as the E90's 3.5G comms won't work in the land of the free 8-)

[DSt3alth]

Yeah, i agree with lordvader. I just got my HTC TYTN 2 and it came with tomtom navigator 6. It's brilliant! I find 8 satellites really quickly and since it's a fully featured version of tomtom (with FREE voiced directions) I reckon it definately wins hands down. Also I personally think that the TYTN 2 should have won the "up to the ear test" simply because, though it doesn't look like a phone, it isn't as huge to have next to your ear.

[stevelitchfield]

With the full TomTom? That's a good deal and would have made a difference to my opinion if mine had come with that etc.

Re: the ear test. I didn't just mean physical size, I meant usability for pressing buttons within a call, avoidance of face and ear grease, voice quality and many other little factors.

[LinuxGalore]

Nice concise review.

[mkbugle]

but.. but.. symbian sux!

[stevelitchfield]

.... and what a well reasoned argument that was from mkbugle.

[NiX8888]

Don't mind mkbugle. Beautiful show as always, Steve.

There really isn't anything on sale right now that matches the E90 feature for feature.