The idea for the column is a comparison of tech products. Many people out there consider me to be quite the gadget geek as I know a lot about these random tech topics. If you have a tech related “which is a better option” type question then send me a mail on saul@saulk.co.za and I’ll try get an answer out to you on the following Tuesday. Here’s our first question asked to me in the other day by a friend:
Question: I’m looking to buy a new cellphone; I have the option between the iPhone, the Nokia N95 8 GIG and the HTC Touch. All three are similarly priced in South Africa and I need to buy a new phone asap as mine went to heaven via the toilet.
Answer: The answer to this question can be summed up in one sentence: “What do you use your cellphone for?” All three phones have quite similar functions yet are completely different. If I had to eliminate one contender it would have to be the HTC Touch. It’s very similar to the iPhone in form but Apple’s halo product is much better in function. There is one issue to consider though: if you need Windows Mobile for Exchange server support then this is the only choice and you can stop reading the rest of this post.
So much like a detective eliminating their suspects we’re down to the iPhone or the Nokia multimedia super phone. Again it’s a question of what’s more important to you. The Nokia has a normal cellphone keypad, not exactly ideal for typing long messages but some might prefer this to the Apple’s lack of any keyboard feedback. The Nokia also has a much better camera weighing in at 5 mega pixels, a full three megapixels over the iPhone’s 2 MP. Both phones have 8 gigs of onboard storage. The iPhone has a bigger screen if you’re watching movies but the N95’s screen is hardly small either. Both phones have WiFi support but the N95 has the extra of a GPS. The one thing in the N95’s favour is its application support. Thousands of developers create third party programs on a daily basis for the phone. The N95 also has a vastly faster Internet connection as it sports HSDPA support over the iPhone’s EDGE connection.
I think the answer is simple: Can you live with the shortcomings of the iPhone and take the option of style over substance? If you want to be on the cutting edge of phone technology the go for the Nokia. If however you want a pretty phone that does the basics competently and don’t really care for high technology then get yourself an iPhone. In my opinion I feel the Nokia is a better device but then again, I am an iPhone owner because it’s pretty.
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