Welcome to the penultimate installment of our Nokia N900 Review, where we'll have a brief look on the GPS and extended life battery test (inspired by the one of S60.mobi) !


GPS :

The N900 comes with a Nokia product called Ovi Maps 1.0. The 1.0 version number apparently refers to it being the first Maemo release of Ovi Maps. From many user reports, it is disappointing and much less robust than the Ovi Maps 3.0 available on Symbian devices. For example, it does not provide turn by turn voice directions, only visual. The one advantage it probably has over something like Google’s Navigator is that that it can be used without a data connection, which is a good thing when there is no 3G signal. However, there seems to be a third party alternative called Sygic or Maemaps which is apparently gearing up to release a more feature complete GPS navigation package for Maemo.

If it takes too long for a GPS lock, you can try the location server supl.google.com instead (change the server under your device settings --> Location.)

Anyway, it seems that's much more precise and sensitive than the one founded on most Symbian devices , to a point that compass (apparently missing on the N900) is not really needed as the device is able to recognize your direction, like on the 5800XM ;) well, if you’re on foot and have a poor sense of direction, it gets very difficult to determine which road you’re actually facing without having to walk towards that road.

Battery test :

Subjectively, the battery is not so bad ! Unfortunately, everyone uses his mobile phone, individually. Sometimes more, sometimes less phone calls, one wrote dozens of SMS, but rarely surfs, others use the Internet, and, and, and ...

So i once tried to test the N900 battery, so that it can compare each current with his cell phone.

Basically, the SIM card during the test is always enabled, since I want to be reachable. I use the power-hungry UMTS. However, Bluetooth and WiFi. The display brightness and volume were at the highest level., unless the test itself is mentioned something else, of course, the battery was fully charged (green LED).

Test # 1: Playing videos from internal memory
Test # 2: Making calls via UMTS
Test # 3: Internet over WiFi
Test # 4: Playing music from the internal memory
Test # 5: Standby
Test # 1: Videos

Test # 1 : Playing videos

For entertainment, there were episodes of "Metallica - Making Death Magnetic" the XviD-encoded on the internal 32GB memory lay.

The first message that the battery is almost empty, came after 2 hours and 52 minutes. This was followed by 1-2x per minute, a further indication. The video was played during the message further. On the screenshot, the video image was not taken. Finally, after 3 hours and 10 minutes playback stopped, the player is closed and the N900 turned off.

These 3 hours are still long but the maximum. One can for example select the Offline profile, especially the volume and reduce the display brightness ! My dell latitude D830 achieve that hardly !

Test # 2: Phone

(Then she went to wife discipline ...) The battery was fully charged again, the SIM card is activated, and of course, again posted in the UMTS network.

The first call started shortly after 8 clock and lasted almost exactly two hours, then were flat despite a forced separation. So I allowed myself to call for the rest of the test from another provider out. The first report of a battery is running low I was after a total of 3 hours and 30 minutes. However, the battery lasted longer than the video test, since the display is indeed not used eventually. Every minute there was a warning tone and a visual cue, until finally, after 4 hours and 2 minutes the phone call was over and the N900 are sending you turned off.

Here, too, you can boost the use of GSM is truly more !

Test # 3: Internet

Test number 3 was the strenuous. Surf without interruption, forced especially true of degenerates into work. But ok, this is indeed what the N900 is build for !

The battery was fully charged for this test, the display brightness to the highest level and WiFi was turned on

After 3 hours and 4 minutes, the first concerning whether the message was almost empty battery. Then two more. And was faster than expected, then after 3 hours and 6 minutes late. More energy can be saved with low backlight !

Test # 4: Music

It was foreseen that it would now take several hours until the battery is empty. Before recharged, UMTS stayed on as usual. The supplied earphones attached were connected volume to maximum, and then there were something for your ears. The music itself was MP3 encoded at a variable bit rate of 192 kbit / s.

After eight hours, the battery still had 2 / 3 of its capacity. But the UMTS network badly pulled the battery and then came the first indication that the battery is nearly empty after 16 hours and 45 minutes. Even with poor reception, and thus higher transmission line, the battery still held out for over an hour. Only after 17 hours and 53 minutes was quiet.

How to get out of here gets even more time is clear. GSM use, better reception and especially the volume reduced. In theory, would also greatly help the Offline profile. But who has made so much money, please, to use the N900 as mp3 player?

Test # 5: Standby

Nokia was at times 72 hours, now it says on some sites that the N900 hold out 96 hours. But the reality is better. With a fully charged battery and an activated SIM in UMTS network, I was really surprised.

After that I have not used the N900 with a heavy heart. Only a few screenshots every few hours and very rarely in short, the pictures sent by mail. The battery that comes in the 5800XM and N97mini used and should reach there, according to Nokia up to 300 hours standby, abolished in the test at least several days ...

After 7 days, 3 hours and 30 minutes, the first message was that the battery is weak. Anyone who believes that it is quickly end will be surprised. Only after a total of 7 days, 10 hours and 10 minutes, the battery was empty.

Anyway, if you do some calls (30min), some mail reading over 3G or WiFi, some pictures or videos, you'll reach 36h or 48h, i have never get it to 72h with average use ;)

What's hot :

- GPS receiver very sensitive
- Battery life not "bad" as that !

What's not :

- Lack of digital compass so, no Augmented Reality style apps i guess
- Lack of voice-guidance