X

Nokia N900 (photos)

CNET takes a hands-on look at Nokia's new Maemo-based smartphone, the Nokia N900. Check out the photo gallery here.

Bonnie Cha
Bonnie Cha was a former chief correspondent for CNET Crave, covering every kind of tech toy imaginable (with a special obsession for robots and Star Wars-related stuff). When she's not scoping out stories, you can find her checking out live music or surfing in the chilly waters of Northern California.
Bonnie Cha
33770010-2-440-FT.jpg
1 of 9 Sarah Tew/CNET

Nokia N900

The Nokia N900 is the next evolution of the company's Internet Tablet line. It's available now unlocked for $549.
2 of 9 Sarah Tew/CNET

Maemo platform

New features of the N900 include phone capabilities, the Linux-based Maemo platform, and a mobile Web browser based on Mozilla technology.
33770010-2-440-PURSE.jpg
3 of 9 Sarah Tew/CNET

Smaller but still bulky

The N900 is also smaller than previous models, such as the Nokia N810 Internet Tablet, at 4.37 inches long by 2.35 inches tall by 0.77 inch thick and weighs 6.38 ounces. However, it's still on the bulkier, heavier side so it won't make the most comfortable fit in a pants pocket.
33770010-2-440-DT1.jpg
4 of 9 Sarah Tew/CNET

User interface

One of the N900's cons is that the user interface is very unintuitive. Though you can customize up to four home- screen panes with different shortcuts and widgets, it's not always clear what each icon does or how to open various menus. Also, there are no dedicated navigation controls, such as Talk and End keys or a back button, so simple tasks like making a call requires extra steps.
33770010-2-440-BUTTON.jpg
5 of 9 Sarah Tew/CNET

Keyboard

You do get a full QWERTY keyboard, which you can access by sliding the screen up. There isn't much spacing between the keys but we found the buttons to be a good size so we didn't have too much trouble using it. Our biggest complaint is that the space bar is located off center, which interrupts the flow of typing.
33770010-2-440-SD.jpg
6 of 9 Sarah Tew/CNET

Right side

On the right side of the phone, you'll find a lock switch, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and the stylus. There's also a kickstand on back that allows you to prop the N900 on a flat surface and watch movies or view a slideshow hands free.
33770010-2-440-BK.jpg
7 of 9 Sarah Tew/CNET

Camera

Like many of Nokia N series models, the N900 features a 5-megapixel camera with a Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens, dual-LED flash, auto focus, and video recording capabilities.
33770010-2-440-SS1.jpg
8 of 9 Sarah Tew/CNET

Good picture quality

The N900's camera delivered on photo quality. This shot was taken in a dimly lit room, and we were impressed at the sharpness and colors of the image.
33770010-2-440-DT2.jpg
9 of 9 Sarah Tew/CNET

Plenty of storage

The Nokia N900 offers plenty of memory. Aside from 32GB of internal storage, the smartphone is equipped with a microSD expansion slot that can accept up to 16GB cards.

More Galleries

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera
A houseplant

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera

20 Photos
Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra
magic-v2-2024-foldable-1383

Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra

10 Photos
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum
Samsung Galaxy S24

The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum

23 Photos
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design
The Galaxy S24 Ultra in multiple colors

Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design

23 Photos
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
img-0368.jpg

I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites

34 Photos
17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About
Invitation for the Apple September iPhone 15 event

17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About

18 Photos
AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?
img-1599-2.jpg

AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?

17 Photos