Nokia E71 vs iPhone

After having used an iPhone for almost a year, I’m now using a Nokia E71. In many ways the Nokia is an anti-iPhone. More powerful, but more complicated.  Here’s what I like about the new phone, compared to the iPhone:

• Real keyboard – typing is much faster and more accurate than the iPhone touch-screen keyboard.
• Background apps. Having software continue to run in the background transforms the mobile data experience. It’s a big deal. You don’t have to wait for an email to be sent, instant messaging continues to run, web pages don’t have to reload when you go back to them.
• Better voice quality on phone calls.
• Bluetooth DUN provides a 3G data connection for a laptop or N810
• Voice dialling and speed dial. A lot quicker to make a call.
• Can use one-handed for making calls.
• Louder speaker – better for handsfree and listening to internet radio or podcasts.
• User-interface is fast.  The iPhone animations are pretty to watch, but make the phone feel a little sluggish.
• Instant messaging (gtalk) that really works.
• VOIP client – can connect to the office asterisk server.
• Skype. Interestingly Skype uses a standard local cellphone call for the “last mile”. 3G data connections aren’t really suitable for VOIP, so Skype uses your cell carrier to make the link between you and the Skype network.  If you have included minutes, there might not e a lot of benefit over a cellphone call, but you also get instant messages and presence.
• I can write software for it using Python. No Objective C required.
• No nanny-Apple looking over my shoulder.