Video: Nokia N900 and GSM phone calls, presented by the Maemo 5 UI Team

Previously, the only way to make a call on a Maemo device was via skype. The Nokia N900 is the first Maemo PHONE so you can make your standard mobile/landline calls.

[YOUTUBE=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eZu3nku2uM]

What’s interesting with the current firmware in the N900 is HOW you make a call. There aren’t any hardware keys [Green/Red Call/End buttons]like previous Nokia touch screen devices, 5800 or N97 so how you get out of an application to make a call?

The Maemo 5 guys says, “When the appropriate settings is activated, you just turn the device to make a call.”

RECENT CALL LIST/DEFAULT CALL VIEW

[00:29] When you turn the N900 to portrait, (from desktop view) you get your recent calls list, as well as the option to use the dial pad or select contacts from the phone book.

[00:20] In the video, it took 2 seconds for the N900 to rotate and show the recent call list. That’s much, much to long. It did not take that long when I tried it on the N900.

SELECTING A CONTACT

[00:33] You can quickly jump to your contacts by pressing the “quick search” – a block of 2-3 letters that corresponds to your contacts.

It’s quicker than scrolling as you quickly narrow down the position of that contact, and THEN scroll to them faster.

I would just prefer it if we used the traditional old-style Nokia search though: See – How Nokia should improve contact search (for touch)

How I'd prefer to search contacts (for S60 5th). Though I do really like the N900's quick search.

Oddly, after selecting a contact, there seems to be only “call options”. No “send text” option. Unless it was a fake contact and didn’t actually have a mobile number (or like S60 5th, it only gives option to send text if you’ve categorised the number as a mobile number)

ACCEPTING/REJECTING A CALL

[01:10] There are a couple of huge buttons when receiving a call, one to Accept underneath it to Reject a call.

SILENCING A CALL

[01:10] You can silence a call by turning the phone upside down (if it’s on a table). Nice option – never had to use it on my N97, I just silence/reject the call if I’ve accidentally left my phone on loud in an inappropriate place (lecture hall/meeting)

LOUDSPEAKER OPTIONS?

You can set calls to loudspeaker with a button. I’d love it if the N900 automatically goes to loudspeaker if you open the slide. A brilliant feature on the N97 is simply opening the slide during a call activates loudspeaker, closing it puts it back in handset mode.

Tags: Call, Linux, Maemo, Maemo 5, N900, Nokia, Nokia N900, Nseries, Phone Calls

Category: Linux, Maemo, Nokia, Nseries, Video