These days you can’t make a smartphone and expect it to sell (and perform well) without including a decent browser. The mobile web has come a long way since my first taste of it, the extremely limited WAP over GPRS as I had on my Nokia 6510, followed up by basic page rendering over 3G on handsets like the N95 and E61. Modern smartphones have a lot more to deal with in terms of complexity and content, and todays users expect a “proper” browsing experience, with all the features of a desktop browser available to them.
So after this trip down memory lane, discussing handsets of old, how does the N8 perform? The spec sheet seems to indicate that everything is in order claiming “Full web browsing of real web pages” and detailing support for HTML, XHTML MP, WML, CSS, Javascript and Flash Lite 4 and in my initial tests I was pleasantly surprised by the accurate approach to rendering pages from the N8. However, due to the comparatively low resolution of the screen, it can actually be quite difficult to “use” the browser with most pages initially rendering with only the top left corner of the content available without scrolling or zooming. This wouldn’t be a big problem if the experience of scrolling / zooming was more pleasant, but sadly the usually excellent capacitive display is slow to react to swipes when browsing complex pages and this leads to a less than pleasant overall experience.
Web standards compatibility
There is better news in terms of support for modern standards, with all of the standard pages I tested rendering correctly, and even some of the more advanced and complex pages rendering in a usable fashion. The currently in development jQuery Mobile is also compatible with the browser and has support at B-Grade level which the project describes as providing an “enhanced experience except without Ajax navigation features”. In reality this means that the N8 will be forward compatible (to an extent) with many of a new breed of websites and web apps that will support the fledgling standard as it grows in popularity, making it a safe bet for “normal users” (not me) who are likely to keep their handsets for the entire duration of an 18 or 24 month contract.
Speed
When considering the speed of browsing it is a bit of a mixed bag. Over 3G the handset performs OK, no better or worse than any other handset I have tested in terms of its radio performance and download speeds, but when you take the browser into consideration it becomes painfully slow rendering complex websites. Over WiFi the story is much the same, with the N8 getting to pages and starting to download quickly, but the rendering seemingly going on forever.
Nokia N8 v Apple iPhone 4 – Browser Speed Test
In a head to head with the Apple iPhone 4 (running iOS4) the N8 was decimated, blazing speeds from the iPhone4 meant that in some of the tests I ran the N8 still had a blank screen when the iPhone 4 had fully rendered the page. In the above video the N8 was defeated 3-0 by the iPhone and in terms of raw pace was left well behind.
Wrap-up
Overall the N8 web performance is a bit of a mixed bag to say the least. From a technical perspective the browser performs well, rendering the vast majority of pages successfully, however, whether or not you still care what the site you are looking for has to say when it eventually finishes rendering is another matter all together. For users that only use the web occasionally and mainly live in messaging and email the N8 would make a solid companion, but more demanding (power) users should look elsewhere to a more modern phone OS with a more robust browser and a handset with more horsepower. Flash support is a pleasant and welcome surprise, but this isn’t enough to let me feel confident recommending the N8 for anyone who intends to use the internet regularly on the move. A good effort, but one that feels a little left behind when compared with the current crop of modern smartphone browsers.
Recently, I have been reading Mobile Design and Development by Brian Fling. A book that describes itself as being full of “practical techniques for creating mobile sites and web apps”. This is indeed the case as this excellent book covers all the basics that you will need to know in order to produce excellent websites and apps for mobile devices. It is important to mention that this book is not solely focused on the iPhone (unlike many other books of this ilk), but instead covers all of the main smartphone technologies available today.
The book covers topics from understanding the mobile eco-system, the differences between mobile and traditional design, putting mobile work into context, pros and cons of native application development versus mobile web apps, usability, testing and justifying the choice to work for mobile. All in all this book provides an excellent introduction to designing for mobile – something which is becoming increasingly more important in the current climate. With the convergence of various technologies it seems as though many of us are now carrying around small multimedia computers in our pockets, not just phones. These permanently connected devices provide so many opportunities for the budding mobile designer and content provider, and understand what makes these platforms different in vital to the success of any project. Read More
Ever since July 2008 and the launch of the Apple App store, the world of mobile internet has been in a constant state of change. Up until this point, Steve Jobs and the rest of the Apple marketing machine had been all about providing the best possible mobile browser, and the best mobile websites. They even had a page on the main Apple website promoting pages that worked the best in the fledgling iPhone OS (now iOS) browser. Following the launch of the App Store, the focus of mobile internet has changed, moving steadily away from in-browser experiences and edging ever closer to a world where apps are king.
With the ever-growing popularity of Android, and the diverse range of other platforms available – including HP (Palm) WebOS, Blackberry OS, Samsung Bada, HTC Brew and Windows Phone 7, Nokia MeeGo and Symbian – many businesses are left with a choice:
- Do we produce an app for every platform? At a huge cost and long timeline, this option isn’t available to all businesses.
- Do we pick one platform and hope our target market finds us? Risky again, if you get it wrong then you need to start again.
Luckily there is another option. Whilst many developers have been moving towards the ‘app model’, there has also been a great deal of innovation in the ‘mobile browser’ space, and with the emergence of jQuery mobile, developers now have a real alternative to developing custom apps for each platform. Read More
This week I have been asked on more than 5 occasions when the iPhone5 is coming out. In previous years it has been obvious to even the most casual observer that June would see the announcement of a new iPhone. Not this year! Steve and his team have decided that we should wait a little longer for the must discussed iPhone 4S / iPhone 5.
So please … Before you ask me when the new iPhone is coming out, just remember, reading lots of blogs where people try and guess the features and release date, doesn’t allow me to see the future (unlike some analysts with too much time on their hands)!
The iPhone 5 will be out when it is good and ready, and until then the iPhone 4 is still the best smartphone you can get. Just buy one, you know it makes sense.
