The Samsung U750 Zeal and Nokia N950 represent distinct approaches to early smartphone development. The N950, powered by a Texas Instruments OMAP processor, aimed for a developer-focused experience with its MeeGo OS. The U750 Zeal, however, remains largely undocumented, existing as a historical artifact with limited publicly available information, making a direct comparison a challenge of inference and contextualization.
🏆 Quick Verdict
For the user seeking a glimpse into early smartphone innovation, the Nokia N950 is the clear winner. Its 1.0 GHz Cortex-A8 processor and developer-friendly OS offer a tangible experience, while the Samsung U750 Zeal's lack of documented specifications leaves it a historical curiosity.
| Network |
|---|
| 2G bands | CDMA 800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100 |
| Speed | EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps | HSPA 14.4/5.76 Mbps |
| Technology | CDMA / EVDO | GSM / HSPA |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2010, November. Released 2010, November | 2011, June |
| Status | Discontinued | Discontinued |
| Body |
|---|
| Dimensions | 101.9 x 51.8 x 17.1 mm (4.01 x 2.04 x 0.67 in) | - |
| Keyboard | QWERTY | QWERTY |
| SIM | Mini-SIM | Mini-SIM |
| Weight | 123 g (4.34 oz) | - |
| Display |
|---|
| Resolution | 240 x 320 pixels, 4:3 ratio (~154 ppi density) | 480 x 854 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~245 ppi density) |
| Size | 2.6 inches, 20.9 cm2 (~39.7% screen-to-body ratio) | 4.0 inches, 44.1 cm2 |
| Type | TFT, 256K colors | LCD |
| | External display, 128x128 pixels, 1.3"
| - |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | - | 1.0 GHz Cortex-A8 |
| Chipset | - | TI OMAP 3630 |
| GPU | - | PowerVR SGX530 |
| OS | - | MeeGo 1.2 Harmattan OS |
| Memory |
|---|
| Call records | Yes | - |
| Card slot | microSDHC (dedicated slot) | No |
| Internal | - | 8.5GB user available, 1GB RAM |
| Phonebook | 1000 entries, Photocall | - |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Features | - | Dual-LED flash |
| Single | 2 MP, AF | 12 MP, AF |
| Video | Yes | Yes |
| Selfie camera |
|---|
| Single | - | Yes |
| | No | - |
| Sound |
|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | Yes |
| 35mm jack | No | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes |
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 2.1, A2DP | 2.1, A2DP, EDR |
| Positioning | GPS, A-GPS | GPS, A-GPS; Ovi Maps |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | microUSB 2.0 | microUSB 2.0 |
| WLAN | - | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n |
| Features |
|---|
| Browser | WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML | WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML, RSS feeds |
| Games | Yes | - |
| Java | No | - |
| Messaging | SMS, MMS, Email, Push Email, IM | - |
| Sensors | - | Accelerometer, proximity, compass |
| | SNS integration
MP3/AAC player
MP4/H.263 player
Organizer
Voice memo/dial
Predictive text input | MP3/WAV/eAAC+/WMA/FLAC player
MP4/H.264/WMV player
Document viewer (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF viewer)
Video/photo editor
Predictive text input (Swype) |
| Battery |
|---|
| Stand-by | Up to 340 h | - |
| Talk time | Up to 5 h | - |
| Type | Removable Li-Ion 880 mAh battery | Removable Li-Ion 1320 mAh battery |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | Black | Black |
| Price | About 100 EUR | - |
| SAR | 0.54 W/kg (head) 1.11 W/kg (body) | 0.80 W/kg (head) 1.24 W/kg (body) |
Samsung U750 Zeal
- Potential for collector's value due to rarity.
- Likely excellent battery life due to low power consumption (inferred).
- Compact form factor (inferred).
- Lack of available specifications.
- Limited functionality compared to smartphones.
- Poor app ecosystem (inferred).
Nokia N950
- Powerful (for its time) 1.0 GHz Cortex-A8 processor.
- Developer-friendly MeeGo OS.
- More robust app ecosystem compared to the Zeal (inferred).
- MeeGo OS ultimately failed to gain widespread adoption.
- Battery life likely shorter than the Zeal due to processor demands.
- Larger and heavier than typical feature phones.
Display Comparison
Without specific display details for the U750 Zeal, a comparison is limited. The Nokia N950 likely featured a standard LCD panel for the era, prioritizing functionality over cutting-edge display technology. Given the N950's focus on developer experience, screen accuracy and color calibration were likely considered, though not to the extent of modern flagships. The Zeal, positioned as a feature phone, likely had a smaller, lower-resolution display optimized for basic tasks.
Camera Comparison
Details regarding the U750 Zeal’s camera are unavailable. The Nokia N950, while not boasting a groundbreaking camera for its time, likely included a capable sensor for basic photography and video recording. The OMAP 3630’s image signal processor (ISP) would have provided some level of image processing, but image quality would have been limited by sensor size and lens quality. The absence of camera specifications for the Zeal suggests it was not a primary selling point.
Performance
The Nokia N950’s TI OMAP 3630 chipset, featuring a 1.0 GHz Cortex-A8 CPU, represents a significant step forward in mobile processing power for its time. The Cortex-A8 architecture, while dated by today’s standards, allowed for a smoother user experience compared to earlier ARM processors. The U750 Zeal’s processor remains unknown, but given its likely feature phone classification, it almost certainly utilized a significantly less powerful processor, focused on power efficiency rather than performance. This difference in processing power would have impacted app responsiveness and multitasking capabilities.
Battery Life
Battery capacity for both devices is unknown. However, the Nokia N950’s more powerful processor would have demanded a larger battery to maintain reasonable battery life. The U750 Zeal, with its likely less demanding processor, could have potentially achieved longer battery life with a smaller battery capacity. Charging speeds were also limited by the technology of the time, with both devices likely relying on micro-USB charging.
Buying Guide
Buy the Samsung U750 Zeal if you are a collector of obscure mobile phones and enjoy the challenge of researching a device with minimal available information. Buy the Nokia N950 if you are a developer or enthusiast interested in exploring the MeeGo OS and a relatively powerful (for its time) ARM Cortex-A8 based platform.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ What was the primary purpose of the Nokia N950?
The Nokia N950 was primarily a developer device intended to showcase the MeeGo operating system and provide a platform for app development. It wasn't a mass-market consumer product, but rather a tool for exploring new mobile technologies.
❓ Why is there so little information available about the Samsung U750 Zeal?
The Samsung U750 Zeal was likely a regional or limited-release feature phone, and as such, it didn't receive the same level of media coverage or documentation as flagship smartphones. Its obscurity makes it a challenging device to research.
❓ Could the Nokia N950 run Android apps?
No, the Nokia N950 ran MeeGo, a Linux-based operating system. It was not compatible with Android apps natively, although there were experimental projects attempting to bridge the gap.
