Phones
Nokia N79 and N85 Roll Out Officially, With US 3G Aboard
Posted by Kit Eaton at 6:00 PM on August 26, 2008
After yesterday's dribble of info, Nokia's upcoming N79 and N85 are official now, and do indeed carry WCDMA support for US 3G goodness. The N79 has a 2.4-inch screen, 5-megapixel camera and comes with a 4GB microSD card in the box for storage, while the N85 has a 2.6-inch OLED screen, 5-megapixel cam and 8GB of microSD card storage shipped with it. Both also come preloaded with "10 made-for-mobile N-Gage" games and have FM transmitters aboard, for streaming your music over a nearby radio. Full specs below. Update: the N79 is due to cost around US$515 and the N85 will be around US$660, both expecting to ship in October.
Nokia N79
• Personalise your device with 3 Xpress-on™ smart covers
included inbox, with automatically matching wallpaper
themes
• Automatically change from portrait to landscape with
orientation sensor
• Easily navigate using the NaviWheel™
• Geotagging of pictures captured, and view them on a map
• Organize photos by albums and tags, and
synchronise with PC
• Upload and share pictures and videos directly toOvi and the web
• Enjoy great audio through standard 3.5 mm jack
headphones, built-in 3D stereo speakers or Bluetooth
technology
• Digital music player with support for playlist editing,
equalizer and categorized access to your music collection
• Synchronise and manage music with Nokia Music client
• Integrated FM transmitter and FM receiver
• Search, browse and purchase songs online inNokia Music Store
• Built-in GPS with A-GPS support and integrated 3-month
navigation license
• Multimedia city guides and navigation services available
for purchase. Drive: voice guided car navigation,
or Walk: pedestrian guidance for walking routes
Connectivity & Data Services
• GPS receiver with support for assisted GPS (A-GPS)
Full-screen video playback to view downloaded,
streamed or recorded video clips
• Access internet video feeds through Nokia Video Center
• Transfer videos from compatible PC,
using Hi-Speed USB 2.0
Games:
• N-Gage™ experience and one free game activation
voucher
• Try and buy from a broad catalog of innovative, made-for-
mobile titles that feature connectivity and stunning
graphics
• Titles developed by leading publishersTechnical Profile
System: WCDMA900/2100 (HSDPA), EGSM900,
GSM850/1800/1900 MHz (EGPRS)
User Interface: S60 3rd Edition, Feature Pack 2
Dimensions: 110 x 49 x 15 mm (L x W x H)
Weight: 97 g
Display: 2.4 inch QVGA (240 x 320 pixels) with up to
16 million colors
Battery: Nokia Battery BL-6F, 1200 mAhMedia
Memory: Up to 50 MB internal user memory,
4GB in-box micro SD memory card
Video playback: MPEG-4, H.264/AVC, H.263/3GPP,
RealVideo 8/9/10, WMV
Up to 30 fps, up to VGA resolution
Music playback: MP3, AAC, eAAC, eAAC+, WMA orientation sensorMain Camera
Lens: Carl Zeiss Tessar™
Image capture: Up to 5 megapixels (2584 x 1938)
JPEG/EXIF (16.7 million/24-bit color)
Video capture: MPEG-4 VGA (640 x 480) at up to 30 fps
Aperture: F2.8
Focal length: 5.2 mm
Flash: LED camera flash and video light• Enjoy great audio through standard 3.5 mm jack
headphones, built-in 3D stereo speakers or Bluetooth technologyOperating Times
Talk time: Up to 210 min (3G), 330 min (GSM)
Standby time: Up to 400 hrs (3G), 370 hrs (GSM)
Video playback: Up to 5 hours (offline mode)
Music playback: Up to 24 hours (offline mode) • Built-in GPS with A-GPS support and integrated 3-month
navigation licenseConnectivity & Data Services
• WLAN IEEE 802.11b/g with UPnP support
• Micro-USB connector, Hi-Speed USB 2.0
• 3.5mm stereo headphone plug and
TV-out support (PAL/NTSC)
• Bluetooth wireless technology 2.0 and
enhanced data rates (EDR)
• GPS receiver with support for assisted GPS (A-GPS) • Access internet video feeds through Nokia Video CenterNokia N85
• Watch high-quality video on the 2.6 inch OLED display
• Full-screen video playback to view downloaded, streamed
or recorded video clips
• Access internet video feeds through
Nokia Video Center
• Transfer videos from a compatible PC,
using Hi-Speed USB 2.0
• Enjoy great audio through standard 3.5 mm jack
headphones, built-in 3D stereo speakers or Bluetooth
technology
• Easily control playback with the dedicated media keys
• Integrated FM transmitter and FM receiver
• Search, browse and purchase songs online in Nokia Music
Store
• Assisted GPS (A-GPS) provides fast and accurate location
information
• Multimedia city guides and navigation services available
for purchase.
• Drive: voice guided car navigation, or Walk: pedestrian-
optimised turn-by-turn guidance. Integrated 3-month
navigation licence inbox
• More than 15 million points of interest with Nokia Maps 2.0
• Geotagging of captured pictures, and online sharing
• Organize photos by albums and tags, and synchronize
with PC
• Upload and share pictures and videos directly to Share on
Ovi or 3rd party services directly to the web
• N-Gage™ experience.
• Try and buy from a broad catalog of innovative, made-for-
mobile titles that feature connectivity and stunning
graphics
• Titles developed by leading publishers
• At least 10 games preloaded and one free game activation
voucherTechnical Profile
System: WCDMA 2100/1900/900+GSM
850/900/1800/1900
WCDMA 2100/1900/850+GSM
850/900/1800/1900
User Interface: S60 3rd Edition, Feature Pack 2
Multimedia Menu
Dimensions: 103 x 50 x 16 mm (L x W x H)
Weight: 128 g
Display: AM OLED 2.6 inch QVGA (240 x 320 pixels)
with up to 16 million colors
Battery: Nokia Battery BL-5K, 1200 mAhMedia
Memory: Up to 74 MB internal dynamic memory,
up to 78 MB internal NAND flash memory,
8 GB in-box micro SD memory card
Video playback: MPEG-4, H.264/AVC, H.263/3GPP,
RealVideo 8/9/10, WMV
30 fps, VGA resolution
Music playback: MP3, AAC, eAAC, eAAC+, WMAMain Camera
Optics: Carl Zeiss Tessar™
Image capture: 5 Megapixels (2584 x 1938)
JPEG/EXIF (16.7 million/24-bit color)
Video capture: MPEG-4 VGA (640 x 480) at up to 30 fps
Aperture: F2.8
Focal length: 5.45 mm
Flash: Dual LED camera flash and video lightMaps and Navigation:Operating Times
Talk time: Up to 270 min (3G), 410 min (GSM)
Standby time: Up to 360 hrs (3G), 360 hrs (GSM)
Video call: Up to 160 min
Video playback: Up to 7 hours (QVGA, 15fps)
Music playback: Up to 30 hours (offline mode) Photos:Connectivity & Data Services
• WLAN IEEE 802.11b/g with UPnP support
• Micro-USB connector, Hi-Speed USB 2.0
• 3.5mm stereo headphone plug and
TV-out support (PAL/NTSC)
• Bluetooth Specification 2.0 and
Bluetooth stereo audio support
• GPS receiver with support for assisted GPS (A-GPS)

Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
got no clutch? You ain't much.
Posted 7:38 PM 26/8/08
Now I wish I hadn't bought my N82, I miss US 3G. Edge will have to do for now untill I get some extra cash.
got no clutch? You ain't much.
Kim98
Posted 8:17 PM 26/8/08
Every time the same mistake is made. The prices are not 515 for the N79 and 600 USD for the N85. Those are the unsubsidized prices and very few people will ever buy the devices for those prices. The vast majority will get these for free (or for a very low price) with a 2 year contract. So if you want to compare to say the iPhone, you shouldn't compare e.g. 600 USD for N85 vs. 199 USD for iPhone but rather the SUBSIDIZED price for both at a given carrier. Or if you want to compare UNSUBSIDIZED prices then consistently report those for all devices, i.e. around 800 USD for the iPhone based on the carries that also sell it unsubsidized (e.g. Vodafone Italy 569 EUR for 16 GB model, i.e. 835 USD).
Kim98
Songoman
Posted 9:53 PM 26/8/08
@Kim98: you know here at Giz only the iPhone's retail price is communicated subsidized (USD 199) all other phones, especially the Nokia's are shown with full prices.
Talking about objective journalism...
Songoman
DJTripleRRR
Posted 10:23 PM 26/8/08
I'm gonna get me a N85 UNSUBSUDIZED when next possible... No chance I'm waiting till a year and a bits time for a upgrade when I can't even get a nice phone...
DJTripleRRR
bmeckel
Posted 10:37 PM 26/8/08
@kim98 you seem to forget that apple sells the iphone unsubsidized, the price is set in stone...400 for 8, i think 5-6 for 16
bmeckel
Kaiser-Machead's WALL-E fetish
Posted 12:30 AM 27/8/08
@Songoman: Can you buy an iPhone without a contract?
Kaiser-Machead's WALL-E fetish
UofITom
Posted 12:55 AM 27/8/08
@Kim98: What carrier do you think is going to subsidize these...
UofITom
Kricket
Posted 1:55 AM 27/8/08
@UofITom:
my thoughts exactly - my guess: you wont even see these subsidized at all (at least - not stateside - perhaps in canada or in europe)
so the pricing is probably a fairly accurate guess as to what you can expect to pay if you want to get these things in the united states...
Kricket
Zlevee
Posted 2:31 AM 27/8/08
@Kim98: Nokia's higher end phones haven't been officially supported and subsidized by a carrier in the U.S.A. for some time.
Zlevee
UofITom
Posted 4:12 AM 27/8/08
Oh, and I hope readers are confused by the misleading headline... N79 does not have US 3G.
UofITom
Kim98
Posted 5:04 AM 27/8/08
@UofITom:
Probably same as for the other N-series phones, e.g. China Mobile, Vodafone, Telefonica, China Unicom, America Movil, T-Mobile, Orange, Telenor, MTS, Bharti Airtel, Singtel, Telecom Italia, VimpelCom, MTN, TeliaSonera, etc., Why?
Kim98
HainesAntiope
Posted 2:22 AM 27/8/08
If you get them from some chinese phone shops, they can get it for you "subsidized". Last I checked here in nyc, 1 year 39.99 contract with T-mobile gives $235 money back and no activation fee.
HainesAntiope
Maciek
Posted 12:03 AM 28/8/08
And for the record...US 3G is no longer on at&t exclusive. There's another operator on the block so it should be specified at&t or T-Mobile 3G. Also Nokia should smell the coffee and realize that now's the time for them to release those supposedly "US 3G" devices with both or each frequency (850/1900/2100 - at&t/euro) and (1700/2100 - T-Mob/euro)
Maciek
CarmelaCarson
Posted 3:41 PM 31/8/08
It's because ATT wants to disable Nokia's GPS, and Nokia is like "nuh uh no you wont" and like ATT is "but we wantz $$ like iPhone users"
CarmelaCarson