Nokia unloads N95 on US flagships

by Chris Ziegler, posted Apr 7th 2007 at 7:00PM

In the plus column, Nokia's gotten consistently better and better about keeping the US -- or its two US flagship stores, at least -- in the loop on its hottest releases, and as "hot releases" go, it really doesn't get much hotter than the GPS-sportin', HSDPA-havin' dual slide N95. In the minus column, though, the guts inside the American N95 are identical to its European counterparts, meaning we still have to go without any 3G data (let alone HSDPA, a Nokia first). Is it just us, or is EDGE no longer cool? Anyway, yeah, grab yours next time you're in New York or Chicago for a stout $750.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Filed under: Handsets, Nokia, Symbian, GSM, GPRS, EDGE, HSDPA, UMTS

Tags: chicago, flagship, n95, new york, NewYork, nokia

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Neutral

Pete @ Apr 7th 2007 7:50PM

Its available on myworldphone.com for a paltry $964. Ridiculous!

Neutral

MacroEQ @ Apr 7th 2007 9:47PM

Nokia are playing the game and playing it well.

It will be interesting to see what Sony's response will be to the N95.

Maybe if Motorola did the same [as Nokia] for their customers in Europe they wouldn't be in the crisis they're in now?

(Where is the 'Motorola Q' in Europe?)

Neutral

roe @ Apr 7th 2007 9:54PM

Just wait until T-Mobile gets this phone Hopefully in USA.T-Mobile might have a great chance because I think in Europe everyone uses T-Mobile for this phone. If they do, then the price will come down and if u wait about 6 months from now they will come out something new again and this phone will probably be half the cost just like the Nokia N80 which is a Wonderful Phone too!!!

Neutral

Randy @ Apr 7th 2007 9:56PM

...Wonderful. But I still can't order one off of the Nokia Website. Wtf?

Neutral

cam @ Apr 7th 2007 11:36PM

on the list for next shipment

Neutral

Kent Pribbernow @ Apr 8th 2007 12:07AM

Pfft! No one is going to buy this phone. If I have to pay upwards of $500, why would I choose this over iPhone?

Neutral

Tiffany @ Apr 8th 2007 12:19AM

Why are these manufacturers so wedded to MicroSD? Especially w/ the iPhone coming out, and 4GB MiniSD cards available, you'd think that more of them would be supporting formats that let people get more storage onto their devices.

Neutral

tnkgrl @ Apr 8th 2007 12:42AM

*Kent*, the iPhone will give us a great user experience, an intuitive touch-based interface, one-stop syncing, and seamless integration with our computers - that's why I'll be buying one.

But it's not going to give us satellite-based GPS navigation, camera-grade photography, DVD-quality video recording, high-speed data over the phone network, or an open system - that's why I've picked up a Nokia N95.

The N95 is by far the most advanced phone ever engineered. Other than the multi-touch technology, specification-wise the iPhone is a mid-end phone in today's market.

Of course most people are still impressed with phones having a 2 megapixel camera without auto-focus or flash - don't even get me started ranting about the iPhone being EDGE only :)

The N95 is worth every penny of its $750 list price (not to mention it's unlocked to use with any GSM carrier).

For more information:
- http://tnkgrl.wordpress.com/tag/n95/
- http://tnkgrl.wordpress.com/tag/iphone/

Neutral

tnkgrl @ Apr 8th 2007 12:45AM

*Tiffany*, 4 GB micro-SD cards should be available by the end of the year.

Neutral

Corey McLaughlin @ Apr 8th 2007 2:03AM

What about using this phone on Cingualr's HSDPA network?

Neutral

Al @ Apr 8th 2007 4:12AM

Corey, Cingular's HSPDA network runs on 850 and 1900.
The N95 runs on 2100.

The N75 will run on Cingular's HSPDA network, but it much less features than the N95 and has seen numerous delays.

Neutral

Owen Jacobs @ Apr 8th 2007 5:50AM

"we still have to go without any 3G data"

Why? Of course it will never support cdma2000 or the EV-DO variation, but doesn't any US operator have W-CDMA nowadays?

"The N95 is by far the most advanced phone ever engineered"

Maybe, but why doesn't it have an alphanumeric keypad, which is a requirement for most information services? People just doesn't seem to realize that.

Neutral

Martin @ Apr 8th 2007 9:20AM

@Tiffany, tnkgrl:

The last thing I've heard is that SanDisk should start shipping of 4GB microSD cards in May (that is next month).

@Owen Jacobs:

"Maybe, but why doesn't it have an alphanumeric keypad"

You do know that N95 is a slider and actually HAS got a numeric keypad:

http://www.photographyblog.com/images/products/nokia_n95_4.jpg

Neutral

Jamar @ Apr 8th 2007 9:27AM

Why on earth would Nokia not sell the N95 with US-based 3G, especially if they're selling the thing in the US? Maybe they're waiting for T-Mobile's 3G to launch and selling from them?

Neutral

Dylan Pass @ Apr 8th 2007 9:50AM

went to the "event" at the 57th street nokia flagship store in manhattan last night. no DJ, no cocktails, not even a glass of wine. they offered my guest and i a coke and a cookie. i would've expected models walking around with the phone on trays and some mod finnish musak. they missed a great PR opportunity. that said, $812 later (incl tax), i love my new N95--simply the coolest piece of technology ever invented. it's an iphone killer. :-)

Neutral

Ari @ Apr 8th 2007 11:01AM

@ Jamar:

quoted from rich Brome, Moderator @ Phonescoop

"Nokia has said several times that it is working on "a phone with similar features" for the US, to be launched sometime in 2007.

We've heard various hints from Nokia about the details. Some hints have been that this will be almost exactly the same phone, and coming "sooner than you think". Those were just intentionally vague hints, though.

Of course just because it's planned, doesn't mean it will actually launch. Cingular was supposed to launch the N80, too, and that got canceled. The N75 is supposedly still coming, but that's clearly been delayed quite a bit.

Speaking of which, I would assume that continued N75 delays would throw a bit a of a wrench into all of this year's planned Nokia launches with Cingular, especially when it comes to high-end devices. Delays are usually caused by testing issues, and carriers generally don't like to work with manufacturers that have such extensive issues cropping up in testing. I could be wrong about what's going on, but that's certainly how it looks."

The US wil always be behind Asia and Europe because we are slow to adopt. Lets hope it's in the pipeline at least.

Neutral

Dario @ Apr 8th 2007 11:42AM

the phone is quite expensive for now, but thats because of the high demand.

If you wait a month you'll probably get it cheaper. The official Nokia price is $550... (compare to iPhone's $500).

For more information:
http://dario.soltani.se

Neutral

Rich @ Apr 8th 2007 3:44PM

Jamar - Because none of the US carriers are willing to sell such an advanced phone.

At the moment, only two stores are selling this phone in the whole of the US. Nokia aren't going to make a US variant without carrier support - it's just not economical. If T-Mobile or AT&T wanted to brand this phone, then Nokia would swap out the European/Asian 3G band for the appropriate North American bands.

Neutral

Jamar @ Apr 9th 2007 4:52AM

Of course, one of the US carriers (T-Mobile) still has its 3G network under development, and needs a 3G phone to release to showcase their new network. I'm just saying that a modified form of the N95 could be that phone.

Neutral

bob @ Apr 9th 2007 2:05PM

you guys need to get your facts straight, whoever said that no one would pay over 500 for this phone, you are wrong, the nokia flagship store in NYC sold out within hours of officially selling them at $750+tax, there are numerous people buying the n95 at various online stores for over $800. and whoever said the iphone is better than the n95, its subjective, but the n95 is definately more powerful of a phone than the iphone. the only thing the iphone offers over the n95 is a touchscreen. the iphone is so overhyped, it hasnt even been officially released yet and is already not a high-end phone compared to phones out right now.

Sincerely,
n95 owner who paid $900 to have it a week ago.

Neutral

Fredster @ Apr 9th 2007 7:03PM

The question is not why the N95 doesn't come with 850 or 1900, but why in heavens sake did you Americans opt for a different standard than the rest of the world?? Have been using an N80 Proto for over a year now and can't say i'm too happy about it, but happy enough not to trade it for anything else. But just fyi, there's going to be some very very cool things happening before fall from above mentioned company!:)

Neutral

Roy @ Apr 9th 2007 8:19PM

N95 release in NYC?

Neutral

Darrel Hormeku @ Apr 10th 2007 1:00AM

@ naruto
If youre Naturo call me Sasuke.

I think the I stands for innovative. The Iphone is not a piece crap multi touch,itunesintergration, almost widescreen video and the iphone also has betterstorage(6/8 gb versus 2/4 gb max)and when you factor in the cost ofthe mirco sd card the N95 is almost a grand. GPS so what and surfing the web without a keyboard or touchscreen sucks Mr.N95. Whats with the kids comment I think were all adults on this blog. What does the N stand for nonsense(ok not as piercing as idiot but you get the point).

Neutral

db @ Apr 10th 2007 11:18AM

Ok, I'm going to put this as nice as I possibly can . . . enough with the iPhone vs. (insert almost any other touchscreen/smartphone here). It's getting very annoying!

1. The iPhone and the n95 have very little in common, let alone they're obviously marketing it at very different types of people.

2. Everybody is entitled to his/her own opinion, but at least get your facts straight.

@Darrel:
The iPhone is 4/8GB, not 6/8GB. Check apple.com

3. Touchscreeen/qwerty keyboard I consider as more of a preference/style. Not everybody wants a touchscreen/qwerty keyboard, such as not everybody wants a slider/bar phone. Simple as that. It's not like Apple invented the touchscreen phone (I've seen others way before the iPhone was ever announced. Heck, my friend has one for over a year now).

4. Not everybody needs or cares for storage as much as 4-8GB. Yes, the iPhone is probably a better buy in terms of storage, but most of those people who are into the iPhone probably already have like a 30GB iPod and yet they're going around marketing this product like "it's an iPod, but a phone" type of thing. With a 2MP camera (it probably doesn't even take videos at 30fps) and an operating system that doesn't allow you to install any additional software on it (it's not a full-fledged smartphone), I could care less if the iPhone has 4-8GB and that's just my opinion.

5. And excuse me *looks at Darrel*, but some people actually care about the GPS, 5MP camera, dvd-quality recording and Symbian OS that the n95 offers.

6. The pricing on the n95 actually kind of makes SENSE considering that it's UNLOCKED and has all those features above that the iPhone lacks (minus the fact that n95 doesn't have a 4-8GB hard drive, that would have been a major freebie).

So whether you people like the iPhone or n95 better, keep in mind that they're 2 very different products and each serves its own purpose!!!!

Neutral

Martin @ Apr 11th 2007 2:39AM

PFUH! N95, Iphone, you guys have to watch out for the asian tigers. HTC is out, here come Gigabyte and E-ten, and if they don't deliver, Sharp will. Personally I think Samsung will blast the Iphoney and the Nah95 away in the not so very far away future. But then again, rumours are not worth what they used to be, now are they?

Neutral

Mike @ Apr 11th 2007 1:41PM

If you guys keep up with the new phones being released the N95 WILL be the top dog for a while. You also have to realize that this phone is different than the phone you guys are naming. For one, you can not compare a touchscreen phone like the HTC, Eten etc etc to the N95. Although both may be smartphones, the features and user-market are completely different. You may be able to compare the non touchscreen window mobile device but specs wise, they can't even compare.

Regarding the Iphone, AGAIN totally different phones! Comparing the LG Prada and the iPhone? doable, Comparing the N95 and the iPhone, not so much. If you want to go feature wise, the N95 has the iPhone killed, but at the same time the iPhone has it's own advantages.

Like everything else in life, what type of device you own is your own personal choice. Depending on your lifestyle and what you need with your mobile device will determine what you consider to be important in a phone's spec.

Neutral

mi_canuck @ Aug 5th 2007 5:22PM

will this thing drop to the $500 range????

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