Nokia Brings N85, N79 to United States

Nokia has launched its N85 and N79 mobile multimedia devices in the United States - unlocked, but with no carrier partners.

Nokia has once again decided to go it alone with its high-end Internet-centric, multimedia-savvy smartphones, announcing the N85 and N79 devices are now on sale in the United States. Both phones are available unlocked and without partnerships with network operators, which means users will pay the full brunt of the unsubsidized phone’s cost: $539 for the N85 and $439 for the N79.

"We’re excited to have these two multimedia devices available in the United States now—and in time for the holidays," said Nokia Americas VP of sales Alessandro Lamanna, in a statement.

Originally introduced back in August, both devices feature 3G HSDPA connectivity, 5 megapixel cameras, and can top into Nokia’s growing stable of mobile services, including Ngage games, Nokia Maps, and the Ovi photo-sharing service. The N85 features a 2.6-inch OLED display, while the N79 uses a 2.4-inch OLED display, but both offer QVGA (320 by 240 pixel) resolution. Both phones can geotag photos using the integrated GPS functionality, and both sport microSD expansion: 8 GB in the box with the N85 and 4 GB for the N79. Both phones come with a free activation voucher for the Ngage gaming service, along with a three-month license for pedestrian and voice-guided navigation using Nokia Maps. Both units also sport an FM transmitter for pumping audio to another audio system (say, in a car). The N79 is a dual-band device (850 and 1900 MHz), while the N85 can also tapo into 2100 MHz European networks.

Both phones are available now…sans service plans, of course.