Nokia has formally launched its top-flight Internet-enabled N97 smartphone in the United States, and (as usual for its high-end devices) is going it alone without a carrier partner. Nokia announced the N97 over six months ago (Digital Trends got a look at it in April), but is finally getting around to bringing it to the U.S. market: the N97 represents the upper crust of Nokia’s phone line, and the company is touting it as an always-connected, personalized Internet device that enables customers to “know it as it happens.” And for $699 on top of a carrier plan, they’d better be comfortable paying to know.
“We have seen the anticipation and excitement for the Nokia N97 build around the globe and across the United States since we announced it in December,” says Nokia VP for retail sales Alessandro Lamanna, in a statement. “As the evolution of the mobile device continues, consumers are clamoring for a device that allows interactivity on another level.”
The N97 features a 3.5-inch touchscreen display, a full QWERTY keyboard for mail and messaging needs, a 5 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics and dual-LED flash, along with an assisted GPS unit with a built-in compass, SD-based storage, and 32 GB of onboard memory. The device also features a “widgetized” home screen that puts user-selected widgets right on the device’s top deck so users can get the information they want without even having to open an app or make a selection—example applications include Internet feeds, weather information, social networking updates, and more.
The N97 of course features a full HTML Web browser and Adobe Flash capability (that’s one up on the iPhone!); the N97 can also connect to Nokia’s Ovi Store, enabling users to purchase and download a wide range of applications to expand the N97s capabilities.
The N97 is on sale now from nokiausa.com, independent retailers, as well as Nokia’s flagship stores in Chicago and New York for $699.
