Nokia 7280 hits the States in a blaze of fashion

The Nokia 7280 fashion phone finally descends upon the States. At least, it's descending to the depths of the common unwashed (read: you and me), as apparently it's already been distributed willy-nilly among the celebrity set. This phone has already gotten around to J Lo's "Get Right" video and Usher's Mini Movie, so you know it's got the celebrity cred, right? Some Finnish designers had their way with this phone and pronounced the keypad like, so two minutes ago, and we really have no clue how one might dial with a "NaviSpinner" controller. Plus, you're going to have to drop 6 bennies to be as cool as J Lo — but hey, that's the price of fashion, my friends.

[Via Phonescoop]

[Liam @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

Am I missing something... That phone's been out in Australia for ages...

[sickpuppy @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

Yeah, ages here in the UK too but those backward Americans ;) are always slow when it comes to these sorts of things...

[Finishing.Law.School @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

The phone is ugly.
J. Low is a loser.
Don't know who Usher is and don't care. I think I saw him in a mall once...
So Nokia, why would I want this ugly little thing? I used to like Nokia. This is the Pontiac Aztek of phones...

[Greg @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

I have to admit, when it comes to phones, the US is a long way behind...

[Liam @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

Australia is usually the end of the line though, like after America... Just yesterday I paid 200 AUD for a phone with a basic 640x490 cameraphone and no fantastic features...

[Bob @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

Its sinfully ugly and been making the rounds in the UK for ages.

As for the 'navi spin' *cough* iPod *cough* you twiddle it like a rotary phone to find the number you want. More worryingly is how poorly it will be to type sms messages with.

[Frode @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

Yes this has been out for ages and a friend of mine had it. The Navi wheel thing is impossible to sms with and even worse the build quality was crap. Phone fell apart after a couple of months.

[Jeff @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

So I'm guessing phone manufacturers have decided the whole 2005 thin and tiny thing is like, totally out, and now we're going back to 1980's style bricks? Is that what I'm seeing here?

I've got an old Motorola car phone from 1984 that looks more modern than this. Is Nokia intentionally going retro or what?

[Frode @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

@8

The phone is very small, hence no keys.

[George @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

As others say, this phone makes dialling numbers more difficult than it needs to be. Typing texts is difficult also, but it's not as bad as you might think because the phone does attempt to guess what you're typing before you've finished, which cuts the time a little bit, when you get used to it.

[supesguy @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

J. Low is a skank. This phone is super-fugly. Nokia's U.S. release phones seriously suck.

[miss pistola @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

dood i heard if you use this phone, your ass will inflate much like that latin retard J.Lo. then it will vibrate violently and burst and you'll be covered with spiders just like that cactus urban legend.

[Matthew Purdy @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

Is it just me, or does this thing look like a casket?

[Frode @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

@10

You got it wrong, dialling numbers works out somewhat ok when you learn the wheel, but keying in an sms is hell even with the prediction.

@13

The phone looks good IRL but thats a matter of taste.

[Rehman Meghji @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

I live in Canada and bought this phone for my girlfriend last year on a trip to Hong Kong, you should see the looks she gets with it. Everyone is wondering what it is and how it works. I happen to like it, the navipad is not like the ipod scroll wheel at all. I found all the function easy to use. Honestly who actually dials numbers these days - just scroll to the phone book and press send. Truely amazing phone. Best part - little Nokia fashion tag

[mark @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

Yeah, seriously phone book and voice dial are what this phone is made for.

"SMS is difficult." Maybe this is an issue elsewhere, but we're talking about the US, guys. We don't SMS.

[Wayne @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

This thing looks like it was made for Darth Vader. The lines and color-scheme scream EMPIRE

[mehool @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

even in the US, this phone has been out for months now. Engadget, you're usually on point, but here, not so much.

[Tom @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

this phone is ugly, and no it doesn't look any better in real life :) I wish nokia would give up on there whole "art-deco" theme....

[Hans @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

Guys, guys, guys.
Why do you think Nokia's billing it as a "fashion phone?"?
This is supposed to be your second phone, onto which you download your contacts list from your main phone, and bring to parties to show off. I don't think this phone can even do SMS- even if it can, it's pretty useless; same for calling... you're supposed use oyur downloaded quick-dial list.

[Adam @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

I just got one via eBay as my 'secondary' phone (since I currently cannot bring a cameraphone to work). It's quite easy to swap the SIM card out (easier than my Siemens SL56), the voicedialing works great with Cingular/AT&T, and SMS is manageable with predictive text (although websurfing is a bit challenging, e.g. searching for something on Amazon).

[Nate @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

Not a big fan of this one. Nokia is definitely trying too hard.

[jonathan @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

um....i really like the looks of this phone...but i am not sure if i will be considered a pansy to buy it...i mean its got cool thought behind it you know...jazz era and all that...but to be nick named nokia lipstick...aint it a girls phone then?

[Samuel Lago @ Dec 19th 2005 1:23AM]

You upstart americans are so stupid, you simply cannot apreciate anything with any class. All the phones the land of the fat people go on about are the occularly bannal clamshell designs from japan. You americans dont deserve nokia imports, it makes me sick!