Nokia's $560 N78 now available in US

You've piddled around in our unboxing shots and replayed that hands-on video countless times. Now, the time has finally come to bust open the piggy bank and secure your very own Nokia N78. Dramatics aside, the HSDPA-packin' handset that also musters a 3.2-megapixel camera and A-GPS can now be purchased at Nokia flagship stores in Chicago and New York, numerous online retailers and the occasional mom 'n pop shop for around $560. So, who's getting one?

[matt @ Jun 24th 2008 9:56AM]

that web browser looks awesome.

[Da4sshole @ Jun 24th 2008 9:56AM]

lol a-gps and 3.2 mp for $560?
i'll pass....saving up for a touch diomond....

*1st?*

[BobTurbo @ Jun 24th 2008 10:31AM]

First stupid comment yes.

[paul @ Jun 24th 2008 10:42AM]

Touch Diamond w/ WinMo = FAIL. Now if you could only run Android or Symbian on it, you'd have something decent.

[thedesolate1 @ Jun 24th 2008 1:25PM]

I love my WINMO HTC DASH... it wakes me up even after I have turned my alarm off every single fucking day.... -_- but that's because Windows Mobile loves me...

[c88lman @ Jun 24th 2008 9:57AM]

Ugly as to me.

[riggs @ Jun 24th 2008 10:57AM]

yes, as to u, this is ugly.

[catachip @ Jun 24th 2008 9:58AM]

1998 called. They want their product designers back.

[rock99rock @ Jun 24th 2008 10:23AM]

1978 called. They want their joke back.

[iEye @ Jun 24th 2008 10:31AM]

1976 called, they want their Muppet back...

[catachip @ Jun 24th 2008 10:33AM]

@rock99rock

Yeah, well the jerk store called and they're running out of you!

[Saad Rabia @ Jun 24th 2008 10:55AM]

Hahaha, I love you guys. :)

[rock99rock @ Jun 24th 2008 11:40AM]

@catachip

All in good fun sir :)

BTW. Why would the jerk store call you? Do you supply their jerks?

[lawyer bird @ Jun 24th 2008 1:25PM]

no, you're theier all time best seller!

ba-da-bing

[lawyer bird @ Jun 24th 2008 1:25PM]

no, you're their all time best seller!

ba-da-bing

[Mark Anderson @ Jun 24th 2008 2:11PM]

Top tip: It helps to have a sense of humour when telling jokes.

[rock99rock @ Jun 27th 2008 1:13AM]

now available at dell's website for 498

http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/Phones/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=A1657877

[Mel @ Jun 24th 2008 10:05AM]

Are those...keys???

[deyanimay @ Jun 24th 2008 10:11AM]

i was wondering the same thing

[john @ Jun 24th 2008 10:10AM]

Hm.

1) no sideslide qwerty keyboard nor bluetooth HID (for external keyboard)

2) no support for T-Mobile USA 3G, nor support for simultaneous dual SIM cards (so I can sidestep the 3G issue by having 1 SIM for voice/text on T-Mobile and the other on AT&T for data only)

3) no support for UMA (though, if the E61/E62 Symbian features for SIP phone capability are there, then it'll at least have SIP).


For all of the nice things this phone has, it's missing the things that would actually make me buy it.

[Rich @ Jun 24th 2008 11:46AM]

It has Bluetooth HID. It's a standard Symbian feature.

[john @ Jun 24th 2008 11:57AM]

Phonescoop doesn't list HID support. It seems pretty hit and miss on S60 phones, according to that site (I'll take your word for it right now, and maybe check Nokia's site later). That would be a good thing, if all S60 phones have HID support. Later ones seem to also have BIP support (one of the BIP modes allows you to export the phone's display for remote "desktop" capability).

Those two together might make for a nice way to remote control my phone (from my N810, or other devices).

[boss-hogg @ Jun 24th 2008 12:44PM]

phonescoop is not the end all be all for phone specs. I have this phone an it works great on at&t. esp via bluetooth modem, it has SIP and Bluetooth keyboard support.

[john @ Jun 24th 2008 3:04PM]

I never said phonescoop is the be all end all of reference sites. But they tend to be a very good first pass (better, and more consistent, than going to most of the phone manufacturers sites).

Thanks for the other info :-)

[john @ Jun 24th 2008 10:13AM]

Oh, and, I hate that style of keyboard.

For one, my Samsung SCH-R410 has one, and I hate it. The thin ridge keys are awkward to use at odd angles, and even somewhat when used at normal angles.

For two, they look like single full width keys on here, which adds to the possibility that you'll accidentally hit it wrong and get the wrong button. No thanks.

I think I could mostly deal with the missing key legends... but the other things ... nope.

[BFish @ Jun 24th 2008 10:14AM]

Not me. I am done with the overpriced, ugly Nokia bricks.
Gimme the damn 3G iPhone already ;)

[sn1per @ Jun 24th 2008 10:26AM]

You're done with overpriced Nokias, but you want an iPhone?

[Argot @ Jun 24th 2008 10:29AM]

Why on earth would you want a crappy iPhone?

[oZ @ Jun 24th 2008 10:44AM]

He thinks that $199 subsidized over a two year contract is WAY CHEAPER.

[Kips @ Jun 24th 2008 10:52AM]

Nothing new. For most of the USA consumers unlocked is still something totally unheard.

[Zak @ Jun 24th 2008 11:27AM]

oZ - you're telling me you wouldn't get a voice or data plan with a Nokia phone? You'd just buy it and not do anything with it? I guess it might make a good doorstop, but I'm pretty sure most people will actually be paying for voice and data with that phone. So the argument that the iPhone is more expensive because you have to pay for a voice and data plan doesn't really hold up in the real world.

[Wobbly @ Jun 24th 2008 11:51AM]

@ Zak, even with a $20 unl. data plan, you'd save $240 over the two years. Add in tax and the prices get that much closer. Then you have things like a easily replaceable battery, A2DP, an open OS, and lets not forget the lack of a 2yr ball-n-chain ... so i'd say this is a competitive product.

[boss-hogg @ Jun 24th 2008 12:45PM]

i feel like i am taking crazy pills! you really want the iphone?

[jimmywash @ Jun 24th 2008 10:22AM]

That phone is shiteous!

[george-L @ Jun 24th 2008 10:24AM]

Good god is this thing a joke? Now when i see iphone haters on here i wonder if they are mentally challenged. I sold my first gen iphone and looked online for a replacement to hold me till the new one comes out. No phone had 8 gigs of memory, or a web browser that was descent, or as easy to use as the iphone was. I ended up with a blackberry curve and what a joke it is compared to an iphone. The web browsing is laughable,the screen is tiny, and no memory to hold any apps or music without buying an extra mem card. Wow most phones arent worthy to be compared to an iphone let alone surpass it

[Zach @ Jun 24th 2008 11:09AM]

Says George:

Steve Jobs ist mein Führer!

[Zak @ Jun 24th 2008 11:44AM]

Wow, from zero to Godwin's Law in one post. I think that's a record.

[Rich @ Jun 24th 2008 11:47AM]

"No phone had 8 gigs of memory"

This phone takes memory cards up to 32GB....

[Zach @ Jun 24th 2008 12:41PM]

Yeah I guess it was pretty quick lol. The Usenet discussion didn't grow very long!

[Anthony @ Jun 24th 2008 10:25AM]

I love the design & was just debating what new phone to get (I'm tired of the N95 8gb slider) but ultimately passed because of the camera size & went w/ an N82 even though there are some great new advances in Feature Pack 2 (profile timers, setting of "preferred" contact #'s, etc).

This must be a love/hate type of look. I love it (clean, functional, industrial look- no embellishes), most everyone on this board seems to hate it.

[etechshop @ Jun 24th 2008 10:36AM]

this thing has "UGLY" written all over it....

[Mark Anderson @ Jun 24th 2008 2:13PM]

Actually it has 'Nokia' written all over it.

[BobTurbo @ Jun 24th 2008 10:37AM]

It looks beautiful, some nerds have no taste of their own and need to rely on marketing and fashion trends. Having said that, I have had enough with expensive phones. Ultimately, they are just a luxury and I have better things to spend my money on at the moment. Nokia 1112 looks like a potential candidate for my next phone.

[paul @ Jun 24th 2008 10:42AM]

Why would I get one of these when I can get an N95 8GB for nearly the same price?

[Pdexter @ Jun 24th 2008 11:00AM]

It's always the same. They sell it overpirced for couple of weeks to month and after that the price finds it place.
Kinda wierd that they went desing like this as it's bound to have those lovers and haters(maybe those haters are found more in here as this is USA based blog and has great population of Apple lovers). After all it's successor to the mass market phone N73 that had really neutral looks.

I dont hate N78 looks, but dont really love it either. It's E66 white for me!

[Mobilehavoc @ Jun 24th 2008 11:03AM]

I own one of these beauties and replaced my iPhone with it. It's gorgeous looking in person, the keys actually work extremely well once you've actually tried using them, 3.5G HSDPA is fantastic with the WebKit browser that HAS FLASH, the A-GPS works fantasticly for Nav and auto geotagging and it also runs the latest Symbian OS (9.3 FP2) which is both super fast and stable.

You guys can bash it all you want, I've never been so happy with a phone before, even when I had the first iPhone. Some things I love using it for:
- Taking amazing pictures or video that it automatically tags the EXIF data with the GPS coordinates
- Downloading podcasts (video/audio) on the phone itself using the built in podcast app
- Syncing with my PC wirelessly over Bluetooth
- Using JoikuSpot Light to set it up as a WiFi access point for when I want to "tether" my laptop
- Use VOIP software to make REAL VOIP calls over data (3G/WiFi) whenever I want
- Use GPS to find voice guided directions to wherever or use Google Maps with it
- Run a TON of games on it that are 3D and can be found free online including Tomb Raider: Legend, Brothers in Arms, and other 3D games.
- Automatically upload my pics/videos to Flickr and online sharing sites directly from phone with tags/GPS coordinates.

[boss-hogg @ Jun 24th 2008 12:47PM]

refreshing to hear someone who knows the power of this device

[edbeck @ Jun 24th 2008 2:49PM]

I hope you don't slip on that Astroturf. Maybe you should at least try to edit the comments you post to various sites to make them even slightly different

[Kips @ Jun 24th 2008 11:15AM]

That brick comments pretty much tells how much you know.
Nokia has world slimmest GPS phone and slimmest smartphone and i hardly would call this a brick.
N95 is over 2 years old and still sells strong and still dosen't lose to competition in size with 5mp phones even with over 2 years old phone and many of those still lack features N95 has.

If you are comparing S60 phone like N95 to your Razr you are way off. You can compare that to S40 phones.

[Soze @ Jun 24th 2008 11:17AM]

Heh so you didn't find phone with 8GB...
I don't wan't to sound rude, but did you really look any other phones.
Or are you the fan boy here actually?