Nokia N85 pops up at Amazon for $556 unlocked
By Paul Miller 
posted Nov 30th 2008 8:05PM
posted Nov 30th 2008 8:05PM
[Via OLED-Info]
Please note: If you're a current Engadget commenter, you do not need to re-register. Simply login and you will be prompted to select a username.
I get that it's a cool phone, but at that price, is it really worth getting over say, an older HTC touch, or a normal featurephone and a Zune/iPod to go with it? Heck, you could even get a digital camera to go along with it all.
And a pair of jeans with enough big pockets to carry it all :P
I think I'd rather iPhone or Storm.
Storm is an unlocked world phone which can be a cell modem.
I think Nokia makes some great phones
and this one for example has top end camera and gaming (for a phone) quality
but their prices are just so unjustified, they really need to get some of these N series phones to carrier discounts
I know like dealers in like chinatown do it already, but if they want to get a big marketshare in the US they need official carrier backing
like rly?
Have a feature phone means that your web browsing abilities are much reduced, however. One key thing about smartphones is that they're good at staying connected - email, internet, IM etc... I would prefer a Touch for IM and E-mail, but then this has a sweet OLED screen and a nice camera. Good weekend phone, when e-mail traffic is light and I don't text much anyways.
Its a good deal if you don't live in the States, and yes, people, make money and buy gadgets outside of that country too. It is a fair bit cheaper than current-gen HTCs that go for closer to $700-800.
@telepheedian
And have your pants at your ankles from the weight of those gadgets? The point here is to have one device that does all... including a camera that can rival some of the name brand dedicated point-and-shoot cameras. And, here state-side, the HTC Touch isn't old enough to be "older". The other thing is, personally, WM sucks ass. Been there, done it... never again.
@ Flashpoint:
The N85 can do all of those things.
@1234321
Expensive, yes. But, you are forgetting this is a unlocked, unsubsidized phone. You may think the iphone is a great deal, but the most basic plan is $70 a month! Either way, you're paying through the nose.
oooooh...its shiny
So this is what Nokia thinks Mundane costs... pricey.
I think it's nice looking in a function over form and understated. Go ahead and bling your iPhone, see which gets stolen :P
'Doorstop' is one of the best features of a Nokia branded handset...
(This is an attack at fanboism, not Apple, and I only say it in retaliation)
The iPhone makes a better doorstop, especially if you tried (unsuccessfully) to unlock it.
It's not that pricey, it costs the same as an unlocked Iphone
And I mean the legal version of it.
iEye, you spelled 'Apple' wrong, again.
@iEye
No, because if they did it wouldn't cost more than $199*
*unless you live anywhere except the US**
**and don't include subsidies
I don't get it, why are Nokia phones so expensive, I'm sure its cool but not $550 cool.
Wait... So you're saying a 500+ dollar phone, with an Amoled screen, 5mpx camera, wi-fi, and (most likely) nokia's incredible build quality, is 'cheap and disposable'?
Sorry, I don't have a trust fund or rich parents.
Because this phone has an AM OLED screen and a five megapixel camera. Those things bring the price up. I don't know what iEYE is talking about..
It's because the phones aren't being subsidized by a carrier.
A G1, for example, is $400 without a contract/extension, but it's only $179 with a new two year agreement.
Over the course of your contract, you'll more than pay for the list price ($400) of that phone.
*cough* unsubsidized *cough*
iEye, just a hint: if you're going to wildly bash everything that doesn't start with "i", at least try to actually form a coherent criticism.
Nobody ever knows what in the hell iEye is talking about.
Nokia makes cheap (in cost) phones mostly. That doesn't mean that they make poor quality phones.
That said, 556 isn't that bad considering my iPhone cost me 200 with a contract, and then hundreds more dollars in exorbitant data plans I don't need. Then again...what good is a 556 dollar phone if you don't have a decent data plan to go with it?
Damn ieye, your a dumb motherfucker.
Your comparison makes no sense, your comparing a product to a manufacturer. Go stick that pickle up your ass, and for future references, if you're going to go as far as spelling the word Shit, don't pussy out by adding an e.
yeah... and we thought the iphone was overpriced. Have a lols-royce nokia
ieye. It's just that Nokia controls the luxury phones with 8xxx series and Vertu and the smart phone market. So if anything Nokia is pretty far from bottom feader. Nokia's brand does also cost something because Nokia=phone in most parts of the world.
Thought i understand that when people see price like 600 price tag on Nokia they i think it's overpriced coming from nation with total carrier control. But the fact is that these phones are free with carrier support in most parts of the world and they sell.
Either people here STILL don't understand what unlocked and locked is or people don't wan't say it here in the world of Apple. Thought if Nokia would be selling only onlocked price in Europe and Asia, they wouldn't probally be doing much better in smart phone market than they are in USA.
I hate when Amazon tries and make it look at it's an amazing deal when it's not, Nokia USA has the same phone on pre-order for $588.90, so this is a blatant lie from Amazon to claim an MSRP at 1200.
$1,200 is the early adopter price that those snivelling nerds are willing to pay on day 1...
The HTC Touch Diamond has been out for about 8 months now and the Nokia still doesn't hold a candle to it. This may be a personal opinion but I don't base my choice of 'phone on music players and the number of free tracks I can download.
The Diamond was designed for functionality and, granted once you clean it up a bit, power. This is what I really want from a 'phone.
I may be wrong!
While this might sound wierd here in NA blog, but WM is rare sight in Europe while S60 is by far the mainstream smart phone OS. Plus HTC is more expensive than N85 unlocked or locked and people are waiting phone with that price to have good camera, but it got "HTC quality" 3mp camera that's pretty far from SE, Samsung and Nokia.
Just trying to open your mind as why Nokia is so popular in Europe and Asia :D
Symbian may have a bigger overseas presence than WinMo, but 6.1 is hands down the best smartphone (pocket PC, actually) OS on the market. However, like anyone coming from a Symbian device (or BB or iPhone for that matter), the transition to WinMo is often clumsy and irritating. Thus, I don't see Nokia falling from grace any time soon with the release of any HTC phone. I do love my Diamond though! Perfectly adequate for use as a PMP, I might add. Doesn't affect battery life at all. I'm curious about this upcoming Nokia announcement...
...are you kidding me? DO WANT. $550 is an absolutely incredible price for this phone, given that it SHOULD HAVE cost around $850 unsubsidized. I'd sell my Xbox 360 and my Blackberry Bold to get this puppy. It's too bad I just got my Bold 3 weeks ago.
I don't know why you're all whining about the price. It's an AMAZING price for a phone that bests the N95 and N96. The N95 was priced even higher than this when it came out, around $800. The N96 also costs around that, yet this phone is a better phone than the N96. This is a steal, IMO.
/me cries in a corner
they're still making a killing in profit on this...
Bold+Xbox≠$850
Bold+Xbox = $550
spectacular crap from a wana be iPhone kila
This thing has 5 mega pix and the iphone has 2
this thing has Real gps, while the iphone has the subscription
this phone has stereo bluetooth while the iphone has none
this phone has copy and paste, while the iphone has highly paid patent lawyers
this phone has MMS! while the iphone relys on average joes to figure that out.
so who the heck are you to start comparing?
The hell you talkin' about?! The n85 ain't positioned to go a head to head against the iphone; it's not even a touch screen. Before you voice your steadfast opinion, do a little more research and compare "apples to apples" rather "apples to oranges"
i work in a phone store, and umm...
we have been selling this thing for weeks now, with a $450 price tag,
did miss something here?
Yes you did, you are screwing yourself out of an additional $106 profit on every phone.
Also, I thought phones were only sold in kiosks and online - I think you're missing that bandwagon too.
we get it in, for 350, we are selling 19 peaces every day, im sure we are making profit.
if engadgeans need proof, i will gladly upload a photo or two.
Touché
Pics or it didn't happen.
And this is the unlocked phone?
Give me your store details, and I'll gladly go buy one.
cellphone Central LLC.
1110 Washington Ave.
Philadelphia, pa 19147
http://www.philacellphonecentral.com/shop/
happy shopping
I thought- Alright!!! I live near there!!!
until i found every phone was contact for price and the N85 wasnt even there
or it wasnt under Nokia
major | facepalm |
@Hung
Where is the nokia N85 at?? i dont see it on the page
I'm guessing they're kinda lazy and don't want to update their website... so just go check in the store.
Its probably the Euro Version with no USA warranty. Nokia doesn't have an international warranty. I have been waiting ages for this phone and couldn't find the American anywhere outside of ebay for extortionate price tags.
But is it a legit US version with Nokia's US warranty support? It'd be pretty much a straight-out lie to claim so if Nokia hasn't officially announced this phone for the US market.
I think we are just too used to carrier subsidies. If no phones were subsidies, ceteris paribus, this would definitely be one of my top choices. Lots of carriers with free N85s here in Britain though, sweet :)
Why can't they make more super sexy phones like the E71?
Depends on your POV. If you're an American used to getting feature-laden phones costing around $100 because of the heavy subsidies and forced monthly plans, then of course you'd think this is too expensive. But there are plenty of places in the world where the "unlocked" phone is the norm, and where $550 for something like this is actually the norm, so there will be plenty of people willing to buy it. In these places, an iPhone 3G 8GB costs somewhere around $700++ (it has to be unlocked, since there are no tethered phones), and an HTC perhaps even more, and even the so-called "disposable" phones cost around $150-$200. Amazon probably is selling to the wrong market, but there are still bound to be people willing to buy.
You're totally right, I mean, the iPhone 3G just came here to Venezuela, and the 8gb version costs exactly 1000$, plus 50$ extra for the line, and also, you have a choice of 3 data plans, the cheapest one being at 45$ monthly, so let's say only for a year, I'll end up paying
1000$+50$+(45$*12) = 1590$ for an iPhone...
So no, this N85 it's not a half bad deal..
Best thing to do now is pick up an unlocked Nokia N95 8gb , i believe it has most of the same specs, just isn't as "designer" as this but, very functional. The N95 takes pictures and amazing video quality!! When i show people my pics and videos they can't believe it came from a cell phone
I have to agree with you. I mean, it's definitely a nice looking phone, but, really, I can't see the major improvement over the N95 other than the case, and I may be alone here, but I like the look of the N95 better.
I'd surely amaze you with the quality of pictures I took with my 8 meg pixels camera that costs $100!
@mumbai_cop
How much was the fanny pack you carry your individual devices in?
The obvious difference is the OLED screen.
the iPhone has SAFARI , MAIL and OSX, which are the best program/applications on ANY mobile device. an iPod and the ever growing APP STORE.
THE MASS PUBLIC HAVE ALREADY DECIDED WITH THIER MONEY.
THE WINNER IS THE IPHONE/IPOD/ITUNES ECO SYSTEM POWERED BY OSX
good luck to the rest, your gona need it
@Hung
did your read that? so have fun with your extra features
Thanks, I'll go buy me a TouchPRO running Windows Mobile 6.1 with Opera, Mail and well, Winsdows Mobile, which are the best program/applications on ANY mobile device. Windows Media Player and the ever growing APP STORE with tens of thousands of choices, with NO RESTRICTIONS.
THE MASS PUBLIC HAVE ALREADY DECIDED WITH THIER MONEY.
THE WINNER IS WINDOWS MOBILE ECO SYSTEM POWERED BY WINDOWS
good luck to the rest, your gona need it
"reality distortion field" .....
...... and you've wrapped yourself in it,.. funny thing about big slow moving dinosaurs, they are the first to die off when things start to change,
good luck m$ your gona need it.
Exactly! Who wants to pay that kind of money for 5 meg camera when I can get a real 10 meg camera for $150!
Apple clearly understood that. iPhone has the real features (and work very well) that what most people want. Other
phone makers claim tons of useless marketing features. Try browsing or use the touch interface on those phones.
It is really no comparison!
Excellent points on the iPhone camera and other features...
Just because you put a V8 in an Chevrolet impala, does not make it any better than a 4-Civic...
But consumers will continue to roll in the Nokia manure...
Ahhh, smell that shite!
@ )ROFL(
I had a HTC touch pro and it was horrible, no dedicated camera button, the screen is terrible to touch and small to browse on. Windows mobile is terrible on that phone , the camera isn't half as good as the nokia N95 or Nokia N85 , i returned that phone and im very happy with my Nokia
So is your name craptacular, give up, or hear that?. Register with one name, reply to yourself supporting yourself using different user names, in my opinion, you have multiple personality disorder. With your fragile state, I recommend you do not watch the Simpsons tonight, it may cause fits and minor head assplosions.
Keep in mind, at&t data plans for the N85 costs $15. Half of the iPhone.
Because ATT already knows the real internet users won't be using this phone to browse. Users will be charged $15
a month for downloading ringtones which is what this data plan is about.
Then why is the data plan for the Nokia E71 (and every other unlocked Nokia out there) $15? I'm fairly certain you can use the E71 (along with the N85) for a *lot* more than just downloading ringtones.
Hey, at least these S60 phones have copy and paste.
BUT EGGO WE HAVE APPS AND STREET CRED YO AND YOU DON'T HAVE A TOUCH SCREEN HOW ANCIENT YOU GONNA DRIVE YOUR MODEL T TO WORK LOLOL
Oh fucking christ, do the fanboys ever stop?
@BluVoodoo
Hardly true. In fact myself as well as many others use the cheaper plan to tether, watch slingboxes, run p2p apps to grab songs on the go (Symella), and yes...even browse the web with *gasp* full flash 9 support (Skyfire). I even use my n95 as a wifi access point to update songs on my Slacker portable when I'm not at home.
As long as you don't abuse the cheaper plan excessively, att probably will never bother you. Or you can pay for a plan that is twice as much so you can have about 1/5 the functionality.
And yes, I'll admit that I'm an s60 fanboy (weird, I know)!
um yeah i thought the articles name was "Nokia N85 pops up at Amazon for $556 unlocked"
Not "Nokia N85- iPhone killer?"
dumbasses
Dear Engadget,
In the future, don't bother posting about cell phones other than the iPhone, because everyone knows that "iphon is best cuz apps" and "i cool for having ifone".
The futility of posting about any other device is quite obvious with the comments on this page. Or maybe just post about them during the daytime when the fanboys are in Algebra II or Phys. Ed.
The iPhone fanboys have spoken, and it's past their bedtime.
hey, hey, dont diss phys ed
btw, there are many, and i mean many, kids at my school, in my grade, that not only do not have an iPhone, but dont want one either
steriotyping bastard
I'm not implying all high schoolers are iPhone fanboys.
Quite the opposite.
I wish our schools had more phys ed. Too many fat people around here.
"Atmospheric?" Are you sure? The last time I checked, most humans breathe "atmosphere." Perhaps you were aiming for something more "stratospheric?"
Touchee
This seems high, but only because it is being compared to subsidized prices. Figure a $5 per month subsidy for a 24 month contract and the price becomes high but reasonable. Any European readers have an idea what this goes for unlocked by you?
Go to ebay get a nokia N95 8gb unlocked for about $300.00 or less, best investment you will ever make
Amazon almost always overstates their shipping estimate at least when I order stuff
God dammit I just bought an E71 on black friday! -_- I had been waiting so patiently and then I cracked because I couldn't find the N85 NAM anywhere.
Ive had a load of windows mobiles, iphone, UIQ's and so for S60 is the OS that allows me to what i want easily and with long battery life. I like the iphone but want a real kboard and the missing features make it impossible to use everyday ie A2DP, restricted HSDPA ect.
I have the E71 and N85 at the mo and love em, 550 great price for unlocked phone, i paid upfront for mine cos i dont like paying through the nose to carriers.
If you want a flashy phone to browse and watch vids, get the iphone. If you want a real digital companion, get something like this.
anything does less than what iphone should cost less than iphone.iphone is the gold standard in my opinion.
Then it makes sense that the N85 is more expensive.
Hell; After seeing the Nokia's Bruce Lee handset, I'm never going back.
Newegg has this phone for less $470 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16875205101&nm_mc=OTC-Froogle&cm_mmc=OTC-Froogle-_-Cell+Phones-_-Nokia-_-75205101
the link is for the N95
Here in the Philippines, the n85 costs 23,800 or $476, open line and 1 year warranty
Seems this is a case of how far over do I need to bend mr Amazon??
Sorry that price is outrageous. Bad luck US peepl - Its a really nice phone but you're being raped again!
.. I MUCH prefer it to my N95 and iPhone.
The person quoting $350 is pretty close to the "world price". $200 for US 3G ability is just silly. Obviously they're not expecting to sell many into the US market.
Is that the "world price" or "price for places that I want to think about"?
There have been plenty of people from around the "world" chirping in with their prices, and they vary wildly, from much cheaper to utterly more expensive than Amazon. Let me chirp in with the "norm" price where I live: US$570. Unless the "world price" you mention is actually attainable at corner shops around the "world", it's irrelevant.
Everything is relative, and nothing is a constant. Generalizing on a world scale like this is taking your own neighborhood and applying it to the world. It just isn't based on reality.
@solmar .. the "world price" is the price which I can obtain the device from "the world" .. the internet is my local shop, its as close as my keyboard.
Amazon should probably stick to books.
If it's the "internet price" then call it the "internet price". The "world price" is not the "internet price", the two are not the same thing (and if you're saying that they're the same... Amazon is on the internet, isn't it?). Most people don't buy all their stuff from the cheapest place they can find on the net, they still buy it from the local shop. So again, you're really mistaking your own limited "world" for the real "world", and the two are very different places. Also, as many people have pointed out, you might or might not be getting the same thing as the "real deal" when you order from the net (different bands, warranties).
If you had said "I can get it from so and so website for so and so price" then you would have had some credibility.
I'm currently on a project in Dubai and just bought this from a local shop for approximately $440. Amazon is a frickin' rip-off.
I would never pay that much to run Symbian.
You're paying a lot more for your "subsidized" phone that's tied to a 2-year contract.
No, I pay full unlocked unsubsidized prices higher than this for an HTC that I can hack, crack and cook until it runs exactly the way I want it to. I pay that much so I can buy third party apps that run like real apps. I pay that much so I don't have adware-droid crapping up my phone.
Ebay - with 40% off the 900/1900 version can be had for $295 shipped.
Don't know which eBay deals you are referring to. There are a lot of Chinese knock-off going for $300-ish. At a glance they look exactly like the real deal. Hard to spot until you actually read the specs.