At first glance, the Nokia N72 looks like a restyled Nokia N70 - in indeed it is a very closely related handset, but with one important difference. The Nokia N72 is the only Nseries phone (so far) that isn’t a 3G device - it is instead aimed at markets with GSM 900/1800/1900 and EDGE data networks.

Physically the N72 is exactly the same size as the N70 at 109×53x22mm and it’s just 2 grams lighter at 124 grams. The screen is the same 176×220 pixel display found in the N70, but the N72 doesn’t have a video calling camera, although the keypad layout does seem much less cramped that the N70. On the back of the N72 is a 2 megapixel digital camera protected by a sliding mechanism, and the N72’s memory can be expanded using RS-MMC cards (a 128Mb card is included as standard, compared to just 64Mb on the N70). The Nokia N72 has an FM radio too, in addition to a multimedia player.

Talktime and standby time are virtually identical, which is odd because you’d expect a 2.5G handset such as this to drain less power than a 3G device, but Nokia quote the talktime as just 3.5 hours with 10 days standby time.

Rather than just being an EDGE version of the N70, the N72 has some enhanced multimedia software and it comes in two restyled packages - a pink “girlie” handset and a black one for the boys.

The N70 is a well regarded phone with only two major shortcomings - the cramped keyboard and the screen resolution. Although the N72 goes some way to resolving the keyboard issue, the display is still only 176×220 pixels when other Nseries phones seem to be standardising on 240×320 pixels. Nokia are on pretty safe ground here though - the N70 is a very popular phone and with good reason.

The N72 is expected to be available in some markets in June 2006. It’s not clear if the N72 will be sold alongside the N70 (to a limited extend the Nokia 6680 and 6682 3G and GSM handsets were sold in the same markets), but Nokia seem to be targetting Eastern Europe and Asia with the N72 rather than Western European markets or North America.

Technorati Tags: Nokia, N72, Specifications, Reviews

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