Nokia shows off E72 business smartphone

Nokia on Monday unveiled the E72, the successor to its popular E71 business handset.

The updated version of Nokia's QWERTY-keyboarded candybar phone includes an optical navigation key. According to Nokia vice president Ilari Nurmi, the new input method allows for "more intuitive scrolling through menus, e-mails and fast panning of images."

Another enhancement visible on the front of the Series 60 phone is the ability to turn the handset into a flashlight with a single press of the space bar key.

The E72's camera is a 5-megapixel affair, while the E71 only had a 3.2-megapixel camera. The device also appears to have a new speaker at the back of the phone.

Nokia says the E72 uses active noise cancellation to make calls clearer. The handset also has a 3.5mm headphone jack -- unlike its predecessor -- so standard headphones can be used without an adapter.

In terms of its dimensions, the E72 is almost identical to the E71 -- it is the same height and thickness, but is 1mm wider and a gram heavier.

The E72's 3G data connectivity specifications are superior to those of the E71, which has 3.6Mbps HSDPA. The updated handset takes that downlink speed to 10.2Mbps, and also has HSUPA uplink speeds of up to 2Mbps.

A new version of the QuickOffice productivity suite is included, offering compatibility with Microsoft Office 2007 formats. Preinstalled e-mail clients include Mail for Exchange and IBM Lotus Notes Traveller.

The E72 will go on sale at the end of the third quarter for 350 euros before tax and operator subsidies.

David Meyer of ZDNet UK reported from London.

[pedspeds]

This looks sweeeeeeet! This is the perfection of the E71! Too bad my E51 is still fully functional.

[Issaland]

I could say the same! I have also E51. It's very samll that fits almost any pocket and it's made from steel, but I really don't like this small screen, small buttons and week battery. I will be watching this E72 phone, because it has everything I need. I just wondering what is the sound quality and earspeakers?

[Synthmeister]

Nokia still has WAY too many models. If do a search on cnet, there are over 200(!) Nokia cell phones. They better learn some lessons from GM very quickly. Once you get beyond 3 or 4 basic choices it will not translate into more sales or better consumer satisfaction. It simply creates a nightmare of technical, software, logistical and supply chain support issues.

[pedrosantosjr]

You're probably better off sticking to the iPhone, if you don't like choices.

[Vanvegas]

Learn from GM? lol GM wishes they had 38% marketshare like Nokia does.

Can't wait for this phone!

[pedrosantosjr]

I wish Nokia would try to make friends with US carriers. Phones like these could quickly become popular if subsidized by a carrier. What is Nokia thinking? The US is missing out on great phones like the E72.

[AICAP Group]

I just recently purchased the E71 in Italy. It is, a little bit to my surprise, a really great mobile phone. It comes pre-installed with really everything you need, including a skyp client for free wifi calls. Nokia has an online store and free synch service for these new phones (ovi.com), first free service I have seen that backs up the contacts...only thing I have purchased extra for it is an answering machine. Supports push from the mac, bluetooth keyboards. It has stainless steel back and facing, feels solid. I am very happy with it...unlocked for ?275. Should have known a better one would be a few weeks later..isn't that the way it is? It ain't no iPhone, which is one of my favorite things about it.

[softwarepro]

E71 is available at AT&T for $99 and Best Buy as well. I am very happy with it's performance. E71 is enough unless it is easy to upgrade with AT&T given E72 will available in near future. It is amazing that Nokia and US companies are not carrying many hot hot Nokia phones. Just don't understand why... nokia has great phones which can make them number 1 in market (still they are in Asia)

[UnzipMyGENEs]

The E71 is NOT available at AT&T for $99. AT&T offers the E71x, which has AT&T's bloatware. The E71x calls for a $30/mo. data plan while the unlocked E71 can run with the less expensive $15/mo MediaNet data plan. Also, the software (FP1 v. FP2) on the two phones are different and compatibility with things such as the Ovi Store vary. The E71 has been on the market for about a year and AT&T has finally gotten its shackles on the phone so we'll have to see how long it is before they will try to lock up the E72

[gbelk08]

It looks like a great phone, but I wish manufacturers would start adding internal memory. I want an all-in-one device and I refuse to fool around with micro-SDHC cards (too slow and another thing to buy). It's starting to become a standard, but only for touch screen phones. When will business phones like Nokia's E series and Blackberries (correct pluralization for the proper noun?) and Motorola Blackjacks. All great phones, but all deal-breakers since they have no memory.

[jlt0x]

It's just crazy! Just as Palm tries to distance itself from the very candybar smartphone style, more and more phone makers are making lighter, thinner versions of that same configuration. LG has a flip-style smartphone....where's Palm's? I like the Pre, but Palm has got to compete with every smartphone style to really be a successful competitor.

With that said, I like the Nokia E72. It's pretty slick. Everything I wanted my Treo to be and more.

[mikig2]

And I guess the processor is upgraded to a 600MHz from 369MHz found in the e71.

[pedrosantosjr]

The E72 will support charging via microUSB, I hope this Nokia trend continues. I hope they improve on the camera, since they made the effort to bump it up to 5megapixels (and in the process made the hardware more expensive). All E-Series cameras have been crap so far. This phone appeals to me more than the flagship N97.

[giodelgado]

This is a real improvement on one of their best handsets, this handset got me more excited than the N97. Eseries have never let down, crossing fingers for the same CPU as the E55 or better.

[Issaland]

It is an improvement, but still I thing the screen might be a little bigger. To much free space on the top and the bottom of this phone.

check http://www.websetgo.in/ to stay up to date on E-series mobiles including the latest ones like E72, E52, E55...