This is an updated review; I originally wrote it before this phone was commercially available in the USA. After having tried one out in a store in Singapore, I had decided to keep my N95 8GB and wait for the N97 instead. First, I was unimpressed with the keypad design, as the flat surface gives you very little guidance to help you hit the right keys. Plus, both the N85 nor the N96 are merely incremental upgrades, neither one offering the type of groundbreaking advances that the N95 did two years ago.Well, being a compulsive gadget geek, I succumbed in a weak moment. As the price started dropping (and it has been dropping fast, and continues to do so!) I latched on. The couple of factors that did it for me was the bright, crisp screen (and it is gorgeous!) and its smaller, more pocket-friendly size compared to the N95. Also, I liked the new features that it offered: Tri-band UMTS ("worldwide" 3G), FM transmitter, a UI upgrade with "transition effects".
I was soon taken in with the N85. Not only does it have a much sleeker and modern-looking design than the N95 (especially the N95-3 now looks klunky by comparison), but there are dozens and dozens of little details that have been tweaked in the user interface, making for an overall more pleasant experience.
One thing that came up for me, as apparently for many others, is the issue of build quality. After having used the N85 for less than two weeks, a lot of dust had gathered underneath the display it turns out it is not sealed properly onto the base. I returned it to Amazon for a replacement initially I actually ordered a N96 because of this issue. It turns out that there were other problems with the N96 (particularly related to its slow performance and low available run-time memory), so I returned that too in favor of my second N85. This time I was luckier, and I can now say that I have never been as happy with any other phone.
My original review follows, including some reasons I had planned to forgo it; I have marked updates as appropriate.
Both the N85 and N96 incorporate nearly every feature of the N95: GPS w/optional voice navigation, 5 MP camera with LED flash (though these newer models use two LEDs for brighter indoor pictures) and built-in geotagging, support for up to 32GB of µSDHC removable memory (currently 16GB are largest available), standard 3.5mm headphone/headset connector which doubles as a TV-out port, comprehensive bluetooth suppport, and last but not least Symbian S60 (by far the most popular smartphone operating system in the world, far ahead of Windows Mobile, Blackberry OS, iPhone, etc with a corresponding wealth of available applications). See my review of the N95 8GB for some more details. Also, both the N95, N85 and N96 are issued in a "standard" version for international markets, and a "NAM" version for enhanced support of North American 3G networks.
The N85 and N96 differ from each other as follows:
UPDATE: I have added the older N95 8GB into the mix for comparison's sake.
* The N85 has a 2.6" OLED screen, whereas the N95 8GB and N96 has a 2.8" standard LCD screen. OLED offers brigher colors, especially in sunlight, and lower power consumption (longer battery life). That's because the pixels themselves illuminate, rather than relying on a backlight to do this.
* Both the N85 and N96 are running S60 release 3 "Feature Pack 2", which means that they support "transition effects" for an overall smoother UI and interactive experience. In particular, the N85 seems overall more "modern" than the older N95. (ADDED 3/19/09)
* In addition to quad-band GSM/2G (850/1900 MHz for North America, 900/1800 MHz for the world outside), the N85 also has a tri-band UMTS radio. The North American version supports the 850/1900 MHz UMTS bands (for e.g. AT&T), plus 2100 MHz for roaming internationally, while the N85 8GB NAM and N96 NAM only supports 850/1900 MHz. (Conversely, the international versions of the N85 and N95/N96 support 900/1900/2100 MHz and simply 900/2100 MHz, respectively). In short, it means that if you take your N85 with you abroad, you should still be able to get faster 3G coverage in most places where available, something which is not true for either the N95 or the N96. (Plus, among the North American models, the N85 is the only one that also will work in Japan, since there is no 2G/GSM network available there, only 3G/UMTS over 2100 MHz).
* The N85 has a built-in FM transmitter, for streaming voice calls and music e.g. to your car stereo. This is particularly useful if your car is not equipped with bluetooth (incl. A2DP) technology.
* The N96 has a built-in TV tuner, supporting DVB-H (Digital Video Broadcasting for Handhelds). However this feature is not enabled in the North American version, because such broacasts are not available here. AT&T, like other North American carriers, have instead chosen to use MediaFLO for digital video broadcasts.
* The N96 has 16GB of built-in mass storage, in addition to a µSDHC slot. Thus, in theory, it is able to store up to 48GB of data with the addition of a 32GB µSDHC card. The N95 8GB is limited to the same 8GB of memory for its lifetime, while the N85 has a µSDHC slot (I currently use a 16GB card in it).
* The N85's processor contains a 369 MHz ARM11 core, while the N96 has a dual 264 MHz ARM9. It is difficult to say which one performs better, but both use Symbian S60 version 3 feature pack 2, which offers significant improvements in interactive feel over the N95 (which contained a 333 MHz ARM11 core). That said, none of these have the graphics coprocessor that the N95 did, so applications (mainly games) that are optimized for this, will run much faster on the older N95. The N95 also wins hands down in JBenchmark trials.
UPDATE 3/18/09: Now having owned/tried all three, I can say that overall, the N85 is the snappiest one of the bunch. The N96, in contrast, is quite underperforming; it even has problems streaming audio to my Pioneer car stereo over Bluetooth A2DP without hickups every 11-12 seconds. As for interactive use, both the N85 and N96 feel a little bit quicker than the older N95.
* Some people have complained about cheap, plasticky build quality on the N85 (see e.g. HowardForums); in particular, the keypad is seemingly somewhat flimsy and simply glued onto the phone. People who have tried both generally seem to prefer the N96 on this account.
UPDATE 2/8/09: With a few day's use of the N85 under my belt, I'd say it is no worse than the N95. The keys are flat and with less tactile feedback, so it may be a little bit more difficult to text with one hand; however it's no worse than, say, the Motorola RAZR or some Samsung phones.
UPDATE 2/19/09: As described above, mine had a problem with the display peeling off the base, and dust gathering underneth.
UPDATE 3/19/09: My replacement N85 has been stellar.
* The N85 is smaller (mainly due to the smaller screen) and will fit easier into your pocket. UPDATE: Both the N85 and N96 are slimmer than the N95.
* Both the N85 and N96 use the micro-USB standard (a slightly wider and flatter connector than mini-USB as seen on the N95) for data, and both can be charged through this port as well. In addition, the N96 has a separate Nokia charging connector. Now, here is the single reason I will not be replacing my N95 with a N85: This connector is at the top of the phone! To me, this is stupid (and the only reason I subtracted a star from my rating), because it precludes the ability for third party manufacturers of docks and cradles to create one that you simply dock your N85 into for syncing/charging. This is especially important in your car, if you plan on using the GPS navigation feature of this phone (keep in mind that when the GPS reciever is turned on, the batteries are drained pretty fast). With my N95 8GB, i simply got a Brodit/ProClip device holder, along with a corresponding vehicle mount from PanaVise, and voila I have a very nice little GPS device/music player/etc readily available; the N85 is definitely a bit more cumbersome in this regard. UPDATE: Obviously I caved in and got the N85 anyway. now has a cradle for the N85 but as I said, it does require that you manually plug the charging connector into the phone.
* As always, beware of rather dismal repair/warranty service from Nokia USA (c/o PALCO). You buy it, you own it. You should be able to do most repairs yourself, though, with parts from e.g. cnn.cn once available for this device. UPDATE: Various customer accounts both here and on[..] indicate that PALCO have gotten significantly better lately.
All this said, the bottom line is that there is simply no match for these phones when it comes to their sheer capabilities and the amount of features found on them. Sure there are phones out there with more emphasis on ease of use and eye candy (e.g. iPhone), and sure there are ones with their own unique features/gimmicks (e.g. the Google Applications in the new T-Mobile G1) but Nokia S60 smartphones are widely regarded as pure workhorses with the best overall feature sets.
The N85 pushes the limits a little further, and is perhaps the phone with the most capabilities on the market today. But if you are concerned about a solid build, you might want to consider the N95 8GB or N96 instead. Or, wait for the newly announced N86 8MP, where apparently a lot more attention has been paid to build quality.
I have a house in Boston and Vermont. The house in VT is in the mountains and the n85 is the first cell phone that my wife and I have ever used that worked at the house....3 bars. Moto razor, 2 Blackberrys, Sony Ericcson 810i, the iPhone and Samsung Eternity...none had reception...the n85 is a standout in that department. Also love that the n85 is a slider and a fantastic 5MP camera w/flash. The browser is pretty quick, screen flips from vertical to horizontal smoothly and there is a 3.5mm jack for std headphones. Previously had tried the Nokia n78....loved the phone but found it a tad long (like the form factor on the n85 better) and really did not like the n78 keyboard (needed to type using my nails). I like the form of the n85 much more than the n78/n82n95/n96. Do feel that if you do alot of texting, the n85 might not be for you, you may be happier with a full keyboard. One problem I have is that the phone is so striking looking that when I use it (especially as a camera) people want to check it out.....a striking nice piece of equipment.
Overall, if you care most about phone reception and quality of calls...buy a Nokia....the n78 was amazing...I had one a few years ago (3000 series), also amazing....does not have to be something as expersive as an n series phone. Nokia makes the best phones in the world....may not make the best gadgets (the iPhone definitely has the wow factor)....but their ability to make a phone is amazing
Pros:
Amazing reception, don't have to worry about losing/dropping calls like with other brands (particularly an issue if reception is not strong)
Solid product, feels high quality and great form factor
Great camera! Love that it has a slider lens cover that activates camera when opened
FM radio, FM transmitter (use it more than I thought I would)
Wifi and bluetooth (very easy to make connections)
Unlocked 3G (use ATT)
GPS (tried the n78 GPS, assume the n85 is the same)
3.5mm headphone jack, great quality loudspeaker (for receiving calls)
Fast browser
Love the 2 direction slider (keyboard, mp3 controls)
Brilliant display
Cons:
Keyboard not ideal if texting frequently
Price may not be what some are willing to payGot the Nokia N85 sight unseen from amazon as an X-Mas present to myself. I have had it for 2 weeks and the battery life is great. Reception and call quality are excellent. AM-OLED screen is terrific. The phone came with 8gb microSDHC pre-installed which was a nice surprise because this was not apparent from the Amazon descriptions. Pictures are good for a cell phone digicam. I used the GPS once and it locked down the Sats plenty fast from a cold start but I haven't tried turn by turn directions yet. MP3 player outputs nice and loud by selecting headsets option when plugging in my AUX jack for my car stereo.
So far am very happy with the phones swiss army knife options lists and performance except that (and I am not sure how the other amazon reviewers missed this)the N85's plastic housing is very cheap and flimsy. The battery compartment lid is loose and rattles like a cheap dollar store toy made in dime store factory. The plastic finish also scratches very easily. I am very afraid of dropping this phone and so immediately ran out to get a good snug case and belt clip for it. My last phone was an all metal Motorola SLVR L7 which was built like a Sherman Tank though options wise and call quality cannot compare to the N85 but in contrast the N85 falls way short of the outstanding build, materials and finish of my old SLVR L7.
Lessons learned is that this is the last time I will buy an expensive unsubsidized phone without seeing it in real life first. Had I done that I would of passed on the N85. My advise to Nokia is to go back to tight fitting aluminum or any other high quality metal casing builds and keep plastics for the $200 and under phone lines or I will not be a repeat customer for their $400 and over smart phones ever again.
Btw, Amazon was great with their overnight shipping and I had the N85 in my hands the day I had to fly out of country just before the holidays. Amazon did not dissappoint me but Nokia kinda did.I've owned several Nokia phones over the years: 2190, 6190, 8890, 6310i, 6230, 6133. These were all "dumb" phones, although I think they were all quite capable for their times, especially the last one. This time around, I decided to go with a Nokia smartphone and picked the N85 because of its amazing array of features, compact dimensions, and a very reasonable price after rebate.
Being a novice S60 user, I won't write a lot about it. It is obviously a very mature and powerful software platform that's also easy to use. Sure, there are a few quirks, and a couple of things seem like they are done a little better in Series 40, but, generally, this thing is a joy to use from the software perspective. Like the other current Nseries devices, this one is a true multimedia powerhouse. Unfortunately, I am disappointed in the hardware.
The biggest disappointment is the OLED display. I don't understand why everyone raves about it. The problem is that it is incapable of producing any shade of grey, which is immediately obvious when the default Nseries theme with abstract grey figures in the background is selected. The grays look brown. Even with the brightness set to the maximum level, the grays still have a hint of brown in them, and with the brightness control set in the middle, everything has a brownish tint. I also don't really like the material that the phone is made of. It looks better on pictures than in your hand. I prefer matte plastics that don't show dirt and fingerprints so much.
The next problem is the center button and the Navi wheel. They are loose and imprecise. The center button makes a rather loud clicking sound. The Navi wheel is too narrow, and the center button is too close to it, so I constantly hit the down scroll button and the center button simultaneously, which produces an even louder clicking sound. Luckily, hitting both the buttons still yields the desired result, but these controls can prove tricky even for small fingers. The touch-sensitive Navi wheel is a gimmick that works sometimes; it's easier to just use the scroll buttons. The other buttons on the front of the phone are a little harder to press than I would like and also make loud clicks. I see that Nokia may have addressed this issue in the N86, which appears to have separate buttons, whereas the soft left menu, soft right menu, main menu, and clear buttons on the N85 are all a single piece of plastic. The dial pad is good though.
The camera in this phone also fails to impress me. Don't expect it to replace your regular point-and-shooter. It is nice to have a 5-megapixel camera on you all the time, just in case, but you'll still want to bring your main camera on trips and to events. Same issue with the built-in stereo speakers: I've never seen or heard a Nokia with decent speakers. Sony Ericsson phones sound a lot better.
The phone is a little heavy and nearly impossible to use with the slide closed, because the buttons are so close to the bottom edge, but it is alright with the slide open. The spring-loaded slide mechanism works quite well, but opening the multimedia side is not as easy as opening the dial pad side; I feel like I'm going to drop the phone whenever I try to get to the multimedia keys. The battery cover is a little loose, but it's not really a problem. The good news is that it's easy to remove and put back, if you have to replace batteries and/or SIM cards often.
So, what can I say in conclusion? In my mind, the versatility of the S60 3rd Edition FP2 and the vast world of available applications definitely make up for the problems with the N85's hardware. I'm sure I'll get used to it. Had it been more expensive, I would've seriously considered returning it and looking at other options, but I think it's worth the $300 that I paid for it (after rebate), and I'm happy with it in the end.
UPDATE AFTER HAVING HAD THE PHONE FOR 2 MONTHS:
I'd like to add that my opinion has not changed after I've had the phone for 2 months. As I expected, I got used to the phone and its shortcomings, which are easy to overlook. I was a bit skeptical when I first heard Nokia label their Nseries devices "multimedia computers", but I have to say they were right to do so: this phone really deserves the title. The software is just a little buggy, but Nokia has already released a major firmware update for the European N85 variant, so they will provide one for the North American model very soon. If you're still undecided, I highly recommend this phone. It's the best value right now.So I currently have an N75. I had a 6230 before that. I went from a candybar 6230 to a flip N75 and then to this slider N85.
I did a TON of research on which phone to get. I've read practically every N85 review available thru google and then some. 3G was a must along with a good camera.
I looked at the N79, N78, N82, N95 and the N95 8GB.
I ruled out the N79 and N82 because they didn't have 3G (I have at&t).
The N78 was good because it brings me back to the candybar style (I'm not sure about the durability of sliders) but the camera didn't have a cover and it was only 3.2MP. Plus, most reviews said the software was buggy and for practically the same price you can get this N85 and get more features. The clear button being on the bottom was a deal breaker, also.
So I went to a Nokia store and was stunned by the N95 8GB screen. The thing just looked massive. I considered a regular black or red N95 but its screen was recessed and I didn't like that (hard to keep clean). And the thing just looked THICK. Plus, it didn't have a dual LED flash and no lens cover or FM transmitter.
I narrowed it down to either the N95 8GB or this phone.
I finally decided the OLED was better than LCD (for battery life and viewability). And the navigation key was larger and has the added bonus of having a navi wheel. The n85 also had a lens cover and dual LED. Plus Euro 3G compatibility on top of the US3G. Plus Symbian OS 3rd w/ feature pack 2.
So I was sold and I've been trying to play with the phone the past week...
Build Quality..
Somebody said it was made in China so it must suck. Well, my N75 was made in Finland and that thing was horrible. It fell apart after a few months (hinge problem). So for this phone I read both ways.. some said it was solid, some said it was flimsy. I've held all phones in my hand and this one feels pretty solid. The slide doesn't wobble when opened or closed. The plastic does not feel cheap at all. It doesn't attract thumb prints or grease like the N75 did. Or maybe you can't see it as much since it's all black.
MP3 player..
It came per loaded with an 8GB card with some music and accompanying album art:
Blind Sorrow Pritchard, Banks, Coons, Dilk
Bring the House Down Ben Wheeler
Hot Nights Ian Clarke, Simon Painter
Love Forever Vanessa Condev
See Me Alive The Winyls
Waste Robert J. Walsh, Rober Grad
Whenever You Say Love Me Day Eleven
Won't Let Go Negative
You Got the Message Leigh Gracie
Navi wheel works great while browsing your songs (feels just like an ipod scroll:)
Software..
Everytime you get on a menu and you stop for a second.. you would have to tap the buttons twice. Once to wake it up then another to actually select it. Kinda annoying but I got used to it.
Games Included w/ Free trial:
Block Breaker I've played it before and didn't like it. Deleted.
Space Impact Kappa Basekinda like Galaga shooter w/ excellent graphics
Tetris no change from a typical tetris game
Snakes Subsonic horrible. Confusing and graphics suck.
Asphalt 3 Street Rules nice graphics but short run for trial
Fifa08 once you picked a view (landscape or portrait) you can't change it. I picked landscape thinking it was the sideways option but it ended up being a portrait.. so i can't use the side buttons.
World series of Poker nice game
Brain Challenge pick the answer by moving the selector up,dwn,lft, right
Bounce long install (5+mins) and long load times fire it up.
Sims2 Pets -
Creatures of the Deep -
Midnight Pool -
Reset Generation
I haven't played the last four games so I have no comment on those. The Ngage app is pretty useful for a few minutes or so to waste time but certainly not a psp or ds replacement. The side buttons are just too small. It will make your hand cramp.
Now here's why i love this phone:
Joikuspot Light -
This app turns your 3G phone connection into a wifi hotspot. I use an ipod touch w/ version 2 software to connect to the internet. If I use the open option it keeps dropping the connection while you're on idle. The WEP Shared did the same thing as well. The WEP Open works great and keeps the connection until you disconnect. The only limitation I found was that it didn't connect to any secured sites. IE the bank of america app on the ipod touch wouldn't connect. 3-4 hours of use with a fully charged battery.
Internet radio -
Inculdes FM radio broadcasts from your area. Some AM radio, too. Not as good as pandora (no album art or music background literature) but good enough. Plenty of ad free music and it can be broadcast thru your car radio with the FM transmitter! Full charge battery lasted about 3 hours with just using this app non-stop.
Google Maps -
I read somewhere that 3rd party apps couldn't access the GPS but that's not true. Google maps acquired your position within SECONDS. Or sometime a couple of minutes. It does drain the battery, though.
Nokia Maps -
Turn-by-turn voice navigation is free for three months. I tried it out and works fine. Had to restart that phone because it couldn't get a GPS signal for 30mins. There's no tone to let you know when to actually turn it just comes on and says.. 'NOW TURN RIGHT 200 YDS THEN LEFT IN 2.1 MILES' I think it's a great backup GPS but not a replacement. I say that because I can't keep it on the dash and I don't have car charger. It drained from a full charge to halfway within 45mins.
Download!
An app/link that shows you all the available software that can be downloaded over the phone. Most are free trials and most are useful. I have the Accuweather Bug (Forecaweather is nice but you have to pay for it!). Fring is an all in one IM (yahoo, gtalk, aim, etc) and it's free. It also lets you make VOIP calls thru wifi but I haven't tried it.
Overall, the feature pack 2 is definitely an improvement over the N75. It's hard to explain but some little things that irked me about the N75 have been substantially fixed or changed this time around.
The front panel green button (call) and red button (disconnect) are actually separate buttons which is good. I couldn't see that from the pictures.
FM transmitter -
I thought I could broadcast my phone call through the radio but that doesn't work. What works is having the Internet Radio/ Podcast/ MP3 player on + the AGPS voice guided Nokia maps. You have commercial free radio/Music that fades out when the voice nav comes on, and fades back in when it's done giving directions. Awesome.
Battery Life -
2.5hrs with Internet radio
3.5hrs with just Joikuspot Light
Internet on/off, light texting, a few calls 6-8hrs
OLED -
Reminds of that time I took the cover off the 6230 and saw the LCD screen 'naked' and thought 'Wow, this is really clear.' Direct sunlight does make the screen unviewable. But indoors/ inside a car, it's an excellent screen.
Keypad -
Obviously smaller than the N75 but practically the same size as the 6230 so I have no complaints. It does get some getting used to txting/typing on a flat keypad but I got used to it after a couple of days.
What I didn't like about the phone:
-USB charging port ONLY. Although it did come w/ a USB wall charger, there will no more going to a friend's house and borrowing their Nokia charger.
-Front keys are little hard to press. Compared to the N82 navigation button it's definitely more difficult to press. The N82 felt like butter this one not so much.
-The naviwheel is not perfect. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
-FM transmitter was a little weak. Anything farther than an arms length and it fazed out.
-Music store is not avail yet for the US.
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