Nokia makes N96 official for US

Nokia has started its week with the official launch of the N96 in the US. The black handset is the company's range-topping media phone and comes with both dedicated media controls on its two-way slider as well as 16GB of built-in storage and a microSDHC card slot to boost its storage further. It lacks support for the DVB-H TV tuner from Europe but continues to carry a five-megapixel camera with flash, true GPS, Wi-Fi and dual-band HSPA-based 3G that supplies faster mobile Internet access when on AT&T.

Continuing with Nokia's philosophy of introducing its highest-end smartphones independent of any one carrier, the Americanized N96 sells only as an unlocked model that works with any GSM provider at an unsubsidized $895 price. The phone should be in shops today that include both Nokia's online store and its locations in Chicago and New York. Certain third-party retailers such as Best Buy are also carrying the phone.