After last-minute leaks, Nokia this morning launched a replacement for its most popular business phone. The E72 has the familiar slim profile of the E71 (reviewed here) but a major overhaul of the interface: the directional pad has been replaced with an optical trackpad that allows more computer-like control without needing a touchscreen. It combines with a much improved e-mail client from the E75 and completely new top-level IM support at the home screen.

Inside, the E72 is a refinement with a significantly upgraded 5-megapixel camera (up from 3.2), a native 3.5mm headphone jack, faster 3G speeds of up to 10.2Mbps downstream and 2Mbps upstream, GPS that adds compass support and active noise cancellation. A new version of the preloaded document viewer now supports Office 2007's formats out of the box.

Nokia ships the phone sometime during the summer for 350 Euros ($489) before factoring in carrier discounts. It supports 850MHz HSPA and therefore should reach North America with support for either AT&T or Rogers.