Nokia N95 8GB for N. America Getting Closer to Release

Early this month, Nokia committed to introducing a version of its N95 8GB with support for the 3G wireless networks used in N. America, but so far hasn't been very specific about when this will happen, beyond promising a Q1 release.

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This smartphone has just moved a step closer to being on store shelves by getting approval from the Federal Communications Commission.

There's already a version of the Nokia N95 with 8 GB of internal storage available in the U.S., and there's also one that offers the cellular-wireless frequencies used in N. America, but  there isn't one that has both these features. It's this device that that the FCC has just approved.

An Overview of the Nokia N95

The N95 has Carl Zeiss optics on its 5 megapixel camera, allowing users to capture print quality photos and DVD-like quality video clips. 

These can either be played on its 2.8-inch QVGA display or on a compatible television thanks to the device's TV-out feature and support for Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) technology.

This Symbian smartphone's two-way slider concept makes it easy to switch between different modes. A numeric keypad slides out from one end of the device while dedicated media keys can slide out from the opposite direction, converting the display into full-screen landscape mode for playing movies.

The N95 is a GSM/GPRS phone with support for EDGE, as well as 3G networks. Support for additional frequencies in the upcoming version will allow U.S. users to connect to  networks using the 3G standards UMTS and HSDPA.

It also has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

A GPS receiver and built-in stereo speakers round out this model.

In order to make room for the additional 8 GB of storage, this version of the N95 doesn't have a memory card slot.

More information on this Symbian smartphone can be found on Nokia's web site.

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