Nokia N85 mobile phone

Nokia’s N85 is a compact phone that’s the spiritual successor to the very popular N95.

It weighs a little more than the older phone, but it’s smaller – about the size of an N95 without the slider, though it does have one that, like the older model, works in two directions – push up to reach the keypad, or down for the gaming and media playback buttons.

Most of the buttons are simply glowing labels on the surface, which fade out and disappear after a few seconds, leaving the front looking very sleek indeed. And the looks extend to the screen too, which uses a new technology called Organic LED (OLED). Not only does it produce much more natural, richer looking colours, but it doesn’t need a backlight, which means that the N85 runs for longer – a couple of days between charges, which is an improvement on the N95.

The software is the latest version of Nokia’s Symbian S60 operating system, so there’s a web browser, and email, plus music and film playback – you can even connect a TV to the N85 with the supplied cable – and office tools such as a calendar, and a viewer for Word and Excel files too, which is handy for reading email attachments. If you want to make video calls, there’s a front camera, as well as the five-megapixel one on the back of the phone, though we found that needed good light for best results, even with the built-in flash.

As well as the built-in satellite navigation using the supplied Nokia Maps, it can also be used gaming, with a licence for one free game included, and ten trials. Other neat options include an internet radio player – though it’s best to use that with the built-in wireless network connection, or you risk running up a large bill. There’s Bluetooth and, unusually, as well as an FM radio receiver there’s an FM transmitter so you can play music from the N85 and tune your car radio in to listen.

If you need space for more photos, there’s a [memory card] slot – an 8GB card comes in the box – and you can connect to the PC via a Micro-USB socket, which is also used to charge the phone, though that means existing Nokia chargers are no good for the N85.

There are some niggles – in particular, the web browser wasn’t as good as some of the competition. But we found the N85 a joy to use, with decent battery life and a really good screen, coupled with Nokia’s familiar software, and a huge range of other programs you can install if you want.

The larger N96 may be the top of the range, but for our money, the N85 is a much better phone, and probably Nokia’s best N-series handset yet.