Nokia N78 arrives loaded with A-GPS and multimedia functionality

Nokia has expanded its Nseries multimedia lineup with the launch of the N78, a Symbian S60 smartphone that has A-GPS satellite navigation technology built in.

The N78 is a candybar phone that can run on high-speed 3G HSDPA networks or over Wi-Fi, providing a platform for delivering a suite of new Nokia services, including Nokia Music Store, Nokia Maps and the Share media sharing service operating under the Ovi umbrella.

The N78 features a 3.2-megapixel camera with high-end Carl Zeiss optics, and a large 2.4-inch display for showing off images and other content. As well as working with the pre-loaded Nokia Maps application for routing and location-based information, the N78's GPS receiver can also automatically 'geotag' photos with precise positioning metadata that can be stored, viewed on maps on the phone or shared with others.

A multi-format music player is built in, and there's a standard 3.5mm headphone jack included for upgrading from the supplied stereo earphones. The N78 also has an FM transmitter built in, so users can play tunes stored on the N78 on a nearby radio or car stereo.

The N78 has up to 70MB of internal storage capacity, and supports MicroSD cards, including 8GB ones, athough it comes with a 2GB card supplied. An FM radio and Nokia's Internet Radio application are also onboard.

The N78 is due for release in the second quarter of 2008, priced at around €350 (£250) before tax and subsidies.