Nokia has a lot to prove with the N8. Not only is it the company's latest flagship device but it's also the new poster boy for its latest iteration of the Symbian platform, Symbian^3.
The chief purpose of Symbian^3, despite what many Nokia fan-boys will say, is to bring the platform inline with what consumers now perceive as an 'operating system' per se.
Specifically, it has to try and get to a level that allows it to compete with both Android and Apple iOS, for Nokia to remain relevant amongst the newly appointed rulers of the smartphone market.
Looks wise the Nokia N8 is a fantastic looking device, with its entire body crafted from Anodized Aluminum. This gives it a solid, robust feel in the hand, which is something of a departure from Nokia's design characteristics of old.
A quick glance at the forthcoming Nokia E7 illustrates that this style is set to be something of a trend with its new high-end smartphones.
Self contained
Fortunately, the aluminum unibody does not bring with it any weight issues, so on comparison the 135g N8 feels no heavier than either an iPhone 4 or BlackBerry Bold 9700 in the hand. Nevertheless it is bulkier than both the aforementioned devices, with its protruding camera lens and ever-so-slightly raised volume, phone lock and camera keys, located along the right-hand side of the device.