Nokia N900 Hands On Preview [Video & Photo & Text]

Hello dear Maemo Freaks or maybe you, first time visitor. In that case, I whole heartedly welcome you to the definitive Maemo blog and to our very first coverage of the upcoming Nokia N900, that is already viewed by many as the next big step in mobile phone (r)evolution.

During my visit at the Symbian Exchange & Exposition event that was held a few days ago in London, I was able to snatch this highly anticipated device for a closer inspection under my camera.

Perhaps there's some hidden plot I'm yet to fully uncover, but I’ve noticed a surprisingly large number of people thoughtfully typing with N900’s like there was no tomorrow, and my geeks heart almost couldn't bear to watch. A quick glance at their badges with 'Nokia' written bellow their names only confirmed my suspicions and raised a new, crushing wave of envy.

However it was until the moment I've found a helpful person at the noticeably crowded Nokia roundtables booth for a quick tour of the N900, despite the fact that this year's event was entirely focused on Symbian Foundation (expect more coverage on this soon).

Hype, hype never changes, especially in the environment such as the internet. It's a serious marketing tool in the hands of those who know how to use it properly. So it was more than appropriate that I armed myself with the sort of skepticism that would help me keep a clearer look at the new gadget, but in the end, it's up to the readers to decide whether my attempts bore fruits or maybe not.

But here's the newsflash for those who are in doubt: the N900 fully delivers on what was promised in the numerous youtube clips. The device looks just as solid and real, and the somewhat bulky size and respectable weight quickly diminishes in the mind when you see what the N900 truly is: a mobile computer worthy it’s title.

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While it's still feels bit too plasticy that you might expect from an Nseries device (there are, of course, improvements in that field lately), and the front cover was literary sinking in dirty fingerprints, I've found the keyboard extremely usable and tactile friendly. And as shown in the video, the kickstand on the back has a much deeper impact on how the phone is being used, as the majority of operations are carried out in landscape position.

Wrapping up my impressions, I have to admit my level of excitement hasn’t gone down a bit. My biggest concern remains the battery life of the N900, and something tells me I shouldn't be too optimistic about. Nevertheless, I'll surely keep on waiting eagerly for the assumed late November release to give the Nokia mobile computer another go.

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