Nokia Releases First Major MeeGo Phone: 3.9" N9

Is it a shame that Nokia dumped MeeGo for Windows Phone 7? Only time will tell if the most significant mobile decision in this decade will pay off for both Nokia and Microsoft, but today we're getting a good look at what Nokia gave up in order to get it: MeeGo. This Linux-based OS was first crafted as a mix-up between Intel's Moblin and Nokia's Maemo, and now it's totally under Nokia's roof. But not for long. It's a bit weird, this phone. The N9 is undoubtedly gorgeous. It has a 3.9" AMOLED panel, no front buttons, and ships in three color choices. And MeeGo 1.2, the operating system onboard, looks just beautiful from top to bottom. But it's already a lame duck.


Nokia's not going to be supporting MeeGo for long. The only reason the N9 is being introduced today is because it was simply too far along in the pipeline to outright kill. And also, it's beautiful. The grid of icons will be immediately familiar with Android and iOS users, and the 116.45- x 61.2- x 7.6-12.1mm frame will make just about anyone do a double take. Other features include a microSIM slot, GPS, 3.5mm AV adapter, a proximity sensor, Wi-Fi, ambient light sensor, compass, an NFC chip, quad-band GSM and penta-band WCDMA radios and an 8MP camera sensor.



Nokia's not giving out any sort of pricing or release details yet, but we suspect it won't be cheap. And with an outfit like that, why should we expect it to be?
Tags:  Nokia, smartphone, meego