A niche player

As far as smartphones go, the N900 is quite a bulky package, with a 3.5-inch screen which weighs in at 181g. Forget about using your fingers on the screen though, it's woefully unresponsive; the only way to go is to slide out the stylus that comes with it.

What the phone can do

While everyday users will probably only utilise about 40 per cent of what the phone can do, the 40 per cent that is used however, makes for a very en­joyable experience.

For once, this reviewer did not have to jump through multiple hoops and a bridge to use Skype on a mobile device. Just input your username and login and your contacts are automati­cally loaded and consolidated within your phonebook. Want to make a VoIP call with SkypeOut? Not a problem, the N900 will even display your remaining Skype credit onscreen.

Contact lists from multiple sources (such as GTalk, Skype, MSN or SIM card) are handily compiled within the phonebook and you are given the op­tion of choosing which platform you want to contact a person on.

Niche phone with an impec­cable open source pedigree

Yet as a niche phone with an impec­cable open source pedigree, it signals a direction that bodes very well for Nokia, which has been languishing in the smartphone arena.