With its brand new operating system, and a host of innovative features, the Nokia N8 has proved a tricky device to review. We've looked at the camera, the software, the hardware, but if you want an overall idea of what this device is like to own and use, then read on after the jump...

In our original Nokia N8 review, we were particularly impressed with the N8's build quality:

“As soon as you take the Nokia N8 out of the box, it’s obvious that Nokia has got the design and quality spot on. The Nokia N8 looks better in some colours than others – we particularly like the dark grey hue of our review sample, for instance, as the plastic end plates and screen surround are a similar shade to the aluminium casing itself.”

Build quality continued to impress, leading us to state:

“The anodised aluminium casing is tough – there’s no sign of flexing at all under pressure, and it also resists scuffs and scratches remarkably well. With lazer cut detailing, the Nokia N8 really is an incredibly well made handset.”

We needed to write a second review for the software, as the Nokia N8 features a brand new operating system. On the Nokia N8's Symbian ^3 software, and the homescreen widgets in particular, we said:

"You may notice a change to your favourite contacts widget – a feature that was offered in Symbian S60 5th Edition, but has been updated here. Along with displaying four of your contacts, you’ll now be able to scroll to the left or right to see up to 20 contacts in total."

"A notifications widget is another fantastic edition offering details of calls, messages or other updates. We really like the fact messages can be read through the widget – without having to open them up."

We were also impressed at the speed that the new operating system runs at:

“It’s not the features that really catch your attention when playing with the Nokia N8, however, but the speed at which Symbian ^3 operates at. There’s very little lag, no need to double tap on icons or settings, and the Nokia N8 is very fast when multi-tasking. In short, it works, and is enough to help demonstrate the Nokia N8′s sublime range of high-end features.”

We reviewed the Nokia N8's 12-Megapixel camera independently too, coming to the following conclusion:

"We found the lack of digital noise particularly impressive, with incredibly clear photographs on offer from the 12-Megapixel snapper. Along with the optics, this is also because the Nokia N8 has the biggest sensor yet seen on a mobile phone, helping to keep noise to a minimum without losing out on details"

"What we like most about the Nokia N8, is the fact that it genuinely is a camera phone that can be used for more than just Facebook snaps, and it’s easily capable of producing photographs of A4 print quality."

On the Nokia N8's onscreen keyboard, we stated:

"Switch the handset to landscape mode, and the keyboard automatically changes to QWERTY. We like the fact it’s possible to have predictive text on both options, and the Nokia N8 has a decent go of guessing words, even when they’re miss-typed."

Overall, then, it's top marks for the Nokia N8. Quicker than previous Nokia devices, offering unrivalled build quality, and with that stunning camera, it really is a cracking all-round package.