The Nokia X7 is one of the summer's big blockbuster releases from Nokia, and while the handset itself is certainly distinctive, probably more noteworthy is the presence of Symbian Anna beating away under the surface.

Symbian Anna is the latest update to Symbian^3, and underscores Nokia's commitment to keep Symbian moving forward regardless of its plans to also embrace Windows Phone in the future.

And while Nokia's entire Symbian^3 lineup, including the Nokia E7, Nokia N8, Nokia C6-01 and Nokia C7, will be getting Symbian Anna via an update in the next month or so, the Nokia X7 lets you jump the queue and get your hands on it today.

So how does the new software stack up in the flesh? Well, we've been getting to grips with fellow Symbian Anna newcomer the Nokia E6 ourselves, but over at ZDNet they've posted an in-depth look at Anna running on the Nokia X7.

Nokia E6: Symbian Anna Homescreens Hands-on

And even though it's the exact same operating system running on board, the handsets themselves are different enough to make it well worth a read. After all, the Nokia X7 features an expansive 4-inch AMOLED touchscreen, versus the Nokia E6's 2.46-inch touch and physical QWERTY combo. And while the Nokia X7 is designed as an entertainment handset, the Nokia E6 is built mainly for business.

Overall, ZDNet reckons Anna and the Nokia X7 make for great natural partners, singling out the new QWERTY-mode keyboard and the revamped web browser as particularly effective on the X Series range-topper.

Have you been getting to know Symbian Anna yourself on one of Nokia's new Symbian handsets? Feel free to drop us a line with your thoughts in the Comments below!