Nokia has unveiled the first handset based on the next version of the Symbian operating system. The N8 running Symbian^3 will launch in select markets in Q3, for EUR 370 before taxes and subsidies. The mobile phone features a 3.5-inch capacitive touch screen, 12 megapixel camera and the ability to make and edit HD-quality (720p) videos. For watching videos, the phone offers a HDMI connection and Dolby Digital Surround Sound as well as quick access to web TV sources such as CNN, E! Entertainment, Paramount and National Geographic. Direct access to the Ovi Store will deliver additional video services. The phone also comes with GPS, Wi-Fi, USB charging, 3.5mm headset jack, FM radio and a media player. The N8 will be available in green, blue, orange, dark grey and silver white. Symbian^3 introduces support for gestures such as multi touch, flick scrolling and pinch-zoom. The Nokia N8 also offers three different personalizable home screens which can be loaded with apps and widgets. The new 2D and 3D graphics architecture in the platform takes advantage of the Nokia N8's hardware acceleration to deliver a faster and more responsive user interface, Nokia said. Symbian^3 also delivers greater memory management allowing more applications to run in parallel for a faster multi-tasking experience. The N8 comes with 16GB internal storage and a microSD slot for up to 32GB. The N8 is also Nokia's first device to be integrated with Qt, the software development platform it acquired in 2008. Nokia also launched the Nokia Qt SDK, in its initial beta, for developers making applications for the phone.
