Nokia's N900 arrives in U.S., bodes the death of Symbian on N-series phones

Nokia's intriguing N900 "pocket computer" has officially launched in the United States. The device, a smartphone that evolved out of Nokia's Mobile Internet Device (MID) family, signifies a new era for the Finnish mobile tech leader.

Vice President of Nokia retail sales, Alessandro Lamanna summed it up in a prepared statement today: "Consumers from every segment of the population are looking for more out of their mobile device - more power, more ability, more connectivity." So in order to deliver these results, Nokia paired the 600MHz TI OMAP 3430 chipset with the Linux-based Maemo platform, and locked it up inside a 3G phone with a 3.5" touchscreen and QWERTY keyboard.

According to one report, Nokia said that by 2012, Maemo will have fully replaced Symbian as the operating system powering its top-end N-series devices. The N900, according to this report, marks the beginning of this transition because it is targeted at the enthusiast and developer crowd who will grow the Maemo ecosystem before it starts being marketed to the mainstream consumer. By then, Symbian will then be relegated to the mass market E- and X-Series devices.

We've sent an inquiry to Nokia to find out how true this report actually is, because it could have a significant impact on the smartphone market in the long term as Linux-based platforms are poised to dominate the mobile sector.

And if there was any doubt as to whom the N900 and Maemo appeals to, check out this video:

The Nokia N900 is available for $649 through Nokia's flagship stores in New York and Chicago, and on the Web at nokiausa.com and Amazon.com. It is compatible with AT&T's and T-Mobile's networks in the United States.