Yes - all the opinions of the experts concur; WP Metro UI is an attractive and engaging UI and Mango will deliver enough functionality for the masses. MS do appear to have got it right. Past performance is no indicator of future potential.

(incidentally, I dislike MS almost as much as Apple. I use Ubuntu at home and MS under sufferance at work)

Nokia Maps is a huge asset to Windows Phone. Offline maps with 3D effect, voice guidance, good routing (generally) and full auto-rerouting. Nokia Maps integrates with other services on the device and is free.

I was initially surprised at Nokia's decision to contribute Maps to the OS, thus allowing other Mfrs to take advantage of a unique Nokia feature, but how much is 'Maps by Nokia' on every WP device by every manufacturer worth in marketing $'s?

Existing Nokia users like you (and I'm making presumptions here, so forgive me if I am too presumptuous) are, for want of better words, geeks and tinkerers.

the very fact that you are here on this site taking part in discussion like this means that you (and me) are not the target for Nokia's WP devices.

We like our Nokias because we can get in there and get our hands a bit dirty. We relish the challenge to overcome obstacles and find solutions for ourselves.

I suspect that like many of us you probably have a history of smartphones and know your way around a range of devices. You will know the shortfalls and advantages of the different OS's and their respective ecosystems.

We are a minority and we are not typical of the vast majority of smartphone users who just want to use their device with the miniumum of fuss and involvement. That is why iOS has become so popular and even though it lags behind Android technically (in that you can do more with Android if you know how), iOS is growing fast.

Of course, Android has grown faster of late, but much as I admire Android it is starting to look and feel dated and clunky against iOS (an OS I'd prefer not to use, incidentally).

Consider as well that next year smartphone sales will probably exceed dumbphones - Nokias home ground. All those existing Nokia dumbphone users looking for their first smartphone; something simple to use, but effective, capable and affordable.

Apple have failed to exploit the mid and low-end, Android is technical, fragmented and a bit messy and confusing.

That is why WP could be a good bet for Nokia. It may not be as technically capable as Symbian, but it won't have to be. It will ofer enough functionality for the masses and will be as easy and engaging to use as iOS at a fraction of the price - Nokia will see to that.

But where does that leave us geeks?

Well, we'll still have Symbian for a few years. Belle looks promising - especially combined with fast processors or dual-core. many of us will jump over to Android, but I fear that will become increasingly locked-down over time.

And we have Meego and Meego/Harmattan - for now. If N9 sells well enough and doesn't backfire on Nokia (by way of disgruntled customers complaining of poor support and lack of apps - all the stuff we've seen on these pages since the N900 was launched) then maybe - just maybe Nokia will use something similar to the N9's OS and UI to promote further disruptive technologies.

Here's to hoping...