Very happy to report N9 still running absolutely perfectly but was still annoyed it wasn't a completely fresh N9 image due to above and missing sample images, music & videos so I just flashed firmware (20.2011.40-4 / 059j1v8) including eMMC to restore sample files. Completed very quickly and without any issues at all.

Exact command line if anyone's interested:

flasher -f -F DFL61_HARMATTAN_20.2011.40-4_PR_LEGACY_001-OEM1-958_ARM.bin -F DFL61_HARMATTAN_20.2011.40-4.CENTRALEUROPE_EMMC_CENTRALEUROPE.bin -R

My n9 that I got from welectronics didn't come with the sample pictures, videos and music. I not sure if someone messed with it or not.

I cut my sim down with a pair of scissors, then had to go get a 'make it big again' adapter off ebay to put it back in the n900... found a template online somewhere and glued it on with pritstic

I'll be looking at the credit card statement today to see if I should get one as an early xmas present

I'm jealous. My replacement, sourced from Sweden was supposed to be delivered Momnday or Tuesday, but appears to have got lost (or at least delayed in the post. I'm not having a lot of luck with the N9 ...

That sucks, just buy another one from Hantec today and get it tomorrow, then return the lost/late one when/if you get it

My new (Central European) one arrived from Handtec today - all works great - no reboots - marvellous.
Strangely (unlike previous N9) it came with all the sample media, and it also went into the out-of-box experience on first boot, so probably no post-factory fiddling. Was all ready to flash it, but was no need - just did an OTA update to PR1.1. All previous issues: gone!

That's how my Austrian Handtec N9 arrived. It makes me wonder if there's a mix of returns and new handsets. Mine was pristine. The only thing I noticed was the box had no seal but also no signs it ever had one either. Usually mobile phones have seals on the boxes don't they?

Handtec, Expansys etc have to 'grey import' the N9 from suppliers in the EU, not from Nokia it seems. Who knows (except Handtec, Expansys) where they actually come from. This can't be a good situation for either the 3rd party suppliers or Nokia and it'd be so much better for everyone if Nokia just capitulated to public demand and supplied Handtec and Expansys directly in the UK.

I believe these don't come with a seal around the box. Mine didn't, however everything else inside looked pristine. There was no screen protector with the little plastic tab on the phone like all other Nokia phone's I've owned have had, but there was a plastic thing wrapped around it, and the plastic covers on the charger were perfect aswell. Also the rubber case came in a plastic seal.

Yep, I didn't have a screen protector either but everything else was as you've described it rajveer.

>That sucks

To top it all off, there was ONE day this week when a delivery would be a problem because noone would be home to accept it. That was today. Guess what - they attempted to deliver ... got a nice little note saying they were taking it back to the depot.

I'll go and pick it up from them tomorrow.