Taking Nokia's monster camera phone for a spin

Sigh. Sometimes I'm green with envy when reading about the adventures of my colleagues at CNET Asia. It's not because they get to fly out of the world's coolest airport (though that's partially it) or because they can stuff themselves silly with Singapore Noodles, but rather because they usually get awesome cell phones before they land in the United States, if they do at all.

Take, for example, the Nokia 808 PureView. When Nokia debuted its 41-megapixel camera phones earlier this year, the handset swept Mobile World Congress and rescued Nokia from a couple years of trade show obscurity. Like many others I was floored that Nokia pulled it off, but I was soon dismayed to learn that the company had no plans to offer the 808 PureView in the United States. What's more, it was unclear if we'd ever see a review model.

CNET Asia, however, was able to secure an 808 PureView this week. And though I have to gaze jealously across the Pacific again, I'm excited that a CNET review is in the works. And to give you a taste of what's to come, Jacqueline Seng has matched the 808 PureView against the iPhone 4S in a camera shootout. Not surprisingly, Nokia's handset takes comes pretty photos, but the iPhone holds its own in a couple of areas.

We'll post the review soon, but check out the slideshow while you wait.