Hands on with the £950 Nokia 8800 Carbon Arte

This has the affect of making it look more subdued. The carbon fibre panels on the front and back impart the handset with a “racy” look. The square pattern of the carbon fibre contrasts with the plain finish of the handset, while the dark grey/black colours of the panels pleasantly blend in with the rest of the colours used. It’s a strange contrasting/matching look it imparts to the phone.

Nokia liken opening the 8800 Carbon Arte box to opening a box of chocolates, with different layers revealing different surprises. The first layer presents the phone and a Bluetooth headset. Take the plastic tray out and the 2nd layer reveals itself, in which you get:

• 1 x Battery (BL-4U) 

• 1 x Desktop Stand (finished in matching titanium) 

• 1 x Carry Case 

• 1 x microUSB Data Cable (CA-101) 

• 1 x Cleaning Cloth 

• 1 x Mains Charger (AC-6)

The manual also comes in a nice black cardboard case of its own with pockets for the software CD, which has some extra wallpaper/ringtones to install as well as a brief demo of the device. Having a nice selection of accessories (and almost everything average users will need) is a nice bonus and helps promote the “premium” feeling.

The Nokia 8800 Carbon Arte occupies a strange position, its one of the few handsets that focuses on design and materials rather then technical innovation. It’s an exotic mix of materials (steel, carbon fibre, titanium and glass) in a stunning design, which makes it stand out from other handsets. If your don’t need cutting edge features and want something that’s a little “different” then the Nokia 8800 Carbon Arte is perfect.