Nokia is hosting a "virtual launch" of its high-end N82 handset today. So the device whose specs have been floating around since May will now actually be made available - it's just the fanfare and events that are virtual.

For approximately €450 before subsidies and taxes, the N82 supplies a 5 megapixel camera with a xenon flash and Carl Zeiss zoom, A-GPS, Wi-Fi connectivity, and standard 2 GB microSD memory. The candy bar-style handset is 112 x 50.2 x 17.33 mm and weighs 114 grams, with a 16.7 million color 240x320 screen.

This afternoon, Nokia has been hosting a live chat on its N82 product launch site, that at last check was still ongoing and may last throughout the day. The subject is Nokia's N-series "True Stories," which features demos and includes a global Q&A session with project leaders.

The derided N-Gage gaming platform has not died, and will be re-launching on the N82 and other Nokia handsets in the near future as well.

Nokia, Smart Phone, Camera Phone, Launch