Nokia on Monday officially unveiled pricing and availability for its much-hyped N8 smartphone. The phone will retail for $549 as a direct buy from Nokia's Web site and will be available at the "end of September," according to Nokia's dedicated N8 page. The phone can be pre-ordered, but there is no free shipping and there appears to be no incentive for ordering early.

The N8 is a high-powered media phone first and foremost. The model will be the first 12-megapixel camera phone in the U.S. when it releases in September. The phone also has a 3.5-inch, 640-by-360 glass capacitive touch screen and an HDMI port.

Sascha Segan, PCMag.com's mobile managing editor, had the opportunity to do a hands on with the Nokia N8 prototype in June. Segan suggests the 12-megapixel camera and ability to record 720p HD video were the phone's two biggest assets. He was unimpressed with the Symbian^3 OS and software, but he noted it would likely change before it sees its final release. For a more detailed look at the phone, check out the slideshow below.