http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=11266224&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1

Nokia N8 first HD video sample from Nokia Conversations on Vimeo.

After a heady excoriation of the N8 based on pre-release hardware surfaced this week, it looks like Nokia is trying hard to convince us that the N8 is still the phone to beat.

Look: I love Nokia. I would even marry it if that were legal in my state. But they haven’t made a compelling phone in years. As T. Ricker of Engasmic writes: “But Nokia, a company known for using decent optics, sensors, and flash units in its N-series devices, certainly won’t be disappointing impromptu photogs making their first jump into Symbian^3. Just imagine what Nokia hardware coupled with a killer user experience could do. Could do.”

Could do is right, young T. Ricker. Could do is right.