Nokia this morning announced that the long-awaited N95 smartphone has started shipping. The device drew attention during its September announcement for its design and sheer number of features: the slider design operates in two directions, giving quick access to music controls one way as well as a keypad in the other. A 5-megapixel camera, support for 3G wireless through HSDPA, and GPS mapping are still present in the finished version.

Notably, however, the N95 is currently being released to Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. No mention has been made of an American launch, although the company has said that its phone supports the country's networks. A release in the US will likely occur later in the year through AT&T.