Nokia have released the Nokia 8600 Luna designer phone. Being a designer phone, it's not overloaded with features, and naturally it's quite pricey, but despite that, this is one stunning looking phone. Nokia are keen to promote the 8600 Luna's detailing, which includes soft-touch stainless steel and smoked glass.

The 8600 Luna is a slider phone, with the keys still visible when the phone is closed through a translucent smoked glass body. When a call comes in, the keys gently pulsate beneath the glass, which moves Nokia into full-on market-speak:

"Combined with the warmth of its glass and stainless steel body, this "heartbeat" transforms the Nokia 8600 Luna from an inanimate object into a trusted companion with an organic, virtually alive form. When a call does beckon, the signature slide movement is carefully balanced to smoothly raise the ergonomic keypad from within its glass cocoon."

Well, I did warn you!

The Nokia 8600 Luna is available now from The Carphone Warehouse, from free.

More details and pictures of the Nokia 8600 Luna after the jump.

Nokia 8600 Luna

From the press release:

Building upon a tradition of crafting its most unique and prestigious phones from trend-setting materials like chrome, stainless steel and titanium, Nokia today unveiled the Nokia 8600 Luna, which has been precision engineered from the same material that has inspired both artists and craftsmen for centuries- glass.

The melding of nearly opaque smoked glass with unique, soft-touch stainless steel makes the Nokia 8600 Luna as enchanting to behold as it is a joy to touch.

Adding to its mysterious allure, a gentle keypad illumination pulsates from beneath the glass case while the phone awaits a call.

Combined with the warmth of its glass and stainless steel body, this "heartbeat" transforms the Nokia 8600 Luna from an inanimate object into a trusted companion with an organic, virtually alive form.

When a call does beckon, the signature slide movement is carefully balanced to smoothly raise the ergonomic keypad from within its glass cocoon.
"An obsession to every detail marked each step in the development process of the Nokia 8600 Luna. We took painstaking effort to ensure that the experience delivered by every surface - from the smoothness of glass against the face to the warmth of stainless steel in the palm to the superior tactile feedback of the keypad - would surpass any and all expectations," said Heikki Norta, Senior Vice President, Mobile Phones, Nokia.

"Even the name holds special significance. Much like the Nokia 8600 Luna that we named in her honor, Luna, the goddess of moonlight, was often represented by the Romans as a mysteriously captivating beauty encircled in a soft, yet radiant light."

The balance of aesthetics and ergonomics found in the design of the Nokia 8600 Luna continues in its well thought out feature set. Nokia's first use of a single micro-USB port not only allows for a streamlined design free of extraneous indentations, it allows owners to streamline common activities - like charging, audio and data connectivity - into a single connection. Quad-band GSM support also allows owners to easily stay connected while they are on the road, while the large, bright display is perfect for sharing images captured with the 2 megapixel camera.

The Nokia 8600 Luna is available now at an estimated retail price of €700 before taxes and subsidies.

Or, you can get it from The Carphone Warehouse today for free. Isn't that nice of them?!