Opinion: The best tablet on show at MWC 2015 is one you can't have

I'm in love guys. There, I said it. It's still early days in the relationship, but ever since I laid eyes on that sleek, slender body I've not managed to get it out of my mind.

Who is this wonder I hear you ask, well it's not 'who' it's 'what'. The Nokia N1.

Perhaps it's my boyish good looks, or just my over eager imagination, but I think it loves me back. *swoon*

Officially launched back in November the Nokia N1 had only seen the light of day in China... until now, as it's made an appearance at MWC 2015.

The Nokia booth is vast, yet sparsely populated. If you're looking for Lumia you'll need to head down the hall to Microsoft after the software giant nabbed the Finnish firm's handset division a while back.

The overly large stand populated by just three N1 tablets looks a little abandoned, but I press on in search of the (N) one.

Simply the best

Thankfully the loss of Nokia's most famous arm hasn't dented its confidence and in the N1 it has a truly remarkable tablet. It's simply the best-looking Android slate I've ever got my hands on.

Yes, I know it's a pretty much blatant rip-off of Apple's iPad Mini when it comes to design, but the Cupertino firm should see that as a compliment, rather than an insult.

It feels superbly premium in the hand - like Apple's effort - and the curved edges and weighting of this 7.9-inch slate makes it comfortable to cuddle.

Looks aren't everything though, and the beauty is more than skin deep on the N1.

It's running the latest version of Android - Lollipop - and Nokia has loaded its imaginative Z Launcher UI over the top for a simpler user experience.

I've used Z Launcher for an extended time on my OnePlus One and it's a pretty decent attempt, although I still prefer stock Android.

Imagine my joy then, when the nice chap (let's call him Nigel) at the Nokia booth revealed I could turn Z Launcher off and use Android as Google intended.

Oh N1, what can't you do?

Second thoughts

Well, a couple of things actually. First up I'm lumped with 32GB of internal storage and no microSD slot. That would be less of an issue if Nokia offered 64GB and 128GB models, but it doesn't.

Secondly, it's currently almost impossible to get hold of. I could fork out for a trip to China, but that model isn't Google certified so I wouldn't benefit from the Play Store or the likes of Maps and Gmail. It's like the N1's weird older sibling.

The silver lining is the fact the N1 is now on Google's list of approved devices, and Nigel told me it would be arriving in more markets this year complete with Google's apps.

For now though, this relationship is strictly long distance. *sigh*

• Read more of our MWC 2015 coverage.

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