Seeing good (and consistent) reviews of the N9 is concerning. The slashgear one ends with:

"We can’t blame Nokia for the direction the company has chosen – there’s more to it than mere software; Windows Phone gives them a platform, a developer ecosystem, and the might of Microsoft among other things – but we can be more than wistful that the N9 and MeeGo came that little bit too late to have their true worth recognized."

That seems like a roundabout way of saying "Nokia wouldn't be able to provide a proper ecosystem for the N9" or "a device like the N9 is more than Nokia is capable of fully supporting alone." Which essentially boils down to "its not that this phone isn't good enough for Nokia, its that Nokia isn't good enough for this phone, and the WP7 decision makes sense because of this revelation."

What's worse is that may not be too far from the truth. Apparently even Steve Jobs didn't think Apple would be able to handle apps, and look at them now.