The N9 is getting cheaper during these periods. It is inevitable that you cannot get it under a contract with N9 because you're not living in a country where they are officially for sale. If you could, I'd say try saving a bit of cash and do get the N9 if you really want it.

The android devices are interesting and with N9 being made to `feel' similar to the other smartphone these days its hard to say what really gives N9 the sort of edge that makes it unique apart from being powered by harmattan. I would personally not go with android devices until no other manufacturer would produce a proper linux powered device that does not run linux through vm (android is essentially linux kernel with dalvik vm fyi). Though apart from that I really don't have any other suggestion.