His eagerness and excitement at the time could have been more closely related to Nokia N900's novelty (2009), since the N9 was released two years later (2011),

His eagerness and excitement at the time could have been more closely related to Nokia N900's novelty (2009), since the N9 was released two years later (2011), and the concept wouldn't be as surprising. That's why I went with the N900 with my guess. In any case, considering both phones flew under almost everyone's radar, you might be right: it could be either one.