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With your time issue i would say go Nexus. its a good phone with decent hardware but what really makes it stand out is the OS. ICS is IMHO is the best version of the Android OS and is a huge improvement over Honeycomb.

If you can wait i would say go Note. its a large, phone provides more versatility i think than the Nexus. its easier to us as a mini tablet, has a better camera and for the most part better hardware than the GN. its also supposed to be getting ICS soon .

All of the Android devices have great integration to Googles offering of stuff and you know they will work well and not cost you more for the most part.

the Lumia is looking to be a nice device the OS is getting better and has a very different UI than the other and also has good integration to the Microsoft world. My concerns with the Win Phones is i don't know any one that has one. with the Android and iPhone its really easy to borrow a friends phone and see how it feels and functions. i can't do that on a Win Phone.

If you need a Android device, go for Nexus, if OS isn't matter then Lumia. If you need a multimedia device, and not a phone primarily then Note.

Personal choice mostly. I'd say avoid the Note since its almost certainly too big. Have you tried one of the larged 4.3-inch plus phones in your hand? How does it feel? If it seems fine with you then the Nexus is your phone if you like Android. It has the stock Android experience, will get updates, and is the only phone out right now with ICS. Which you really want. Its better. If you 'think different' the Windows Phones really look nice, and Nokia makes some great hardware so the Lumia 800 is probably a fine choice. Usually it would have the better camera, though I hear its nothing special (neither is the 5Mpixel Nexus from what I hear). Also the 800 has no front facing camera so this would be a bad choice if you want to do video conferencing from your phone. Which I assume is probably not an issue for you.

I'd avoid the Lumia 800 purely because the 900 is about to be released in the US and one might assume Nokia will bring it elsewhere after that. The 800 is a good phone, but it's also a bit of a rush job.

If you only have money for 1 phone, go with the Galaxy Nexus. You won't regret it. Any previous annoyance with Android (lag) are pretty much gone on the GNexus. Don't bother with any other Android phones that are not ICS.

If you are a student, the Nokia 800 will fit your lifestyle the best since Windows Phone has the best social networking integration. I have a HTC WP7, and really enjoy it. The design of the Nokia is awesome. Android is free, its not worth spending your hard earned money for it on a contract carrier. Android is great for the prepaid phones since it is cheap.

I'd say definitely the Galaxy Note.

As a student needing to take notes all the time, the Note could be the only thing you need with you through your day, and that would be very cool indeed. It has the big screen, the pen, the battery life. It is big, but unlike a ring binder you can get it in a pocket.

The Nexus I feel is a little disappointing in hardware terms. Good, but not extra-special. And frankly, I think the lack of an SD card slot is madness. Its big selling point is Ice Cream Sandwich, but that's promised for the Note as well, possibly as soon as March. You'll get Android upgrades first on a Nexus of course, but if you're technically inclined at all you can root an Android phone and take care of that yourself.

I think the Lumia 800 (or 900) is a lovely piece of hardware and very tempting. I currently have an N900 and would have been looking at a Nokia Windows phone as a replacement for that when it finally got too old, maybe a year or two, especially if they still looked as good. But then Samsung introduced the Note, and I'm going to get one as soon as it reaches the market here. A phone big enough to takes notes and sketch on is just irresistible as far as i"m concerned.