Nokia to dip into netbook space: 3G-enabled device to enter crowded mini-laptop space

Nokia Corp., the world’slargest handset manufacturer, said it now plans to enter to netbook market with plans to launch a 3G-enabled mini laptop.
The Finnish handset giant said the device, dubbed the Nokia Booklet 3G, would be similar to current netbooks that typically run Microsoft Corp.’s Windows operating system and are powered by Intel Corp.’s Atom processors. The device will also sport a 10-inch screen and a promised battery life of up to 12 hours.
For mobility, the device will include both a Wi-Fi radio and a HSPA/3G wireless modem, as well as access to Nokia’s Ovi services. Nokia also said the device will include integrated A-GPS that will integrate with its Ovi Map application. No word on the inclusion of any embedded voice applications, though netbooks can typically run such Voice over Internet Protocol applications as Skype that can run over both Wi-Fi and 3G networks.
Nokia has been the 800-pound gorilla in the mobile handset space, but has seen its smartphone products struggle to gain traction.The rapidly-growing smartphone market is still small compared to the broader handset market, but is boosted by higher-margin devices and is being dominated by Apple Inc.’s iPhone, Research In Motion Ltd.’s BlackBerry devices and HTC Corp.’s multitude of Windows Mobile-powered devices. Nokia is also in the midst of moving its once-proprietary Symbian smartphone operating system to an open-standards OS in an attempt to garner more attention from application developers and handset manufacturers.
Nokia earlier this year killed a WiMAX-enabled tablet device, the N810.
Pricing and additional information for the Booklet is expected to be released on Sept. 2 at the Nokia World event.