A netbook by… Nokia.

The Nokia Booklet 3G has just been announced by Nokia ahead of the forthcoming Nokia World. This is probably the outcome of the recent Intel & Microsoft partnerships. I’m left wondering why this hasn’t been leaked before? :|

Here are the specs from AllAboutSymbian:

- Intel Atom Chipset (Z530 running at 1.6 Ghz). No fan, which means near silent running.

- 120 GB hard disk

- 3G/HSPA and WiFi connectivity, plus integrated Bluetooth for local wireless communication

- 12 hours battery life

- 19.9 mm thick x 264 mm width x 185 mm depth

- 1.25kg weight

- 10.1 inch glass HD ready display

- Front facing video camera mounted, on top of the screen, for video calling

- 1 x HDMI port (for HD video out), 1 x integrated SD card reader, 3 x USB ports, 1 x audio port

- Integrated A-GPS

- Stereo speakers mounted on the front right and left corners

- Windows 7

The biggest plus points of this device are the integrated 3G/HSPA & A-GPS, the 720p display with HDMI & the awesome battery life of 12h! 12 effing hours! That’s a huge claim! :P

Of course, the Nokia Booklet 3G will be having the usual Ovi services already available across the mobile platform & it will also run Windows 7! :)

Design-wise, there is no comparison. This looks almost like what Apple could have designed, with an all-aluminium chassis. Check out the video below.

I’ve never been excited by netbooks, but the Nokia Booklet 3G is indeed an exception. However, this is a premium device & I’m also expecting a premium price tag on it… A few other specs also remain unclear – the graphics card, the on-board memory? 
I’m definitely looking forward to higher-speced versions of this Booklet. ;)

Here’s the press release:

 Nokia Booklet 3G brings all day mobility to the PC world
August 24, 2009

Espoo, Finland - After more than 25 years as a pioneer and leader in the mobile industry, Nokia will bring its rich mobility heritage and knowledge to the PC world with the new, Windows based, Nokia Booklet 3G.

Powered by the efficient Intel Atom processor, the Nokia Booklet 3G delivers impressive performance with up to 12 hours of battery life, enabling people to leave their power cable behind and still be connected and productive. Delivering the rich experience of a full-function PC inside an ultra-portable aluminium chassis, the new mini-laptop weighs 1.25 kilograms, measures slightly more than two centimetres thin, and has the features one would expect from the world's leading mobile device manufacturer.  A broad range of connectivity options - including 3G/ HSPA and Wi-Fi - gives consumers high speed access to the Internet, including Nokia's broad suite of Ovi services, and allows them to make the most of every moment and every opportunity.  

"A growing number of people want the computing power of a PC with the full benefits of mobility," said Kai Oistamo, Nokia's Executive Vice President for Devices. "We are in the business of connecting people and the Nokia Booklet 3G is a natural evolution for us. Nokia has a long and rich heritage in mobility and with the outstanding battery life, premium design and all day, always on connectivity, we will create something quite compelling. In doing so we will make the personal computer more social, more helpful and more personal."

The mini-laptop also comes with an HDMI port for HD video out, a front facing camera for video calling, integrated Bluetooth and an easily accessible SD card reader. Other premium features include the 10-inch glass HD ready display and integrated A-GPS which, working with the Ovi Maps gadget, can pinpoint your position in seconds and open up access for a truly personal maps experience. The Nokia Booklet 3G also brings a number of other rich Ovi experiences to life, whether its access and playback of millions of tracks through the Nokia Music Store, or using Ovi Suite to sync seamlessly from your Nokia smartphone, to your mini-laptop, to the cloud.

The Nokia Booklet 3G will widen the Nokia portfolio, satisfying a need in the operator channel, and bringing another important ingredient in the move towards becoming a mobile solutions company.

Update:
Nokia Mini-Laptop site - http://europe.nokia.com/find-products/mini-laptop
AllAboutSymbian - The Nokia Booklet 3G and the Symbian Ecosystem
AllAboutSymbian - Nokia Booklet 3G - slim-laptop with a Nokia twist