Taking a cue from the proliferation of 3G-enabled Netbooks, Nokia–the world’s largest phone manufacturer–today unveiled the first in a line of what it calls “mini laptops.”
Known as the Booklet 3G, the Netbook uses Windows 7 and comes with a battery claimed to be good for 12 hours. Initial reviews of the Netbook have largely been positive, and the $299 price tag serves to make the Netbook attractive to new buyers.
However, potential customers may be dismayed to learn that the $299 price tag been subsidized by a two-year data agreement with AT&T. At a cost of $60 a month, the final price of the Booklet 3G exceeds $1700 over the duration of the contract. The Booklet 3G may also be had without a WWAN contract, but the MSRP doubles to $599.
As the capabilities of wireless networks expand, so too do the potential number of devices that can make use of the networks. “The Booklet 3G lines up well with AT&T’s strategy. People increasingly want to get content on multiple screens. And this is one more screen and device. So it’s part of that macro trend. And it lines up nicely with Nokia’s strategy of connecting people,” says David Petts, Vice President of Nokia.
The launch of this Netbook is likely the first of many from companies which previously only made cell phones. As the PC market has begun to bridge into the cell phone market, it is inevitable that the opposite will also occur.
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