Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Nokia unveils Booklet 3G specs, prices it at €575 (before subsidies)

booklet 3gNokia has unveiled detailed specifications for the company's upcoming Booklet 3G mini-laptop. First announced a few weeks ago, the Booklet 3G is the first netbook from the cellphone maker, and as the name suggests it includes an integrated 3G wireless module. And that means that the Booklet 3G will likely be available from wireless companies who will bundle it with long term service contracts.

At an event today Nokia unveiled the price and more details about the netbook. First up, it looks like that rumor about the high price was pretty close to the mark. Nokia expects the Booklet 3G to sell for about €575 in Europe without a contract. That's the equivalent of about $818 US. There are a few things that figured doesn't tell us though. For instance, how much will the netbook cost if/when it's available at a subsidized price from a wireless carrier. And will it even be available without a service contract in the US at all? While it's not uncommon to be able to buy an unlocked device in Europe, most US telecoms discourage that kind of thing, which means that the Booklet 3G may never hit the $800 price tag in the US.

OK, enough about the price. Here's the rest of what we know:

  • CPU: 1.6GHz Intel Atom Z530
  • Chipset: Intel US15W (fanless)
  • Display: 10.1 inch, 1280 x 720 pixel
  • OS: Windows 7 Starter, Home Premium, or Professional
  • RAM: 1GB (soldered to motherboard)
  • Storage: 120GB (1.8″ SATA, 4200 rpm)
  • Battery: 16 cell, 56.8Whr, Li-Ion battery (Nokia claims 12 hour battery life)
  • Design: Chassis made of a single piece of aluminum
  • Colors: black, white, and blue
  • Wireless: 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1, 3G HSPA modem for data calls only (also available with WCDMA modem or no modem), Assisted-GPS
  • Ports: 3 USB, HDMI, headphone jack (also functions as audio input), SIM/USIM card slot, SD card reader
  • Webcam: 1.3MP
  • Software: Ovi Suite for syncing calendar, contacts, media, Ovi Maps, Ovi Suite 2.0, Nokia Music for PC, Social Hub
  • Dimensions: 10.4″ x 7.3″ x 0.78″
  • Weight: 2.76 pounds

So there you go. It all sounds like a bit of a mixed bag to me. On the one hand, the build quality looks excellent. You can find some hands-on photos at SlashGear. And the unique battery, light weight, extensive software suite, and integrated wireless options really do set the Booklet 3G apart from the crowd.

On the other hand, the netbook is saddled with a slow hard drive, a processor that's a bit on the sluggish side, and a high resolution screen that all-but-guarantees that you won't be able to watch high quality Flash video from Hulu, Vimeo, or YouTube on this model (since the Atom processor isn't capable of pumping out high quality Flash video on screens with higher resolutions than 1024 x 600 pixels.

Nokia has released a few new videos showing the Booklet 3G. You can check them out after the break.


Post from: Liliputing

Nokia unveils Booklet 3G specs, prices it at €575 (before subsidies)

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