Nokia Unveils Its First Netbook

andylim writes "Today Nokia unveiled its first netbook that runs Windows and packs an Intel Atom processor. The Nokia Booklet 3G is the first Nokia device to feature a full-sized keypad and a 10-inch display. Recombu.com has listed the specs, which include an SD card reader, Bluetooth, GPS, 3G, HSDPA (3.5G), Wi-Fi, an HDMI port for HD video out and a front-facing camera for video calling. According to Nokia, the Booklet will provide 12 hours of battery life."

Comments

Price?

[forand]

I haven't seen any price estimates. Anyone know what it might go for? Looks great though.

Re:Price?

[jo42]

No mention of memory size, disk size or type, or any other useful specs. Kick the marketing droids in gonads.

Re:Price?

[Fred_A]

Actually the original announcement was much worse...

Nokia unveils its largest phone ever !

Are you afraid your friends will fail to spot your measly iPhone(1) ?

With the Nokia Meg-A-Phone, everybody will see you using the worlds largest and most connected cyber-e-web-chat-wifiphone(2) !

The Meg-A-Phone also doubles as an emergency shelter, a radiation shield, a flotation device(3) and a room heater(4).

(1) i and possibly other vowels are a trademark of the fruit company
(2) in select locations, may be subject to restrictions depending on phases of the moon
(3) not to be used outside of parental supervision
(4) this function not to be used in aircrafts or within sight of law enforcement

Re:Price?

[ebuck]

It is an Atom, and it runs Windows; so, you can pretty much bet that the memory size is 1GB shipped.

Re:Price?

[Jazzbunny]

At all about symbian website they have some specs listed:

Key hardware information
    * Intel Atom Chipset (Z530 running at 1.6 Ghz). No fan, which means near silent running.
    * 120 GB hard disk
    * 3G / HSDPA and WiFi connectivity, plus integrated Bluetooth for local wireless communication
    * 12 hour battery life
    * 19.9 mm thick x 264 mm width x 185 mm depth
    * 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 integarted SD card reader, 3 x USB ports, 1 x audio port
    * Integrated A-GPS
    * Stereo speakers mounted on the front right and left corners

Re:Price?

[Anonymous Coward]

Dude, stop using a typewriter to post on Slashdot.

Signed, everyone.

Re:Price?

[Joce640k]

>"Nokia adds that the Booklet will be able to access services such as the Nokia Music Store, "

ie. It comes preloaded with an avalanche of crapware.

Re:Price?

[93 Escort Wagon]

Dude, stop using a typewriter to post on Slashdot.

Speak for yourself. I was impressed - I didn't know it was even possible to post on Slashdot using an IBM Selectric.

Re:Price?

[commodore64_love]

Insightful? Hardly. The person you're criticizing used the "code" modifier to make sure his message was properly formatted. Like so: test . Otherwise his message would have looked rather messy and unreadable.

Re:Price?

[linhares]

This is what happens when you use the effing atom.

Re:Price?

[ChameleonDave]

Insightful? Hardly. The person you're criticizing used the "code" modifier to make sure his message was properly formatted. Like so: test . Otherwise his message would have looked rather messy and unreadable.

For a second, I thought the same. However:

• I then remembered that Slashdot supports enough HTML to allow proper lists.
• I concluded that he had therefore formatted his message thus because he is one of the following:
  1. ignorant,
  2. an annoying person.
• I note that though you claim he used the ' "code" modifier', both you and he actually used <tt> rather than <code>.

Uh... Windows?

[Ed Avis]

How disappointing, I thought they were working on Maemo and other cool Linux stuff? Are those only considered fit for PDAs and (eventually) phones? Of course Nokia can try to become another Dell if they want to, but why is another Windows PC considered Slashdot front page material?

Re:Uh... Windows?

[99BottlesOfBeerInMyF]

...why is another Windows PC considered Slashdot front page material?

Probably because it is a large company moving into the market from the low end and bringing expertise for inexpensive mobile devices into said market. I find it interesting, even if I'm not thrilled with all of their choices. The GPS and cell receiver/transmitter are interesting choices for a low end device, for example, which reflect their expertise in cell phones.

Maybe this won't spur Linux adoption or undermine MS, but that doesn't mean it won't drive changes in the industry or spur adoption of other technologies.

Re:Uh... Windows?

[Ed Avis]

I don't know what is meant by saying Maemo wasn't written for Intel hardware. It's just standard Linux stuff, largely based on Debian. Of course you can build and run it on Intel CPUs. It's true it does have some proprietary bits which Nokia builds and distributes for ARM only, but since it's their own code, I assume they could port it pretty easily if they wanted. If they think a Windows laptop will sell better, that's their judgement, but I think they missed a trick by not offering a Linux version.

Re:Uh... Windows?

[jfanning]

How many of those netbooks come in an aluminium case and have GPS?

No ARM

[voislav98]

I would love to see an ARM netbook from Nokia, none of this Atom crap

Re:No ARM

[i.r.id10t]

Find one of the 770s, 800s, or 810s... while very old, my 770 is still very useful and functional. And still lasts a long time on a battery charge.

Re:No ARM

[Midnight Thunder]

I would love to see an ARM netbook from Nokia, none of this Atom crap

So would I, but there are certain realities to take into consideration:
  - most users still want to run MS-Windows
  - MS-Windows is not ARM ready
  - There are hardly any mainstream Linux distributions that are ARM ready.

Re:No ARM

[Tim4444]

most users still want to run MS-Windows

Most users just want to use the Internet and many of them still don't know or care what an OS is. Even if they know they're running Windows they often can't tell you which version.

hardly any mainstream Linux distributions

They only need one. Besides, most of the Linux netbooks have used heavily customized distros instead of providing off the shelf mainstream distros.

an ARM netbook from Nokia

I'd like an ARM netbook too but not from Nokia. Always Innovating looks more promising http://www.alwaysinnovating.com/

Re:Hmm..

[kinnell]

I've read (and saw once) that the Netbooks with Atom processors have issues with having enough processing power to handle HD video. (though basical video played fine) Whats the point of the HDMI video out if it has issues with HD video?

Because it's the only reasonable choice of connector if you want to interface your laptop to a modern TV.

first Nokia device to feature a full-sized keypad?

[sixtuslab]

"The Nokia Booklet 3G is the first Nokia device to feature a full-sized keypad and a 10-inch display"

nope.

Re:Is is a phone?

[Fizzl]

No. Like an application using the modem as a phone, as in the dialer in any phone using the GSM/CDMA/HDSPA/etc.. modem as a phone.

Re:12 hours of battery life?

[TheRaven64]

Using the power of marketing.

Re:Hmm..

[TheDarAve]

Make a netbook with an HDMI connector on it so it uses 1/3rd the size of a DVI connector and get a HDMI to DVI cable.

Re:KDE

[fuzzyfuzzyfungus]

They bought Trolltech, who are behind QT, which KDE uses. KDE is an independent project.

HDMI without VGA?

[tepples]

[HDMI is] the only reasonable choice of connector if you want to interface your laptop to a modern TV.

Every HDTV or monitor I've seen with HDMI or DVI in also has VGA in. In addition, VGA has the advantage that adapters to use a PC with a non-modern TV or a DVD recorder support it.

Re:HDMI without VGA?

[slim]

In my experience, it's a real nightmare finding a VGA mode that the TV likes. Possibly, HDMI fixes that.

Re:HDMI without VGA?

[slim]

I've had no problems using VGA on several different HD TVs - you just need to set the resolution to the native resolution of the screen.

And what if such a resolution doesn't show up in your display settings dialog?

I've had no problems getting a picture. But a filling the widescreen display, at full resolution, with no borders, overscan or loss of aspect ratio - I haven't got my Toshiba TV and my Dell laptop to do that.

Re:Hmm..

[rolfwind]

I've read (and saw once) that the Netbooks with Atom processors have issues with having enough processing power to handle HD video. (though basical video played fine) Whats the point of the HDMI video out if it has issues with HD video?

For the people who buy based on feature lists alone. Although, HDMI is a great way to connect A/V devices. Even without HD video.... no mucking with display modes and the like. Also nicely carries sound in one cable. Which is why Apple's mini DVI port on the notebooks are disappointing.

I wonder how ARM will perform on netbooks compared to HD video. Always Innovating has released a netbook built around a beagle-board, but I'm awaiting the multi-core chips (later this year?) I keep hearing how intel has problems packing real power into the atoms (scaling down) while ARM is scaling up nicely.

12 hours huh?

[Taibhsear]

Doing what? Being in standby mode? Or actually using anything? Even my EEEPC 1000 says 7-8 hours of battery life and I get 4-4.5 using wifi/internet or watching video. So I'm guessing this will have 5-6 hours of actual use battery life.

Can it run Linux?

[bobv-pillars-net]

If I put Ubuntu on it, can I still make phone calls with the built-in GSM/HSDPA?

Waiting for detailed specs. If the hardware is supported under Linux, I don't mind blowing away the pre-installed Windows. It's not like they put the O/S in ROM.

Re:Can it run Linux?

[Bert64]

If the modem presents itself to the system in a standard way then sure, you could probably even install android on it and use it like a (very large) phone.

Re:Can it run Linux?

[operator_error]

I don't see why not. I purchased a 3g contract that included a USB dongle that accepted a SIM card. I swear upon simply plugging it into a live Ubuntu 8.10 machine, that thing had a connection in less than 5 seconds, no password needed, (the SIM *is* the 'password' and key to the account. 1 SIM per account, period.)

FWIW, I chose to take the SIM out of the dongle, and it lives in my Nokia N95. This way I have 3g internet (and SIP calls) for the N95 as well as any wifi device nearby, using Joikuspot and hot-swappable AA rechargeable batteries, when needed. Nokia and 3rd parties sell little plastic AA battery holders; joikuspot needs it) If power is available, the N95 functioning as 3g router can draw power from USB via a retractable cable a buddy told me to buy off eBay for a single pound sterling, via Hong Kong. It actually cost me 2.30 euro, but still, what a unit!

Re:12 hours of battery life?

[Anonymous Coward]

The battery lasts 12 hours while in hibernate mode.

Way More Windows Users Here Than You Think

[RobotRunAmok]

why is another Windows PC considered Slashdot front page material?

My guess is that the majority of slashdot readers use Windows. Many of them won't admit it (here), much in the same way a fan of pop music will keep mum when he sits down at a cafeteria table he suspects is populated exclusively with sniffy jazz enthusiasts, but that only makes them a Silent Majority.

Slashdot has grown way, way, beyond it's Linux / Buffy / Anime roots, as has "geekdom" itself. It would be foolish for the editors not to acknowledge this by not running stories of interest to "mainstream tech enthusiasts," who I suspect are the majority of its readers.

FWIW, I've been using Linux since 1994, but still have a Windows box because I need to run some client's apps that are Windows-only. Both OS's have their failings, both have their charms.

Re:Way More Windows Users Here Than You Think

[mounthood]

From the FAQ:

I thought everyone on Slashdot hated the RIAA, the MPAA, and Microsoft. Why do you keep hyping CDs, movies, and Windows games?

Big corporations are what they are. They sell us cool stuff with one hand and tighten the screws on our freedoms with the other. We hate them every morning and love them every afternoon, and vice versa. This is part of living in the modern world: you take your yin with your yang and try to figure out how to do what's right the best you can. If you think it has to be all one way or the other, that's cool, share your opinions, but don't expect everyone else to think the same.

Re:Way More Windows Users Here Than You Think

[Anonymous Coward]

It doesn't matter what slashdot users use. Another Atom+Windows netbook is not news. And it IS disappointing, as Windows is a disappointing OS and does not fit the hardware well. I find it disappointing in the same way I would have been disappointed if people of the 80's had bought Amigas, Atari STs, etc. and just ran CP/M and Wordstar on them.

          What Nokia really needs is to make an ARM netbook. The N900 gets pretty close, they could basically put a slightly bigger screen + keyboard on it and call it a day... it already is basically a debian distro, I think ubuntu for arm would probably run on the thing as-is.

Re:KDE

[Amouth]

on top of that if you look at the promo video its Windows 7 NOT windows XP like all of the other "net books"

to me that is a selling point for MS.. it Nokia can put out a net book with all this wonderful connectivity + 12 hours usable run time + having windows 7 vs XP then MS will have a strong selling point (much better IMO than the moheav crap)

my hopes is that this (because of the HD offering) actualy has it.. that size + a HD+ quality screen (1280x800 would be wonderful for 10in) and the nVidia GPU dual core Atom refrence board we saw a few months ago to power it.

I like the idea of the netbooks and the Atom. and having HT on the atom is nice.. but dual core Atoms are by far what i would want. but no one releases them saddly.

I like it.

[pablo_max]

I see a lot of posts so far...blah blah no linux blah blah disappointing, no linux blah blah blah.
People need to get real! If Nokia had entered what is gearing up to be a very aggressive market with a linux based netbook, I would have expect the BOD to fire the CEO right away!

Asus tried it already and it failed. People who buy a netbook want it to work just like their laptop. They want to share the same documents and have the same user interface.

The fact is, this Nokia netbook looks great. It's got loads of stuff on it and is slick as snot. If it's not too expensive, I will be buying one myself and no..I wont be installing Linux.

Re:I like it.

[LDoggg_]

Asus tried it already and it failed.

Failed?
They sold a shitload of them.

Re:I like it.

[mewsenews]

If Nokia had entered what is gearing up to be a very aggressive market with a linux based netbook, I would have expect the BOD to fire the CEO right away!

Asus tried it already and it failed.

Asus created the netbook market with the eeePc, and you consider it a failure?

Before the eeePc, we had small form factor machines that were fragile, gimmicky, and expensive as hell. The Fujitsu Librettos come to mind, as do the OQO machines.

Asus recognized that people wanted a tiny computer that would allow them to communicate with their friends -- web pages, email, instant messaging. Screw spreadsheets, word processing, and powerpoint. And they made it cheap, cheap cheap. Then they scared the crap out of Microsoft by putting Linux on it.

Asus sold their machines by the boatload, Microsoft caved, and now we have cheap netbooks with enormously discounted copies of Windows on them.

The eeePc was anything but a failure, and Linux was a key part of its success.

Re:I like it.

[hansamurai]

And then Microsoft paid them off and they made even more money.

Re:12 hours of battery life ?

[Hal_Porter]

It means they are finally starting to figure out the technology in the Roswell saucer.

Withing a couple of years we'll having flying cars, interstellar spaceships, rayguns and a robot uprising. After that the aliens will come back and wipe us out for being a bunch of irresponsible, upstart monkeys.

Still it'll be quite a ride.

Re:Wrong Re:KDE

[Hal_Porter]

Trolltech was a trojan horse though. Once they bought the company and hauled it back to Finland a load of Microsoft soldiers poured out and took over the company.

Re:Is is a phone?

[TheRaven64]

Not necessarily. It may only be for data. You may be able to use VoIP via the HSPA network, but a lot of carriers don't permit this unless you pay for a more expensive business tariff.

Intel Atom

[slummy]

Intel Atom by itself is garbage.

On the other hand, an Intel Atom with an NVIDIA GPU is called ION.

I'd buy it if it had an ION, I do like the durability of NOKIA hardware.

You must be new to Nokia

[Ilgaz]

You don't know them enough. Nokia always chooses whatever fits to that particular product. Netbook? Windows for them.

It is not like Nokia is your average Windows hater company. It is kinda blurry on OS X with iSync etc. but Nokia smart phones best works with Windows on the other end. It is basic as that. Their Nokia Multimedia Transfer (still beta) could have been released for OS X but there is nothing to fill PC Suite's place on OS X. I would be very very surprised if they contributed a single line to KDE's sync solutions, even after Qt acquisition.

This is a company who pays millions to Trolltech (while they are doing extremely fine) and release first Qt for S60 demo in .exe form! After I see that page (link below) I went to all IRC channels I frequent to take my "Use Nokia, it is cool with Python, open, Qt is coming too" suggestions back. For most people, it is Ovi App store which made people lose their hopes. For me? It was that basic blog entry meant no harm but showed what kind of waste Nokia did by purchasing Qt. Thank God, Qt is GPL and already has gigantic prestige in commercial development with a huge community on Linux&BSD.

http://pepper.troll.no/s60prereleases/

I am sure they forced the early release, something OTHER THAN WINDOWS will be supported at one point but just imagine a Qt&Linux developers face when he is greeted with .exe with the excuse of emulator being WINDOWS ONLY. I really hope Nokia is more ashamed than me. Yes, I actually feel ashamed for doing their PR work to Developers for free, with information making complete sense but wrong.

Re:Snorefest

[asylumx]

Have we gotten the the point where the lies don't have to be plausible.

Clearly you don't follow american politics...

Re:Snorefest

[owlstead]

I don't get it.

How many manufactures are going to build these things. I know they are wildly popular due to cost, but come on, they are all the same.

They all use the same hardware. They all pretty much use the same software. Some look slightly different, maybe.

Although the Asus ones seemed OK, most of the clones seemed crap to me. Only Dell seemed to have made a decent clone. All the others were crap at battery life.

Atom 1.6ghz. 1GB RAM. 160GB HD. Wifi etc... big honking deal.

Hi speed internet and much needed synchronization and GPS are certainly nothing to be sneezed at though. Design and battery life seem great as well.

Maybe they will change something who knows.

I also notice that it has a HDMI port for HD out... um why? Other than you brag you have it I see this as somewhat useless. Will it have video that can handle HD? Likely not. Will it have a HD that you can store lots of HD stuff on? Not really. Will it have a BluRay optical drive? Um No. Is watching HD on a 10 in screen stupid? Likely yes.

Will I prefer my 1920x1080 screen to a 10 inch netbook screen? Hell yes. Will it make it easier to setup a connection compared to VGA or composite? Most likely it will.

No idea what HSDPA is? Though it says (3.5G) which sounds like a cell network protocol. Which is great if it is in your area, of which they likely only cover metro areas or 2% of the actual area...

Speak for yourself. In the Netherlands there's a lot of 3G coverage. It's the one thing missing from my laptop.

Oh yeah and 12 hours battery life? OK at this point EVERYONE knows they all lie through their teeth about battery time, but really do you think we are all stupid now. Have we gotten the the point where the lies don't have to be plausible. All they need now is some disclaimer someplace that says that it was tested with nothing running, the power off, closed, and that is the natural dissipation rate of their battery and includes no usage, or in other words a totally pointless and worthless test of capability.

Yes, we'll have to wait for the previews for that. They won't be able to go under the EEE PC's battery time after promising this. The big question that remains is the screen. How well will the laptop perform when the screen is bright enough to be viewed.