Nokia's Netbook: A Big Step on the Convergence Road

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I have said previously that the netbook and mobile phone markets are converging at some speed. And here is some further evidence of that convergence, Nokia’s (NOK) first PC, the Booklet 3G.

It looks like a fairly standard netbook with an Intel (INTC) Atom (though we don’t know which one yet) processor and Windows 7. Most netbooks are let down by their support and graphics chipsets. Nokia seem to have overcome this with HD graphics capability and a 12 hour battery life. Maybe something to do with Nokia’s technology collaboration with Intel.

The telephone heritage shows up with the integrated GPS and integrated 3G phone modem, so it doesn’t need a dongle. It also has Wi Fi and Bluetooth. And a webcam.

Cleverly it synchs with your mobile phone and the built in GPS allows it to use Nokia’s Ovi maps services as well as all the other Ovi services such as mail, contacts, online file storage and photo and video sharing, all of which were originally set up for mobile phone usage. If the interface is good this could be competition for Google (GOOG) Android.

So a netbook with several features that give it a competitive advantage and which show its telephone heritage? Another big step on the convergence road. And a potentially massive gaming machine.

Comments

[Zenfar:]

"...that the netbook and mobile phone markets are converging at some speed..."

This is a good point and could have ramifications for smart phones.

Intel integrated graphics != massive gaming machine.

Aug 26 11:04 AM

[rajeev bajpai:]

the convergence started happening quite sometime back and the actual lead from the telecom companies perspective was taken by both LG and Samsung who jumped on to the netbook bandwagon about a year back and samsung is gaining advantage with couple of products.
Like the GSM and CDMA technologies in the mobile phone Nokia is in both the camps (in the camp of Intel as the netbook announced on 24th is with atom processor) and also another leg firmly in arm camp and the next announcement would happen with the arm processor. On the software side while the atom based netbook is likely to be windows 7....the arm based netbook could be with symbian or android or whatsoever....

Its an interesting space where Nokia is moving in and am sure new variants around netbook would emerge in due time threatening to someextent the monopoly of Intel and Microsoft. Whether we call the device as netbook or Smartphone would only be be a consumer choice..or may be a new name may emerge as arm based netbooks want to be called as smartbooks...

Interesting days for convergence ahead.

Aug 26 11:40 AM