Nokia jump on the (already crowded) netbook bandwagon

[miffed]

http://www.slashgear.com/nokia-bookl...d-gps-2453485/

Wonder what sort of price this will be ? From what I have seen it is a 1.6ghs Atom device with 120GB hard drive with HSDPA , GPS etc - Shoudn't be much more than a couple of hundred quid I'd have thought ?

[Ben]

http://www.trustedreviews.com/laptop...et-3G-Outed/p1

Well, it looks nice. Other than that, nothing special?

It'll all depend on the price and I can't imagine Nokia rushing to the bottom of the market. If there's any play in this, it's that Nokia will use its operator relationships to push these on data tariffs to a wide audience.

At least the space bar seems to be in the right place.

[solo12002]

Good old Nokia. nice to see they are FIRST of the mark re netbooks, just like the touch screen!!

I wonder what took them so b long!!

[Ben]

Some redeeming features... will they push the price too high for a netbook? We'll see!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8219005.stm

aluminium case, weighs 1.25 kilograms (2.75 lbs) and its 10-inch screen is HD-ready

The Booklet also has integrated Bluetooth, GPS, a webcam and an SD card reader. Nokia claims it has a 12-hour battery life.

[Hands0n]

It is pretty, but is it any good?

Windows 7 is a safe bet - manufacturers cannot keep on with XP.

It is nicely kitted out with connectivity, that I like a lot.

But I'm going to need to see the thing for real, get some play time on it, and the price which if Nokia are true to tale will be eyewateringly expensive - not Advent 4213 methinks.

And that just might leave the door wide open for Apple!

[solo12002]

"And that just might leave the door wide open for Apple!"

Yes good point and were are they in this process. I accept you cant beat an apple, the thing that lets them down is the price v the PC price, untill apple matchs that ppl will still go to PC for the price, if only apple had released a cheaper mac, iphone and netbook ages ago, they really would of wiped the market floor.


Even now hvaing the advent if apple release a netbook at a fair price, i go for one.

[gorilla]

There's an opportunity for someone here to make the market their own. If nokia price this at £400, while it's expensive for a netbook, it's not overly expensive for a laptop and therefore affordable for most. If priced at £500 I don't see many buying them as long as cheaper options are available. At £300 it would be a very tempting offer.

I'm not sure Apple will ever enter this market. If the rumours are true about a tablet, then they aren't really competing in a like for like situation. Apple would therefore be making a multimedia device as opposed to an ultra portable pc.

Does anyone have any idea on how much it costs to build a netbook? I'm assuming one can be built for around £100-£200 depending on spec. Are they cheaper than that?

[miffed]

The thing is , as I was saying on another thread speculating on the possiblity of a tablet mac .....

(IMO) these UMPC's / Netbooks are wonderous pieces of technology to behold , marvel at the way a whole computer fits into a tiny package .... but at the end of the day , they are simply a gimmick.
The iPhone is brilliant because it occupies the space in your pocket that your mobile phone would have occupied anyway , the moment you are picking up something "extra" that doesn't fit in your pocket , you may as well be picking up a laptop ! (all IMO )
I have owned may UMPC's and the first one to see anything like daily use is my MBA , and the reason for this is the full size screen and keyboard - this is the thing that mkes the difference between "gimmick" and "usable".
For these reasons I cannot see a Netbook (ot a mac tablet for that matter) ever being a mainstream product ,and only appealing to nerds & Fanboys on a gimmick level.
Time will tell !

[3GScottishUser]

One of the features I have seen posted about the Nokia netbook is HD ability. That'll be something new as current single core Atom processors can't handle even 720p HD video (as I found out with my Advent 4211).

Nokia look like they are getting into the netbook market ahead of the launch of the new 10" Apple tablet product.

I am not sure how well these new entrants will fare as new PC netbooks mostly rely on an obsolete (allbeit functional) Windows XP OS. The new dual core Atom, touchscreen technology and the special version of Windows 7 are key to the next generation of the netbook.

I can see netbooks becoming popular in future years but they will have to be far more attractive in terms of specs to appeal now that the novelty of a freebie with a 3G BB Dongle has passed.

[getti]

Networks taking on the Nokia 3G Booklet will save on modem costs too as the computer has a built in HSDPA modem all you need is the SIM card

[Ben]

Originally Posted by getti

Networks taking on the Nokia 3G Booklet will save on modem costs too as the computer has a built in HSDPA modem all you need is the SIM card

Indeed, I think the sale of these as network-attached, subsidised devices is the only way they'll really sell. Could be bad news for the 'big' names currently making a 'killing' in the netbook market as they're squeezed out by the better-connected new entrant.

[Ben]

http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2009/09...klet_hands_on/

At £500 and with just 1GB of RAM this thing is undoubtedly too expensive. Nokia will undoubtedly hope that the aesthetic appeal of this device and some hefty operator subsidy will make it a player. However, I think you'd be hard pushed to find someone prepared to lay down £500, with or without subsidy, for a netbook. Handy, but sloooow!

[miffed]

I've just had an asthma attack ...and I don't even suffer from asthma !

All I can assume is that they intend to sell most of these via subsidy - But getting the networks to pay such a subsudy , when there are far cheaper options around seems a little farfetched
Must make a note to actually READ the expansys spam next year , as these will probably be on £100 "clearance deals"

[chaslam]

I dont understand where you are all coming from? Of course its going to be expensive on launch? Its the next generation of Atom processors? Its like the mobile quad core coming out and saying "why isnt it £399 as I can get core2duo laptop for that money!" Its also the first laptop/netbook (mainstream anyway) that has GPS built into it.

Its the first of the next generation of netbooks and your moaning because its more expensive? Well of course its going to be, but it will come down in price overtime, just like everything else does! Also bear in mind that Nokia are going to be working on selling it connected rather then stand alone, so it will probably be free at around £35 a month.

[miffed]

But how is it the "Next Generation" ? What does it have over the Dell Mini 9 (for example) ...other than GPS , a higher price tag & a Nokia badge ?

[Ben]

It's a netbook - the whole point is that it's small and cheap.

[chaslam]

Originally Posted by miffed

But how is it the "Next Generation" ? What does it have over the Dell Mini 9 (for example) ...other than GPS , a higher price tag & a Nokia badge ?

Ah right, my mistake. I thought it ran on one of the new dual-core atom processors but it appears it doesn't. Still, I would expect it to be a little more then other netbooks. Its Windows 7 rather then XP, its made of aluminium rather then plastic, it has a 12 hour battery life, it has GPS built in. There are a few things to set it apart from the competition, but yes, probably not worth the £500 price tag. But then again, if the idea is to sell it connected, it might just be a strategic move to get more customers buying it connected. The are obviously going to be selling them to network providers for alot less then £500, which they will then sell on connected for probably around £35 a month.

[miffed]

I think Nokia's choice of customer (i.e. Networks !) is pretty relevant to the price point , I suspect they envisage it being sold to the end user on a similar subsidy level as a £500 handset - so have priced accordingly.

[Hands0n]

And good luck to them with that then. The trick is going to be to persuade the buying public to commit to one of these at that £35 price. Adding GPS may be a bit gimmicky, seeing as it is possible to close-locate using WiFi and the cellular network itself (well, the iPhone manages it well enough under cover where GPS is not accessible).

I do like the look of the Nokia, but that isn't going to be sufficient to part with £500 - I squirmed enough parting with £325 (or thereabouts) for the Samsung NC10 that is absolutely gorgeous in every way.