With its Booklet 3G netbook only just becoming available, Nokia is close to finalising the details for the next version that will likely ship during the second half of 2010. Having only announced its first 3G Booklet netbook three months ago, the suggestion of a follow-on product would seem to reinforce the comments recently made by Nokia execs that the company is keen to become a significant player in the 3G netbook market.
While the first 3G Booklet has been praised by the technical press for its high specifications, its €600 price has attracted understandable criticism. However, the new version is rumoured to be aiming at a lower price point and could include Intel's next generation Atom chip--codenamed Pine Trai-- that will feature an integrated memory controller and graphics processor on one chip, reducing the number of chips needed, which should also help boost battery life.
Reports from the electronics manufacturing community in Asia would indicate that the ODM partner for Nokia's Booklet 3G, hardware specialist Compal Electronics, is working hard to satisfy initial demand. This might see Nokia contract with a second ODM for the new low-cost version, providing it with additional capacity and sourcing options as it ramps up its netbook product portfolio.
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