Nokia Booklet makes it official: $299 with 2-year AT&T contract
We've been hearing about the Nokia Booklet for the past couple of months now (August, September). But the Scandinavian manufacturer that's known for its cell phones has finally filled in the blanks and given us the U.S. details on what the Booklet 3G is all about.
While we had previously heard that Nokia's Windows 7 Netbook would cost as much as $600, it turns out that subsidizing will help out significantly. The Windows 7 Netbook is set to arrive on October 22 for $299 with a two-year AT&T wireless contract, which will run $60 a month. Also, the Booklet 3G will be available exclusively at Best Buy through the holidays. The Booklet 3G's unsubsidized price will indeed be $599, which is crazy high.
So...you walk into Best Buy and see a Nokia Booklet 3G for $299 and a 32GB iPhone 3GS for $299, both with two-year service agreements. Which would you buy?
Specs and more details after the break.
At an event in Manhattan this morning, Nokia, Best Buy, and Microsoft executives all seemed convinced they were going to sell quite a few of these little Netbooks, which are pretty thin by normal Netbook standards. Among the notable details: built-in A-GPS, a swappable SIM card slot, an Ovi services toolbar for syncing the Booklet with SMS messages and other contact data from a Nokia phone, and a 16-cell removable battery that somehow finds a way to not protrude from the Booklet's tiny underside. Nokia promises seamless switching between 3G and Wi-Fi, thanks to Windows 7's handling of wireless services.
There are drawbacks: the Booklet 3G has a 1.6GHz Intel Atom Z530 processor, which is slower even by Netbook standards. There's only 1GB of RAM, and the hard drive is 120GB, which is a step down from the 160GB XP Netbook usual.
On the other hand, the slightly-less-than-full-size raised keyboard felt very comfortable, and the 10.1-inch screen has a resolution of 1280x720, which is a little better than what most 10.1-inch Netbooks offer in terms of resolution. For Ethernet and VGA or DVI out, USB or HDMI adapter cables are sold separately.
Nokia promises a "true" 12-hour battery life from the Booklet 3G's 16-cell battery, although whether that allows for the company's much-heralded "always-on" 3G/Wi-Fi connectivity wasn't confirmed.
To recap the specs:
- Atom Z530 processor (instead of the more common N270)
- Windows 7
- HDMI port
- Wi-Fi
- 3G (obviously)
- An SD card reader
- A-GPS and maps integration
- A Webcam
- Bluetooth
- And, according to Nokia, a 12-hour battery life
Scott Stein, a New York Jets fan and CNET senior associate editor, has written about tech, entertainment, video games, and viral culture for outlets including Laptop, Wired, Maxim, Esquire Online, Asylum, and Men's Journal. He also appears on the Digital City podcast. In his spare time, you might see him performing improv in New York City (when he's not being a dad). 
Def. Nokia Booklet 3G, why would I go with that iFone 3GS crap?
Any particular reason why this booklet is better? I mean, they are running on the exact same network, so it's basically asking for you to choose between an Apple smartphone or a small Windows laptop, which would in turn then be decided by how much a user wants to carry, and for what reasons. Therefore, you COULD just say that different solutions might work for different people, but then again, that would burst your self-absorbed bubbles, wouldn't it? Just sayin'.
But hey, I'm sure that anyone that calls you out must be "too stupid," so I'll just shut up now and let you continue to self-flagellate.
$299, plus $60 x 24 mo. = $1,739
???
Do they really expect this to sell?
You can still get an aircard from VERIZON pay $60 a month and be able to use it on any computer you wish.
Seriously, c'mon. Price should be $299 without a contract and free with one.
hmmm.. 3GS - much better
I mean yeah cool idea those netbooks, lightweight, 10.1 inch screen (been looking for something thin and light and the smallest screen as possible) but if it don't got at least 3 GB of system RAM in it, with support for 4 or more, forget it! end of story. lol
and why are you guys so big on skype? SKYKE SUCKS!!! I mean seriously, if your oging to do phone calls over the internet, yahoo does that, or get vonage or even a magicJack.....but ditch skype, skype sucks big time..... :)
Plus, all you Apple fan-boys have no room to talk. Apple would sell this exact same hardware for 1 grand and you would trip over each other trying to pay for it.
- by aubskibob October 14, 2009 12:56 PM PDT
- Go look at the feature list again:
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- by GS3048 October 14, 2009 2:51 PM PDT
- I support every point you make here. Plus, I have had the ability to test-drive the device for the past couple of weeks. What I can tell you is this... it is sleek & stylish- hell it's sexy. And the performance is pretty solid. Yes, the batter life is easily well over 10 hours - 12 wouldn't be out of the question depending on the stress you are putting on it with your computing needs and how many of the appllications you are driving (BT, powering a cell phone, etc.). I have been told that Office 2007 is a challenge to it's 1GB of RAM... admittedly I am not a power user but it is running anything I have tried from the basic suite. Some of the arguments made by people above are accurate... as some of the features are bonus and not really practical-- at least for me....yet (GPS).
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(32 Comments)"I do not think you are getting it right. There are more differences between the ordinary netbooks and this new one from Nokia. The new one has
1. Extended battery life (claimed to be 12h?)
2. Higher resolution and HDMI port
3. Better design
4. GPS
5. 3G
6. Accelerometer
7. Windows 7
8. Bluetooth"
I have no idea why people have so much trouble understanding that if you buy the Nokia netbook from AT&T, it is CHEAPER than buying a comparable netbook, a USB 3G adapter, and AT&T 3G service. What is the hold up?
If you have a problem with AT&T, critique them.
If you want to compare the Nokia netbook to other netbooks, do it unsubsidized: Nokia is cheaper through AT&T than other netbooks with 3G.
Now as far as the unsubsidized cost, I still feel it is warranted for the GPS, the 12 hour battery, and the HDMI out. Nokia is making an amazing product here. Even if you completely leave the 3G out. But that is my personal opinion, and that is up to debate.
Also, what is the point in saying you could just buy a Wi-Fi router and internet access? You are comparing apples to oranges. And, chances are, people who would care enough to buy cellular 3G data already have internet access at home.
For this very reason, saying the 5gb plan is inadequate fails for the very same reason. How many places are you these days where you can't get onto a Wi-Fi network. Or do you know alot of people who drive out to empty fields to play video games, Twitter, and Facebook?
I agree AT&T data plans are retarded.
But if it was an Apple product you would be all over it. This exact same argument applies to the iPhone. However, this is different from an iPhone because you put your iPhone down when you get home to use a laptop/netbook.
This product deserves a chance and you only want to criticize.
But, aubskibob is right on about the wireless broadband. If you use this service- you'll pay it whether you are on AT&T or Sprint or whatever- so it should be taken out of the equation on this commentary as it is not a knock on the device's capabilities.
My wife is sold on it from the style appeal... we can't wait for the Win 7 launch at our local BBY to see the entire new netbook lineup and compare the Nokia to the latest HP's, Dell's & Asus'... it is the sharpest looking computer I have seen released outside of an Apple launch.