Nokia's high-profile 'Booklet 3G' - its first foray into the netbook space - will be launched in Germany and the US in the next few weeks. O2 will offer the device (pictured, right) in Germany for EUR249 (US$371) with an additional monthly charge of EUR20 over 24 months. There will also be an optional flat-rate data tariff which will cost EUR25 per month. The device will hit German shelves on October 22nd. Meanwhile US operator AT&T will carry the netbook over its nationwide 3G network, with Best Buy being the exclusive retailer initially. Best Buy will sell the device for US$299.99 with a two-year, US$60-a-month contract. The retailer will begin taking orders on October 22 with the device available from mid-November. Reuters notes that Best Buy said it will sell the netbook for US$599 to those consumers who do not opt for the AT&T contract plan and instead just connect to the Web using WiFi technology.
Nokia in August confirmed long-running speculation it was to enter the netbook space, as the world's largest handset vendor looks to diversify its product offering and regain momentum. The netbook sports the new Windows 7 operating system, is powered by Intel's Atom processor, and offers HSPA and WiFi connectivity. It also has a ten-inch display and supports Nokia's range of Ovi services. Nokia claims that when fully charged the netbook can work for as long as 12 hours, a battery life that Current Analysis analyst Avi Greengart described as "ridiculously good" in comparison to other netbooks with an average battery life of about 4 hours.
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