Nokia is one of the most unlikely companies to launch a netbook, given that cell phones are its claim to fame. Most manufacturers can attest that the key to a successful netbook is to find the right combination of differentiators while minimizing its flaws. The Booklet 3G is arguably the most luxurious netbook—looks and price-wise—swaddled in fine aluminum metals.
Nokia Booklet-Mini Laptop
Features
First things first: when it comes to looks and build quality, the Booklet’s the belle of the ball. The chassis is carved from a single piece of aircraft-grade aluminum, much like the unibody MacBook. The entire machine feels solid and very thick, in a good way — and we’re really into the angled edges, although we can’t quite explain why.
Advantages
Besides the AT&T mobile broadband, the option to manually join local Wi-Fi networks is also available. Despite an excellent design and well-integrated mobile broadband, the Booklet 3G hits a rough patch as an actual Netbook. Using the slower Z530 version of Intel’s Atom CPU (instead of the more common N270 or N280 versions) means that performance was generally sluggish, especially with only 1GB of RAM and a slower 4,200rpm hard drive.
Disadvantages
The Booklet 3G is easily one of the most upscale-looking Netbooks we’ve seen. It feels solid and well-built in your hands, without being too heavy. The screen hinge in particular feels pleasingly tight, while the slightly too thick keyboard tray has zero flex even when pressing down firmly on the keyboard. Sadly, the keyboard itself is jammed, with tiny keys that are hard to hit accurately. Considering the strides other Netbooks have made with creating very usable keyboards, it was a letdown.
Nokia Booklet 3G
Conclusion
So as a ‘mini-laptop’ as Nokia themselves call it themselves on their site, the Nokia Booklet 3G has excellent build quality with very good battery life and built-in 3G. It’s a real shame that some of the decisions that have been made within that design are holding the system back.
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Gudwork,but what about the Price?