At $300, Nokia's slim and stylish netbook is priced like any other, except you'll be locked up for two years of data with AT&T at $60 per month.
Without a wireless service contract, the Nokia Booklet 3G will cost $600 at Best Buy, which is the netbook's exclusive seller through the holidays, according to Engadget. The netbook will launch alongside Windows 7 on October 22.
Since it was introduced in August, the Booklet 3G has drawn the attention of tech watchers for its solid aluminum construction and promise of any time connectivity. It was assumed that the computer would be pricey for a netbook, and AT&T and Best Buy confirmed as much today.
Other features of the Booklet 3G include a 16-cell battery for up to 12 hours of battery life, integration with Nokia's Ovi Store for apps, a 10-inch glass display, HDMI, GPS and Bluetooth. The usual notebook specs -- Intel Atom processor, 1 GB of RAM, 120 GB hard drive -- apply.
As PC World's David Coursey asks, is the Nokia Booklet 3G a deal? Of course not. Every time a netbook subsidy is announced, the obligatory math follows: At $60 per month, you're paying $1,440 for two years of service. Add the cost of the laptop itself, and the luxury of having an always-connected computer costs $1,770.
Now, think about the nature of the luxury itself: These days, most places you plunk down a computer are likely to have Wi-Fi. Even if it's not free, it's unlikely to outweigh the monthly cost of a 3G plan for all but the most frequent travelers. And even jet-setting business types might rather pay as they go for services like airplane Wi-Fi.
With all that said, the Booklet 3G would fulfill my dream of working from the beach, but I'm not sure that I'd be productive enough to afford it.
