Nokia Booklet 3G to be powered by new Intel HD graphics chip?

COMMENT: How do Nokia plan to deliver on promise of HD?

Nokia Booklet 3G to be powered by new Intel HD graphics chip?. Comment, Hardware, Netbooks, Nokia, Nokia Booklet 3G 1

24 August 2009 19:05 GMT / By Stuart Miles

Nokia will announce that the Nokia Booklet 3G will pack a new chip HD graphics chip by Intel, Pocket-lint believes, when the full specs are announced next week at Nokia World in Stuttgart, Germany.

Why? Here's what we've got so far:

Nokia on Monday announced that the new netbook will be powered by an "Intel Atom processor", which while Nokia wouldn't comment further, Intel has confirmed to Pocket-lint will be the Intel Atom Z530 1.6GHz chipset.

The chip is currently found in the Sony Vaio P as well as the Acer Aspire One netbook already on the market.

Although the Intel Z530 chip will do HD video up to 720p, in tests of both netbooks in the past at Pocket-lint, both struggle to do HD video, something that Nokia has promised in the release (10-inch display and HDMI out).

Both Broadcom and Nvidia, makers of the Crystal HD and ION graphics chipsets that specialize in delivering HD respectively, have both confirmed to Pocket-lint that they aren't involved in the new device.

Could the new Nokia Booklet be powered by a yet unannounced Intel HD graphics chip?

When we spoke to Intel, the spokeswomen for the company was keeping quiet, saying that Nokia was planning on announcing further specs next week at Nokia World and that she wasn't allowed to confirm anything, other than the chipset details she gave us.

However our contact did confirm that this wasn't the "pocketable" device it announced that it would be working on with Nokia back in June to "explore new ideas in designs, materials and displays that will go far beyond devices and services on the market today."

Instead we got: "This [the Nokia Booklet 3G] isn't that device, but it does complement the announcement."

Looking at the timeline of facts, it seems strange that Nokia and Intel would announce an agreement in June only for the company to team up with a competitor in the shape of Nvidia or Broadcom to power a new device and new direction for the company.

It's also one reason that it's probably powered by Microsoft Windows, that alliance was announced in July, rather than Android, Linux or Symbian.

Finally:

We've had an anonymous tipster email us suggesting that the device could be using the Menlow MID chip, but to be honest we aren't sure where this would fit in, especially as it was designed for tablets, rather than netbooks.

Pocket-lint will be at Nokia World bringing you all the latest announcements and the inside track as it happens.

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Comment, Hardware, Netbooks, Nokia, Nokia Booklet 3G