| With the advent of netbooks and the increasing | | | | always knows where it is, which it integrates with |
| sophistication of smartphones a cross-over of mobile | | | | social networking capabilities that enables it to |
| industries seems inevitable, especially as people | | | | broadcast your position to specified friends and family. |
| demand more from technology that they also demand | | | | And the home screen, which Matthew Millar from |
| be smaller and more convenient to use. The second | | | | ZDNet says has been completely revamped so that |
| edition iPhone was heralded as the leader in | | | | you can manage widgets. |
| smartphone/computer hybrid innovations. Since then | | | | Larry Dignan (also from ZDNet) and Millar both believe |
| Blackberry has also narrowed the gap between | | | | that we're heading towards a world where |
| computers and mobiles phones, and regular mobile | | | | smartphones and laptops collide, and both believe that |
| phone manufacturers, not traditionally considered | | | | while the Nokia N97 is a significant step in that direction, |
| smartphones, have introduced mobile phones with | | | | we're not quite there yet. Millar sticks out his neck a bit |
| smartphone-like capabilities. Now, Nokia is taking the | | | | further than Dignan, however, by stating that Nokia will |
| phenomenon a step further with a mobile phone that | | | | probably lead the way in the hybrid chase, as they |
| they're marketing as a mobile computer. | | | | have the right vision of the future and the flexibility to |
| The Nokia N97 has a 3.5 inch touch display with | | | | make it work. |
| unimaginable screen resolution, a QWERTY keyboard, | | | | Until that day comes, however, we'll have to make do |
| integrated WiFi and Bluetooth and 32GB onboard flash | | | | with the N97 in all its EUR550 glory (before tax). |
| memory with the option to add another 16GB via | | | | Dignan puts the figure at around $650 for American |
| microSD. But one the coolest elements, and the thing | | | | consumers, which makes the N97 way more |
| that is probably most significant in its "mobile computer" | | | | expensive than your average netbook. But at least |
| label is the fact that the screen slides up and rests at | | | | you have time to save for it as the multimedia |
| an angle to reveal the keyboard; very netbook-like. | | | | computer or "Desktop.Laptop.Pocket" as Nokia refers |
| And then there is social location, which uses the GPS | | | | to it, will only be available early in 2009. |
| receiver and compass to ensure that the phone | | | | |