Nokia plans to ship WiMAX-enabled Internet tablets next year

Nokia plans to ship WiMAX-enabled Internet tablets next year. The as-yet unnamed model or models in Nokia's Linux-powered "N-series" Internet Tablet line will use Intel "Baxter Peak" WiMAX chips and will support Sprint's "Xohm" WiMAX service. WiMAX technology was originated by Intel in 2004, positioned early on as a way to bring the Internet to the masses, including people in developing nations without the resources for copper-based "last mile" infrastructure, and in rural areas of the U.S. where low population density has rendered other network distribution techniques impractical.

Nokia's WiMAX-enabled N-series Internet tablets are expected to work initially with Sprint's Xohm service, which debuts in U.S. metropolitan areas next year. The N-series tablets will run Linux, and use Intel's "Baxter Peak" WiMAX radio chipset, the companies have disclosed. Baxter Peak is said to use the same silicon as Intel's "Echo Peak" MiniCard module for laptops and ultra-mobile devices, but optimized for small form factors and low power consumption.