Nokia is on the verge of launching its first tablet device running Microsoft’s down-on-its-luck Windows RT software, with reports claiming the device will be unveiled within a month.
According to The Verge, the 10.1-inch slate has been codenamed Sirius and will take on an appearance very similar to the company’s rapidly improving range of Lumia Windows Phone handsets.
The report claims Nokia is packing a full HD 1920 x 1080p screen into the device, which will be thinner and lighter than the current-gen iPad 4.
It’s also said to have a 6-megapixel rear camera and a 2-megapixel snapper for video calling and low-res ‘selfies’ strapped to the front of the device. According to the site’s sources, the ‘Sirius’ won’t be short of power thanks to a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chipset and 2GB of RAM.
There’s a purported 10-hours of battery life, a 4G LTE radio as well as 32GB of built-in storage. The Verge has also been informed that a battery-packing keyboard accessory will ship with the device, giving users even more on-the-go juice.
The device has been earmarked for Nokia’s event in New York City on September 26, which is also likely to feature the launch of the company’s rumoured 6-inch Windows Phone phablet known internally as ‘Bandit’
However, while the specs listed above sound mighty tasty, if true, the operating system choice may hamper the chances of success before it even sees the light of day.
Microsoft’s Windows RT software, for devices based on ARM architecture, has been an unqualified disaster since its launch last October.
The flagship device, the Microsoft Surface RT, was a giant flop estimated to have cost the company $900m. Many of the company’s partners have already walked away from the touch-friendly OS and have advised Microsoft to do the same.
While the Windows 8.1 RT update, coming in October, may improve matters, the software is already thought to be a lame duck in tech circles. Can Nokia do something about this, or is it backing the wrong horse?
Next, check out our pick of the best Windows 8 laptops, tablet, convertibles and PCs.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
