Nokia Corp., the world’s largest maker of mobile phones, is interested in making netbooks, the ultra low-cost personal computers, according to its chief executive officer. The claim is hardly a surprise, considering the fact that Nokia signed a pact with Intel Corp., the globe’s largest maker of chips for computers.

"The PC and the mobile will continue to come closer and merge. A lot of opportunity can be seen in this converged area. […] We at Nokia is actively looking at this converged market. We are looking at the netbook market to see what kind of opportunity is there," said Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, the chief executive of Nokia, said, reports The Economic Times.

According to earlier reports, in Q3 2009 Nokia plans to unveil Intel Atom-based netbook as well as Qualcomm Snapdragon-powered smartbook. Quanta will produce the netbook, whereas Compal will manufacture the smartbook for Nokia.

In February '09 Nokia said that it was actively looking forward making mobile computers. This week the company formed strategic alliance with Intel, the world's top maker of microprocessors, in a bid to start making various mobile Internet devices.

PC business is not completely new to Nokia. Back in the eighties, Nokia produced personal computers named MikroMikko, but then sold its computer business to International Computers Limited (ICL) in 1991. ICL eventually became a part of Fujitsu Siemens Computers. Nokia also used to produce PC monitors in the nineties, but also sold the business to ViewSonic in 2000.

Tags: Nokia, Intel, Atom, Qualcomm, Snapdragon