LTE Netbook From Samsung Thrown In MWC's Spotlight

Samsung has released the first Long Term Evolution (LTE) compatible netbook ever, the N150 which is a slightly reworked versions of an existing netbook but sporting the Korean manufacturer's own Kalmia LTE modem chipset.

LTE is commonly known as 4G (although it should be termed 3GPP) and is the next step  in mobile broadband technology with advertised speeds of 100mbps for download and 50mbps for upload although there are already plans to boost it significantly.

The N150 comes with a 10.1" anti-reflective LED display (capable of showing 1024x600 pixels) and uses Samsung's proprietary technology to boost battery life to 8.5 hours. 

Specwise, it is a fairly standard netbook with an Atom  N450 processor, Windows 7 Home, 1GB RAM, up to 250GB hard disk drive, Bluetooth, Wireless LAN, VGA, a webcam and a 6-cell battery plus a card reader. Nothing that really sets it aside from so many other netbooks.

There are no prices or any availability or dates; Samsung confirmed in its press release that it will be according to "service schedule and market demand" (i.e. if competitors start doing the same and if the technology actually sells well).

Samsung can afford to include an LTE chip into its netbooks because it can do so at cost price (it literally builds these) and therefore allows it to solve the proverbial chicken-egg issue when it comes to promoting new technology.