Nokia sees corporate interest for netbook

HELSINKI, FINLAND: Top cellphone maker Nokia Oyj has seen growing interest among companies for its first netbook or mini-laptop, a company executive said on Thursday.

"When we launched the Booklet 3G ... we thought it to be primarily a consumer device, but after the launch a big, growing interest is coming from companies," Heikki Norta, head of Nokia corporate strategy, told a seminar.

"No one knows yet if a booklet kind of device is the next device that will be used by millions, or hundreds of millions, of people, but right now it looks like, if not for mass market, there is clear demand," Norta added.

Nokia launched its mini-laptop in August, entering a fiercely competitive but fast-growing market, setting the price for the device at 575 euros ($861).