Intel and Nokia team up on mobile computing

Intel and Nokia have announced a technology partnership to create what the two companies described as a "new class of mobile computing device."

Intel said in a statement that the devices would be based on Intel architecture and would create a "new mobile platform beyond today's smartphones, notebooks and netbooks".

As part of the deal, Intel said it would acquire a licence for Nokia HSPA 3G modem technology and the partnership would include collaboration on open source Linux based software projects.

Anand Chandrasekher, Intel's senior vice president and general manager for the ultra mobility group, said in a phone briefing that the two companies wanted to deliver a rich mobile internet "to a broad range of new users. There's no reason the full 1.6 billion users that don't have internet access can't get it", he said.

Chandrasekher said that it was "natural for the leader in computers and communication to come together" and stated that this was a "long term strategic relationship".

However, both men were tight lipped as to the nature of the actual products or when they might appear.

Kai istm, executive vice president of devices for Nokia, said that it was only announcing the technology partnership and that it was "premature to talk about the products."

The only clues from istm were that the companies were working on an entirely new category of devices.

"We are exploring new ideas in shapes, sizes and displays that go far beyond what there is today," he said. "We plan to turn our research into concrete action."