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Nokia N770

Nokia CEO Stephen Elop has confirmed in an interview with a Finnish TV station that the company expects to launch a tablet device. But Elop says whatever the company eventually produces will have a “uniquely Nokia” perspective.

It’s not at all clear what that means in terms of finished hardware or software. But here’s what it means in terms of business strategy. There are dozens, if not hundreds of tablets on the market already, and as Elop points out, the only one that’s doing spectacularly well is the Apple iPad.

While Nokia could jump on the Android tablet bandwagon and produce a device that looks just like everyone else’s, there’s no reason to expect that it would sell very well. So Nokia is looking for ways to produce something a little more innovative.

Of course, that’s exactly what Nokia tried to do in the netbook space when the company launched the Nokia Booklet 3G, and that mini-laptop didn’t exactly become a household name. Thinking outside the box doesn’t necessarily guarantee success, but then again, neither does blending in with the crowd.

via Engadget