Nokia will start shipping WiMAX-enabled "N-series" Internet tablets as early as next year. The devices will use Intel "Baxter Peak" WiMAX chips and will support Sprint's "Xohm" WiMAX service, according to Nokia.

The combination between Linux and WiMAX is bound to make Nokia's Internet tablets as powerful and appealing as possible. This means Internet access at all times and also all the information that the user might need for personal or business solutions. Nokia's interest in this type of devices could also be seen in the N800 Internet Tablet, that will be available for North American customers starting next year.

The Mobile WiMAX network in the US has developed at a great scale over the past period, which presents an even greater potential for handsets that are capable of supporting it. This technology makes a great alternative to the more traditional ways of putting Internet on mobile phones. Moreover, users can benefit from having their devices always connected and great browsing, no matter the place. This perfectly matches the greatest feature of mobility that cellulars are capable of providing.

Nokia's WiMAX-enabled N-series Internet tablets will work at first with Sprint's Xohm service. This will also see a debut in the U.S. metropolitan areas next year. Moreover, they will use Intel's "Baxter Peak" WiMAX radio chipset. This is one of the best solutions for mobile devices, as it puts an only small strain on the battery, while it also makes it possible to develop extremely compact devices. It is still powerful enough, as this chipset uses the same silicon as Intel's "Echo Peak" MiniCard module for laptops.

Nokia has revealed some of the applications that will run on its WiMAX-enabled "N-series" Internet tablets. Among them, there are also Skype, the Rhapsody music service and a Mozilla-based browser.