Nokia teams with Intel for 3D mobile applications

Nokia and chipmaker Intel will partner on the creation of new user interfaces designed to bring augmented 3D graphics experiences to mobile devices. The collaboration spins out of MeeGo, the Linux-based mobile operating system combining Nokia's Maemo and Intel's Moblin, introduced in February--the firms said their 3D efforts will initially target the MeeGo OS, although other platforms are also under consideration. No product timetable is presently in place.

In conjunction with the 3D graphics initiative, Nokia and Intel jointly established a new collaborative research laboratory at the Centre for Internet Excellence at Finland's University of Oulu. The Intel and Nokia Joint Research Center joins the Centre for Internet Excellence's existing 3D research community, which has already produced realXtend, an open source platform for interconnected 3D worlds.

During an Oulu press event Tuesday, Nokia and Intel said the MeeGo effort is off to a solid start. "Take-up is really positive," said Nokia director of industry alliances Mika Setala, according to Reuters. Plans for collaborative hardware developed by Nokia and Intel have stalled, however: "We are still exploring possibilities for joint hardware, but there is nothing to announce," Satala said.

For more on MeeGo's 3D future:
- read this Nokia Conversations blog entry

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