Nokia just rolled out its new Maemo phone, after 5 years in development. It combines their Linux Maemo software platform with Intel’s Linux based Moblin to create the new platform, MeeGo.

Intel and Nokia plan a merger on new cell phone

The MeeGo announcement came last week at the Mobile World Congress fair in Barcelona, Spain. The MeeGo is direct competition to the Apple iPhone and other Smartphones. Nokia understands that getting out a phone that will appeal to the consumers is the key to the race. But will anything really replace the popular iPhone? When AT&T loses it exclusivity this year, other providers will be able to sell the iPhone. I predict it will triple in popularity, replacing the new trendy Droids as well as the BlackBerry phones.

For those Linux fans, this is another way to slap at King Kong (Microsoft). Will Microsoft even feel the blow? It’s doubtful. Still it’s nice to see that free enterprise competition out there.