Nokia Lumia 500 launched under Rs 11,000

At a press event held today in Delhi, Nokia officially announced the Lumia 510. The handset will be available for sale across the country in the first week of November at a price point below Rs 11,000.

Over the past few weeks reports has indicated that a budget Lumia smartphone was in the works, and that it would be first launched in China. Out of nowhere, Nokia India teased an arithmetic problem on its official Facebook page, which indicated that the brand would unveil the Lumia 510 sooner than expected, and that India would be one of the first to receive the handset.

The Nokia Lumia 510 will run Windows Phone 7.8 out of the box and this puts to rest any speculations that it would first run on Windows Phone 7.5 and later be updated to the new Windows Phone 7.8 platform. This budget Lumia is powered by an 800MHz single core processor and features 256MB of RAM. These details are on par with the specifications leaked earlier.

The cheapest Lumia yet

Apart from this, the handset features a 4-inch WVGA display with a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels and 4GB of internal memory. The handset will also come equipped with 7GB of cloud storage. The handset features a 5 megapixel rear camera but unfortunately no front facing camera. The smartphone uses a 1300mAh battery that should offer a fairly good battery life. 

Besides the above mentioned features, Nokia has also preloaded the handset with a bundle of other Nokia powered apps such as Maps, Transport, and Drive. Three months of unlimited access to Nokia Music Nokia MixRadio will also be available for consumers of this handset. To enhance the camera abilities, Nokia has also given users the option to download Camera Extras.

For those who use handsets run on the Windows Phone 7.8 platform, Nokia stated that it will deliver existing Lumia customers exclusive new Marketplace apps such as Camera Extras to bring new possibilities to the Lumia line up including panorama shots, a self-timer, Action Shot for capturing movement, and Smart Group Shot for creating the perfect group shot from several different images; new features for Nokia Drive and Nokia Transport; and also distributing a pattern of updates such as Wi-Fi tethering and flip-to-silence.

Handsets running the Windows Phone 7.8 operating system will not be able to get the Windows Phone 8 update. Nokia had stated that Lumia devices with Windows Phone 7.5 will be provided with updates to some of the new Windows Phone 8 features, such as the start screen. The devices will also be allowed to download new apps from companies such as Zynga, whose Words with Friends and Draw Something will be available by the third quarter of this year.

The official price of the Lumia 510 is not available yet. Nokia has stated that the handset will be released in the first week of November at a price of less than Rs 11,000.

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Nokia Asha 308 launched in India for Rs 5,865

Nokia has launched one of its latest phones from the Asha line in India. The Nokia Asha 308 is now available on Nokia India’s online store for a price of Rs 5,865. The phone runs on Nokia’s S40 full-touch interface.

The new device offers a fluid 'swipe' user interface and an open environment for third-party application development, characteristics that have earned the complete Asha Touch range full smartphone classification from global market research companies and analysts such as GfK and IDC.

Nokia Asha 308 has been launched in India

Here are some of the highlights of the Nokia Asha 308:

• 3-inch capacitive touchscreen with a resolution of 400 x 240 pixels
• EDGE/GPRS
• Bluetooth 3.0 with A2DP
• 2 megapixel camera, VGA frontfacing camera

In its official statement, Nokia previously shared that it has released a new version of Nokia Xpress Browser, which it claims enables up to 90 percent more efficient mobile browsing and faster access to rich web applications compared to conventional browsers. 

"Our innovative Asha Touch family of devices is designed for people who want a great smartphone experience with lower running costs," said Timo Toikkanen, executive vice president, Mobile Phones, Nokia during the announcement of the phone. "By introducing the Nokia Asha 308 and Nokia Asha 309, we're expanding our affordable smartphone lineup and bringing new mobile experiences to more people.”

According to Nokia, the Asha 308 and Nokia Asha 309 phones are its most affordable capacitive touchscreen devices to date. A view shared by independent analysts is that the Asha line represents great smartphones available for less than USD 99. "Nokia's Asha Touch family delivers all the core smartphone experiences, and with the new software developer kit, provides ever-increasing flexibility for developers to build compelling new experiences for consumers," said Will Stofega, Mobile Phone Program Director, IDC.

Nokia also introduced two extensions to its Xpress Browser Internet platform, which the company calls the only cloud-based web browser to support web apps.

The Nokia Nearby web app helps people discover new places by searching nearby locations and presenting the options on a map. The service is available via Nokia Xpress Browser or as a feature within Nokia Maps.

The Nokia Life+ web app will give millions of people access to content that spans education, health and infotainment to enhance their daily lives. Nokia Life+ is available in English across 18 countries, with local versions coming to India, China and Indonesia in the fourth quarter of this year. Nokia Life+ can be accessed through Nokia Xpress Browser or the Nokia Store.

Both the services work with Asha Touch smartphones. In addition to these services, Nokia also introduced a new web-based tool that makes it even easier to build new applications. With Nokia Xpress Web App Builder, publishers can create appealing web apps for Asha Touch devices, and even novices can turn their web content into a fun and sophisticated web app for Nokia consumers.

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Nokia India teases Lumia 510, Coming October 23rd?

Nokia India’s Facebook Page just posted the clever little teaser status update you see below:

610 – 100 = ?

Stay tuned. Coming soon.

The Nokia Lumia 510 hasnt actually been announced just yet, but it’s rumored to be a budget device meant for emerging markets like India. Supposed to run Windows Phone 7.5, it’s rumored to have lower end specs like 256MB of RAM similar to the Lumia 610.

Nokia India has a press conferece here this October 23rd where the device might be announced, since the invitation was cryptic enough to indicate a brand new phone. It’s been a while since a new phone was announced in India though.

We’ll be right there to check it out this Tuesday, so check back on the 23rd y’all!

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Nokia Takes Wraps Off Asha 309 Phone With 3" Screen

After spreading the love with its Asha series of feature handsets,Nokia has added another touch-based feature phone to the lineup. The Asha 309 sports a 3" capacitive touchscreen, with pixel dimensions of 240x400. The phone runs on the Series 40 platform and features a 2 mp rear camera. GPS is absent, but the Nokia Maps app will help you find your way using the cell tower location. Here's the complete list of

specifications.

• Quad-band 2G (GSM 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz).
• 3" capacitive multi-touch LCD screen with pixel dimensions of 240x400.
• 2.0 megapixel main camera with fixed focus, Flash absent; Video Capture: 176x144 pixels at 10 fps.
• Aperture: 2.8F; Focal Length: 3.6 mm; Camera Features: Landscape orientation, Exposure compensation, Auto and manual white balance, Still image editor, Full screen viewfinder, Self timer, Centre-weighted auto exposure.
• Series 40 platform; Nokia Maps and Nokia Music support; pre-loaded with Nokia Xpress Browser and WhatsApp.
• Micro-USB port, 3.5 mm jack with TV-Out; Orientation sensor, Accelerometer.
• Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0; FM Radio with RDS and recording.
• 128 MB internal storage; 32 GB microSD card slot.
• 4.3" (l) x 2.1" (w) x 0.5" (13.2 mm) (d); weighs 102 grammes.
• Supported audio formats: MF, ASF, WAV, MXMF, MP4, AAC, AMR, MP3, AWB, M4V, M4A, AVI, NRT, WMA, 3GP, 3G2, MIDI, and WMV.
• 1110 mAh battery with 6 hours of talk time, 650 hours of standby, and 40 hours of music playback.
• Available colours: Black, White.
• Package contents: Charger AC-11, Battery BL-4U, Stereo Headset WH-102.

Similar to some of the other phones in the series, the Asha 309 gives you free access to 40 EA titles, including games such as Tetris, FIFA 2012, and Need for Speed The Run. The cell phone is expected to be priced at $100 (approx Rs 5,500). It will probably hit international stores by October.

Check out Nokia's promotional video below, and take a look at the gallery for product shots.

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Nokia silently launches Lumia 900 in India for Rs 32,999

Following its much-talked-about unveiling of the Lumia 820 and Lumia 920 smartphones, Nokia has quietly launched the Lumia 900 in India. We were expecting the smartphone to make it here a lot sooner, around the time Nokia fooled everybody by launching the limited edition Dark Knight Rises special edition Lumia 800 in India after teasing the Lumia 900 special edition -- but it’s finally here. Nokia’s online store lists it up for grabs at Rs 32,999.

It is interesting to note that Nokia has barely announced the Lumia 900’s launch in India. The company has always treated India as one of its key markets, and has so far launched its mobile phones with much fanfare in the country. 

The Rs 32,999 price tag seems a bit heavy for a Windows Phone 7 device, especially one that’s never going to get Windows Phone 8. We also think the Lumia 900 is a bit out of date, especially with the Lumia 820 and Lumia 920 being unveiled.

The Lumia 900 runs on Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango), features a 4.3-inch AMOLED screen with ClearBlack technology, has a polycarbonate body, and is powered by a 1.4GHz single-core Qualcomm processor. It has a 1830mAh battery that offers a maximum of 300 hours of stand-by time, and seven hours of talk time. It has an 8 megapixel camera with dual LED flash with an aperture of f/2.2. The camera can capture 720p HD videos at 30 frames per second. The Lumia 900 will be updated to Windows Phone 7.8 when the operating system is launched.

Nokia launches the Lumia 900 in India. Finally!

Here is a quick look at the highlighted features of the Nokia Lumia 900:

• 4.3-inch AMOLED touchscreen with ClearBlack technology
• GPRS, HSPA, EDGE,HSUPA, GSM, HSDPA, LTE, WDCMA, Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11 b/g/n, DLNA
• GPS and A-GPS support
• Bluetooth v2.1 with EDR
• 8 megapixel camera with dual LED flash, VGA front facing camera
• 512MB RAM, 16GB internal memory
• microUSB 2.0 port

Nokia Lumia 900 users came in for a major shock earlier this year when Microsoft announced that Windows Phone 8 would not support the crop of devices available at the time. However, Nokia seems determined to make sure its WP7 smartphone range is not ignored. Following the big launch of the new phones, the Finnish manufacturer stated that existing Lumia owners have plenty to look forward to and are “definitely not being left behind". The post goes on to say that the Lumia 610, Lumia 710, Lumia 800 and Lumia 900 will receive a new, updated user interface, new features, apps and upgrades.

The upgrades scheduled for the smartphones include the long-awaited ability to send or receive files over Bluetooth. Users will also get a new Start screen with a look familiar to that of Windows Phone 8, a ringtone app maker and a contact sharing app that lets you share your contacts via Bluetooth, in addition to SMS and email. 

The new apps for the Lumias that have been launched include Nokia City Lens, which is Nokia’s location-based augmented reality application. Using the phone’s camera viewfinder, Nokia City Lens provides an augmented reality overlay view of buildings and instantly highlights places of interest. Also announced is Nokia Counters, which helps you keep an eye on your phone usage.

Nokia will also bring Cinemagraph and updates to Smart Group Shot to existing Lumia devices with some additional surprises to make photo shooting and sharing as easy as possible.

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The fall of Nokia

 The mobile world has changed rapidly in the last couple of years. While some mobile players pioneered these changes, others were quite slow and couldn’t adapt to the lightening-fast changes. Earlier this year, there were reports from HIS iSuppli how Nokia’s 14-year run as the biggest phone manufacturer finally comes to an end. Most of us have loved our Nokia devices and it brings in a lot of nostalgia to many users, but that’s the problem. The company introduced us to the term smartphone in 2002. Just five years later, the iPhone was launched, changing everything one may demand from a smartphone, but Nokia failed to see the changing consumer demand. Though Nokia builds quality hardware for phones, it moved too slowly to catch up with its competitors in terms of OS and app ecosystem. In mere 2-3 years, Google and Apple have managed to shake Nokia off its position to run a two horsed mobile race. While the question on everyone’s mind was whether Nokia will ditch Symbian for Android, the company surprised everyone by joining hands with Microsoft’s Windows Phone. After a lukewarn response for the Lumia series last year, followed by dipping shares and hundreds of lay offs, Nokia’s future still doesn’t seem stable. Here’s a timeline showing the fall of this once-mighty company. 

Nokia before the telecommunication era
Nokia’s identity is more than a century old, which goes back to 1856 while we were still ruled by the Britishers. It was founded by Fredrik Idestam as a paper manufacturing company. In 1871, Idestam along with Leo Mechelin transformed it into a share company and also renamed it as Nokia Company, as we know of it today. In 1902, Mechilin further expanded it into electricity business. However, it was years later in 1967 that Nokia came across as a true global corporation after Nokia Company merged with Finnish Cable Works and Finnish Rubber Works. This new company as a whole had its foot in several market segments from paper products, car and bicycle tyres, footwear, communication cables, televisions and other consumer electronics, personal computers, electricity generation machinery, and more. But in the 90s, the company divested itself of all its non-telecommunication business to focus on the telecommunication market. 

1967 to 2000
It was during the 60s that Nokia gave markets a taste of its electronics division and developed its first electronic device in 1962. Till we reached the 70s, it had deepened its roots into telecommunication. In 70s and 80s, it developed digital switch for telephone exchanges and a digital, portable and encrypted text-based communications device. Nokia had its stint with producing communication technology for the military till then and by the beginning of the 80s, it began developing mobile phones. In 1988, the company turned into Nokia mobile phones. The company launched its first GSM phone dubbed 1101 in 1992 and followed it by Nokia 2100 in 1994. It was the Nokia 2100 that showed the famous Nokia tune. GSM brought along high-quality (as per the standards then) voice calls, international roaming, support for text message services (SMS). Needless to say, it was the beginning of the mobile boom. In fact, with the growing popularity of GSM, Nokia became the largest mobile phone manufacturer in the world in 1998.

Value for money

2001–2002
In 2000, the word smartphone was already coined and the Ericsson R380 was considered the first smartphone. In 2001, Nokia build the 9210 Communicator that ran on Symbian OS combining PDA and a phone. But these so-called ‘smartphone’ devices were only meant for enterprise and business market and didn't find its space in the consumer markets, wherein people were just getting used to the mobile world. In 2002, the company launched the Nokia 7650, which went on to become quite popular among the masses and sold in large numbers.

2003–2004
In 2003, Nokia continued to launch its value for money phones running on the Symbian OS. The Nokia 1100 managed to garner a lot of attention and the company sold millions of units. In fact, I also owned the Nokia 1100 for a while. The company also focused on gamers and launched the N-gage, a phone that paved way for gaming onto mobile phones.

2005–2007
In 2005, Nokia continued to sell some good value for money devices like the 6030, 6111, the clamshell 6101, 6230 and so on. It was this year that the company also conceived the famous N series. In 2006, it put music at the forefront, probably to compete with Sony Ericsson’s Walkman series. The company did so with its XpressMusic phones like the 3250 running on S60 3rd edition and then 5200 and 5300 in 2007 running on S40 3rd edition. In 2007, Nokia realised the potential of touchscreens and with the iPhone release on cards, it quickly launched the Nokia 7710. During the same year, Nokia also launched the popular N82 with a 5 megapixel camera and Xenon flash.  

2008
This was the year when it had to deal with the popularity of the iPhone and the enterprise-favourite Blackberry devices. Nokia had enjoyed its position since 2002, but with the launch of the iPhone, the definition of smartphones had suddenly changed. It was now that phones weren’t considered to make mere calls and texts. Apple brought a complete ecosystem with it. The iPhone managed to wow audiences and its App store was increasing by the day. Nokia then moved its focus over to Internet on Phones and launched the ‘Ovi’ store in beta. It was this year that Nokia also prepped up for future mobile advancements and completed the acquisition of Navteq for digital maps. On the other hand, Nokia also knew it had to move from the alphanumeric keybords, owing to the popularity of the Blackberry QWERTYs. It soon released its QWERTY-enabled Nokia E71, which was later followed by E72 to directly compete with BlackBerry devices.

Colour splashed N8

2009
The iPhone’s popularity was on the rise and none of Nokia’s devices were as close as the iPhone then. Despite the high price, people were willing to pay for the complete closed Apple experience. Touchscreens were becoming an innovation. Nokia’s touch devices weren't creating any magic but the company still managed to make some profit and was still a hit in the developing markets like India. Nokia continued to dish out low-end entry level phones and music phones like Nokia X6 and X3. 

2010
In 2010, Nokia decided to bring to users the best of both touch and physical keyboard. It went on to release several ‘Touch and Type’ phones, for instance, the C series. This year also saw Nokia's colour splashed N8 which ran on Symbian^3. It was this year that Stephen Elop was appointed as the new CEO of Nokia and the company had already started facing losses owing to wide acceptance of Android. Samsung had started invading the low to mid-end markets which were once dominated by Nokia. 

2011
The Symbian magic was fading by the day while iPhone and Android popularity was on a continuous rise. Symbian platform looked quite outdated as Android and iOS were loaded with newer, refreshing and advanced versions with each year. Nokia couldn't adapt to the rapid changes. Then soon enough, Symbian looked as if it didn't have anything to offer. Moreover, Samsung along with Android support had begun to invade low to high-end market with much better features than what Symbian could offer. Moreover, Samsung’s strategically designed Corby series was becoming a huge hit. Nokia’s popularity was dipping and so were its shares. The question was whether the company will join hands with Google. To wriggle out of the mess, Nokia joined hands with Microsoft, which was equally striving to bounce back into the mobile market. Windows Phone was soon to replace Symbian and MeeGo on the higher side. Some mid-end  Nokia phones would still show traces of Symbian versions - Belle and Anna.  

In fact, Nokia was supposed to release the Meego device in 2011 and was also to invest in Symbian 40, but soon it decided not to do so. It cut spending on research and development and instead invested in customising its products for Windows 7.  Nokia is working closely with Microsoft as Bing and Nokia maps become core part of its Windows devices. However, Nokia-Microsoft announcement didn't come as a rescue for it as its share fell by 14 percent, which was the highest drop it faced since 2009. The Lumia series was launched running on Windows Phone (Lumia 710and Lumia 800) and didn’t take off that well. The losses were increasing and the company started announcing job cuts.  

2012
In spite of the ambitious Lumia series, the year didn't begin on a good note for Nokia. It continued to lay off jobs and face losses. In June this year, the company announced that it will be cutting off 10,000 jobs by the end of 2013. The company recently launched the Nokia Lumia 920 with superior specs that puts it at par with the latest iPhone and Galaxy S3, but the future is still unpredictable. Whether this device – or the devices in its pipeline – will pull back Nokia on track is still unsure. Nokia’s popularity in developing countries also began to fade. Samsung and local brands like Micromax and Spice are gaining more popularity in India while it faced competition from companies like ZTE and Huawei in China. The company showed the PureView technology and made heads turn with the 808 with 41MP camera, but we think that isn’t enough.

Nokia's Lumia series

The popularity of Android in the low to mid-end market made Nokia lose the fizz there, and Microsoft cannot uplift it completely as Windows Phone 8 plans to target just the creme de la creme of the market (at least that’s what it has said so far). In the low end market, Nokia still has itsAsha series running on the Symbian platform. For us, Nokia is the brand that we could relate to and definitely brings in a lot of nostalgia. But in the mobile age, one needs to be technologically aware and prepared for future all the time. Let’s wait and watch if Nokia is able to resurrect itself from this situation and right now, it largely depends on the success of Windows Phone 8.

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Nokia Announces Windows Phone 8 Based Lumia 820 With 4.3" AMOLED Screen

Along with the flagship Lumia 920, Nokia also announced a mid-range Windows Phone 8 device last night. Called the Lumia 820, this handset sports a relatively smaller 4.3" screen, and is powered by a 1.5 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 chipset with 1 GB of RAM. It boasts of a 4.3" AMOLED ClearBlack screen with pixel dimensions of 480x800.
Here's the list of detailed specs:

• Quad-band GSM (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), Quad-band 3G (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz), Penta-band 4G LTE (800, 900, 1800, 2100, 2600 MHz), uses micro-SIM.
• 4.3” AMOLED, ClearBlack screen (480x800, 217 ppi), 16.7 million colours, Polarization filter, High brightness mode, Sunlight readability enhancements, 15:9 aspect ratio, RGB stripe.
• 1.5 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 chipset, 1 GB RAM.
• 8 GB internal storage, 7 GB in SkyDrive (online storage), 32 GB microSD slot.
• 8 mp auto-focus rear camera with Carl Zeiss Tessar lens, dual LED flash, F Number: 2.2, Focal Length: 28 mm.
• Camera Features: Touch focus, Landscape orientation, Geo-tagging, Auto and manual white balance, Still image editor, Lenses apps, True 16:9 sensor; Flash Modes: Off, Automatic, On; White Balance Modes: Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Daylight.
• 1080p video recording @ 30 fps, Front 0.3 mp camera.
• NFC, Wi-Fi with hotspot an Channel Bonding (DLNA certified), Bluetooth 3.1, Assisted GLONASS GPS (with offline navigation support and voice navigation).
• Micro-USB 2.0, 3.5 mm audio jack (with Dolby headphone support), Noise-cancelling mic.
• Proximity sensor, Compass, Ambient light sensor, Orientation sensor.
• 1650 mAh battery, 14 hours talk time on 2G (8 hours on 3G), 330 hours standby time (2G and 3G), 55 hours of music playback, 5 hours of video.
• Audio Formats: ASF, WAV, MP4, AAC, AMR, MP3, M4A, WMA, 3GP, 3G2, AAC LC, AAC+, eAAC+.
• Video Formats: MP4, WMV, 3GP, M4V, M4A, VC-1, H.264/AVC, H.263, MPEG-4.
• Windows Phone 8 OS.
• 4.9" (l) x 2.7" (w) x 0.4" (10 mm) (d), 160 grammes.
• Package Contents: AC-50N micro-USB charger, BP-5T 1650 mAh battery, Charging and data cable CA-190CD, Headset WH-208, Product user guide.

Similar to its flagship sibling, Nokia has placed special emphasis on the camera. One noteworthy feature is called Smart Shoot. It takes multiple images when the shutter is pressed, identifies the ones that have smiling faces and open eyes, then merges the photos to ensure that all subjects look their best.

The Lumia 820 is also compatible with the newly-introduced induction charging pad accessories. It also boasts of interchangeable body panels in yellow, red, white, grey, cyan, purple, and black. If you get bored of your phone's colour, you can simply buy a new panel instead of trading the whole phone. As of this writing, Nokia hasn't shed any light on the phone's launch date and pricing.

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Nokia Unveils Lumia 920 With Windows Phone 8, 4.5" Screen, And 8.7 mp PureView Camera

After weeks of speculations and leaks, Nokia has finally pulled the curtain from its next flagship, the Lumia 920. It's a first of many Lumia devices that will be powered by the upcoming Windows Phone 8. As suggested by an earlier rumour, the handset looks a lot like the Lumia 900.
The Lumia 920 is the first handset from Nokia to sport a dual-core CPU. It packs 4.5" screen (768x1280 pixels) with PureMotion HD+.
In a live webcast, the Finnish phone manufacturer listed the following confirmed specs:

• 4.5'' PureMotion HD+ IPS panel with pixel dimensions of 768x1280 (pixel density of 332 ppi), Corning's Gorilla Glass protection, refresh rate of 60 Hz, polarization filter, luminance 600 nits.
• Dual-core 1.5 GHz Snapdragon S4 chipset, 1 GB of RAM.
• 8.7 mp autofocus PureView camera with dual LED flash, Carl Zeiss Tessar optics, 1080p video recording.
• NFC, Bluetooth 3.1, Wi-Fi with hotspot support, GPS with offline navigation.
• 32 GB internal storage, 7 GB in SkyDrive (cloud storage).
• 2000 mAh battery, 17 hours of talk time for 2G (10 hours for 3G), 67 hours of music playback, 6 hours of video playback.
• 3.5 mm jack with Dolby sound support, micro-USB port.
• Micro-SIM, quad band GSM (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), quad band 3G (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz), penta band 4G LTE (800, 900, 1800, 2100, 2600 MHZ).
• Supported audio formats: ASF, WAV, MP4, AAC, AMR, MP3, M4A, WMA, 3GP, 3G2, AAC LC, AAC+, eAAC+.
• Supported video formats: MP4, WMV, 3GP, M4V, M4A, VC-1, H.264/AVC, H.263, MPEG-4.
• Windows Phone 8.

Nokia has also confirmed the availability of an induction charging accessory (a charging pad) for the Lumia 920. You simply place the phone onto the pad to charge its battery, thus eliminating the need for a charging port and allowing you to use the same power supply across multiple devices that support this feature. The handset will come preloaded with Nokia Maps, Nokia Drive, and City Lens (an augmented reality app). Users will get to choose from yellow, red, white, grey, and black variants of the smartphone. However, there's no info yet regarding its launch date and pricing. You can view a few high-quality images of the phone and its charging accessories in the gallery below.

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Review: Nokia Asha 311

 Pros:Snappy UI; Great sound quality; Wi-Fi and 3G support; USB OTG (supports external USB drives); TV-Out functionality, Corning Gorilla Glass protection.

Cons:Fixed display brightness; Lacks proper multitasking.

Nokia Asha 311
MRP: Rs 6600 (Nokia Shop)
Street Price (As On 30-Aug-2012): Rs 6400 (Infibeam.com; Saholic.com; HomeShop18.com)

Thanks to Google's Android, the mass-market segment has been flooded with cheap smartphones. Although this is a welcome scenario, the user experience and build quality on offer in most of the handsets leaves a lot to be desired. This is where Nokia's Asha series steps in, with its easy-to-use interface and sturdy design. However, does the latest Asha 311 have enough power and features to fight off the droid army? Let's find out.


Design And Build Quality
The standard package includes the handset, charger, and a pair of earphones. The phone measures 4.2" (l) x 2" (w) x 0.5" (13 mm) (d), and tips the scales at 95 grammes. Although the device is available in decent blue and dark grey colours, the review unit I received was pink (Rose Red). While this shade is definitely not my cup of tea, girls and "some guys" might actually like it. The scratch-resistant glass on the front not only protects the display, but also provides an upmarket feel to the handset. As expected, the build quality is great. However, I didn't quite like Nokia's decision of using an extremely glossy back panel.

The handset's 3" capacitive touchscreen (240x400 pixels) is protected by Corning's Gorilla Glass. The display is sharp and bright, while its contrast is better than what you get on similarly-priced handsets. Although Nokia hasn't mentioned it, I guess the company's ClearBlack display technology has been used here to some extent. On the flip side though, there's no way to adjust the screen brightness, which is certainly a strange omission even if it does have an ambient light sensor.

The Asha 311 is powered by a 1 GHz CPU and has 128 MB of RAM. It also packs in a 3.2 mp camera and Wi-Fi connectivity. The handset's detailed specs are as follows:

• 3" capacitive touch screen with pixel dimensions of 240x400, Corning Gorilla Glass protection.
• 3.2 mp fixed focus camera; Camera features: Landscape orientation, Exposure compensation, Auto and manual white balance, Still image editor, Full screen viewfinder, Self timer, Centre-weighted auto exposure.
• Video capture: 640x480 at 25 fps.
• 1 GHz CPU, 128 MB RAM.
• 140 MB of internal storage, 32 GB card slot.
• Quad-band GSM (850 \ 900 \ 1800 \ 1900 MHz), penta-band 3G (850 \ 900 \ 1700 \ 1900 \ 2100 MHz)
• Micro-USB port with OTG support, 3.5 mm jack with TV-out functionality.
• Supported media formats: MF, ASF, WAV, MXMF, MP4, AAC, AMR, MP3, AWB, M4V, M4A, AVI, NRT, WMA, 3GP, 3G2, MIDI, WMV.
• Bluetooth 2.1, Wi-Fi.
• Accelerometer, ambient light sensor, and proximity sensor.
• FM radio, voice recorder, VOIP enabled.
• Email client, IM apps, social networking support, YouTube browsing and streaming.
• Nokia Maps (requires internet connection).
• 1110 mAh battery with 14 hours of 2G talk time (6 hours in 3G).
• 4.2" (l) x 2" (w) x 0.5" (13 mm) (d), 95 grammes.
• Package contents: Nokia Asha 311, AC-3 compact charger, BL-4U 1110 mAh battery, WH-102 stereo headset, Product information booklet.
• Includes 2 GB microSD card, free download of 40 pre-selected EA Games titles, and 15 free levels of Angry Birds.

UI And Applications
The phone runs the Java-based Series 40 OS. After experiencing theAsha 300's terrible UI, I didn't have high hopes from this handset. However, I was in for a pleasant surprise. The interface has been heavily inspired by Nokia's MeeGo operating system. Right from the lock screen, it doesn't look like a typical S40 at all. The interface lacks a Menu or Home button, while the navigation is accomplished through swipe gestures made popular by the N9. By removing the unnecessary customisation options, Nokia has delivered a clutter-free interface. An Android-inspired status bar provides quick access to calls and messaging notifications. Other than that, it also contains toggle buttons for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and mobile data (internet connection). Thanks to its 1 GHz CPU, the UI offers a snappy and pleasant experience. that's far better than laggy Android handsets in the same price range.

The Asha 311 comes with the Nokia Browser (an Opera Mini clone) and dedicated clients for e-mail,Facebook, and Twitter. Since the handset lacks GPS, the Maps 2.0 software uses your Wi-Fi hotspot or 3G cell tower info to zero in on your location. The accuracy of this feature is impressive — it correctly identified my general area, even though my phone didn't have a SIM and I was using only the Wi-Fi connection.

The Nokia Store offers plenty of apps including WhatsApp, Nimbuzz, and Zomato. Pre-installed games include a Java version of Angry Birds, which seems to have become a must-have game for every touchscreen phone. Also, thanks to the Finnish manufacturer's deal with Electronic Arts, you can download up to 40 EA titles for free. Overall, the only thing that separates this handset from smartphones is its lack of true multitasking. Even so, you can minimise the music player to the background and fire up other apps.


Multimedia
Like every other entry-level phone, the 311 too comes with terrible earphones. However, coupled with decent aftermarket IEMs, it delivers superb sound quality. The manufacturer has duly covered equaliser settings and FM radio. What's more, Nokia's Internet Radio allows you to tune into thousands of radio stations across the world. Although it works just fine with EDGE, a 3G or broadband Wi-Fi connection is required for higher quality streams. Furthermore, the media player can handle MP4, DivX, XviD, 3GP, and WMV videos up to 480p, and the 3" screen is good enough for watching movies. A great addition is the fact that you can use the 3.5 mm jack to hook up the video to a TV screen, which is another feature rarely found in this price range.

The 3.2 mp fixed-focus camera doesn't disappoint — only if you consider it a bonus feature. It performs badly in low-light scenes, but is quite decent outdoors. The snapper can also record video in 480p, but it's nothing worth writing home about.


Telephony, Messaging, Battery And Verdict
With normal use, the handset's 1110 mAh battery can easily last for a day and a half, with the call quality and reception being excellent throughout. When it comes to messaging, the 3" screen can be quite cumbersome to type on. However, switching to landscape mode makes texting a breeze, as long as you don't have to type a long message.

For Rs 6400, the Asha 311 offers a snappy and clutter-free UI, great sound quality, extensive connectivity options, and a bunch of features that are generally found in smartphones. Considering the gadget's cost, its minor shortcomings that include the lack of a brightness settings aren't a deal-breaker in the least. If you're a looking for an entry-level touch device, the Asha 311 is the way to go. However, die-hard Android fanboys looking for a cheap smartphone will be happiest with the Samsung GALAXY Y.

Incidentally, the 311 is currently sold out in many brick-and-mortar stores, and is quickly becoming unavailable online as well, which is a testament to its popularity with the public. In fact, whileFlipkart.com and BuyThePrice.com had the phone in stock when I started writing this review, they ran out by the time the I was finished a few hours later. The store links provided at the top of this review currently have the handset for purchase, but it's not going to stay that way for long, so you'd better act fast if you're planning on buying this gadget. View more images in the gallery below.


Features: 4/5
Design And Build Quality: 4.5/5
Performance: 3.5/5
Value For Money: 4.5/5
Mojo: 3.5/5

Overall Rating: 4/5

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Nokia likely to announce Lumia 910, 920 Windows Phone 8 devices

 There are rumors that the Finnish mobile phone manufacturer, Nokia is expected to hold a "World Event" to showcase the first two Windows Phone 8 handsets. And if at all Nokia releases its Windows Phone 8 based devices- Lumia 910 and Lumia 920 – at this point of time, it will give Nokia an edge over its competitors, and a whole month of the privilege of being the single provider of smartphones that run Windows Phone 8.



"Windows Phone 8 should support a wide range of new features, particularly support for multi-core CPUs and new resizable versions of "live tiles," the operating system's iconic app and widgets",reports easternmorningherald.com.

Nokia Lumia

Earlier this month, WPDang had revealed some information by way of a screenshot, which shows a list of some of the handsets that will be launched running the upcoming Windows Phone 8 OS. Here's the screenshot:

Upcoming Windows Phone 8 devices

Microsoft had officially raised the curtain on its latest mobile operating system at an event in San Francisco last month, and claimed that it is the most advanced mobile OS Microsoft has ever made. Here is a look at some of the highlighted features available on Windows Phone 8:

• Multi-core processor support: Windows Phone was a slick OS that ran smoothly on handsets with a single processor. The latest OS now features multi-core support with Belfoire claiming that they’re ready for whatever hardware makers dream up.
• Bigger, sharper screens: Windows Phone 8 supports two new screen resolutions — 1280x768 and 1280x720, making it compatible with new handsets that will feature high-definition 720p displays.
• More flexible storage: Windows Phone 8 supports removable MicroSD cards, so users can stuff their phone with extra photos, music, and whatever else is important and then easily move it all onto their PC.
• NFC wireless sharing: In Windows Phone 8, NFC helps make sharing photos, Office docs, and contact info easier. One can achieve this by tapping their phone on another NFC-equipped device.
• Internet Explorer 10: The next version of Windows Phone comes with the same web browsing engine that’s headed for Window 8 PCs and tablets. Microsoft claims that IE10 is faster and more secure, with advanced anti-phishing features like SmartScreen Filter to block dangerous websites and malware.
• Wallet: Windows Phone 8’s new digital Wallet feature does two things. It can keep debit and credit cards, coupons, boarding passes and other important info right at one’s fingertips. And when paired with a secure SIM from your carrier, users can also pay for things with a tap of your phone at compatible checkout counters.
• Better maps and directions: Windows Phone 8 builds in Nokia mapping as part of the platform. This partnership will provide more detailed maps and turn-by-turn directions in many countries, plus the ability to store maps offline on your phone so you can work with maps without a data connection.
• Improved apps and games: Microsoft states that basing Windows Phone 8 on the Windows core will unleash a new wave of amazing apps and especially games.

Windows Phone 8 screen

The Windows Phone 8 OS also comes with a flexible new Start screen. Microsoft stated, “We’re making Windows Phone 8 even more personal, with a new palette of theme colors and three sizes of Live Tiles, all of which are under your control. We know Live Tiles are one of the things current owners really love about their Windows Phones, and we wanted to make them even more flexible and unique”.

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Nokia Lumia 610 NFC

Nokia Lumia 610 NFC is the NFC enabled version of the Lumia 610 bringing nothing new to the table except the NFC connectivity.

Design

• Device type:
  • Smart phone
• OS:
  • Windows Phone 7.5 Mango
• Dimensions:
  • 4.69 x 2.44 x 0.47 (119 x 62 x 12 mm)
• Weight:
  • 4.76 oz (135 g)
    the average is 4.2 oz (119 g)

Display

• Physical size:
  • 3.70 inches
• Resolution:
  • 480 x 800 pixels
• Pixel density:
  • 252 ppi
• Technology:
  • TFT
• Colors:
  • 65 536
• Touchscreen:
  • • Capacitive, Multi-touch
• Features:
  • Light sensor, Proximity sensor, Scratch-resistant glass

Battery

• Talk time:
  • 10.50 hours
    the average is 8 h (509 min)
• Stand-by time:
  • 27.9 days (670 hours)
    the average is 20 days (482 h)
• Talk time (3G):
  • 9.50 hours
    the average is 6 h (389 min)
• Stand-by time (3G):
  • 30.0 days (720 hours)
    the average is 22 days (519 h)
• Capacity:
  • 1300 mAh

Hardware

• Processor:
  • Single core, 800 MHz
• Graphics processor:
  • • Yes
• System memory:
  • 256 MB RAM
• Built-in storage:
  • 8 GB

Camera

• Camera:
  • • 5 megapixels
  • Flash:
    • LED
  • Aperture size:
    • F2.2
  • Features:
    • Auto focus, Image stabilizer, Video stabilizer, Face detection, White balance, Geo tagging, Panorama, Scenes, Frames
• Camcorder:
  • • 640x480 (VGA) (30 fps)
  • Features:
    • Continuous autofocus in a video

Multimedia

• Music player:
  • Filter by:
    • Album, Artist, Playlists
  • Features:
    • Album art cover, Background playback
• Radio:
  • • FM, Stereo
• Speakers:
  • Earpiece, Loudspeaker

Internet browsing

• Browser:
  • • Yes
  • Supports:
    • HTML, HTML5, XHTML
• Built-in online services support:
  • Facebook, Twitter

Technology

• GSM:
  • 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz
• UMTS:
  • 850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz
• Data:
  • HSDPA 7.2 Mbit/s, HSUPA 5.76 Mbit/s, UMTS, EDGE, GPRS
• Positioning:
  • A-GPS, Cell ID, Wi-Fi positioning
• Navigation:
  • Turn-by-turn navigation, Voice navigation, Points of interest (POI)

Phone features

• Phonebook:
  • Unlimited entries, Caller groups, Multiple numbers per contact, Search by both first and last name, Picture ID, Ring ID
• Organizer:
  • Calendar, Alarm, To-Do, Document viewer (Office 2007, Office 2003, PDF), Calculator, Notes
• Messaging:
  • SMS, MMS, Threaded view, Predictive text input
• E-mail:
  • • IMAP, POP3, SMTP, Microsoft Exchange

Connectivity

• Bluetooth:
  • • 2.1, EDR
• Wi-Fi:
  • • 802.11 b, g, n
  • Mobile hotspot:
    • Yes
• USB:
  • • USB 2.0
  • Connector:
    • microUSB
  • Features:
    • USB charging
• • NFC, Computer sync, OTA sync

Other features

• Notifications:
  • Music ringtones (MP3), Polyphonic ringtones, Vibration, Flight mode, Silent mode, Speakerphone
• Additional microphone:
  • • for Noise cancellation
• Sensors:
  • • Accelerometer
• • Voice dialing, Voice commands, Voice recording

Availability

• Officially announced:
  • 11 Apr 2012
• Scheduled release:
  • Q3 2012

Shopping information

• Accessories:
  • MicroUSB Charger AC- 50, Battery BP-3L, Charging and Data Cable CA-190CD, Stereo Headset WH-208, Quick guide, Product information booklet

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