Nokia just announced that the Nokia Asha 205 Dual SIM is now available for purchase in the Philippines. It is the most affordable QWERTY phone and is the newest addition to the Asha range. It features a dedicated Facebook button, making it perfect for social people who want the fastest access to their Facebook accounts. The Nokia Asha 205 Dual SIM is designed to ensure that people are never more than a few clicks away from their social networks.
The Nokia Asha 205 Dual SIM is also one of the first devices to feature Nokia’s exclusive Slam feature. Slam allows consumers to share multimedia content like photos and videos with nearby friends almost instantly. It works with most Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones without the need to pair devices, and without the recipient needing to also have Slam. In just a few clicks, people can ‘Slam’ their content to another device faster than with Bluetooth alone and without consuming Internet data. Now that’s a lot of slams.
Nokia Asha 205 Dual SIM Specifications and Features 2.4-inch LCD screen with 320x320 resolution VGA camera GSM / EDGE - 900/1800 64Mb internal memory, expandable using microSD Bluetooth 2.1 1020 mAh battery capacity (25 days standby time) 40 free EA Games available for download Nokia S40 OS
The Nokia Asha 205 Dual SIM is now available at stores with colors Cyan, Magenta and Orange. It retails for P2,680.
Nokia is really aiming on targeting and connecting 'The Next Billion', and to achieve that goal, they need to introduce more and more affordable devices which will offer people the ability to connect with everyone using any available means.
That's where the Nokia Asha 302 comes in. The Nokia Asha 302 is a very affordable phone that you can depend on when it comes to being connected. It has everything on it - fast 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and to sum it up, a QWERTY keyboard.
PART 1: Hardware and Design
The Nokia Asha 302 is just so affordable that I just can't complain about its build. It has a QWERTY keyboard on the front, a panel of keys above it - which has the two soft-keys, call/end keys, the d-pad, and two keys that serves as a shortcut to some built-in apps. For example, you can assign the Contacts key to open your contacts list, and the Messaging key to open your e-mail.
It also has a 3.2 Megapixels camera which is just your average camera (read: fixed-focus). More on that later. Beside the camera you will find the speaker grille, and the latch used to open the back cover below. The metal cover on the back does not attract fingerprints - I find it good!
The Nokia Asha 302 is powered by a 1430 mAh battery, which lasts between 1-2 days of moderate usage, i.e. sending texts, checking e-mails, and using the web browser. Another thing I like here is that it supports USB charging, while the other S40 phones does not. Another thing that I want to share with you, I had a hard time putting in my Sun Cellular SIM card in the sim slot. It just won't lock. I guess the SIM card is just too thick. Argh.
The phone is surrounded by a metallic side, which kinda gives it a glossy and reflective look. On the top is the 2mm charger port, the 3.5mm audio port, and the micro-USB port - which again, you can use to charge it if you have a USB charger. On the left side, you'll see the microSD card slot. The phone doesn't have a volume rocker, which I think is the same as the other S40 phones too. You'll have to use the 'Go to' shortcut to adjust the volume level.
The QWERTY keyboard of the Nokia Asha 302 is very pleasurable to use. I compared it to my sister's Nokia X2-01, and found out that the keyboard of this has a reduced level of noise when pressing the keys. The keys has a matte-like feel, and it has enough grip for a single-handed operation. It has shortcuts to some key functions like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
The screen is a 2.4-inch one with 320x240 resolution with 167ppi. As such, you can easily notice the individual pixels with your eye. You can't adjust the brightness level of the screen, but it doesn't bother me too much as it's already bright.
Oh by the way, watch this video I made to see how load the speaker of the Asha 302! It's just loud that I was shocked when I first tried it.
PART 2: Software
Comparison: Nokia C3-00 on the left, Nokia Asha 302 on the right.
The Nokia Asha 302 runs on the trusty ol' S40 (or Series 40) operating system. Apps are still very limited. The OS does not support multitasking, so if you're typing an e-mail and there's an SMS that arrived, you will be unluckily forced to quit that typing session.
Moving on, tasks are done well easily on the Nokia Asha 302, thanks to it's fast 1GHz processor. Opening apps is instantaneous, and loading webpages on the Opera Mini browser is fast enough for this phone. Speaking of the browser, the built-in Nokia Browser is slow. I really know that the old core browser of S40 is still there, Nokia just hid it out of our sight. I suggest that you use Opera Mini instead.
The homescreen is the same as the other S40 phones, you can configure it to display your e-mail or your social networks updates. You can also set it to show your notifications for texts or calls.
Speaking of e-mail, when Nokia announced this device at MWC, they said that this supports Mail for Exchange. It is used to sync your contacts and calendars from different web services, like Google and Hotmail. In the unit that I have, I can't find that option. You can add your Google or Hotmail accounts but that's it. It doesn't sync my contacts and other data.
UPDATE: Just got word that Mail for Exchange support is coming this Q2 2012.
Another thing to add, the QWERTY keyboard also supports some Ctrl (or Control) commands. For example, when typing a message and you want to delete all the texts on the screen, just press and hold the Ctrl key + the letter 'A' key to select all texts, then press delete. Pretty neat, huh. Other commands that also work are cut (Ctrl + X), copy (Ctrl + C), and paste (Ctrl + V). I'm not sure if there are more commands that I missed.
Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and other social networks are built-in on the phone, in one app called Social. There's not much into it, you can perform basic functions like sending a status, or a tweet, or upload a photo.
PART 3: Camera
As I've said before, the Nokia Asha 302 has a 3.2 Megapixels fixed-focus camera. You can't do macro shots on it. Nevertheless, it takes good to good enough photos, with some clear details. Click on the photos to view them in full resolution.
You can also use live frames for some quirky and fun shots, like one of these...
Overall, the camera of the Nokia Asha 302 is good, but obviously not the best. PART 4: Conclusion
So, is the Nokia Asha 302 a good buy? I can say it depends on you. The S40 OS still doesn't support multitasking and that's a big deal for me. But if you are looking for a fast and affordable phone, with a good camera, and a very good speaker, then yes! At P5,290, this is a good buy although you can still look for other phones at this price range like some very low-end Android phones.
RATING
Hardware and Design - 8/10
Software - 5/10
Camera - 6/10
Disclosure: Nokia Philippines provided us this review unit.
I will be finally having the first ever contest here at MisterJonjon.com! This one is sort of a follow up to the original "Why do you QWERTY" contest last year. So without any further ado, I am now announcing to my blog readers that I will be giving away a brand new Nokia Asha 200!
Nokia Asha 200 Specifications and Features
Dual SIM
2.4-inch screen display with 320x240 screen resolution
2 Megapixels camera
64 MB internal memory which is expandable up to 32GB thru micro-SD
QWERTY keyboard
Generous 1430mAh of battery - BL-5J
7 hrs of talk time, 52 hrs of music playback time
GSM / EDGE - 900/1800
To be able to get a chance to win this cute dual-SIM QWERTY phone, just follow the mechanics closely below.
UPDATE: Nokia has requested me to extend this contest until at least we get 500 Facebook likes or Twitter followers. NOTE: You may only submit your entry once!
UPDATED MECHANICS!
Mechanics 1. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.***THIS IS REQUIRED!***
3. Post the link of your tweet or status update in the Disqus comments section below. This is the most important part! ***THIS IS REQUIRED!***
The contest will close once we reach 1,000 likes on Facebook or 500 Twitter followers (whichever comes first). The prize will be one (1) Nokia Asha 200!
Only one (1) entry/comment per person is allowed!
And here's the full contest terms & conditions. If you have any questions, read this first. The answer to your question might be already here. Terms & Conditions Duration for Submission of Entries
The entries will be accepted starting February 25, 2012. Deadline of Submission of Entries
The deadline for the submission of entries will be when we have already reached 500 Facebook likes or 500 Twitter followers, whichever comes first. I will announce in a blog post once we have reached that milestone. The Prize
The prize will be one (1) Nokia Asha 200 phone. Eligibility
This contest is open to Philippine residents only, aged 13 and over. How do I Qualify?
To qualify in this contest, you must follow all the steps in the mechanics. Prize Claiming / Delivery
The prize will be delivered to the winner via courier. A valid ID may be required when receiving the item. The Winner
The winner will be randomly drawn using random.org. To qualify for an entry, you must post the link to your tweet or status update in the Disqus comments section below. The odds of winning will depend on the number of entries received by e-mail. Notification of the Winner
The winner will be notified via e-mail within 24 hours of the announcement. Prize Acceptance
You must respond to our e-mail within 48 hours (2 days) after the notification with your name, phone number, and complete address. Alternate Winner
In case that the winner has not responded within the required time frame, we will forfeit the prize and will award it to another person who has submitted an entry. Sponsor
Contest sponsor is Nokia Philippines.
Special thanks to Nokia Philippines for making this happen. =)
Nokia Philippines has already announced that the Nokia Asha 303 will have a suggested retail price of P6,490 and will be available on Nokia Stores starting on November 25, yes that's tomorrow! The Nokia Asha 303 features a fast 1GHz processor, a 2.6 inch capacitive touchscreen coupled with a QWERTY keyboard for fast and easy typing. It also packs WiFi, 3.5G for fast internet connection. And the killer feature of this phone is... it comes with the Angry Birds game! No seriously, Nokia and Rovio Mobile will bring Angry Birds on the next billion.
Meanwhile, you can check out the Why Do You QWERTY competition of Nokia Philippines. You may win a Nokia Asha 200 or 303!
Are you a QWERTY phone user? How did it changed your lifestyle? Share it with the whole world and you could win a spanking brand-new Nokia Asha phones!
All you have to do is write a 200-word essay about the topic "How using a QWERTY phone changed my mobile life for the better" and you essay should have a photo of yourself holding your QWERTY phone. So basically, you have to be a QWERTY phone user. Photo/s must be in JPEG format. Send your entry to nokiaqwertypromo@ovi.com on or before December 30, 2011.
Be sure to put a uniqueness on your essay as well as your photos as the criteria will be:
1) Uniqueness - 40%
2) Relevance - 30%
3) Visual Quality of the Photo - 30%
Now for the prizes! There will be four sets of winners. The grand winner, and the runner-ups. Grand Winner: A pair of Nokia Asha 303 1st Runner Up: A pair of Nokia Asha 200 2nd Runner Up: Nokia Asha 303 3rd Runner Up: Nokia Asha 200
And for the refresher of your brains, the Nokia Asha 303 is a touchscreen phone with a physical QWERTY keyboard, with a powerful 1GHz processor, and full set of connectivity features including HSPA (3.5G), WiFi, and Bluetooth.
The Nokia Asha 200, on the other hand, is a phone that features dual-SIM with EasySwap function, a QWERTY keyboard that is targeted for the people who always want to connect on-the-go at a very affordable price.
So, that's it! Submit your entries on or before December 30, 2011 to have a chance to win a new upgrade for your QWERTY phone! :)
Disclosure:This is a contest by Nokia Philippines. We are not involved in any way on the judging and determining of winners.
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