Nokia recently introduced a completely new lineup of affordable phones with full touch screen and smartphone-like features. This is yet another step by the Finnish manufacturer to conquer the next billion, mostly on developing nations.
The three devices ““ Asha 305, 306, and 311 ““ caters to people who want to be connected without having to worry about expensive data plans, and the usual short battery life problems of most smartphones today. Nokia did that by developing the Nokia Browser, which works by compressing data on websites users visit ““ much like Opera’s Mini browser. They have also redesigned and reworked the S40 operating system (now called Asha Touch) with new visuals and features, like the new drop-down notification bar, new homescreen, as well as the swipe UI.
Nokia Asha 305
The Asha 305 is the entry-level one among them all. It has a 3-inch resistive (sigh, why are they still using resistives?) screen with a weird 400×320 resolution, and dual-SIM with the EasySwap functionality, a 2-megapixels fixed-focus camera, and a somewhat industrial design.
Nokia Asha 305 Specifications and Features
- 3-inch LCD resistive screen with 400×320 resolution
- 2-megapixels fixed-focus camera
- 64 MB internal storage with microSD card slot up to 32 GB
- Bluetooth 2.1
- 1,110 mAh battery capacity
- Nokia Asha Touch OS (S40)
- GPRS / EDGE ““ 900/1800
Nokia Asha 306
The twin of the Asha 305, the Asha 306, has the same features sans the dual-SIM support but with Wi-Fi connectivity support making it Nokia’s most-affordable Wi-Fi equipped device. Aside from those 2 difference, the Asha 306 is also a quad-band phone.
Nokia Asha 306 Specifications and Features
- 3-inch LCD resistive screen with 400×320 resolution
- 2 Megapixels fixed-focus camera
- 64 MB internal storage with microSD card slot up to 32 GB
- Bluetooth 2.1
- 1,110 mAh battery capacity
- Nokia Asha Touch OS (S40)
- GPRS / EDGE ““ 850/900/1800/1900
Nokia Asha 311
Finally, the Asha 311 is currently the high-end model for the whole Asha lineup right now. It features a capacitive 3-inch touch screen display and a 1 GHz processor to make things run buttery smooth. It also packs Wi-Fi connectivity as well as support for 3G HSPA network. It is also worth noting that it has pentaband 3G which makes it roaming friendly. This Asha 311 is also the first Asha to have a Gorilla Glass display for a much tougher build.
Nokia Asha 311 Specifications and Features
- 3-inch LCD capacitive screen with 400×320 resolution
- 3.2 Megapixels fixed-focus camera
- 140 MB internal storage with microSD card slot up to 32 GB
- Bluetooth 2.1
- 1,110 mAh battery capacity
- Nokia Asha Touch OS (S40)
- GPRS / EDGE ““ 850/900/1800/1900
- 3G / HSPA up to 14.4 Mbps (network dependent) ““ 850/900/1900/1700-2100/2100
The Nokia Asha 305 is expected to ship this quarter and will retail for 63 Euros or around P3,500. On the other hand, the Asha 306 and Asha 311 will begin to arrive by Q3 of 2012 and will have a retail price of 68 Euros (around P3,700) and 92 Euros (around P5,000) respectively. Those are just ballpark prices but we’ll keep you posted once it becomes official here.
Editor’s note: This post is contributed by Neil Ross Goco with some slight revisions by the editor. Neil aka Mr. Jonjon is a certified geek kid who loves to tinker with all gadgets he can get his hands on. Don’t let his childlike demeanor fool you, he probably knows more about current tech than you. He looks up to Abe Olandres of Yugatech, thus friends call him Yugatech Jr.
