With a refreshed design and software, the candy-colored Nokia Asha
501 turns a new page for the Finnish feature-phone lineup. Low-end
Android smartphones continue to be the main target but, for the first
time the Ashas, which Nokia has always insisted on calling smart, are
walking the walk.
No more of the cheap gloss of the older generations, the hardware call keys are gone too - the styling is simple but finally looks relevant and up-to-date. Touchscreen is in charge and the single Back key under the display is a major feature of the new look and feel - even if it plays a very small part in the actual navigation.
Nokia Asha 501
The Nokia Asha 501 is premiering the Asha platform 1.0 - the redesigned interface is heavily swipe-driven - a trend that goes back to the previous Asha generation, but with the right bit of polish and fluency.
Long battery life, Wi-Fi, a reasonably stocked app store and exchangeable covers make this a compelling package, and a very affordable one at that. It's a nice little phone that looks fresh both on the outside and inside.
The Nokia Asha 501 at HQ
As the Nokia Asha 501 is getting ready to hit the shelves in Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America, we're about to look at that Lumia-inspired shell and the MeeGo-like interface, and see what makes it tick. Join us after the break.
The Nokia Asha 501 is a fun little device that 's quick to catch the eye with an assortment of vibrant paint jobs. This is a decisively refreshed and up-to-date look for the series and the interface has been remodeled accordingly. We liked the fact that the new Asha Touch UI is involves many more gestures than before. The phone is intuitive to use and extremely friendly.
The new Asha generation does not only build on its predecessors but is trying to set itself apart aesthetically. The Asha 501 does so convincingly - the design is more akin to the Lumia 520 than to the cheap gloss of the older Ashas. The refreshed user interface is an important part of that too. Nokia's insistence on calling the Asha series smart bordered on embarrassing but it finally looks like the Finns may have a point after all.
Nokia Asha 501
The Asha 501 is a notch below last year's top dog in the lineup, the Asha 311 but you wouldn't know by looking or using the two phones. The one we got for this preview is the Dual-SIM version of the handset, and the only thing to be held against is the lack of a side-mounted SIM slot, which is a Nokia staple. The good looks and quality build more than make up for that though. And by the way, you can still hot-swap SIM cards, so it's not all bad. The microSD card (4GB in the bundle) and Wi-Fi connectivity are nice things to have in this price range, too.
The Asha 501 might be one of the last representatives of a dying breed and is given the task to buy more time for the WP strategy to work out, rather than lay foundations for a lineup that is aiming to dominate the market one day. Nonetheless, it's a very credible package - good-looking, durable and well-behaved. We'd gladly take it for another spin and will be keeping an eye on the Ashas to come. There's definitely good value to be had there.
No more of the cheap gloss of the older generations, the hardware call keys are gone too - the styling is simple but finally looks relevant and up-to-date. Touchscreen is in charge and the single Back key under the display is a major feature of the new look and feel - even if it plays a very small part in the actual navigation.
Nokia Asha 501
The Nokia Asha 501 is premiering the Asha platform 1.0 - the redesigned interface is heavily swipe-driven - a trend that goes back to the previous Asha generation, but with the right bit of polish and fluency.
Nokia Asha 501 at a glance:
- General: GSM 900 / 1800 MHz; GPRS up to 85.6 Kbps, EDGE up to 236.8 Kbps
- Dual SIM support: Optional, GSM 900 / 1800 MHz, dual SIM standby, EasySwap
- Form factor: Touchscreen bar phone
- Dimensions: 99.2 x 58 x 12.1 mm, 98.2 g
- Display: 3" 256K-color QVGA (240 x 320 pixels) TFT capacitive touchscreen, 133 ppi, scratch-resistant glass
- OS: Nokia Asha software platform 1.0
- Memory: 128 MB of inbuilt storage, microSD card slot, 4GB card in the bundle
- Still Camera: 3.15 megapixel fixed-focus camera
- Video Camera: QVGA (240 x 320) video recording at 15fps
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi b/g, Bluetooth 3.0 with EDR, microUSB port, 3.5mm audio jack
- Battery: 1,200mAh
- Misc: Built-in accelerometer, proximity sensor, FM radio, exchangeable covers
Long battery life, Wi-Fi, a reasonably stocked app store and exchangeable covers make this a compelling package, and a very affordable one at that. It's a nice little phone that looks fresh both on the outside and inside.
The Nokia Asha 501 at HQ
As the Nokia Asha 501 is getting ready to hit the shelves in Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America, we're about to look at that Lumia-inspired shell and the MeeGo-like interface, and see what makes it tick. Join us after the break.
The Nokia Asha 501 is a fun little device that 's quick to catch the eye with an assortment of vibrant paint jobs. This is a decisively refreshed and up-to-date look for the series and the interface has been remodeled accordingly. We liked the fact that the new Asha Touch UI is involves many more gestures than before. The phone is intuitive to use and extremely friendly.
The new Asha generation does not only build on its predecessors but is trying to set itself apart aesthetically. The Asha 501 does so convincingly - the design is more akin to the Lumia 520 than to the cheap gloss of the older Ashas. The refreshed user interface is an important part of that too. Nokia's insistence on calling the Asha series smart bordered on embarrassing but it finally looks like the Finns may have a point after all.
Nokia Asha 501
The Asha 501 is a notch below last year's top dog in the lineup, the Asha 311 but you wouldn't know by looking or using the two phones. The one we got for this preview is the Dual-SIM version of the handset, and the only thing to be held against is the lack of a side-mounted SIM slot, which is a Nokia staple. The good looks and quality build more than make up for that though. And by the way, you can still hot-swap SIM cards, so it's not all bad. The microSD card (4GB in the bundle) and Wi-Fi connectivity are nice things to have in this price range, too.
The Asha 501 might be one of the last representatives of a dying breed and is given the task to buy more time for the WP strategy to work out, rather than lay foundations for a lineup that is aiming to dominate the market one day. Nonetheless, it's a very credible package - good-looking, durable and well-behaved. We'd gladly take it for another spin and will be keeping an eye on the Ashas to come. There's definitely good value to be had there.
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