Nokia recently announced the dual-SIM Asha 501 smartphone with a fresh single-Swipe user interface. The monoblock touchscreen device brings a new Asha software platform to the users and developers. The Asha 501 will be offered on dual-SIM model option as of now for Rs 5,199. Here is our take on the smartphone.
Design
Nokia Asha 501 is meant for the youth and first time internet users. The device comes in candy bar form factor with monoblock design. There are no keys peeking out or crevices for dust to get collected in the keys. Nokia's budget phones are known for being strong and survive great falls. The back panel hugs to the body in such a way that even when the phone accidentally slips from your hand, it doesn't come out easily along with the battery. Nokia has used slightly stronger than the regular plastic material with the device.
The back panel has bit of glossy finish which makes it easy to slip out of hands. It measures 12.1 mm thick and the phone is deceptively lighter at 100 grams than it appears. Nokia has placed the volume keys on the right side of the phone with the Power/Sleep key is located just under it.
There is just one hard button under the display. Surprisingly, it is a Back key instead of the typical Home button.
Hardware
Nokia Asha 501 is the typical small display bearing budget phone just like the predecessors - Asha 311 and Asha 308. The Asha 501 packs 3-inch TFT LCD touchscreen display supporting native resolution of 320x240 pixels.
It might not be the best display out there but the 133 pixels per resolution pixel density is decent enough. We do feel that the display could have been a bit bigger.
Nokia has not specified the processor used and the device packs 64 MB RAM which is decent enough for platform. Nokia Asha 501 supports dual-SIM configuration and requires micro-SIM modules. The SIM card slots and the memory card slot are located under the back panel and are not easily swappable.
Nokia debuts the single swipe access gesture through the Asha software platform 1.0 on the Asha 501. The single swipe access is heavily inspired and designed by the same person who worked on the user interface MeeGo mobile OS. With single swipe, the user can close the open application. Swipe driven user experience brings something fresh to the segment.
Multimedia
Music playback was immense fun on the phone and it has a decent speaker - which is loud but not clear and certainly not annoying. Watching videos on the phone is fun because the new interface allows resuming the video right from the second it was left off.
Battery
Nokia has held its position strong when it comes to battery in the budget and affordable devices. Though there may not be enough processing muscle, the phones actually last longer than the Android counterparts. Unfortunately, we did not have a second micro-SIM so we managed to test the battery life only on single micro SIM. With a normal usage involving some phone calls, texting, emails, and web browsing activity, the phone lasted for two days. Even with the music listening, the phone managed to go beyond one and a half day easily.
Nokia has reworked and designed special battery for the Asha 501 - at least that is what we were told. It is a 1200 mAh battery and on dual-SIM configuration should offer more than 8 hours of continuous talk time. We were not surprised with this battery for Nokia promises standby time of a month and a half.
Price..rupees 5000 approx
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