Nokia unveils its first Windows-based tablet

PanARMENIAN.Net - Nokia has unveiled its first Windows-based tablet, the Lumia 2520, and its first 'phablet' smartphone, which also sits in the Lumia range as the 1520. The company also announced several low-end phones destined for sale in developing nations, the Daily Telegraph reports.

Nokia's first Windows tablet, the Lumia 2520, is a high-end device with a 10.1-inch screen and five-point multitouch. The case is made from a single piece of plastic which tapers thinner towards the edges and will come in a range of bright colors. Gorilla Glass 2 has been used on the screen for robustness, and LTE connectivity makes it usable even when away from a wifi connection. The latest Windows RT 8.1 OS will also ship with the device.

On the rear of the tablet is a 6.7 mega-pixel camera and on the front a smaller two mega-pixel sensor allows video chats. Micro HDMI ports will allow you to connect to a big screen when at home.It will cost $499 when it launches in the UK and Us later this quarter, in time for Christmas, and will come in black, white, cyan and red.

Nokia has also launched an optional "power keyboard" which forms a protective cover and also gives you a full keyboard and trackpad, as well as adding an extra five hours battery life to the 2520's existing 11-hours. The keyboard will cost an additional $149.

Also announced was the Lumia 1520 - the company's first foray into the phablet market which has been such a success for manufacturers like Samsung. It's 6in screen is a full HD AMOLED with a resolution of 1,920 by 1,080 pixels. Powering the unit will be a quad-core Snapdragon 800 2.2GHz processor, and a separate GPU will help to squeeze as much potential from the large screen as possible. The handset supports Qi wireless charging, where the battery is replenished simply by placing the phone on a special mat.

It won't rival the newly-launched Lumia 1020's 41 mega-pixel sensor iterms of photography, but includes a very decent 20 mega-pixel version with optical image stabilisation - easily matching most rivals. Four microphones are dotted around the exterior to add a type of surround-sound to videos. There will be 2GB of RAM and either 32GB or 64GB or storage space, depending on which model you opt for, and 7GB of free storage with Microsoft's skydrive.

In terms of software, Nokia has added Vine and Instagram integration and the updated Windows OS and large screen will allow three rows of live tiles on the screen at any one time.

The 1520 will cost $749 at launch, but the company also unveiled a cut-down version for people who want a 6 inch screen but at a lower price, which Nokia suggests is the "younger crowd" and Asian markets. The Nokia Lumia 1320 will sell for $339 and has a 720p and 5mp camera and only dual-core processor, as opposed to the 1520's quad-core chip.

According to BBC News, one analyst said the sale should aid the Microsoft's efforts to promote its mobile platforms against the market leaders, Android and iOS.

"For the last two years Microsoft and Nokia's marketing efforts have jarred against each other at times - having one big effort should be better than two smaller ones," said Martin Garner, from the consultancy CCS Insight. "Microsoft can also spend a lot more marketing the devices than Nokia could. That does seem to be a key criteria - both Samsung and Apple's spends are very high indeed."

Microsoft's share of the handset and tablet markets is growing but from a relatively low level, according to market research firm Gartner.

Also announced at the event were three new Asha phones, which are designed specifically for sale in developing nations. The dual-SIM or single-SIM 500 with 2 mega-pixel camera, a 502 that adds a 5 mega-pixel camera with an LED flash and the 503 which is a 3G version of the 502. All three have a new clear plastic exterior with coloured plastic inside, which Nokia says is designed to be robust. The phones also bring more social media integration, which has long been a feature on higher-end phones. The 500 will cost just $69, while the 502 retails for $89 and the 503 for $99.

"There's still quite a lot of demand for Asha in developing markets where the phones offer brand-value against other low-cost mass-market handsets," the BBC quoted Chris Green from the Davies Murphy Group consultancy, as saying. "So, there's no sense to killing the business while it remains highly profitable. But will it be a core focus? Absolutely not. It will be a distraction and Microsoft will be keen to migrate users to the Windows Phone platform and end Asha out sooner rather than later."