It was just a few days ago that Nokia announced on its Conversations Blog about an impending new launch. A few teaser images of the handset were leaked by them as well. It was clear that the device was a QWERTY keyboard laden handset – and would be an addition to its expanding “Asha” line up of entry level handsets. Nokia had also back then promised that the phone would be unveiled on the 24th of April – and they have done exactly that. As it turns out, the new handset does indeed sport the “Asha” moniker. The model number is Asha 210 and the handset is supposedly the first phone in the world to get a dedicated WhatsApp button. Let’s now delve in to the features of this dual SIM handset. Nokia will also sell a single SIM variant of the same device.
The Asha 210 features a 2.4 inch 320*240 pixel (QVGA) display. It runs Nokia’s tried and tested Series 40 platform – like all other Asha series handsets. The phone gets a basic 2 megapixel camera at the back which can be operated using a dedicated button at the front. The camera can also be invoked when the phone is locked so you can quickly use it to capture any picture – without having to go through a cumbersome process. The camera also sports basic image editing capabilities as well. The device weighs a shade below 100 grams and lacks support for 3G. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi, EDGE, GPRS, Bluetooth and USB. The phone supports memory expansion using micro SD cards as well. Another interesting option is a dedicated Wi-Fi on/off button. The phone also claims a long battery life with a rated standby time of 46 days on the single SIM model!
Apart from WhatsApp, the phone also comes with support for Facebook and Twitter. The dedicated WhatsApp button also means that people using WhatsApp on this device get special privileges. The most notable being the decision by WhatsApp which is offering their service for free on all Nokia Asha 210 devices with the WhatsApp button for their lifespan!
The Asha 210 is expected to be make its debut in the next few weeks and will be priced at around the $72 mark.
