The Asha 308 is a dual-SIM phone
where as the Asha 309 is a single-SIM phone. To enhance the browsing
experience on these devices, Nokia has released a new version of Nokia
Xpress Browser, which Nokia claims enables up to 90 percent more
efficient mobile browsing and faster access to web applications compared
to conventional browsers.
Both the Asha 308 and the Asha 309 offer
a fluid 'swipe' user interface and an open environment for third-party
application development. We have seen the fluid ‘swipe’ interface before
when Nokia unveiled the Asha 305 and the Asha 311. You can read more about the Nokia Asha 305 and 311 here.
"Our innovative Asha Touch family of
devices is designed for people who want a great smartphone experience
with lower running costs," says Timo Toikkanen, executive vice
president, Mobile Phones, Nokia. "By introducing the Nokia Asha 308 and
Nokia Asha 309, we're expanding our affordable smartphone lineup and
bringing new mobile experiences to more people."
Nokia
estimates the retail price for the Nokia Asha 308 and Nokia Asha 309 to
be about $99 (Rs. 5,300 approx.), excluding taxes and subsidies, with
shipping expected to start in the fourth quarter of 2012. Nokia claims
that the Asha 308 and Asha 309 are the company's most affordable
capacitive touchscreen devices to date.
Nokia Asha 309
The Asha 308 and Asha 309 are 2G-enabled
devices, each featuring a 3.0-inch WQVGA capacitive display, multiple
home screens, Wi-Fi, stereo radio, loud speakers and up to 32GB microSD
card support. The Nokia Asha 308 is a features Nokia's Easy Swap
technology, meaning one SIM card is hot swappable and you don't need to
switch off the device to change the SIM card.
Nokia Asha 308
The phones also come with the free gift
of 40 premium EA games, social features such as standalone Facebook and
Twitter clients, Nokia Messaging Service, and video streaming through
the browser from sites like YouTube. We have seen the 40 free EA games
bundle when the Asha 305 and the Asha 311 were launched in India.
Nokia has also introduced Nokia Life+.
The Nokia Life+ web app will give users access to content that spans
education, health and infotainment. Nokia Life+ is available in English
across 18 countries, with local versions coming to India, China and
Indonesia in the fourth quarter of this year. Nokia Life+ can be
accessed through Nokia Xpress Browser or the Nokia Store on the Asha
touch phones.
