Nokia has taken the wraps off a new feature phone, the Nokia 301, with a focus on strong camera performance.
The Nokia 301 is a classically designed ‘candybar’ feature phone with a physical numerical keypad, a 2.4-inch display, and a compact 114 x 50 x 12.5mm form factor. It also weighs just over 100 grams.
However, the Nokia 301 stands out for the steps Nokia has taken to tie the phone into its wider range.
For example, the Nokia 301 bears a superficial resemblance to the Lumia range with colourful outer bumpers (it comes in yellow, cyan, magenta, white and black).
More meaningful, however, is the Nokia 301’s photographic abilities, some of which have been inspired by the high-end Lumia range. Its 3.2-megapixel camera, for example, has a self-timer and offers directional voice prompts so that you can align it properly for self-portraits.
The Nokia 301 can also take panoramic photos – the first time Nokia has offered such a facility in a feature phone. Another smartphone-like photographic feature is the ability to take sequential shots, which means that the camera takes three to five frames and lets you select the best picture.
As you might expect from a modern phone (though not necessarily from a feature phone), once taken you can share your shots over social networks.
The Nokia 301 supports 3.5G (which, again, isn’t always the case with feature phones) and utilises the Nokia Xpress Browser. As seen in the likes of the Nokia Asha 311, this compresses web data by up to 90 per cent, leading to much cheaper data charges.
The Nokia 301 will roll out in the second quarter of 2013 priced at around €65.
Are you interested in the Nokia 301, or do you think that such feature phones are obsolete in the face of so many affordable smartphones? Let us know in the comments section below.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
