Nokia announces Asha 205, Asha 206 with new Slam feature

Nokia today unveiled two devices in its mobile phone portfolio, designed for offering consumers devices with Internet connectivity at affordable price points. The Nokia Asha 205 and Nokia Asha 206 are both available in single-SIM and dual-SIM versions, and give people ways to access social features and share content. 

The Nokia Asha 205 and Nokia Asha 206 are the first mobile phone devices to include Nokia's Slam feature. Slam allows users to share multimedia content such as photos and videos with nearby friends almost instantly. Slam works with most Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones without the need to pair devices. The recipient need not to have Slam installed. Nokia states that without consuming Internet data users can 'Slam' their content to another device faster than with Bluetooth alone in just a few clicks.

New offering from Nokia

"The latest Nokia devices give super-social consumers new ways to express their personalities through design, color and innovative new features like Slam," explains Timo Toikkanen, executive vice president, Mobile Phones, Nokia. "Both devices are built with the trust and quality people have come to expect from Nokia, and offer smarter Internet experiences that help save money today and tomorrow."

The Nokia Asha 205 has a tactile QWERTY keyboard.  It also introduces a new, dedicated Facebook button. Combined with eBuddy Chat, Twitter and support for popular email accounts such as Gmail, the Nokia Asha 205 is designed to allow that people are never more than a few clicks away from their social networks.

Other key features of the Nokia Asha 205 include:

• eBuddy screen notifications that keep users up-to-the-minute on new conversations
• The free Nokia Life+ web app, including the Life Skills and Live Healthy services
• A mobile entertainment package, including 40 free EA Games available for download, along with tens of thousands of other apps available from the Nokia Store
• Dual-SIM model features Nokia's exclusive EasySwap technology that enables consumers to change SIM cards without having to turn off the device
• Great standby time of up to 37 days with single-SIM and up to 25 days with dual-SIM

The Nokia Asha 205 is available in cyan, magenta, and orange. The estimated retail price for the Nokia Asha 205 is around $62 (Rs 3,500 approximately), excluding taxes and subsidies, and it is expected to start shipping in the fourth quarter of 2012.

One more model to the Asha series

The Nokia 206 features a classic alphanumeric keypad and a 2.4-inch display. Nokia claims that users can also enjoy fast access to Facebook and Twitter right from the home screen. Featuring a vibrant colour options including cyan, magenta, and yellow, the Nokia 206 is the ideal phone for those who want familiarity and ease of use, coupled with the benefits of mobile Internet.

Other key features of the Nokia 206 include:

• Imaging technology that optimises photos taken with the 1.3MP camera for sharing on Facebook
• A social and mobile entertainment package with eBuddy Chat, WhatsApp and a gift pack of 10 free and premium content items
• Dual-SIM model features Nokia's exclusive EasySwap technology that enables consumers to change SIM cards without having to turn off the device
• Standby time is up to 47 days with single-SIM and up to 28 days with dual-SIM

The estimated retail price for the Nokia 206 is around USD 62, excluding taxes and subsidies, and it is expected to start shipping in the fourth quarter of 2012.

The new devices use the Nokia Xpress Internet platform, which uses Nokia's cloud technology to reduce data consumption by up to 90 percent, helping consumers enjoy more affordable Internet access. They also feature Nokia Nearby, a web app that helps consumers discover points of interest such as restaurants, shopping and ATM machines close to their location.