Nokia announces 6-inch Lumia 'phablets' and Windows tablet
Nokia took the wraps off the Lumia 1520 and 1320 smartphones, the Lumia 2520 tablet, and three new Asha handsets.
At Nokia World held in Abu Dhabi, the Finnish mobile company launched a slew of new, colorful mobile devices. These include a high-end 6-inch smartphone known as the Lumia 1520; the more affordable Lumia 1320 "phablet"; Nokia's first Lumia 2520 tablet; and three budget Asha phones that target developing markets.
For a more thorough rundown on these gadgets, be sure to visit each one of CNET's hands-ons by clicking the links below.
Nokia Lumia 1520: Bright, bold, and big
With its 6-inch, 1080p full HD display, the 1520 is one of the largest top-tier smartphones in the Lumia family. Inside its glossy design (which measures 8.6mm thin) is a powerful 2.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snadragon 800 processor and a 3,400mAh battery that has a reported usage time of eight to 10 hours.
Sporting a 20-megapixel camera, the 1520 is also souped up with a backside illuminated sensor for low-light photos, as well as several photo editing options from Nokia.
The 1520 runs the Windows Phone OS, and in conjunction with the increase in screen real estate, the device offers users a three-column layout for its Live Tiles menu.
Users can nab the handset for $749 unsubsidized. Not surprisingly, Nokia's enduring network partner, AT&T, has announced it will carry the phone, though no specific launch date has been given. According to the Verge it is rumored that Verizon will release a variant of the phone as well, under the name Lumia 929.
Nokia Lumia 1320: The budget-friendly phablet
Although the 1320 boasts a 6-inch screen like the 1520, Nokia stripped down its core components for consumers who value a lower cost than high-end specs.
Such changes include a less luxurious matte polycarbonate finish, a 720p HD screen, and a 1.7GHz dual-core processor. You'll also find that the 1320 only has 8GB of internal storage (as opposed to the 1520's 32GB chunk of memory), and a 5-megapixel camera. The 3,400mAh battery spec, however, has remained unchanged.
If you plan on purchasing the 1320, don't feel too slighted with these specs. All these modifications result in a retail price of $339, which is nearly $400 less than the 1520.
Nokia Lumia 2520: The first Lumia tablet
As Nokia's inaugural tablet, the 2520 looks like everything you'd expect a Lumia tablet to be: thin, solid, and stylish.
Flaunting a smooth unibody design with a subtly curved back, the device has a 10.1-inch display with full 1080p resolution, 650 nits of brightness, and 218ppi. It comes in four colors (red, black, white, and cyan), has both Wi-Fi and 4G LTE capabilities, and will be offered by AT&T.
Inside this Windows 8.1 RT device is a Snapdragon 800 processor and a 8,000mAh battery. Nokia will also sell a $149 power keyboard accessory that adds five additional hours of usage time to the tablet's battery.
Nokia Asha 500, 502, and 503: Affordable pint-sized smartphones
In addition to these Lumias, Nokia rolled out three new phones from its Asha line of compact, competitively priced handsets. The 500, 502, and 503 feature 2G and 3G connectivity, as well as a unique clear plastic encasing. In addition, the 502 and 503 sport 5-megapixel cameras, 3-inch screens, and dual-SIM capabilities.
Having a price range of $70-$100, these devices won't be coming to the US, however. Instead, they will be released in emerging markets across the globe.
