The Nokia Asha 311

While Nokia's most recent focus has been on its Windows Phone lineup, the Finnish firm hasn't forgotten the demands of budget smartphone buyers. This morning it has added three new handsets to its Asha lineup — the Asha 305, the Asha 306, and the Asha 311 — all of which are touch-based devices powered by the Asha Touch operating system.

The Asha 311 is the most advanced of the three devices, boasting a 3-inch scratch resistant display, 3.5G connectivity, a 1GHz processor, and a 3.2-megapixel rear-facing camera. The handset will be priced at just €92 in Europe, and $121 in the United States.

The Asha 305 and the Asha 306 are largely the same internally, with both handsets packing a 3-inch WQVGA display, a 2-megapixel rear-facing camera, and GPRS/EDGE connectivity. However, the Asha 305 features Nokia's "Easy Swap Dual SIM technology" — which allows SIM cards to be swapped without opening up or turning off the phone — while the Asha 306 becomes Nokia's cheapest device to boast Wi-Fi connectivity.

The Asha 305 will be priced at €63 in Europe and $85 in the U.S., while the Asha 306 will be priced at €68 and $93 respectively.

The Nokia Asha 305

All three handsets are focused on entertainment, and as such they'll ship with a free pass to download 40 EA games, which will be yours to keep. On top of that, the devices will also come with Rovio's Angry Birds pre-installed, and you'll be able to enjoy the first 15 levels free of charge. Furthermore, the devices will also feature the Nokia Maps and Nokia Life software.

The full list of specifications for these handsets, courtesy of the Nokia Conversations blog, are as follows:

The Nokia Asha 305 and the Nokia Asha 306:
  • 3.0" WQVGA resistive touch screen
  • 2 MP camera
  • Music player and FM radio
  • Built-in speaker
  • Plug and Play, easy PC connection and file transfer
  • GPRS/EDGE connectivity
  • Nokia Maps and Nokia Life (in selected markets)
  • Colours: Silver White, Red, Mid Blue and Dark Grey (varies by market)
The Nokia Asha 311
  • 3.0" scratch resistant, capacitive glass screen
  • Polarised display filters for better usability in direct sunlight
  • WLAN
  • 3.2 MP camera
  • 1GHz processor
  • Music Player, FM Radio and Internet Radio
  • Plug and Play, easy PC connection and file transfer
  • HSPA connectivity
  • Nokia Maps and Nokia Life (in selected markets)
  • Colours: Dark Grey, Rose Red, Blue, Brown and Sand White (colours will vary by market)

The Asha 305 — the cheapest of the three devices — will arrive during the second quarter of 2012, while the Asha 306 and the Asha 311 will launch during the third quarter.

Are you looking forward to Nokia's new Asha devices?

[via The Next Web]