Operating system: Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean + custom shell Processor: 2-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 (MSM8225) 1 GHz + Adreno 203 video accelerator RAM - 512 MB (Nokia X), 1 GB (Nokia XL) Built-in memory - 4 GB + microSD Display – 4 inches, IPS, 800×480 Camera – 3 MP without autofocus, without flash Other – 2 SIM cards, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Battery – 1500 mAh Dimensions – 115.5 x 63 x 10.4 mm, 128 g
Nokia X :: Review :: Design and features
The device is made in Nokia's favorite form factor - “phone in a box.”
The phone briquette is in a plastic “box” case, which forms the back wall and four side walls. The filling is removed from the case to change the SIM card or memory card, and this is not easy to do - you need to get the hang of it, and perhaps break a nail or two
Under the cover there is a removable battery, unusually elongated, and slots for 2 SIM cards and a memory card:
The choice is enlivened by a bright range of colors, but in general the appearance of the device is nothing special - a simple, laconic device. The power and volume buttons are on the right side, the left is empty. At the bottom there is a microUSB connector, at the top there is a hole for headphones.
The back wall contains a hole for the camera and speaker - extremely powerful, I must say!
The screen is surrounded by a thick frame, and below the display there is one touch button in the form of a “tick that has fallen on its side.” It does not have a backlight, with a short touch it returns one step back, with a hold it brings you to the main desktop, and when touched in the main screen mode, it switches between the desktop and the event screen in a circle.
Nokia X :: Review :: Operating system "X"
Can operating system X and smartphones based on it be considered “androids”? Yes and no. The appearance, interface and functionality of the operating system have been changed beyond recognition - there are no similarities with “android” in it. However, let's go in order! Let's look at the interface and features of the X operating system.
Fans of “androids”, who have already replaced more than one smartphone, know well what a “shell” is. This is a branding style on top of the Android operating system. The shell never changed anything IN FUNDAMENTAL - only the design of certain visual elements and unimportant functions depended on it. The shape and color of icons, animation of changing screens and various kinds of applied actions, such as removing program shortcuts from the desktop, etc.
The Nokia X also has a shell on top of the “android”. But it radically changes not only the appearance of the interface, but also the very principle of smartphone control. “X” has nothing in common with the “android” that you know. It’s worth talking about “X” as if it were a completely new operating system, although one can argue with the word “new” - the general principles and “philosophy” are taken from the Windows Phone and Asha operating systems. Those who have dealt with WP7 or 8 will understand “X” without difficulty.
Unlocking - after pressing the Power button or Nokia's signature double tap on the screen:
The entire interface consists of two working screens. Main main + minor. They can be changed by scrolling horizontally. The main screen is ALL applications installed on the phone, and the secondary screen is called “Fastline” and displays actions and events - messages appear on it about missed calls and received SMS and letters, about the installation of new applications and updates, etc.
The main screen can be slightly personalized. If you press and hold the application icon, it will become movable - you can drag it to any place on the screen.
Also, after holding it, three icons will appear on it - the “resize” arrow, the “change color” palette and the “delete application” cross. And at the bottom of the screen there will be a “create folder” function in which you can organize applications for convenience and reduce the space they occupy on the main screen
Resize:
Change color:
Deleting an application is not deleting a shortcut, as on the Android desktop, but rather uninstalling an application from a smartphone! Be careful not to delete the program itself instead of the icon!
Create a folder:
With X, like any Android, moving your finger across the screen from top to bottom brings up the quick settings panel - wireless networks, brightness, etc.
Through the quick access panel, as well as through the “gear” shortcut on the main screen, you can get to the settings menu. It is almost no different from the settings menu of any Android phone:
Review of the Nokia X2 Dual SIM smartphone: a lollipop for the third
The line, consisting of Nokia X and XL smartphones on the Android platform, was replenished towards the end of summer with a third device - Nokia X2. The device corrected all the most glaring shortcomings of its predecessor and applied a unique design. Vesti.Hitek found out what else the new “Finnish Android” could interest its audience in.
Nokia X2 is not déjà vu. An ordinary mobile phone with support for two SIM cards and the same name was indeed produced, and, by the way, is still sold, even in large retail chains. Either something is wrong with the imagination of Microsoft marketers, or they are simply not very familiar with the phone models released by Nokia earlier.
Let us remind you that, unlike the push-button Nokia X2 with a proprietary operating system, the devices in the new Nokia X line are based on the open platform AOSP (Android Open Source Project), where Google services and programs were replaced with software from Microsoft and Nokia. In a nutshell, most Android applications usually work on such devices, but there is no access to either the store or Google services. And a few months ago, Microsoft announced that they do not plan to further develop the line of Android devices, so Nokia X2 is the third (counting Nokia X+ as the fourth) and, most likely, the last smartphone in the line.
Nevertheless, the model turned out to be at least interesting in appearance, and also, judging by the list of characteristics, it corrects all the most glaring shortcomings of its predecessor. So let's see what the new device will do compared to Nokia X and Nokia XL, which managed to become very successful in Russia at the beginning of the year.
Specifications
- Model: RM-1013
- Software platform: Nokia X 2.0 (based on Android 4.3)
- Display: capacitive, 4.3-inch diagonal, IPS matrix, Clear Black, resolution 800x480 pixels, WVGA (Wide VGA, 16:9), pixel density per inch 217 ppi, protective glass
- Processor: Qualcomm (MSM8210) Snapdragon 200, 2 Cortex-A7 cores (1.2 GHz)
- Graphics: Adreno 302
- Memory: 1 GB RAM, 4 GB internal, 15 GB OneDrive, support for microSDXC cards up to 32 GB
- Cameras: main – 5 MP, with autofocus, 1/4-inch sensor, f/2.7 aperture, focal length 30.1 mm, 4x digital zoom, HD video 720p 30 fps, front – VGA (0.3 MP), f aperture /2.8, video 480p
- Communication: 3G (WCDMA/HSDPA/HSUPA), GSM/EGPRS
- Communications: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, GPS (A-GPS)/GLONASS, Bluetooth 4.0
- Sensor: gyroscope, light and proximity sensors
- SIM card: two microSIM
- Radio: FM tuner with RDS
- Battery: removable, lithium-ion, 1,800 mAh (3.8 V; 6.8 Wh)
- Dimensions: 121.7×68.3×11.1 mm
- Weight: 150 grams
- Colors: bright green, yellow, orange, as well as white and dark gray
Design, ergonomics
In general, the design concept of the Nokia X line has been preserved, although, of course, there are some updates in it. Thus, the most noticeable change concerns the two-layer technology of the case, when the colorful inner layer is complemented by a transparent top layer, in which notes of the base shade are felt. A similar “candy” design, under the brand name Inner Glow, is already familiar from devices of the Asha family.
The Nokia X2 also retains the acidic color of the polycarbonate body, since the classic black (dark gray) and white colors are complemented by a palette of bright green, yellow and orange. Note that the colored removable cover not only covers the back panel, but also envelops the main body of the phone from all sides.
Externally, Nokia X2 is a stylish, stocky “fat guy” with overall dimensions of 121.7 × 68.3 × 11.1 mm. It turned out to be thicker not only than the 4-inch Nokia X (10.4 mm), but also the 5-inch Nokia XL (10.9 mm). But in terms of weight, it took the “golden” mean between them - 150 g versus 129 g and 190 g, respectively.
On the front panel, covered with protective glass, the main difference between the Nokia X2 and its predecessors immediately catches your eye - under the screen, another “Home” button has been added to the “Back” touch button. Apparently, the time is not far off when a third one will appear. The logo of the speaker company, light and proximity sensors, as well as the front camera lens were placed above the screen. There is an inconspicuous cutout for a microphone in the lower left corner.
The controls occupy only the right edge, where the volume rocker and the lock button are located.
The bottom end of the case is free, and on the top there are two connectors - 3.5 mm for an audio headset and microUSB.
On the back panel, with an inconspicuous Nokia logo, there are holes for the flash, the main camera lens and the multimedia speaker grille. Under the cover you can access the battery compartment, as well as three slots: two for microSIM cards and one for a microSD memory card. Cards can only be inserted and removed if there is no battery in the compartment.
The build quality, as always with Nokia phones, can only be welcomed. When working with the device, one gets the feeling of a completely monolithic structure. True, unlike its predecessors with matte bodies, the beautiful “lollipop” Nokia X2 now tends to slip out of your hands.
Screen, camera, sound
The new smartphone has a 4.3-inch screen, which occupies an intermediate position between the 4-inch display of the Nokia X and the 5-inch Nokia XL. The screen resolution of all models in the line is the same and is 800x480 pixels, or WVGA (Wide VGA, 16:9). The pixel density per inch of the new product also took an intermediate value compared to its predecessors - 217 ppi versus 233 ppi and 187 ppi.
The capacitive IPS matrix provides good color reproduction, as well as increased viewing angles and brightness. Since a ClearBlack polarization layer has now also appeared (as in Lumia smartphones), the image has become better visible in the sun, and the screen has less glare.
The light sensor readings can be used to automatically adjust the brightness, or its comfortable level will have to be selected manually. According to the results of the MultiTouch Test program, the touch layer of the display can process up to ten simultaneous touches. True, his sensitivity seems insufficient. So, when the option was turned on, activating the device by double tapping on the screen, it was sometimes difficult to “get through” to the smartphone, at least the first time. In general, it’s a rather average display, but quite suitable for an entry-level budget device.
The main camera of the Nokia X2 uses a 5-megapixel matrix, just like the photo module of the Nokia XL. In addition, there is also a 1/4-inch sensor, a 30.1mm wide-angle lens with an f/2.7 aperture, autofocus and an LED flash. Digital image scaling (4x) is also provided. Let us remember that, for example, Nokia X was equipped with only a 3-megapixel main camera with a 1/5-inch sensor, without autofocus and flash.
The maximum resolution for pictures in the Nokia X2 photo module is achieved with an aspect ratio of 4:3 - 2592x1944 pixels (5 MP), and for a 16:9 aspect ratio it is 2560x1440 pixels (3.7 MP). The front camera with a 0.3-megapixel matrix and an f/2.8 lens aperture provides a maximum of only VGA resolution (640x480, 4:3), which is quite enough for video chat and unassuming “self-talk”. However, in the “Self-Portrait” mode, selfies can be taken with the main camera.
The interface of the Camera application is minimalist. In the settings, you can select the flash state (“Auto”, on or off), change the camera (from the main to the front and vice versa), as well as one of three modes (“Auto”, “Night” and “Sport”).
In addition, the parameters suggest changing, for example, brightness (exposure compensation), quality (high or low) and aspect ratio (4:3 or 16:9), as well as turning on or off the timer, determining location, etc. Pictures are saved in the phone's memory or on an SD card (if available), and there is also an option to auto-upload to the OneDrive cloud storage. Several examples of photos from the main camera of Nokia X2 can be viewed here ().
Both photo modules in the Nokia X2 can shoot video, while the main camera does this in HD quality with a maximum resolution of 1280x720 pixels at 30 fps (predecessors only have 480p), and the front camera, at the same frame rate (30 fps), can provide 640x480 pixels. The resulting videos are saved in MP4 container files (AVC - video, AAC - audio).
The Nokia X2's "multimedia" speaker is frankly weak, especially in terms of quality. Therefore, it is preferable to listen to music with headphones, and it is better not through the wired headset that comes with the smartphone, since it is only suitable as an antenna for the built-in FM receiver.
Filling, performance
Improvements in Nokia X2 affected, of course, the hardware platform. Now, under the hood of the smartphone there is a more recent chip from Qualcomm – Snapdragon 200 (MSM8210/8610). Let us remind you that Nokia X and Nokia XL use dual-core Snapdragon S4 (MSM8225) crystals.
Although the number of cores has not changed, the clock frequency has increased (from 1 to 1.2 GHz), and, most importantly, the architecture has changed (from Cortex-A5 to Cortex-A7). Instead of the Adreno 203 accelerator, graphics are now processed by Adreno 302. And the amount of RAM has increased slightly - 1024 MB versus 512 MB for the Nokia X.
In synthetic tests AnTuTu Benchmark, the new smartphone earned 12,891 “parrots”, while the performance of its predecessor Nokia XL was almost half as many “virtual birds” - only 7,530. The 2011 flagship Samsung Galaxy also lagged behind the Nokia X2 S II (10,576). However, the test program indicated the weakness of the processor in the new product.
Snapdragon 200 chips are, of course, more productive than Snapdragon S4, but cannot boast of record-breaking power. The results of processor Metal (608) and multi-core Multicore (726) tests in the Vellamo 3.0 benchmarks, being at the very bottom of the list, only confirm this.
Unfortunately, it was not possible to run the Epic Citadel visual test on the device, but its results, given the weak processor, would have been predictable.
Of the 4 GB of internal memory in the Nokia X2, only about 2.25 GB is available, of which no more than 1.9 GB is free. To increase storage space, use microSDHC memory cards, the maximum size of which reaches 32 GB. True, there is another 15 GB of OneDrive cloud drive.
The simultaneous activity of two SIM cards in a smartphone is impossible, and if one of them works on a 3G network, then the other, accordingly, will only be occupied on a 2G network. There is no talk of LTE support. Interfaces also include Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11 b/g/n/ and Bluetooth 4.0.
The AndroiTS GPS Test program identified the Nokia X2 as having a 2-system GPS/GLONASS module with A-GPS support, which is necessary for navigation and location determination.
An undoubted advantage of the new device is the presence of a removable battery, which, if necessary, can be easily replaced even by yourself. Nokia X2 received a lithium-ion battery BV-5S with a capacity of 1,800 mAh (3.8 V; 6.8 Wh), which is 300 mAh more than the Nokia X (1,500 mAh) and 200 mAh less than Nokia XL (2,000 mAh).
In the AnTuTu Tester 2.1 battery tests, the new smartphone earned 6,109 points, leaving behind, including the Samsung Galaxy S II (modification GT-I9100G with a Texas Instruments OMAP4430 processor), which has a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus display (resolution 480x800 pixels) and a 1,650 mAh battery.
According to the manufacturer, during battery operation the duration of calls in 2G/3G networks is 10 and 13 hours, respectively. At the same time, it is stated that the Nokia X2 will be able to play music at least twice as long (86 hours) as the Nokia XL (37 hours) and three times as long as the Nokia X (26 hours). In video playback mode, the maximum operating time is promised to be up to 6 hours, which, judging by the tests, is true - test videos in MP4 format and in HD quality at full brightness played continuously for almost 5 hours. The Nokia X2 does not provide any special modes for energy saving.
Software
As already noted, the new smartphone uses the Nokia X software platform version 2.0, which is based on Android 4.3 OS, but without system services, store and Google applications. At the same time, the platform interface in the second edition was significantly redesigned. In addition, a touch-sensitive Home button has been added, which was missing in previous models in the line.
Now the main screen contains icons, widgets and “live” tiles of different sizes. Swiping left opens the Lumia-style application menu. It is a vertical list of program icons, arranged in alphabetical order. Here it is easy to create folders and place selected application icons in them. You can return to the home screen by swiping right or tapping the Home button.
To go from the main screen to FastLane, swipe right. Let us remind you that this event screen clearly displays the latest actions and notifications - messages, calls, photos, recently used applications. In addition, from here you can launch or close the program, reply to a message with one touch, etc.
Notifications and event logs for FastLane are managed in Settings (Events menu). The list of open programs is available for viewing not only in FastLane, but also in the task manager, to go to which you should hold down the “Back” button on the main screen (note that in Nokia X/XL such a long tap returns to the home screen). They tried to make up for the lack of services and software from Google somehow - in the application menu you can select a browser, a mapping application, a messenger, a file manager, a player, an email or VoIP client, etc.
Among the particularly useful applications in the Nokia X2, I would like to note the presence of Yandex.Store, since its own “Store” is rather poor in content. By the way, if it does not contain the required program, it is suggested that clients of other stores install it in order to search there too. For example, 1MobileMarket, where they try to track the main hits from Google Play. Another useful program is “Contact Transfer”. As the name suggests, it helps you transfer contacts from your old phone to a new one using a Bluetooth connection. In addition to HERE cards, Nokia X/XL also received a “personal radio station” MixRadio, which allows you to create “mixes” from your own preferences based on licensed music.
Purchase, conclusions
It's no secret that the success of Nokia X, with all its quirks and differences from a regular Android smartphone, was largely due to the attractive price of this model - 4,990 rubles. At the start of sales, its improved version – Nokia X2 – is offered for 5,990 rubles. But, based on this price, today you will have to choose from at least a dozen “dual-SIM” devices with similar or even better characteristics. At the same time, the Nokia X2 will compete not only with devices like Explay Fresh, Highscreen Zero S, Lenovo A526 or Micromax Canvas Viva A106, but also with products from no less “cool” brands, for example, Sony Xperia E1 Dual.
Of course, the new device turns out to be a more profitable purchase than, say, the Nokia XL model (6,990 rubles), which differs for the better only in screen size and battery capacity. But, for example, the most inexpensive Microsoft Winphone with two SIM cards - Lumia 530, similar in characteristics to the Nokia X2, can be purchased for a thousand cheaper, for 4,990 rubles.
So, among the main buyers of the new product, most likely, there will be those who liked the previous models in the Nokia X line. Of course, it will not do without those who are not attached to any of the platforms and like to experiment with smartphones. Surely, its fans will also be attracted by the original “candy” design - no other Android smartphone on the market has such a radically outstanding appearance.
Review results of the Nokia X2 Dual SIM smartphone:
Pros:
- Original “candy” design
- Build quality
- Dual SIM support
Minuses:
- Bulky body
- Lack of Google services and many Google Play “exclusive” applications
- Not enough built-in memory
- Weak processor
Nokia X :: Review :: How to “become an Android”?
With the help of a proprietary interface “a la Windows Phone,” Nokia seeks to distance itself from Google and Android. However, it’s not difficult to give X a “classic android look” - there are a lot of launcher applications for this, or, in other words, launcher shells.
This is what, for example, X looks like with the KK Launcher application installed - the usual removable “desktops” for placing icons, a screen of installed applications, etc.:
There won't be a screen with a list of running applications, the usual trio of hardware buttons, proprietary Google functions, such as voice search, etc.
Switching from interface to interface is done with one click - in the application menu of the Nokia X interface, click on the KK Launcher icon to launch, and you can return by clicking on the house icon that appears in the “Android interface” - “Launcher”:
Nokia X :: Review :: App Stores
As already mentioned, you won’t find the familiar “shopping bag” with the symbol of a multi-colored triangle, namely Google Play, on Nokia X. Instead, we see alternative Android application stores - Nokia Store and Yandex Store:
But there is a nuance - there are several times fewer applications in the Nokia and Yandex stores than in Google Play! And the situation in which your friend/colleague with a regular Android smartphone will launch some application or game, but you and Nokia X simply won’t find it in any of the markets, is quite real.
It is assumed that the two markets installed on Nokia X should satisfy the majority of users. If something is missing in one, it is likely that it will show up in the other. We see an abundance of games, a sea of crap, such as clients of all imaginable social networks, all sorts of reminders, drawing games, chants, tricks and whistles, the most popular bookreaders AlReader and FBreader, browsers, PDF and DjVu viewers, various audio and video players - it’s all there. But, for example, when I try to install a complete set of the most popular players, which I prefer to have on all my Androids, I find that the Nokia Store has Meridian Player, but Mobo Player and MX Player are missing... But MX Player is found in Yandex Store, but Mobo was still not available anywhere at the time of writing this review. The Daily Road Voyager video recorder application, which I use on Android, is also not available, although there are other applications for video recording in cars. It’s the same with games; many are missing, including those from the top of Google Play. Off the top of my head - no Minecraft (I mean the original from Mojang, and not some half-cloned crap from someone unknown), no Subway Surfer, etc.
In a word, the stores cannot yet be considered a 100% analogue of Google Play, but Nokia and Yandex are in every possible way encouraging and welcoming developers who are ready to place their applications in their markets for X-series smartphones, and the number of apps is growing rapidly. In addition, another important point is declared - all applications from NokiaStore and YandexStore must work absolutely flawlessly on XPhones, and also be 100% virus-free. Because all of them, as we are assured, have been tested by teams of Nokia and Yandex engineers for perfect compatibility and the absence of embedded malware. After all, it’s no secret that from time immemorial, Google Play has been a mess, confusion and vacillation - running into an application with a “worm” is as easy as shelling pears, and due to the huge range of phones from different manufacturers, there is no guarantee of stable operation of programs. It works on some smartphones, but on others it gets stuck and crashes... Moreover, a stable application may stop working after an update - this happens quite often... This should not happen in “X”.
(By the way, literally while writing this review, an enchanting message appeared on the news feeds that the Virus Shield antivirus uploaded to Google Play by fraudulent developers turned out to be a fake, despite the fact that it took one of the top positions in the store’s popularity rating and received a rating 4.7 “stars” and was purchased by thousands of people for a price of 4 dollars... A very typical example that characterizes the chaos reigning in the Google application market...)
Nokia Store:
Yandex Store:
It is important to note that Nokia X has the ability to install programs not from markets, but manually by downloading an APK file to the memory card. This feature removes almost all restrictions on the range of programs in both markets pre-installed on the smartphone. Although in this case Nokia does not guarantee 100% performance and compatibility (the situation is actually similar to the situation in Google Play - there, too, with a huge number of different smartphones from different brands, the issue of compatibility sometimes arises very acutely).
For example, at the time of writing the review, the Yandex Store and Nokia Store did not have the popular Subway Surfer toy, but this does not mean that you cannot play it on Nokia X! Download the APK, install and play!
However, it is unlikely that a significant number of Nokia X buyers will engage in this “alternative”. You need to understand that installing programs using APK files downloaded to a memory card is in demand by a very small number of users. Selecting an application in the store and installing it with one click is much more attractive and convenient than searching for a hacked version (if we are talking about paid programs) on various dubious sites, uploading it to a card, launching it through a file manager, not forgetting to check the permission box first. menu “installation from unknown sources”... For most people, this path is either too tricky or simply uninteresting.
Nokia x2-00: battery review
The Nokia X2 comes packed with an 860mAh lithium-ion battery with a claimed battery life of 765 minutes of talk time and 530 hours of standby time. We weren't able to test all 530 hours, but we didn't have to charge the phone for a week, and what's more, three out of four indicators are still lit. When testing the Nokia x2-00, the battery capabilities were reviewed in operating mode.
Applications for Nokia x2-00: overview of main features
The lack of data transfer capabilities in the Symbian S40 OS means that you won't be able to find the latest apps on the Nokia X2 that you enjoy on the iPhone 4 and iPad 2.
But, one way or another, the list of available programs is far from poor and includes a full range of both useful utilities and games.
According to the description and review, only an alarm clock, calendar and calculator are preinstalled in Nokia x2-00.
It is worth noting that this phone does not provide applications with maps and GPS navigation.
Nokia X :: Review :: “Diplomatic niceties”
Why was the X line created? How, within the framework of a very close partnership with Microsoft, were such “politically incorrect” flirtations with an ideological enemy—Google—allowed?
Let's try to figure it out!
It's no secret that Nokia's priority area of Windows Phone smartphones has always been a problem of an insufficiently developed application ecosystem. The pace of development of Winfonov's MarketPlace store and the Android Google Play market are incomparable - the first only recently reached the 200,000th mark, while the second successfully crossed the millionth mark last year. It became impossible to endlessly repeat that “everything is going according to plan,” but it was also unclear what to do...
As a result, an alternative solution was found, allowing “to eat the fish and not sit on Microsoft.” The Lumia line of Windows Phone smartphones continues to develop and is considered a flagship, carrying advanced hardware, software features, outstanding cameras, etc., and the liberties of the Finnish vassal, within which the overlord Microsoft did not interfere with the existence of the Asha line of budget “semi-smartphones”, are expanding to a new line of “supposedly Android X smartphones.” The nods to Google are minimal, Google Play has been replaced by its own store, and X phones are not even called “Android smartphones” - instead, the crafty formulation “smartphones for running Android applications” is used. The budget nature of X-devices also clearly hints to the consumer - powerful super-camera phones and phablets still remain in the Windows Phone niche.
But the fact that Nokia Store and Yandex Store do not contain the entire millions of Google Play assortment is carefully hushed up, but only offer applications from those Android developers who cooperate with these stores. And in fact, the tandem of both “X-markets” is comparable to the same Windows Phone store, and does not even come close to a million programs on Google Play! Yandex Store claims more than 100 thousand applications, and Nokia Store evasively claims several tens of thousands - however, this is data for the start of the X-Android platform and ecosystem, and they should grow significantly in the near future.
Nokia X :: Review :: Key features
In my reviews of Android smartphones, I have recently been trying not to torment readers with an endless and dull series of screenshots of the basic functions of the devices - from calls and SMS to the Internet browser and video player. Firstly, Android devices have not had any fundamental differences in this sense for a long time (is it really that important - round or square buttons on a telephone dialer?!), plus the meaning of evaluating certain “out-of-the-box” functions of a smartphone is not entirely clear, if they it’s still easy to change with the help of appropriate applications - programs, services, shells, etc. However, “Nokia X” is a “new operating system on the market,” whatever one may say. Therefore, I’m afraid I’ll have to go over the basic functionality...
Call service. Dual-SIM functionality is implemented traditionally for most modern dual-SIM devices. You see contacts from both SIM cards, you can link certain contacts to a specific number, when you call, the device prompts you to select the required SIM card, and you can also choose to make a call through any Internet messenger from among those installed on your smartphone.
SMS
Mail. Universal email client - Nokia X does not have a Gmail client.
Calculator, calendar, clock
File manager. There is no regular manager - the well-known Astro is preinstalled in the free version. You can install any other one.
Music and radio. The three apps are music player, FM radio and MixRadio. With the first two everything is clear, but with the third... everything is also clear, but only to those who know about this proprietary Nokia application. MixRadio is a music store that is interesting because, in addition to purchasing albums and songs for cash, it allows you to download free selections of thematic mixes via Wi-Fi or 3G and listen to them offline at any time.
Gallery. The Gallery application is responsible for photos and videos
The browser is not very convenient. Displaying the page is possible in both portrait and landscape orientation, but if you call up all open pages on the screen from landscape orientation, the screen is forced to rotate to portrait... It suggests installing Opera.
Navigation HERE. The famous Nokia navigation. Classic and perfect! There are no complaints here - maps of all countries of the world, automobile and pedestrian voice navigation, a lot of different services and goodies.
Nokia x2-00: device description
You won't find, when reading the description of the Nokia x2-00, a touchscreen, Wi-Fi, GPS or other advanced features that we are all already accustomed to. However, the Nokia X2's feature set cannot be called mediocre. The Finnish manufacturer offers us a 2.2″ screen with a resolution of 320×240 pixels, a 5 megapixel camera with an LED flash and the ability to record video in QVGA mode at 20 fps, an FM radio module, GPRS Internet, memory expandable via a MicroSD card and simply a phenomenally long period of operation without recharging.
If Apple decided to launch the iPhone 5 with the above set of characteristics, then there would be a lot of dissatisfied people in the world. However, if we take into account that the price of the Nokia X2 is ten times less than the approximate price of the iPhone, then a lot can be forgiven for this, can’t it?
The target buyers of this smartphone will be those who are looking for a cheap, reliable phone. When it comes to style, the Nokia X2 won't look out of place in the hands of a hipster teenager or your mom or grandma.
The Nokia X2 uses the Symbian S40 operating system. And although Nokia claims at every opportunity that it is moving away from Symbian OS towards Windows 7 Phone, this still will not affect the budget phone segment for some time. It is these indicators that form the technical characteristics of the Nokia x2-00.
Nokia X :: Review :: Performance and Power
Nokia X does not pretend to be high performance - it is initially an inexpensive budget smartphone. Its dual-core one-gigahertz processor and half a gigabyte of RAM will not handle modern games, but, in principle, it copes well with everything else. At the same time, it’s a sin to blame him for problems with the smoothness of the interface and his thoughtful disposition - in the category up to 5,000 rubles it cannot be any other way.
But if the thoughtfulness of a budget processor is quite understandable, then why Nokia begins its “Android history” with mistakes that all other manufacturers have gone through is unclear... By mistake we mean the modest battery capacity and the “one-day” that it gives rise to. Both consumers and manufacturers have long been convinced that Android requires a lot of energy, and it would be quite logical to sweeten the budget pill with a good battery. However, the Nokia X has a modest 1500 mAh battery...
Let's conduct a simple and visual test, which I traditionally use to assess the efficiency of battery use - charge the battery to 100%, reboot the device to clear the memory of clogging programs, turn off all wireless interfaces except cellular communications, and set the screen brightness and volume to maximum. We launch a movie in AVI format, lasting 1 hour 23 minutes and weighing 1.45 GB. After finishing the movie, we look at the remaining battery charge in comparison with a pair of old dual-core devices with similar characteristics:
The result is 60%... This is very little... Today, even budget devices after such a test remain with 70-75% of energy, and flagships with their powerful batteries and a bunch of energy-saving technologies even save 80-85%! Alas, in terms of longevity, the device is clearly a one-day project.
Nokia x2-00 as a smartphone for media
One of the strongest points of X2. The phone's built-in memory is more than modest, only 48 MB, but it supports expansion via microSD up to 16 GB.
The built-in player supports MP3, AAC, WMA and many others. Its interface is list-based and very easy to understand. When using high-quality headphones, the sound quality is simply excellent, which is not so often what you expect from listening through a mobile phone.
The external speaker on the Nokia X2 just blew us away! We have never heard such loud and at the same time acceptable sound quality - even at full volume it does not overload. It's safe to say that Nokia x2-00 is a smartphone for media
The reception quality of the FM module is also excellent, the sound transmission is excellent, and the tuner’s interface again pleased with its simplicity.
As for viewing videos and photos, the phone has decent viewers, but editing them is out of the question.
Nokia X :: Review :: Conclusions
Specifically regarding the smartphone, it left a pleasant impression for its price niche. High-quality and solidly assembled, with a quite decent IPS screen, with support for 2 SIM cards, with an uncompromising Nokia trump card - free worldwide HERE navigation - for its 4999 recommended rubles, the Nokia X is suitable both as a main workhorse and as a backup navigator - phone in the car, and as a children's smartphone. The symbolic camera and not the highest performance are not disadvantages, but features of the price.
Speaking more “analytically”, it should be noted that Nokia has taken a serious and expressive step in the direction that everyone has been waiting for a long, long time. But what this step will be is still unclear. Will the X line develop into a wide range of interesting devices, or will it remain ultra-budget? Will the tandem of Nokia Store and Yandex Store be able to catch up with Google Play, or will the inability to find and install certain applications available to “classic Androids” remain an unpleasant feature of the X line? However, in any case, Nokia X owners received a lot of interesting programs that are not available in Nokia Lumia - browsers, players, games, etc. Obviously, by doing this, Nokia is trying to satisfy a considerable niche of citizens who feel loyalty and commitment to the Finnish brand because of for quality, design or previous memory of successful use, but at the same time oriented towards the Android ecosystem and afraid of Windows Phone...
What kind of camera does Nokia x2-00 have?
With the 5 megapixel matrix advertised in the Nokia x2-00, you can expect excellent pictures. Unfortunately, the expectations do not match reality. Due to the lack of proper optical focusing properties, the image appears faded, blurry, and the colors are blurry and unrealistic. The flash has sufficient brightness, but does not provide an effect towards improving quality.
Shooting outdoors (OUTDOORS): colors are dull and desaturated.
Zoom (ZOOM): 4x digital zoom was not enough to create a good close-up.
FLASH: In low light, the flash had little effect.
Shooting indoors (INDOORS): Images also appear flat in natural light.
NEGATIVE MODE: This effect adds a little fun to the Nokia X2 camera.
Accordingly, you should not expect a high level from the video quality either. Nokia X2 saves video files in 3GP format. But, despite the frame rate of 20 frames per second and the maximum resolution of 320 x 240 pixels, the result is very acceptable.
