Nokia phones previously occupied an important cell in the mobile device market. The manufacturer produced models of different price segments. However, when the market began to fill up with cheap Chinese smartphones, the Finns could not quickly navigate, as a result, precious time was lost.
After analyzing, the company tried to restore its former power by releasing the Asha smartphone line. It was she who was able to compete with gadgets running on Android. The Nokia Asha 501 phone can be considered the most successful example. According to users, the developers chose a successful design, updated the interface, which attracted a new category of customers. Also very pleased with the cost of the device. Brand connoisseurs made up their minds about this smartphone. It is most likely impossible to call it 100% successful, but for its price category it is quite competitive.
When compiling a review of the Nokia Asha 501, the following topics were considered: equipment, features of the external design, technical specifications and other points.
Packaging and packaging
The phone is packed in an ordinary medium-sized cardboard box. It is framed in the signature "Nokiev" features. On the front panel there is the name of the smartphone - Nokia Asha 501 Dual Sim. On the packaging, the manufacturer presented the entire range of color options. In the photo you can see the cases of red, green, blue, black, white and yellow. The image itself looks spectacular. Also, the design of the box adorns the photo of red headphones.
What do they offer the user? Needless to say - the phone. Be sure to include a removable battery, a cable for connecting to devices for data transfer, charging and an entry-level stereo headset. This set is consistent with the devices of the budget segment.
Design
Nokia Asha 501 Dual Sim in external design is fundamentally different from previous phones in the line. It looks more like a small thin box. It has compact dimensions: height - 99.2 mm, width - 58 mm, but the thickness, by modern standards, is considered quite large - it is more than 12 mm. It’s convenient to hold the phone in your hands, as its weight is only 91 g. The main body material is plastic. As always, the Finnish manufacturer provided a large number of color options in the assortment. The surface is matte, which allows you to almost completely avoid the accumulation of fingerprints. Over time, the plastic does not scratch, it does not form abrasions. Due to its small size and non-slip surface, the risk of dropping the phone is minimized. Also, users say that you can control your smartphone with one hand. There are negative reviews on the Web in which it is a question of the quality of the case material. According to users, it is quite fragile. But during testing, the assembly did not cause any complaints. The back cover fits snugly; when pressed, a deflection does not form.
The front panel has a large touch screen. The space above it is decorated in a typical "Nokiev" style, with a logo adorned under the speaker. The control panel is located under the screen. It consists of one mechanical button. The developers programmed it for the return function.
The back cover is made in such a way that creates a frame framing the screen. Under it is a battery, slots for SIM cards and a memory card. The camera lens is in the upper center. Opposite it is a button, when pressed, the lid opens.
Two standard mechanical buttons are displayed on the right side end. The first in the form of a “rocker” allows you to adjust the volume, the second blocks the phone, and is also responsible for turning on / off. Users noted that they are quite comfortable, have a mild stroke and are easy to press. The developers brought all the necessary communications to the upper end. This is a standard output for audio equipment, as well as micro-USB connectors and a charger.
Screen
Features Nokia Asha 501 are consistent with the budget segment. The manufacturer installed a display with a TFT-type matrix. It is not possible to call this technology perfect, as it is characterized by small viewing angles and the formation of glare in the sun. In fairness, it is worth noting that all screens of this type differ in identical indicators.
The dimensions of the phone allowed developers to use a 3-inch display. It is capable of displaying a picture with a maximum resolution of 320 × 240 pixels.
Especially users highlighted the sensor. For the low cost of the gadget, he showed excellent results. In their reviews, the owners focused on the fact that the screen responds quickly to pressing, it works clearly.
No special protective functions are provided on it. The only thing the developers used was the plastic layer. It has a low level of protection, so you should not have high hopes for it. Users recommend that you purchase a special film from day one.
On the street in sunny weather, working with the phone will be somewhat difficult, since under direct rays the text on the screen becomes almost unreadable.
Menu
As mentioned above, the developers approached the design of the interface with imagination. Firmware Nokia Asha 501 liked many users. Two zones are provided for work. In the first, you can view notifications, for example, from a calendar. On the main screen, they are displayed as a vertical list. Also, the latest user actions will be displayed on the desktop. This can be taken photographs (not more than 4 pieces), used applications and more.
The phone provides a change of wallpaper on the screen. However, a significant drawback is that in the menu you can not change the background.
Smartphone control is carried out using swipe. Moving left or right brings up the menu. It consists of a large number of icons. When the device enters standby mode, the following information is available on the screen: time, service indicators (calls, messages, and other notifications).
Phone and calls
Reviews Nokia Asha 501 received mixed. Users were very pleased with the presence of two SIM cards. But one radio module ruined the positive impression. Unfortunately, the device can only work with one active SIM card, since the second one will be blocked during a call. In order to view incoming, outgoing and missed calls, you must open the log. All calls will be recorded in it, for convenience, the developers marked them with different color icons. When you select a specific number, all information about the calls of this subscriber is opened, that is, their total number and time of receipt on the phone.
It is also quite convenient that you can set different calls on both SIM cards. However, this does not apply to SMS messages.
Correspondence
Separate reviews in the Nokia Asha 501 keyboard was noted. It is small in diagonal, but very comfortable. A sensitive sensor also added a pleasant sensation. When typing, erroneous pressing is extremely rare. For convenience, users can rotate the keyboard both vertically and horizontally. In the first case, the buttons will be much larger.
To switch the language, a separate key is not provided. This function is programmed under a space. Optionally, you can choose two types of keyboard: qwerty-layout and standard, where each key displays several characters.
Pleased users with the option T9, which allows you to quickly enter text. If necessary, you can check the spelling. The speed of input is not satisfactory. If you add multimedia files to a standard SMS message, it is automatically converted to MMS.
A simple wizard will help you configure your mail client. To update the feed, you just need to pull the list down. When displaying messages in the list, you can see the name of the author, the date of receipt and the attached text.
When working with Yandex.Mail, users found flaws. The problem is that the contents of the letters are not displayed correctly.
Camera
The camera in the Nokia Asha 501 received pretty good reviews. The photo module is simple, has a resolution of 3.2 megapixels. A standalone button on the case is not provided, so you will have to go to the menu to activate the application. The viewfinder changes depending on the position of the phone: vertical and horizontal. The controls are respectively located either on the side or bottom.
In the camera settings, you can use the timer option, the maximum time is 10 seconds. Also, users can adjust the white balance, use standard effects. During shooting, a shutter sound is heard. The maximum resolution of the photo is 2048 x 1536 px, the minimum - 640 x 480 px. It is possible to record videos.
In user reviews, it is said that the camera is quite consistent with the price category of the device. Unfortunately, it is impossible to photograph the text, since autofocus is not provided, the picture will be blurry.
Applications
What do the reviews say about the proposed software? The Nokia Asha 501 is equipped with standard applications as standard. In the calendar you can see information about the day of the week and month. The current date is highlighted in orange. An unusual fact is that the week starts on Sunday. If necessary, you can add any reminders. The start and end periods are specified by the user.
For convenience, the phone has a voice recorder. The recording time for one file is one hour. You can save information on an external drive or in the phone’s memory.
The developers did not bypass the calculator. It’s convenient to work on it, the numbers are large. Those who will systematically use the Internet can control the consumption of traffic in a special tab. The user can also install other applications for the Nokia Asha 501 from the company’s online store.
Nokia Store
The phone provides quick access to all developed programs that can be installed on the phone. In order to download them, you need to go to the Nokia store. It will prompt the user to create an account. Understanding the interface is pretty simple. The range of applications can be viewed in a separate list. The screen also displays the most popular ones. Users were satisfied that about 50 games can be installed on the gadget, and they are provided for free. This is a kind of bonus for owners of Finnish Nokia phones.
Browser
The native browser in Nokia Asha 501 proved to be quite good (Opera is installed at the request of the user). The phone perfectly opens both mobile version and full-site sites. The only thing that may become a limitation is the amount of traffic. Unfortunately, users in their reviews speak of inconvenience, since the screen on this phone is very small. You can enlarge the image by double-clicking on the display. The same method is used to zoom out. The browser saves the history of visited sites. You can create a bookmark list. All downloaded files are combined into a separate folder and displayed in a list.
File browser
It is also worth noting the excellent work of the file browser. Since the native memory in the phone is only 67 MB, for full operation you will need to install an external drive. Users talk about how a phone with a 32 GB memory card works fine. In order to transfer files from the phone to an external drive, you will need to use a file browser. The application allows you to create folders and rename them. Also, it can be sorted by format, name, size.
Communication and settings
When this model was released, users still could not dream of third-generation networks. For this reason, the device only works with 2G. In some reviews, the owners wrote that over time, messages may not come to the phone, then it is better to reset the settings to the original. How to do it? Just enter the security code on the Nokia Asha 501 - # 7780 #.
From the communication interfaces there are: Bluetooth of the third version, micro-USB port. Data is transmitted at a fast speed, without any delay. The phone works with any headphones that are equipped with a 3.5 mm plug. The device has a wireless Wi-Fi module. Such equipment allows users to save significant money on paying for Internet services. The only thing the owners are upset about is that the phone cannot work as an access point.
Nokia Asha 501: battery life characteristics
Not the most powerful battery was used in this smartphone. It is a lithium-ion type, with a capacity of only 1200 milliamps per hour. If you believe the characteristics declared by the manufacturer, then in standby mode the phone is able to work for more than 1000 hours. The device functions as a music player for up to 56 hours. For lovers of conversation, 17 hours will be more than enough.
But in the reviews, users say that in practice, Nokia works for about three to four days. Everything will depend on the load. If the owner often plays games and connects to the Internet via Wi-Fi, then the battery life will be significantly reduced.
Conclusion
Indisputable advantages in this model, users have found a lot. First of all, it is a loud speaker. And we are talking about both weekend and conversational. Communicate with the interlocutor will be comfortable even in the noisiest places. Smartphone Nokia Asha 501 at a price of 4000 rubles. (2013) at the time of release could compete with many devices of Chinese and Korean manufacturers. It works very quickly, the sensor is excellent, autonomy is at an average level, but for the budget segment this is a pretty good indicator. Also, the camera also belongs to the advantages, which in good lighting takes high-quality pictures. Now it's worth talking about the flaws. These include a small screen size, one radio module and a limited amount of software.