Months after the sales of smartphone business to Microsoft for $7.2 billion, Nokia is making a comeback into gadget market by launching a new an android tablet, Nokia N1.
Yesterday Nokia tweeted a cryptic message with a black box and talked of something new. At the Slush 2014 conference in Finland, Nokia launched Nokia N1, a new tablet which runs on android. Nokia N1 has a 7.9 inch screen and 2048×1536 resolution. This tablet is crafted from a single piece of anodized aluminum, just like iPad mini.
The device runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop and has a 64-bit quad core Intel Atom Z358 processor. Nokia N1 features 2GB of RAM, 32GB memory, an 8MP primary camera at the back and a 5MP secondary camera at the back. The device is powered by a 5,300 mAh battery.
Full specs-
• 7.9 inch IPS LCD display with Gorilla Glass 3 and fully laminated zero air gap display. Resolution- 2048×1536 (4:3)
• 64-bit 2.3GHz Intel Atom Z3580 processor, 2GB RAM with PowerVR G6430 GPU
• 32GB memory (non-expandable)
• 8 megapixel rear camera, 5 megapixel front camera
• 6.9 millimeters thin
• Dual channel 802.11 Wi-Fi with MIMO, Bluetooth 4.0
• Micro-USB 2.0 with a Type-C reversible connector, one of the first implementations of the reversible type-C USB connector
• Stereo speakers
• 5,300mAh battery
The device Nokia N1 seems heavily inspired by Apple iPad’s design. This will come in Natural Aluminum and Lava Gray, just like iPad mini. The cover looks similar to Apple’s Smart Case. The placement of camera, buttons, headphone jack, its anodized aluminum body and rounded design make this resemblance more prominent
Nokia Z Launcher and Android 5.0 Lollipop-
The operating system in Nokia N1 is a stock version of Android 5.0 Lollipop. This features the Nokia Z Launcher as its default user interface.
Z Launcher is based on gestures that lets you write letters on the screen, this gives you list of apps and contacts and it changes on the basis of your location and activity.
“We started looking around, we just didn’t find any good Android tablets out there,” says Brook Eaton, director for Nokia’s Z Launcher. He adds, “We have such a beautiful, simple, and elegant Z Launcher. Why not build a device that is also built on the same principles as being super simple and easy to use and elegant?” Nokia Z Launcher is also made available as a separate download to all Android devices starting from today.
Nokia is now planning to launch the Nokia N1 in China for $249 (before taxes) at the time of Chinese New Year (February 19th), and it will roll out to Russia and some European countries after the Chinese release. This an impressive and aggressive price against Apple’s $399 for the latest iPad mini 3 and the $299 price of the iPad mini 2.
Also See: Which Phones are Getting Android 5.0 Lollipop Update Very Soon? Know Here!
Nokia’s Head of Product Business Sebastian Nyström described the company’s journey after the mobile business was sold, and emphasised that big change also brings big opportunities. Nyström started his presentation with a quote which seems pretty accurate: “They say Nokia is dead – they couldn’t be more wrong.”
