Nokia's fourth Android phone does dual-SIM for just €99
After the Nokia X, X+ and XL, the Microsoft Devices team is back with its fourth Android-based budget smartphone dubbed the X2 Dual SIM, and the best part about it its €99 (about $135) off-contract price. That's very attractive given the range's pretty "inner glow" design, and the specs are also decent for what it is. We're looking at a 4.3-inch WVGA ClearBlack LCD screen, a dual-core 1.2GHz Snapdragon 200 chip, 1GB of RAM, 4GB of storage, microSD expansion of up to 32GB (plus 15GB of free OneDrive cloud storage), 5MP/VGA cameras and a removable 1,800mAh battery. If this sounds like your kind of phone then look out for it as it goes global in July.
With its 4.3-inch screen, the X2 sits between the X and XL in terms of size, and it feels just right in my hand with a secure grip -- the latter courtesy of the straight sides that subtly round off to the curved backside. The unit we got to play with is orange, but you can also get it in green, yellow, dark gray and white. With the exception of the matt dark gray version, these colors come with the series' signature glossy, translucent plastic casing -- which is, by the way, removable to access the Micro SIM slots, the microSD slot and the battery.
As before, Nokia doesn't emphasize the fact that the X series runs on a heavily skinned Android. The X2 runs on a new version called the "Nokia X Software Platform 2.0," which looks very similar to its predecessor. Users will find the three similar home screens welcoming you, with the main one featuring a Windows Phone-like tile UI, and you swipe right for the Fastlane for the recent apps, and swipe left for the new apps list that's basically a carbon copy of the one from Windows Phone. The software felt slick during our brief hands-on, and the 5-megapixel AF camera was similarly responsive. Not a bad package overall.
