Engadget

The Abu Dhabi spotlight might be set squarely on the new Lumia devices, but the Windows tablet and pair of Windows Phones amounted to only half of the products Nokia announced today. A trio of Asha handsets also made the trip to the desert: the 500, 502 and 503. These three devices, which essentially are slightly revamped versions of the Asha 501 released this spring, will likely get the most facetime in emerging markets thanks to their smartphone-like features and reasonable price. The 500 -- the least expensive of the three -- is slated to cost $69 SIM-free, which is a solid $30 less than the 501; on the more expensive end of the pricing spectrum is the 503, which is $99 and comes with quad-band HSPA. (The 501 offered EDGE speeds for the same price, so this is a nice step up.)

On the outside, the new Ashas don't look that much different than the 501, with one giant exception: all three now feature a box-like layer of transparent polycarbonate surrounding the standard colored casing. This is a pretty fresh design technique we haven't seen much of before; this extra layer prevents wear and tear on the regular casing, and keeps it from losing its color over time. That said, some of the demo units already had some scratches on the transparent casing, so only time will tell how durable the retail units will be. Anyhow, because of this design, you can expect the new Ashas to be a bit bulkier than its predecessor, but this likely won't come as too much of a distraction to anyone because of its petite size.

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Don't act like you didn't know this was coming. Nokia has finally removed the see-through shroud covering its latest high-end device, known as the Lumia 1520, here at Nokia World in Abu Dhabi. Thing is, it's not like any Windows Phone you've gazed upon before -- it's a top of the line smartphone with Microsoft's third WP8 update and many of the best specs you can get. Not only is it the first 6-inch 1080p smartphone to run Windows Phone OS, it's also the first that's powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 800 SoC (a quad-core chipset clocked at 2.2GHz). Nokia aims to sell the flagship for $750 unsubsidized later this year and it comes in four color options: red, white, black and yellow. The first two are glossy, while the latter two come with a matte finish.

Now that the new large smartphone is a reality, Nokia's given us some quality time with its pending flagship. If you've used or seen most Lumia devices in the past, the phone's overall design will not come as a surprise; it's dressed in Nokia's traditional unibody polycarbonate, though it looks like a Lumia 920 that got flattened with a mallet. That's not a bad thing, since it's 8.6mm thick (with the exception of the 1520's camera bump, which reminds us of the 925), but thanks to its 85.4mm-wide chassis, you'll need the phone to be as thin as possible to even think of using this as a one-handed device; it's three millimeters wider than the HTC One Max (and six millimeters wider than the Samsung Galaxy Note 3), which means the only reason it's even tolerable to hold with one hand is its thin profile and smooth curved edges.

The 1520 comes with a 20MP BSI F/2.4 PureView camera with OIS and Carl Zeiss lens, which numberwise isn't technically quite up to par with the 41MP sensor photography enthusiasts enjoy on the 1020, but we believe it will be more than enough for most power users. The real story with the new Lumia isn't its resolution or detail this time around, however -- it's the software capabilities of the phone. Thankfully, Nokia has combined the Pro and Smart camera lenses, which makes it much easier to switch back and forth between your preferences. There's also something Nokia calls the Refocus Lens, which is a fruit of the company's Scalado acquisition; this lens is like a software-based version of Lytro, which uses "clever algorithms" to let you change the focus of your photo after it's taken. (This lens will debut on the 1520 and eventually make it to older Lumia devices, such as the 900 series.) Check out our gallery of hands-on pictures and meet us after the break for more impressions and details.

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Windows Phone naysayers have always argued that the OS doesn't have enough of the most popular apps out there, but Microsoft is quieting down the critics, one a handful of apps at a time. This time around, we can add Flipboard to the list of in-demand apps that are finally coming to Nokia devices. We'll first see the app on its first Windows RT tablet, the Lumia 2520, as the company just announced on stage at Nokia World, before it rolls out to Windows Phone 8 devices in the coming weeks.

The Lumia 2520 is also set to launch with Nokia's new Storyteller app, displaying photos and videos in the form of stories, as well as the updated Camera app, which is already coming to Nokia's 6-inch smartphone: the Lumia 1520.

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Over a year and a half ago, Marko Ahtisaari, then Nokia's Head of Product Design, confessed that he was spending at least a third of his time working on a tablet. The company's stayed relatively quiet about the mysterious device since then (despite numerous leaks pointing to its existence), but today at Nokia World we're finally seeing Marko's work come to fruition as the Lumia 2520. As you might expect, this is the first -- and possibly the last -- attempt by Nokia to craft a Windows RT slate. It's packing LTE, and a 2.2GHz Snapdragon 800 CPU inside, with a bright 650nit screen made out of Gorilla Glass 2. Nokia showed off a video demonstrating its outdoor readability in sunny Abu Dhabi, bright enough to check out Flipboard on Windows RT. It also packs the Storyteller app seen on the 1520, along with a 6.7MP rear camera featuring Zeiss optics and a 2MP front facing camera.

LTE included, the Lumia 2520's unsubsidized price is $499 in either a red/white glossy finish, or cyan and black matte paintjob when it ships in Q4. Also included are quick charging capabilities that let its 800mAh battery go from drained to 50 percent charge in just 40 minutes. The Nokia Power Keyboard accessory shown above costs an extra $149, and promises an extra five hours of battery life plus two extra USB ports. Check after the break for a full list of specs and a video demo, we'll have hands-on impressions of the new slate from Nokia World in just a moment.

Update: Our hands-on is up!

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Nokia came to Abu Dhabi prepared to put on a full show. At its annual Nokia World conference, the company just pulled the wraps off Batman -- its code name for the Lumia 1320. It comes with a 5-megapixel camera, dual-core processor and 6-inch 720p display. Price-wise, this is meant to be more affordable than it's equally new 1520 sibling, costing $339 before taxes. The 1320 comes with the new Nokia camera app, a more rounded design similar to the Lumia 625, and it'll launch early 2014 in China and Vietnam before rolling out across Asia, and Europe in four colors -- orange, yellow, black and white.

Update: You'll find plenty more Lumia 1320 details in our detailed hands-on.

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