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Nokia X

Nokia X Review – For the longest time now, many people have been clamouring for a Nokia smartphone that is powered by Google’s Android operating system and very recently at Mobile World Congress this year, it appears they have answered many prayers, to a degree with the Nokia X budget smartphone.

Nokia X, X Doesn’t Quite Mark The Spot

Nokia X

Nokia X borrows some design cues from its Lumia counterparts, especially in the design of its monoblock back cover. This back cover is removable, and comes in a wide variety of colours that suits different sorts of lifestyles. An interesting thing to note is the fact that the Nokia X is also a dual-SIM phone, making it a good option for those who rely on more than just one phone number on a daily basis. It also has a 3MP camera at the back, which is also capable of recording video at 480p resolution.

Despite running Android apps, Nokia has taken some liberties in ensuring that the Nokia X flows in a manner that is similar to that of the WP8-based Lumias. For starters, the standard app drawer is inaccessible, meaning that any and all apps that you install on the phone will appear on the front screen itself. In order to make it easier for users to access frequently used apps and notifications, Nokia has implemented Fastlane, a separate page similar to Android’s own app task manager where all recent notifications and open apps are shown, so that users no longer need to scroll all the way down to find their apps.

Fastlane can be accessed from the home screen by swiping to the left. Also worth a mention is the fact that the Nokia X has only one touch-sensitive button, which is the Back button. If you’re inside several levels of an app, you can go back to previous menus using this button, and if you press it for a couple of seconds, it will send you back to the home screen, and from there, you can swipe to access other open apps via Fastlane. As far as performance goes, the Nokia X is a bit sluggish, and running apps is a mixed bag as some apps run smoothly while others stutter very badly. We also need to mention that not all Android apps can be downloaded to the phone as Nokia strictly monitors what goes into their version of Google Play.