As the top-of-the-line model of the Nokia Asha 500 series of hybrid feature phones, the Nokia Asha 503 offers a number of features which are on par with that of most standard smartphones. This includes a capacitive screen, a 5MP camera with LED flash and 3.5G connectivity amongst other tech specs and features. Going for a retail value of just RM319, can you replace your smartphone with a Nokia Asha 503? The short answer would be: Yes. Yes you can. But it also raises the question of: Should you replace your smartphone with a Nokia Asha 503? Read our detailed analysis for the answer to this question.

The Normandy has landed, or at least the Nokia codenamed Normandy smartphone has. Appearing courtesy of evleaks along with a still unnamed Asha phone, the Normandy looks like another Lumia smartphone that could be bridging the gap between the Asha range and the Lumia range. The unnamed Nokia Asha phone on the other hand looks a lot like an LG Vu 3, complete with square-like 4:3 display. Unfortunately, no tech specs, pricing or Malaysia release dates were available at the time but stay tuned and we'll keep you posted.

When the Nokia Asha 501 was first introduced it offered a hybrid combination of featurephone battery life and smartphone capabilities but didn't offer much choice when it came to other options. At the recent Nokia World event, Nokia announced 3 new models for this series consisting of the Nokia Asha 500, Asha 502 and Asha 503. The new models offer a new look over the standard colourful polycarbonate backplate of the Asha 501, offering a crystal-like transparent encased look that is both stylish and durable. All three models will be available in black, bright green, bright red, cyan, yellow and white. Tech specs, links, videos and features for the Nokia Asha 500, 502 and 503 are listed in this article.

Nokia recently held their Nokia World event in Abu Dhabi where they revealed 2 new phablets, 1 new tablet and 3 new Asha 500 models along with a whole bunch of accessories. Nokia now have devices for both the tablet segment along with the phablet segment and are offering new and improved hybrid feature~smartphones for their budget Asha 500 series and platform. Nokia have also created new custom apps for Windows Phone including Nokia Video Director for the Nokia Lumia 2520, Nokia Beamer which projects your phone screen to any HTML5 enabled screen, Nokia Storyteller which integrates pictures with HERE maps, Instagram, Papyrus and InNote and Vine. The Asha platform also got WhatsApp and Line, photo applications PicFeed and PicTag and ESPN Sports Hub. While you're more than welcome to browse through our Technave.com news feed for more details on each of the newly announced Nokia devices, you can also check out the full replay of the Nokia World event by clicking the links in this article.

While it may probaby get it's official announcement at the confirmed Nokia World event on 22 October 2013, serial leaker @evleaks has just shown off leaked images of the Nokia Asha 502. Going for a similar look as the Nokia Asha 501 but with a curved clear plastic casing surrounding the polycarbonate backplate, the newer model has a number of tech specs and features that the previous version doesn't. This includes the aforementioned transparent casing but also includes what appears to be an LED flash. Other tech specs include dual SIM and WiFi connectivity along with 6 colours to choose from such as black, blue, green, red, yellow and white. From all accounts, it looks like Nokia won't stop at just the 502 as a rumoured Nokia Asha 503 is also supposedly under development as well. Unfortunately, no Malaysia release dates or pricing just yet, but we'll find out soon.

We said it would happen and it has as Microsoft recently acquired Nokia for $7.17 billion (RM23.6 billion). The deal covers Nokia's Devices and Services along with the right to license Nokia's various phone patents. According to Microsoft, they will get the cash from overseas resources and close the deal by Q1 of 2014. Nokia are getting something out of it as well as Stephan Elop, Nokia CEO will get to lead the Microsoft Devices team where the rest of Nokia's employees will join him. The current head, Julie Larson-Green will focus instead on the Xbox and Surface devices. While this could result in a Microsoft Nokia Lumia Windows Phone, Microsoft have said that they will be keeping things short, so you can probably expect Microsoft Lumias and Ashas to hit the shelves soon. With Steve Balmer's impending retirement on the horizon, Stephan Elop looks like the most promising candidate for next head of Microsoft but it also means that he needs to step up Microsoft's new phone business, which looks more and more difficult with Nokia's resulting drop in share price. So far no news on when we'll all be using Microsoft Asha or Lumia phones but expect things to start shaking up here in Malaysia as these two gigantic companies shift gears. Microsoft will still support other Windows Phone partners like HTC and Samsung.

Another day another Nokia codename surfaces, this time in the form of the Nokia Lanai, which according to rumours, should eventually be called the Nokia Asha 503. Looking a lot like the Nokia Asha 501 right down to the curved corners and plastic backplate, the main difference here is that there will be a capacitive Back key and the entire front screen will be covered with curved glass. Other features or tech specs include a 5MP rear camera with LED flash along with a dual-SIM version as well. The other codename would be the Nokia Pegasus which refers to the Nokia Asha 502. Unfortunately, no news about the 502 or pricing and release dates in Malaysia just yet. We're thinking that the announcement should be any day now, as these renderings look like the real deal.

Last time we got a peek at Samsung's internal testing for their smartphones, so this time around we have some internal testing and quality control from Nokia. Like all the other smartphone makers Nokia does tumbler testing, heat testing, water testing and other forms of endurance testing. Check it out for yourself below but do note that the testing is only for Nokia Asha phones so if you're hoping for a Lumia torture test you're out of luck.

When it was announced a couple of months ago, the Nokia Asha 210 made itself different by not only offering a full QWERTY keyboard at super low prices, it also said that it would come with a dedicated WhatsApp button. Well, the Nokia Asha 210 has finally arrived in Malaysia and guess what? The Malaysian version has a Facebook button instead. The Nokia Asha 210 has the following tech specs:

• Full QWERTY keyboard
• 2.4-inch QVGA display
• Supports Dual-SIM + WiFi + EDGE
• 2MP Camera (Voice-assisted self-portrait mode)
• Dedicated Facebook button

A new update for Nokia Asha touchscreen feature phones now offers a number of new features and functions which should prove useful (and make them more social media friendly). The update offers enhanced email, a dedicated YouTube app, and WhatsApp support for Dual-SIM Asha 308 and Asha 310 feature phones. The update also affects the Nokia Asha 305 and Asha 306 with a whole bunch of firmware tweaks and security fixes.