As reported earlier, the Nokia X has reached Malaysia with a launching today for the first of Nokia's Android-powered smartphones. Priced at RM399, the Nokia X targets the entry-level to midrange with the aim to bridge the gap between the Nokia Asha featurephones and the Nokia Lumia smartphones. Tech specs and features for the Nokia X include a 1GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor, 512MB RAM, 4GB storage + 32GB microSD, a 4-inch display with 800 x 480 pixel resolution, a 3MP rear camera and dual-SIM support. The design looks like a standard Lumia or Nokia Asha 500 but what is making most users excited is the fact that you can use Android apps, Nokia Apps and Microsoft services from a single device. That being said, the Nokia X gets all of it's officially supported apps from the Nokia Store, but you can download and install Android apps without too much trouble. There may be some issues with compatibility but most apps should work. The Nokia XL is expected in the coming months but the Nokia X+ may not come to Malaysia at all. Stay tuned for more updates.

Nokia recently confirmed and announced a range of Android powered Nokia smartphones in the form of the Nokia X, Nokia X+ and Nokia XL. This new smartphone range is targeted at bridging the gap between the Nokia Asha featurephone lineup and the Nokia Lumia range of smartphones. Utilizing a forked version of Android, the Nokia X lineup of smartphones can run up to 75% of Android apps while also running Nokia's apps. Apps are officially from the Nokia store but you can get it from a third-party market or download the APK and side-load it. The interface is very much like a tile-based Android while the overall design looks a lot like the Nokia Asha 500 range of featurephones right down to the colourful polycarbonate backside. For a complete breakdown of tech specs for the Nokia X, Nokia X+ and Nokia XL, check out the tech specs below:

• Nokia X
• 1GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor
• 512MB RAM
• 4GB storage + microSD
• 4-inch display (IPS, 800 x 480 pixel resolution, 2-finger touch)
• 3.15MP rear camera
• Supports 3G, WiFi, Bluetooth 3.0, GPS, Stereo FM radio, Dual-SIM
• 115.5  x  63  x  10.4 mm | 128.7g
• 1500 mAh battery
• 89 Euro (RM400)

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.

With 2014 already here, we look back at the year 2013 for all the awesome mobile phones to have come out in 2013 for Malaysia. There were quite a lot of them, so we picked based on innovation, performance, design and potential successfully delivered. In no specific order we list out the following mobile phones that rocked our world currently available with local Malaysia support as follows:

• HTC One - The First Good-looking Android Phone
• Sony Xperia Z - The First Stylish Water-proof smartphone
• Samsung Galaxy S4 series - A performance smartphone for every user
• Nokia Lumia 1020 - The Ultimate Cameraphone
• LG G2 - Best all-rounder performance with functional rear controls
• Sony Xperia Z1 - The most feature-filled smartphone
• Nokia Asha 500 series - Bringing hybrid smartphone capabilities to the masses
• Apple iPhone 5S - The world's first 64-bit smartphone with well-done fingerprint scanner
• Nokia Lumia 1520 - The Videographers phablet
• Samsung Galaxy Note 3 - The Ultimate Phablet with 3GB RAM
• Motorola Moto X - Always on and always listening
• Vivo Xplay 3S - World's first 2K display smartphone
• BlackBerry Z10 - World's first BlackBerry smartphone with no QWERTY keyboard

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.