Nokia 105 2017 Philippines Price is Php 850 : Basic Phone with Flashlight, Out Now in the Philippines

HMD Global has just released another feature-phone that could be a great choice for those who are looking for a very affordable yet durable secondary handset or consumers who want to undergo digital detox by getting a basic mobile device to be their daily driver.

Even more affordable than the re-imagined version of the Nokia 3310, the third generation Nokia 105 sells for only Php 850 here in the Philippines -- but for that small amount, you already get a reliable phone for sending text messages or making calls.

I would like to give credit to Mr. Ramesh Bakotra of India for all photos in this blog post.

In terms of design and build, the 2017 Nokia 105 looks largely identical to Nokia 101 from 2011 -- if you still remember that best-seller.

This new model flaunts a completely plastic shell with slightly rounded corners and sides; No metallic accents whatsoever. The familiar alpha-numeric keyboard, on the other hand, has large keys and one big navigation button in the middle made of rubber.

As earlier explained by the company, HMD Global - the new home of Nokia phones - ensures that their handsets' durability or toughness approximate that of legendary Nokia phones of old.

Nokia 105 may be a basic phone but it has a number of cool and useful selling points.

First, it has a removable 800 mAh battery pack that delivers up to a month of standby time and 15.7 hours of talk time. Like the new Nokia 3310, a fully charged Nokia 105 2017 is also great for keeping in an emergency kit.

Second, it has an LED torch light on the top panel that can activated with a couple of clicks on the keypad. This feature comes in handy when looking for something inside your bag also when you're walking to your car that's parked away from a street light.

And finally, the phone's internal storage supports up to 2,000 contacts even without microSD card memory expansion -- so you can save all the numbers of your loved ones and other emergency contacts with peace of mind.

Unlike Nokia 3310, Nokia 105 has no camera at the back and has a smaller display.

Other notable features of Nokia 105 2017 include its 1.8-inch colored display, Snake Xenzia Game, microUSB port for charging and data sync, 3.5mm combo jack, and FM Radio via the included headset.

Nokia 105 is now available in the market. It's out in three colors, Black, Light Blue, and White.

Original Nokia 3310 2017 Price in the Philippines is Php 2,490, Out Now!

The 2017 re-imagined version of Nokia 3310, which rides upon the nostalgia than people feel when remembering their similarly named basic phone of old, is now officially available in the Philippines!

For those who are interested, you can get the handset for Php 2,490. It's out in four colors, namely, Yellow, Warm Red, Dark Blue, and Grey.

We're currently waiting for the official list of authorized retail outlets where consumers can purchase the handset here in the Philippines.

For now, allow me to share these actual unit photos of the Original 2017 Nokia 3310 for the benefit of those who want to avoid getting fake ones.

To make sure you're getting the genuine article, here are some things you should keep in mind.

1. The New Nokia 3310 is only available in four colors, which I mentioned above.
2. Only the Yellow and Warm Red versions have glossy finish.
3. The Grey and Dark Blue versions have matte finish.

4. The ports have to be in the right location. On top, you will find the microUSB port for charging the device while the 3.5mm combo jack is found at the bottom.
5. The handset's 2 MegaPixel rear camera has an LED flash beside it. And above this module, you'll find the phone's loud speaker.

6. The 2017 Nokia 3310's operating system is Series 30+, which has a fixed theme with white icons in grid view. The background can be changed and the pre-installed mobile browser is the ultra-lite version of Opera Mobile.
7. The new Snake game is likewise pre-installed on the phone. It has multiple game plays, where you can choose the movement that the snake will make based on the keys that you will press.

8. The New Nokia 3310's colored screen has a diagonal measurement of 2.4 inches and its resolution is 240 x 320 pixels.
9. The reimagined Nokia 3310 is not much wider or taller than the old one but it is definitely thinner. The 2017 model has dimensions of 115.6 x 51 x 12.8 mm while 2000 release measures 113 x 48 x 22 mm.

More: New vs Old Nokia 3310

10. The New Nokia 3310's back cover is removable albeit the front is not, which means that you can't swap cases. When you remove the back plate, you will be greeted by the 1,200 mAh battery pack which bears the Nokia logo as shown in the picture. Above the battery and framing the camera module at the two SIM card slots as well as the microSD card slot. In fake versions, the SIM card slots are found underneath the battery.

So there you have it! I hope you found this TechPinas post useful and valuable. If you did, kindly share it with your friends on social media.

More: Nokia 3310 In All Colors

Old Nokia 3310 Phone vs New 2017 Nokia 3310 Design and Features Comparison, In Photos

For my ABS-CBN News Channel Future Perfect guesting the other week, our friends from HMD Global Philippines and my good friend Mr. Karel Holub of argomall lent me units of the re-imagined 2017 version of the Nokia 3310 as well as one old Nokia 3310 from 2000. (Really, what would I be without my helpful and supportive friends?)

I took the liberty of snapping these side-by-side comparison photos of the phones as reference for those who are wondering how the new Nokia 3310 fares against the old version in terms of design and dimensions.

2017 Nokia 3310 vs 2000 Nokia 3310, respectively.

The new model has dimensions of 115.6 x 51 x 12.8 mm while the old one measures 113 x 48 x 22 mm. The 2017 release is taller and wider than the 2000 model by around 2 millimeters but it is far slimmer or thinner, making it easier to hold and keep in the pocket.

The re-imagined Nokia 3310 is also far lighter, weighing only around 80 grams while its near-ancient predecessor weighs in at 133 grams.

Apart from its obvious heft, the old Nokia 3310 thicker plastic exterior and interior parts made it heavier. Though, these are also the elements that made this model a legend when it comes to sheer durability.

In a future TechPinas post, I will talk about some features of the 2017 Nokia 3310 that make it a good purchase at Php 2,490 here the Philippines.

For now, let me share the features that make it far better than its predecessor, which sold for around Php 8,000 brand new, 17 years ago.

Of course, the screen is now bigger at 2.4 inches and is even colored! You can even change the background photo and the interface is likewise more intuitive and easier to navigate.

Another notable new feature is the 2 MegaPixel fixed focus rear camera with LED flash that delivers less than impressive shots but is good enough for taking photos of cellphone numbers, shopping lists, among other things that one needs to take note of.

For those who love listening to music tracks on the go, you'll be glad that the new Nokia 3310 has a microSD card slot and a 3.5mm audio jack so you can enjoy your favorite songs anywhere you are with this phone. And yes, it also supports FM Radio.

But perhaps the one feature that makes Nokia 3310 far superior to the old one and to most other smartphones that are out in the market is its incredible battery life! This release's removable 1,200 mAh Li-Ion battery pack is capable of delivering up a whole month of Standby Time and almost 24 hours of Talk Time! This is a handset that you'd want to put in your emergency kit or bag at home or in the office.

If there's one thing about the old Nokia 3310 apart from the build quality that makes it superior to the new version, it would have to be the keyboard, which I find easier to thumb-type on. Perhaps, in HMD Global's effort to make the 2017 model look and feel more sleek, the resulting keyboard - especially the main navigation button - became less protruding or more depressed. Personally, I prefer the old keyboard better. But hey, that's just me.

Feel free to try out the New Nokia 3310 when it hits store shelves across the Philippines by the end of June 2017. Again, its official price is Php 2,490 and it will be out in four colors, namely, Grey, Yellow, Warm Red, and Dark Blue.

Old Nokia vs. New Nokia Phone Quality : HMD Global Explains and Clarifies

Ever since Finnish Giant Nokia announced its return to the mobile industry back in May 2016 and disclosed that it will no longer manufacture its own devices and will instead work with HMD Global to license out its name, many long-time Nokia fans and tech enthusiasts - including myself - had been wondering and worrying whether new Nokia-branded handsets would still exude the qualities that they loved on Nokia models of the past.

It's a common concern that had been expressed to me by my friends and readers who've owned old Nokia releases and are now thinking about purchasing new Nokia-branded products made by a Chinese OEM.

"Sir Mark, will these new Nokia phones under HMD Global still be durable?"

"Do you think HMD Global will still focus on making Nokia devices that are as tough as nails or will they sacrifice quality for more profit?"

"Mark, I remember dropping my old Nokia 3310 numerous times on concrete and still worked. Can the new Nokia 3310 do that?"

These are only some of the questions that they had asked me following the announcement of new Nokia-branded devices at MWC 2017 earlier this year.

So last June 8, 2017, during the landmark launch of HMD Global's new Nokia-branded handsets here in the Philippines - held at The Fort in Taguig City, I took it upon myself to ask a related question to our friends at HMD Global as a way to get reassurance that their products would reflect what we have come to love about the Nokia of old.

I recorded the entire conversation on video and you can watch it here:

Here's what Mr. James Rutherford, Vice President of HMD Global Asia Pacific told me:

"I'd like you to invite you and your readers to come and look at the devices, to feel them. And I think you will see for yourself when you look at the quality of [the products], you will get an idea of how 'very Nokia' these phones are. And as I've said previously, we are not approaching this from a 'we know everything' [mentality]. We are approaching this from listening to customers, understanding what are the pain-points, what are the desires of customers, and then, designing phones accordingly. So at the heart of everything is the Nokia Brand. Like many others have presented today, in almost every single one of our presentations, we talked about the quality; We talked about the trust and all those things. [...] The Nokia Brand is at the center of everything we do so [that means we focus on attributes like] quality, durability, and those things. That's the starting point."

Based on his answer, it's clear that HMD Global knows what Nokia - as a phone brand - represents and this knowledge is at the heart of their efforts to come up with new products that exude that the Finnish Giant is all about. The process involves listening to consumers, which is always a good thing, and focusing on quality above all else. Is HMD Global successful in doing this? I guess we'll all just have to experience their upcoming Nokia-branded handsets to know for sure.

HMD Global Nokia Android Smartphones, New Nokia 3310 Launch in the Philippines is on June 8, 2017

Great news for mobile consumers in the Philippines who've long been waiting for the official release of the reimagined Nokia 3310 as well as HMD Global's all-new Nokia-branded Android Smartphones in our country!

I've just received an invitation from our friends at HMD Global - which calls itself "The New Home of Nokia Phones" - and their local PR agency for the PH media launch of the above-mentioned handsets.

The event will be held in an exclusive venue within NCR on Thursday, the 8th of June 2017.

The invite that I got didn't include the exact Nokia Android smartphone models that HMD Global will be showcasing at the event. However, based on the company's releases in other key territories around the world, I'm personally expecting them to launch Nokia 6, Nokia 5, and Nokia 3.

For those who are interested, you can watch these exclusive hands-in and demo videos to know more about these 2017 midrange releases:

Nokia 6 (Price Guesstimate: Php 13,000 to Php 16,000)
Nokia 6 Key Specs
5.5-inch Full HD IPS, Gorilla Glass 3
16 MegaPixels, PDAF, f/2.0 aperture, Dual Tone LED Flash
8 MegaPixels selfie cam, f/2.0
Full HD Video Recorder
Quad Core ARM Cortex A53 based Qualcomm MSM8937 Snapdragon 430 chipset
Adreno 505 GPU
3GB RAM (4GB RAM option)
32GB ROM (64GB ROM option)
Hybrid secondary nanoSIM slot supports microSD card memory expansion
Android 7.1.1 Nougat
Dual SIM Dual Standby
4G LTE Cat4
Non-removable Li-Ion 3,000 mAh battery

Nokia 5 (Price Guesstimate: Php 10,000 to Php 11,000)
Nokia 5 Key Specs
5.2-inch Full HD IPS, Gorilla Glass
13 MegaPixels, PDAF, f/2.0 aperture, Dual Tone LED Flash
8 MegaPixels selfie cam, f/2.0
Full HD Video Recorder
1.4 GHz Quad Core ARM Cortex A53 based Qualcomm MSM8937 Snapdragon 430 chipset
Adreno 505 GPU
2GB RAM
16GB ROM
Hybrid secondary nanoSIM slot supports microSD card memory expansion
Android 7.1.1 Nougat
Dual SIM Dual Standby
4G LTE Cat4
Non-removable Li-Ion 3,000 mAh battery

Nokia 3 (Price Guesstimate: Php 7,500 to Php 8,500)
Nokia 3 Key Specs
5-inch HD IPS, Gorilla Glass
8 MegaPixels, autofocus, f/2.0 aperture, Dual Tone LED Flash
8 MegaPixels selfie cam, f/2.0
Full HD Video Recorder
1.4 GHz Quad Core ARM Cortex A53 based Mediatek MT6737 chipset
Mali-T720MP2 GPU
2GB RAM
16GB ROM
Hybrid secondary nanoSIM slot supports microSD card memory expansion
Android 7.1.1 Nougat
Dual SIM Dual Standby
4G LTE Cat4
Non-removable Li-Ion 2,650 mAh battery

I intend to grace HMD Global's event invite on June 8, 2017 and to give you the latest updates from the gathering in real-time. Kindly stay tuned.

Nokia 3310 2017 Philippines Price and Release Date Guesstimate, Specs, Snake Game Demo, Actual Unit Photos

Isn't it amazing how HMD Global was able to become one of the most talked about companies at MWC 2017 simply by announcing a basic phone that doesn't even have WiFi connectivity support? It's quite something, really.

For me, though, what's truly impressive is that it didn't happen by accident; The 'New Home of Nokia Phones' couldn't have chosen a better feature-phone model to announce at the important tech event.

Bearing the name of one of the most popular and best-selling phones of all time, this cute 2017 refresh certainly has a lot to live up to.

I mean, during the early 2000's, the Finnish Giant was able to sell more than 126 million units of Nokia 3310 - thanks to its pocket-friendly antenna-less design and legendary durability - and until today, this model still appears in social media memes whenever conversations about tough objects arise. That's heavy.

Supplementary Reading: The Top 10 Best-Selling Nokia Phones in History

What's good is that many tech websites and respected tech bloggers seem to be fond of this 2017 update, praising its design among other intangibles. I actually find this phenomenon pleasantly surprising in this era of powerhouse smartphones, a time when handsets with less than modest specs are usually frowned upon and even maligned.

I guess it must be the respect that long-time tech writers and gadget enthusiasts still has for the legend that is Nokia. Or maybe, it's the overwhelming nostalgia that the phone's name, alpha-numeric keyboard, and U-shaped white accent in front bring.

Whatever it is, HMD Global would do well to spend the entirety of 2017 and beyond making the most of it.

I got to play with an actual working unit of the Nokia 3310 2017 at the company's booth in Mobile World Congress 2017. And if you were to ask me to describe the phone in three words, I'd say it's cute, practical, and solid.

It's cute because it's small and it comes in several fun colors, including Warm Red, Yellow, and - the classic - Dark Blue. Also, with dimensions of 115.60 x 51.00 x 12.80 millimeters and weighing just 80 grams, it's certainly more pocket-friendly and lighter than its predecessor from 2000, which measures 113.00 x 48.00 x 22.00 and weighs 133 grams.

Donning an SRP of 49 Euros or around Php 2,600 with current conversion and before taxes, Nokia 3310 2017 is certainly a practical choice for budget-conscious consumers who are on the look out for a primary or secondary feature-phone from a trusted brand that would allow them to make calls, send text messages, snap photos, play 2D games, and listen to music or radio on the go.

Nokia 3310 2017 is equipped with a 2.4-inch 240 x 320 pixels colored display panel, 2 MegaPixel fixed focus camera at the back with LED flash, Dual SIM (Dual microSIM) Dual Standby capability, Series 30 operating system, microUSB charging and data sync port, and a microSD card expansion slot for music tracks and other content.

Finally, I think this model is solid in terms of build and battery life -- just like the original 3310. While I didn't really do a drop test at the booth, holding the phone, I could feel that it has reassuring heft and that it's polycarbonate shell could take the ravages of everyday use. As for uptime, according to HMD, this new release can stay on for 30 days on standby and deliver up to 22 hours of talk time.

Probably the most fun feature of the new Nokia 3310 is the updated version of the popular Snake game from the late '90s to the early 2000's! The refresh is made by Gameloft and now has a fatter snake and - of course - a colorful interface. Watch me play the game here:

Thanks to Mr. Patrick Henchie of HMD Global for giving us a fine description and features round-up of the Nokia 3310 2017.
Until today, Nokia still has millions of fans and followers in the Philippines. If you're one of them, I'm sure you're wondering just when you can finally purchase this model local and how much it will be. Well, as of writing, we haven't heard official word from HMD Global, its PH HQ, nor its agencies on the exact release date and pricing details of Nokia 3310 2017. However, I'm guessing it should hit store shelves in Pinas within Q2 2017 with SRP of around Php 3,000.

Update as of June 8, 2017: The official suggested retail price of the new Nokia 3310 in the Philippines is Php 2,490 and it will be available nationwide by the end of June 2017.