Lumia 2520: A tablet all its own

Lumia 2520: A tablet all its own

Nokia’s much-ballyhooed tablet device will reside in the market alongside Microsoft’s Surface tablets. The Lumia 2520 looks like an enlarged version of its phone siblings and runs Windows RT 8.1. It features a 10.1-inch 1080p display with high brightness and low reflectance, which Nokia says will make it easier to use in direct sunlight.

It’s equipped with a 6.7-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 2-megapixel wide-angle front-facing camera, as well as a 2.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, which is a bit of a departure from the Surface 2’s Tegra 4 chip. Nokia says that sticking with Qualcomm’s mobile chip should help improve startup times, as the tablet could take advantage of the processor’s fast-charging abilities. The 2520’s 8000mAh battery pack can charge up to 50 percent after just half an hour, though it requires an entirely separate port—and power adapter—to do so. This connection exists in addition to the USB 3.0 port (the same that Samsung uses on its latest, the Note 3) and a Mini HDMI-out on the side.

You can also buy a keyboard case, seemingly fashioned after the Surface’s, that has a “bouncy” Chiclet-style keyboard, an extra battery pack for an extra five hours of juice, and two USB ports. The case folds over like a Trapper Keeper and protects the Lumia 2520 from dust and scratches.

The Lumia 2520 will sport a keyboard cover not unlike that of Microsoft’s Surface.

Nokia hopes that integrated, out-of-the-box Office functionality—something that Apple and Google tablets don’t offer—will draw users to the 2520. But with both versions of Microsoft’s Surface tablets not selling well, and considering the fact that the tablet feels heavier than Apple’s iPad without the keyboard case, it’s not clear which part of the tablet market Nokia is gunning for here: the mobile consumer segment, or the professional productivity niche the Surface has managed to carve out.

Apps are coming, too

Today’s announcement finally puts Nokia and Windows Phone directly in the ring with the big competitors, Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS. And the company isn’t going into battle alone—Nokia also announced that more app makers have come on board the Windows Phone 8 platform. You’ll see popular apps such as Flipboard, Instagram, and Vine in the coming weeks, in addition to a few handwriting applications. “We want to keep bringing great applications to Windows Phone,” Majid said in our closed session. “There’s a little bit of a perception problem with the applications [Windows Phone 8 has now].” Some worthy applications—especially Instagram—may be in the pipeline, but whether consumers will be willing to leave the comfortable embrace of the platforms they know best will be another thing entirely.

The Lumia 1520 and Lumia 2520 will be available for purchase later this year. The 1520 will cost $749 before carrier subsidies. The 2520 will sell for $499 before subsidies, while the power keyboard accessory will cost $149.