Introduction
On 6th October 2021, HMD Global will release what appears to be a fresh reboot of the tablet series. While there are many speculations for the specification of the device, I wont be dwelling on this as all shall be known soon. The importance of tablet cannot be stressed any further especially during times like this where online meeting and classes have taken precedence over physical presence. As such, a tablet should not only be a larger display but also be something worthy to do the extra work. A minimum of 4GB of RAM, 64GB of expandable storage ,with a type C USB charging port that supports fast charging and a large battery to be able to do more between charges are what consumers looking for. In this space, Xiaomi seems to have an upper hand with their latest Mi Pad 5 series that seems to tick all the right boxes which is the main competitor to beat in this device segment.
Pricing is crucial and so is the availability. The Nokia brand name still evokes a sense of security and reliability which still drives its sales to a certain extend. The Nokia launcher which was last seen on HMD’s lesser known tablet, the Nokia N1 was unfortunately left from the spotlight for further development and refinement. A tablet cannot just be a larger display phone. It needs to have its own dedicated software to utilize the larger screen display and to have a tablet centric app to justify its existence. Slapping an Android One on it will simply not cut it. It remains to been seen if the newer ,larger device will sport a vanilla Android or HMD manage to surprise us with a custom interface, either an improved Nokia launcher or simply a brand new interface to compete in this segment.
Having said all this, lets take a walk back memory lane with Nokia’s first flagship grade tablet, the Lumia 2520,running on a rather
limited version of Windows, the RT.
The Lumia 2520
Announced in December 2013, the Lumia 2520 has one of the best specification for a modern tablet. It has a large 10.1’ full HD display, weighing in at about 600g and just shy of 9mm thickness. The beautiful display is protected by Gorilla Glass 2 and is equipped with Nokia’s proprietary Clear Black Display. It came with a flagship grade processor, the Snapdragon 800 mated with 2GB RAM. The 32GB storage is expandable and it supports LTE for connection on the go. The tablet also borrows the 6.7mp snapper from Lumia 735. The most impressive feature is the large 8120 mAh battery and the built in brick charger was able to charge 80% capacity in just an hour. Nokia wrapped all this hardware in a beautiful polycarbonate body with options for glossy and matte finish depending on the colour.
The Nokia Power Keyboard gives you additional perks, bringing in an additional 2000mAh. The folio case type keyboard wraps around the Lumia 2520 and serves as a well built case, and also allows it to be positioned comfortably at the right angle for typing and binge watching contents.
Windows RT , which seems to be a flaw , served well. The interface was design to mimic Windows PC interface though it lacks proper windows apps. It has its own dedicated store, which was separate than the Windows Mobile store or the Windows Store. While the lack of apps and the subsequent change in the direction ultimately sealed its future and of its smaller sibling, the Lumia 2020, Lumia 2520 remains one of the finest tablet manufactured till date.
In 2021
The Lumia 2520, with its LTE connectivity, great battery life and the addition of the keyboard makes it still a relevant device to carry around, just don’t expect for newer app support! Typing on the keyboard is a joy or you could simply use the on-screen keyboard if you want to reduce its bulkiness. The addition of touch enabled Office 2013 apps are among its main selling points, having the power of full Office to get done with whats important. The OneDrive integration allows for cloud back up and the access to cloud storage easily on the go. Whats exciting is to see the dedicated store is somewhat still functioning. There were pending updates for some of my app which is amazing to say the least. At the time or writing, I am downloading Asphalt 8 just to see if it works , so check my video for the full coverage.
Most of the apps in the store have already reached their end of life. If it works, it works, if it doesn’t, it wont be. Third party YouTube apps aren’t working well though you can still watch them through the built in browser. Some games are still downloadable and playable. VLC ensures additional codec support to enjoy video contents. And being an obscure operating system, there aren’t known virus for Windows RT, though there are no security updates for it as well.
What makes the Lumia 2520 great to use is the multitasking ability, the ability to open 2 apps simultaneously , the familiar PC like interface , the extra long battery life and a killer look! Unfortunately, as more people are converting tablets as “PC” , the Lumia 2520 has a very limited scope of usage. It doesn’t support modern apps like Zoom, Microsoft Teams and others along that line which are the needs these days.
But if you are into casual reading, binge watching YouTube and consuming media and not into the latest and greatest app, the Lumia 2520 should fulfil your needs as an extension to your mobile device.
So , if you have one, are you still using it in 2021?
With all said and done, the Lumia 2520 remains a powerful device , limited by its operating system. Can we expect the same robust build ,raw power and tablet centric apps with the upcoming HMD’s tablet? We shall know it in the coming week.
I hope you enjoyed reading this article as much as I did writing them to highlight the beauty of Lumia 2520.
You can watch the Lumia 2520 in 2021 in action here and more insights on what the Windows RT Store has to offer.
