While those in the United States have to go through a retailer like Expansys to get their hands on the Nokia Lumia 620, Telus is now bringing the budget handset to Canada.

The Lumia 620 isn’t a powerhouse by any means, with a 3.8-inch display, 800×400 resolution, 1GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 Plus, 512MB of RAM, 8GB storage, 5MP cam, WiFi and NFC. What it is though is an attractive and highly affordable handset that runs on Windows Phone 8.

So how much will you have to pay to get your hands on the device through Telus? You have two options. You can pay just $250 outright for the handset, or pay nothing if you sign a 2-year agreement.

The Nokia Lumia 920 will come in black and white versions through Telus, though the shells are interchangeable.

If you like to have the latest and most powerful handset on the market, the Nokia Lumia 620 isn’t for you. If you just want a capable low-end device at an amazing price and wouldn’t mind giving Windows Phone 8 a try, then this could be exactly what you are looking for.

What do you think of the Nokia Lumia 620, interested or not?

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Looking for a decent smartphone out of contract, but not willing or able to pay more than $300? While we’d love to recommend the Android-based LG Nexus 4, right now the flagship Android device is nearly impossible to find.

Still, we do have a bit of an unconventional alternative. Instead of going the mainstream Android route, have you ever considered Windows Phone 8? While Microsoft’s latest OS isn’t nearly as popular or app-populated as iOS and Android and probably isn’t for everyone, but it is continuing to grow with support and is certainly a worthwhile choice for Microsoft fans and for those just looking for something different.

So what can under $300 get you in the Windows Phone 8 world? The Nokia Lumia 620 can now be yours completely unlocked through Expansys USA for just $289.99. Technically the Lumia 620 isn’t coming to the US market (through any carrier, anyhow) but as an unlocked world-phone it should play nicely with AT&T and will also work okay with T-Mobile (likely with no higher than EDGE speeds, though).

The Nokia Lumia 620 is not a powerhouse, but it isn’t a total pushover though. For a little less than $300 you get a 3.8-inch screen with an 800 x 480 resolution, a 1GHz dual-core processor, 512MB of RAM, 8GB storage with microSD for expansion, a 5MP back cam, a VGA front cam and a 1300mAh battery. Honestly not bad at all, though 3.8-inches of screen and only 512MB of RAM might be a turn off for some.

Again, no this doesn’t even begin to compare to devices like the LG Nexus 4 on a hardware level. Still, from Windows Phone 8′s live tile UI to the interchangeable Nokia Lumia 620 casings– this one is going to stand out in a crowd and should still perform reasonably well enough for most users. You will also get extra points for “unique factor” as it isn’t going to be a commonplace device due to limited US availability. 

Looking for a low-cost dual-core but not willing to jump platforms to WP8? For those that don’t mind a lesser-known brand, Australian-based Kogan is bringing a dual-core Android phone with a 5-inch display over to the US very soon for just $150.

What do you think, are you willing to give Windows Phone 8 a try by purchasing the Lumia 620 for this killer price or will you hold out for an unlocked Android device? To grab the Nokia Lumia 620 for yourself, head on over to Expansys USA’s website.

The post Nokia Lumia 620 available in the U.S. through Expansys, just $289.99 appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

With the recent launch of Windows Phone 8, Nokia has seen a great deal of initial success with the Nokia Lumia 920 and Lumia 820. In order to keep the ball rolling forward, the company has also now announced a third member to its Windows Phone 8 family, the Lumia 620.

As you might have guessed, the Nokia Lumia 620 is a budget phone with a suggested price of around $250 without contract. Don’t let the low price or word “budget phone” fool you, though.

Nokia’s 620 is still quite a powerful little device with a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Plus dual-core processor, 8GB storage, 7GB free SkyDrive cloud storage, NFC, 5MP back cam, VGA front cam and 512MB of RAM.

The biggest weakness spec-wise is the screen, which has just a 800×480 resolution and is just 3.8-inches. Still, some people like smaller screens believe it or not, and the resolution might not matter that much to everyone.

Another unique feature for the Nokia Lumia 620 is that it will come in wide range of color “shells” that can be fully interchanged, meaning you can constantly make your phone look very different. Colors include lime green, orange, magenta, yellow, cyan, white and black– though not all markets will get the full range of colors.

Now for the bad news for those of us in the United States. The Nokia 620 will first in the Asia-Pacific region, then the Middle East and Africa from January 2013. Shortly after, Canada and Europe will see the phone as well, but there is currently no official mention of the device coming to the United States.

Does that mean that the United States won’t see it? Hard to say for sure. It is coming to Canada, so it is certainly possible that a US launch will eventually be announced as well. What do you think of the Nokia Lumia 620, would you consider purchasing it if it rolls around to a market near you?

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