There are some great apps and games installed on the Nokia Asha 311 for you to enjoy straight out of the box.
Both Facebook and Twitter are there and you only need to login before you can start catching up with your friends and followers.
Last week, I wrote about the 40 free EA games that you can download and keep forever. Another free game, and one that comes pre-installed on the Nokia Asha 311, is the world-beating Angry Birds.
The Asha 311 also has terrific tools such as Nokia Maps, the photo gallery with extensive editing features and the FM radio.
Of course, all this is just the start. Inside the Nokia Store there are further riches waiting to be discovered.
Everyone has different interests, so what is a useful app for me could be a useless app for you. Nonetheless, here are some essential apps that I have been using on my Nokia Asha 311.
“Are you on WhatsApp?”
It has become a popular question that’s been heard over and over again ever since this mobile phone instant messenger service started gaining popularity.
WhatsApp Series 40 Messenger works on all Nokia Asha devices, although you might need to check with your local operator as well because it runs on cellular data.
It’s easy to see why WhatsApp has become such a hit. It works across different mobile platforms and when you are connected via WiFi it means that sending messages are essentially free. This is particularly good news if you are sharing photos or video.
Nokia Nearby
Nokia Maps is wonderful for getting you from A to B but this app has a slightly different function.
Nokia Nearby helps you to discover places around you, whether that is restaurants, coffee shops, or other places of interest. I use it most often to find the closest ATM.
It goes further than just highlighting places on a map – you can also read reviews of places, save them for later and even share them with your friends.
YouTube on Nokia Browser
The good news about watching YouTube videos on the Nokia Asha 311 is that you don’t need an app to do it – they can be viewed straight from the Nokia Browser.
Just go to www.youtube.com on the Nokia Browser as you would normally on a computer or a laptop. You can search through all the videos and just select the one you want to play.
The video will then start playing full screen on the phone and give you the full playback controls of pause, fast forwarding, rewind or stopping. Bookmark YouTube on your browser and it becomes just as easy as having specific app!
ESPN FC
I actually got my first smartphone specifically because I wanted to be able to get live football scores when I was away from the computer or the radio.
ESPN FC, formerly known as ESPNSoccernet, gives you live scores, results and football news from all the major football leagues around the world.
If you’re a fan of the beautiful game then this ESPN FC really is an essential app for your Asha phone.
CNN
Staying informed with the latest news is another important thing for me, and the CNN app does a great job of this on the Asha 311. As well as top stories, other categories include technology, business, sport, travel and entertainment.
My favourite feature of this app is the push notifications that can be enabled. So, even if the app is closed you will still be alerted if there is a major news story breaking.
You can also use the iReport function to contact CNN and send them your pictures if you ever find yourself as an eyewitness to a breaking news story.
Nokia Internet Radio
As I mentioned earlier, the Asha 311 has a FM Radio app installed but you will need to plug in your headphones (which acts as the antenna) and you are limited to whichever local or national FM broadcasts that you can pick up.
With this Nokia Internet Radio app, you can open your ears to all the radio stations of the online world. How great is that?
It is especially good for the Nokia Asha 311 because you can listen using your WiFi connection and not use up any of your precious cellular data.
Have you been using any of the Asha Touch smartphones? Let us know which apps you can recommend.