Nokia N1 Android tablet: an iPad mini lookalike with the first reversible USB port

Nokia ain't dead - here's the tablet that proves it

Nokia sold its mobile division to Microsoft just seven months ago but the company is apparently not giving up on the consumer market yet, unveiling an all-new N1 Android tablet with a HD 7.9-inch screen and aluminium design.

Visually the tablet is a dead-ringer for the iPad mini, but the N1 actually manages to be both thinner and lighter than Apple’s tablet – just 6.9mm thick and weighing in at 318 grams.

The N1 looks very healthy spec-wise, with a 2.4GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of storage and 8-megapixel and 5-megapixel cameras on the back and front.

However, it’s also going to be the first device to use the new mini USB standard: the type-C. This update to the ubiquitous plug isn’t just faster than previous designs but also reversible – meaning no more fumbling to get things the right way up when you plug your tablet in to charge at night.

Nokia is also trying to differentiate its tablet from the pack with its own ‘Z Launcher’ software: essentially a customized lock screen that studies your habits to give you the right app at the right time of day (eg, email in the morning, Instagram at night) while also letting you launch apps by scribbling the first letter of their name.

This is hardly enough to make any tablet stand out but with Microsoft now moving all their hardware onto their own ‘Lumia’ brand, Nokia has a clear field to capitalise on all the geekosphere love for their name and reputation. (Although Nokia-branded phones are not allowed for another decade.)

The N1 is launching first in China February 2015 for $249 (around £160 – the same as the iPad mini) but it’s not clear when it’ll be making its way to the US or UK.