c50dd990-7751-0132-437b-0ebc4eccb42fIn these days of $600 iPhones, could you even fathom a cellular device costing less than $30?

Prepare to have your mind blown. The new Nokia 215 costs just $29. Microsoft, which bought Nokia last year, is calling it the “most affordable Internet-ready phone.” Like most of the company’s past models, the Nokia 215 isn’t groundbreaking, (it’s by no means better than the iPhone), but it has a lot going for it. While it’s less than the average cost of an entree at many restaurants, the Nokia 215 allows you to call, text, check Facebook, get instant notifications through Facebook’s Messenger service, post to Twitter, check the forecast with MSN Weather, search with Bing, and browse the Internet with Opera Mini Browser.

Here’s the catch: it’s NOT available in the U.S. (yet), but the company has a socially conscious driven goal. It’s aiming to reach less connected markets in the Middle East, Africa, and Europe, and make the benefits of a smartphone available to one billion more people. Features we take for granted are bound to be game-changing for the phone’s intended market. And one feature of the Nokia 215 that does blow the iPhone out of the water is its battery life–a whopping 29 days on standby, ideal for users in countries that don’t have ready access to electric outlets.

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