Monday, March 11, 2013

Windows Phone 8 (Nokia Lumia 820)

 

Having been an Apple iPhone users for the 3g/3gs/4/4s I was recently given a Nokia Lumia 820 running Windows Phone 8. I wanted to give it a far review and commit to keeping it or putting it in the cupboard with the Motorola Q phone (Windows Mobile 6.5, I am waiting to kill a bugler with that). So I have had the phone for two weeks and here is a blow by blow of the good and bad.

Lets start with the good:

  1. The screen size, colour, brightness, touch are all fantastic
  2. The ability to have live tiles, configure the interface, move things around as you please, information on the home screen are all fantastic
  3. The new twitter app is very good, the old one (last week) was so bad I was going to give it up for that
  4. The pictures, people hubs are an interesting concept and take some time, but they are getting better – I understand more
  5. The OS and phone look and feel, sliding around, moving is very snappy and very cool
  6. The ability to pin just about anything to the home screen and lock screen is great
  7. The Nokia apps are good and cost effective (free)
  8. The dedicated button for the camera is great
  9. The overall concept of endless scroll up-down and left-right is very cool
  10. The web browser, flash support, generally web everything is really very good (tabs need a new way to access but otherwise great)

 

The Bad or confusing or what the f… moments

  1. The side power button is exactly under the finger used to pick it up, I mean really…
  2. The Windows phone software copied every podcast as it could not tell what was listened to, fair enough but a pain
  3. The lack of feedback is odd, for example, subscribe to a podcast, sit back, wait, try again, give up, try again, google some, give up, try again, plug the damn thing in and do it via Windows Phone software and itunes
  4. Want to subscript to a podcast on the phone, good luck, I cant.
  5. The camera on this phone is poor indoors compared to the iPhone 4s !. It is not Windows it is the handset camera, natural light is however good.
  6. Wifi and network, not sure here, slow to find, slow to connect, but seems ok, there is an issue with work where the phone reboots on that wifi maybe 4-5 times a day?
  7. Reboots, yep for no reason maybe 1-2 a week? It does not have any real downside it is just odd
  8. Youtube, don't start me, it works, lets just leave it there, re-open a video, restart from the beginning, want to fast forward, haha you funny man
  9. The ‘Windows’ button could wake the phone (man I am ex iPhone and press it every time, every time)
  10. The buttons at the bottom are too sensitive, I bump them all the time, see above youtube
  11. The sound output to your ear is tiny, and at the lip of the top, could be down a bit and larger, but no big issue
  12. Battery is on par for the iPhone, but so slow to charge (I mean 6-7 hours pugged into the computer)

So the big question, keep it or blend it?

  1. Keep, yes it is new, fresh, different and has great potential
  2. I will give away the iPhone and look forward to new apps and new OS updates as it is 90-95% as good and just needs some minor updates

UPDATES week 3

  1. The reboots seem to have stoped now, just happens when I run out of juice.
  2. Charging genuinely seems to take 6 hours? WTF? Anyway I can live with this, but really? Maybe I don't have the right charger? Used both laptop and someone elses Micro USB charger, but not the Nokia one…
  3. Battery life, well.. lets just say; carry a charger, I am not close to my IPhone charge time with similar use. Hours less. But again can live with this I have a charger in the car and office.

1 comment:

Scott said...

Did you leave your computer unlocked and now @burzikak has gone and posted on your blog?

I look forward to your next review where you finally decide to give up Linux and use a Windows RT tablet because it has more functionality :)

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