Archive for 'Nokia Windows Phone'

We got our hands on a Lumia 900 last week and spent a day with it, trying to use it as our primary device. Windows 7.5 is an easy OS to use, though it is different enough from Android and iOS that it does take some time to get familiar with. Before we get into the pros and cons of the device, here is a little refresher about the specs of the device:

- 4.3″ AMOLED ClearBack glass touchscreen
- 1.4 GHz processor
- 16 GB Internal Memory
- 512 MB RAM
- 4G LTE Connectivity
- 8 MP Carl Zeiss camera; 1 MP front camera
- 5.6 ounces; 2.7 inches across, 5.03 inches tall, 0.45 inches thick
- Micro SIM

This phone feels sturdy in your hands, and while it has a little more body to hold onto than a lot of phones hitting the market today, we never felt like it was too big to use. Windows 7.5 (Mango) is a beautiful Operating System, and while using it we never hit an error or lag when moving between apps. Admittedly, it would be hard to transition to from an Android or iOS device with the lack of apps, but if you were taking your first steps away from a BlackBerry or feature phone, the Lumia 900 and Windows Phone in general, would be a great place to start.

The battery life was impressive, having just made it through the day without charging it while testing it extensively, it should be no problem with normal use. The mail and messaging applications are easy to use, and concisely show your messages. It was really easy to transition from Facebook chat, to text messaging, to Windows Live Messenger without skipping a beat.

The camera software was intuitive, and the Carl Zeiss hardware fantastic. The only complaint we (and every other reviewer on the Internet apparently) had was that the actual image files seem to come out with slightly different colors than how they looked when being taken.

Long story, the Nokia hardware is good, the Windows Mango OS is good, and if Microsoft can get the droves of developers that some of the other platforms have brought to the table on board, then maybe there really can be a third competitor in the Smartphone arena.

Yep, you read it right, the first Nokia Windows Phones are set to hit the UK and Europe first, according to a Dutch executive over at the Finnish firm Nokia. The new phones along with the new operating system is set to be rolled out towards the end of this year, spelling the start of the Nokia/Microsoft reign as smartphone associates.

Along with the UK, the likes of Germany, Spain, Italy and Netherlands will be on Nokia’s hit list first, according to a statement made from Nokia Europe vice president to the Dutch website All About Phones. It appears Nokia are gambling all that they have and all that they are on Microsoft’s Windows Phone software, which has also caused Nokia to start to discontinue development on its own Symbian and MeeGo operating systems – with that said, Nokia promised to keep the Symbian software updated for years to come.

There has been much scepticism across the globe from Microsoft and Nokia fans alike as to whether this partnership would ever work – some believing it’s going to work out for the smartphone ecosystem yet others believing the whole partnership is flawed and some even believing this is the start of the end of both companies in the smartphone market.

Elop has been doing his rounds on the conference circuit lately bigging up the Windows Phone operating system to anyone and everyone. He says the platform offers much more vision for Nokia to separate itself from other mobile phone manufacturers out there, who are developing and releasing one Android phone after another like its out of fashion.

The Windows Phone does, however, offer an alternative for people who aren’t fans of Android or Apple’s iOS, who are the dominant force in the market at the moment. The Windows Phone interface is charming and elegant with a tile-based interface that has been received exceptionally well and will be part of the basis for the new and upcoming Windows 8 PC software – though let’s just hope the Windows Phone becomes more of a dominant force as its desktop counter-part is – at least for the sake of the smartphone ecosystem.

When release, will you be divulging yourself with a Nokia Windows Phone smartphone, or will you stick with your tried and trusted Blackberry, iOS or Android mobile phone? I personally will definitely see what it has to offer, something I hope will be more than each manufacturer and provider have on their own.