Nokia Lumia 920 Observations
January 2, 2013 1 Comment
There is a ton of interest in the new Lumia 920, however thought I would add a few thoughts of my own.
In the past years I have gone from:
- HTC TYTN 2 (Windows Mobile 6.5)
- Apple iPhone 3
- Samsung Galaxy SII (Android ICS)
So I decided to jump back into the Microsoft ecosystem. Generally speaking this is a fantastic device, and the relativity heavy weight is not an issue for me. If you don’t like weight then consider a Samsung Galaxy SIII instead.
Missing apps:
- Pleco : This is a really useful Chinese character / dictionary application for Android . No plans to release for Windows Phone.
- Google Maps: Nokia Maps is for the most part comparable, however I’m surprised that Hong Kong station exits are not marked. (i.e. I can see there is an exit near my destination, however there is no way of knowing which letter it is) I could still use Google Maps through the web browser if I wanted though.
Apps with strange behavior:
- SkyDrive: Great SkyDrive browsing, but no way to save the files onto my phone?
- Nokia Maps: The incomplete subway exit markings (as above)
- Twitter: Official app always scrolls to the top of your timeline, not from where you left off. (MetTweets is better)
- FaceBook: Works, although noticeably less responsive than Andriod version
- Lync 2010: Cannot join meetings. I’m not sure if this is a problem with my phone or my company’s Lync Server.
Good apps:
- XBox Podcasts: I don’t have an XBox, however the Podcast facility is far better than ‘Google Listen’ for Android or iTunes for iPhone.
- Outlook: Just integrates perfectly.
- Skype: Far better experience than with the Android version. Experience for the other (PC) caller is improved greatly, although displayed screen shape is a little strange.
- MetTweets: Best Twitter client I have found so far
Interface Issues:
- URL bar too close to the Windows buttons: When typing a URL I often hit the Windows key by mistake.
- Switch between Wifi / 3G mode: I like to turn off my phone data plan when at home. The Lumia doesn’t have an easy way to do this, whereas even the iPhone 3 from 2007 has a quick way to turn on and off. I’m currently using an App called ‘Power Tool’ that makes this slightly easier.
Interface Strengths:
- Bluetooth: This is the first device where Bluetooth has worked seamlessly for me. Even the Galaxy SII required a degree of persuasion to get my Bluetooth headsets to work. The Lumia 920 just works.
























