It's
2013 and when shopping for a new Smart Phone, it's no longer just
choosing between iOS or Android...the Windows Phone 8 or WP8 is
actually another option. The thing is, the brand Nokia is no longer as
recognizable like it used to. This just goes to show how much things
can change in the consumer electronics business. To think just a few
years ago, Nokia was King. The only reason you would buy a Samsung
phone was because you could not afford a Nokia. Apple was not even in
the phone business. Then in 2007, Apple introduced the Iphone. A year
later Google launched Android and the rest is history. Nokia's
decision to stick to it's aging Symbian OS and then eventually
partnering with Microsoft for Windows Phone OS was the final nail in
the once mighty phone giant.
Great
Hardware
Nokia
has always made good looking phones with great build quality. This is
something that continues to this day. Despite using plastic, the 820
still manages to give a premium feel. I wish other manufacturers
would take notice that it is possible to make good phones out of
plastic. Every time I pick up the 820 I can't help remember my old
Nokia N95. It's attention to detail like a dedicated camera button,
nice rounded edges and a bright display just gives you that nostalgic
feeling when phones were built to last. Spec wise, the Dual Core S4
1.5 Ghz, 1GB of RAM keep the device really snappy. Although 8GB of
internal storage is small, you can expand via micro SD. Navigating
through the OS feels really fluid. Despite the screen having just a
WVGA resolution, it is nice and bright with good viewing angles but
colors do seems overly saturated. This is something common with
AMOLED screens. On the plus side, outdoor visibility is quite good. I
don't think it uses Gorilla glass so you you might be better off
putting a screen protector. Nokia was able to cram almost every
possible connection in this phone, Wifi, bluetooth, NFC and LTE. With
a price of about Php14,000 it almost seems like a bargain. The only
downside is the small 1650mAh which I suspect will not last long once
you have WiFi and LTE turned on.
 |
| Lumia 820 vs Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos |
Good
camera
I
can still remember when Nokia came out with the N73 which was one of
the first 3 megapixel camera phones. It was good enough for everyday
use. In fact, I remember using it once as my only camera when I went
on vacation. The 820s, camera is pretty basic with not a lot of
options. Photo quality is quite good. However, other manufacturers
have just as good a camera with more filters and settings. On the
bright side, it is fast and I really like the dedicated camera
button. Again, something I wish other manufactures would copy.
Nokia's flagship phones like the 925 and 1020 have been praised for
their outstanding camera and I hope this technology will trickle down
the product pipeline as this can give a real boost to the brand.
Who
is it for?
Here
is my dilemma. Every time I pickup this device, I can't shut the voice in my head that says “How can I install Android on this?”
Don't get me wrong, I think Windows Phone 8 is a nice fresh take on a
modern phone OS. And to be honest, I was ready to dismiss it because
of the perceived lack of apps. However, after going through the
Windows Store I noticed that there is actually quite a decent amount
of quality apps. I'm sure you could probably find the equivalent to
your favorite iOS or Android app. It is still missing some big name
apps like Instagram but I guess they will eventually have it. There
are some things that bother me like the too much swiping up, down,
left & right. It just left me with a bit of a headache. Maybe I'm
just used to iOS and Android but I find that Windows Phone while very
pretty, still has some inconsistencies. I'm sure there will be
improvements in future versions and if you are used to Windows 8 on
your PC, you wont have any problems navigating around this device.
As
I end this review, I can hear that voice in my head again. My problem
is that I'm not sure I can recommend this phone because I'm not sure
who it is for. I don't know anyone with a Nokia Lumia or any Windows
Phone for that matter. I guess if Android did not exist or if someone
really wanted something different, or maybe if it was less then Php
10,000. But at this price, for a little more you can buy a decent
Android phone like a Galaxy S3. I guess it begs the question. What if
Nokia decided to go with Android instead of Windows Phone? Would they be
on top instead of Samsung? Somehow I'm sure Nokia has an Android
version of their Lumia tucked away in the lab just in case that day
may come. Like I said, a lot can change in the electronic consumer
business.
The
Good:
- Decent camera with dedicated button
- Clear and Bright Screen
- LTE, NFC and Wireless Charging (via optional back cover)
- Microsoft Office App
The
Bad:
- 1650mAh battery
- Difficult to remove back cover
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