My Experience with Nokia Lumia 920 Windows Phone 8 #Switch

There have been a number of technical reviews over the past months since the latest device in the Nokia Lumia smartphone line was announced. I’m not into the specifications of electronics or phones, I just want to know how it’s going to work for me when I travel and in my everyday life. Can I stay productive with my mobile lifestyle? Can I travel around a country and not feel like I’m a walking electronics store? I love to travel. And I want more room in my checked luggage for shoes. Or a bottle of wine. I’m so tired of adventures where I’m bringing along multiple devices to get the photo or video clip I need or to produce blog posts. I’ve been on a quest to find the ultimate  smartphone for travel.

I had a Blackberry until the rolling ball fell out. Then I had an iPhone. Now I’m using a Windows Phone as my daily device of choice. I first saw the Nokia Lumia 900 Windows Phone at CES 2012 and decided then and there that I wanted one. But I didn’t run out and buy it as soon as it became available through my service provider AT&T. No. It wasn’t until my iPhone 4 met it’s untimely demise at the bottom of a pond. I am like the majority of consumers, locked into a contract and I don’t personally buy a new device until I’m eligible for an upgrade. I would rather buy a plane ticket than buy a new mobile device at full price.

I absolutely loved my Nokia Lumia 900, not only for the Microsoft Office and Skydrive storage, but because Nokia always seems to make high quality, sturdy devices. I have butterfingers. I drop things. Frequently. I dropped the 900 many, many times and it barely had a scratch on it. My teen daughter has gone through FOUR (4) iPhones and has shattered both the front and backs of the screens. I’ve previously written about the virtues of the Lumia 900. In December I filmed a travel episode for a major network and had just unboxed a Nokia Lumia 920 to test out. It was sexy, sleek, and well, a bit slippery because of the glossy shell. It slipped out of my hand during my first day of use. And dang it, the edge of the screen cracked when it hit the concrete.

I pulled out my Lumia 900 to compare the screens and noticed that the 920 has a very slight beveled edge to the touchscreen. The 900 has a screen that is flush with the colored casing. It is a very slight difference in design, but oh my goodness I was still so in love with the Lumia 920. I wanted to keep swiping my fingers gently across the screen just to see all the Live Tiles glide around. Once I found out I could contact Nokia Cares, a replacement was sent. I love this phone. I sleep with it near me. I take it everywhere. And I was already familiar with the Windows Phone operating system, but in addition to what I already knew and loved, there were some added benefits to the 920.

Here are my favorite things about the Nokia Lumia 920 Windows Phone 8:

• The ultrasensitive touchscreen (I played golf the other day and could use it with my golf glove)
• Wireless charging (the accessories are pretty awesome, and colorful too)
• Microsoft Office 365 with Skydrive backup (I write blog posts ON my phone and can do spreadsheets)
• Kid’s Corner (It’s an easy setting so your children can play with your phone without erasing all your important things)
• The screen is a little bigger than the Lumia 900
• THE CAMERA (This is my favorite of all)

Some of my not-so-favorite things:

• NO INSTAGRAM (This isn’t a Nokia issue, but a Windows Phone lack of app availability. Instagram makes me angry they haven’t developed on WP8 yet)
• No video editing capability (Again, there is no app currently available that I am aware of for Windows Phone that edits video on the device)

There are features of the Lumia 920 that one can find on ALL the Lumia devices and as a former Apple Fangirl I have to admit I was reluctant to embrace Windows Phone when it first appeared on the market. But Nokia has made me fall in love with this OS. It is MUCH FASTER than my iPhone was, plus my iPhone kept dropping calls on me. And there are some exclusive Nokia apps that are absolutely amazing, such as Nokia City Lens (augmented reality travel app), Nokia Music and Nokia Maps (both can be used offline too) and so many more. But for me, sometimes words can’t explain, so I’ll close with a few photos taken with the Nokia Lumia 920 with Carl Zeiss lens and PureView technology. I’m so close to putting down all the other gadgets for photos and videos now that I have such a stunning device. The Nokia Lumia 920 Windows Phone 8 has made my life so much simpler and stress-free. If I could marry this phone, I would. But, well, you know, it can’t do the dishes even if it has somehow become my life partner. I’m not a professional photographer, I just need decent photos to use in blog posts. And while it can’t take out the trash or pass a vaccuum cleaner, take a look at these UNEDITED photos using the basic settings to see the Lumia 920’s capabilities in becoming part of your life. Click the image to see a larger view.

At sunset on Auto (default) setting

Cloudy day Close-up setting

Indoor low light on Auto (default) setting

Indoor Close-up

The Nokia Lumia 920 is available through AT&T. I purchased my previous Lumia smartphone for personal use. This particular device was provided for review purposes and I’m keeping it. I love it.