It’s been a long time coming but the Nokia Lumia 900 is finally here, and AT&T is having a tough time keeping it in stock. This is the first Windows Phone to amass mainstream popularity and it features the triumphant return of Nokia in the US.
Surprisingly, it wonBest Phone at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) of 2012 and has been heavily covered on every technology news outlet in the past few months.
I’ve heard all the hype, how is the phone?
Gorgeous, I went with the signature cyan color, and there are more colors to come. When I look for a smartphone features are a top priority, but it doesn't hurt to have a high tech looking phone. The phone looks, and feels, like a premium product--not plasticky and cheap.
The cyan color sticks out, in a good way. When I'm out in public I often see people glance over. I gather this is because most people are accustomed to the standard look of iPhones and Androids.
When you have something different, people take notice.
The 4.3 inch screen is crisp and large, but it was a bit heavier than I expected it be, especially since it sports an AMOLED screen. However, this could be due to the sturdy rubberized case that provides the necessary shock protection from the back and sides. Not that I would want to test it, but it feels strong enough to survive a number of falls.
Thanks to the AMOLED screen (not to be confused with the Super AMOLED screen) it’s easy to use this phone in daylight. The 8mp camera is nice, but isn't groundbreaking. The dual LEDs ensure that you’ll get a great night time photo, but you’ll blind everyone in the process. Thankfully, the Windows Phone 7.5 OS has a built in auto-fix feature so you can easily adjust your photos. The video resolution is at 720p, but it would've been nice to get it up to 1080p.
Unfortunately, the phone doesn't contain a removable battery. Don't worry, under typical use you can go through the day without needing a charge.
It has physical buttons along the same side for power, volume, and camera. It’s nice to have that physical camera button which you can hold halfway to get a focused shot.
What about the apps?
According to the masses, the biggest disadvantage about Windows Phone 7.5 are the lack of apps. In case you are unaware, the complaint is that there are only 80,000 apps.
How many more apps do you really need to make you happy--surely 80,000 is sufficient enough?
Since Apple was first to the market , they are currently sitting on a mountain of apps. In order for Google to compete, they opened up their app store to everyone - which resulted in a 600% increase in malware in a period of 6 months.
I'm not sure I'm buying this argument. The incessant need to have the most apps is irrelevant -especially from the Apple community. This is the reverse argument of the desktop computing environment. Most people don’t buy MACs because it has nowhere near the amount of software and versatility that a PC has. Apple people were OK with less software, because what little they had, was far superior. Yet Apple users are using this exact argument to downplay the Windows Phone. You've got to love the double standard.
The bottom line
The Nokia Lumia 900 won Best Phone of CES for a reason, it’s beautiful, and the OS is refreshingly different. The device feels like an expensive piece of technology, not a cheap looking clone. If you’re ready to own a cutting edge phone, I suggest you take a look at the Nokia Lumia 900.
Review is a segment about my opinion on things. I like things, and you like things too. Before you run off and buy something, you should check out my review. Chances are if I like it, it’s probably awesome.
