Nokia Lumia 928 (and windows phone in general)

[detroiter :P]

What are everyones thoughts or experiences with the Nokia Lumia 928 or similar windows phones? My wife just got one and i am seriously considering switching from iphone.

The tile interface is really slick, the camera is great, everything seems nice and intuitive. The one downside is that the app store is somewhat limited, but they seem to have the major apps I use. I have an upgrade anytime now so I am going to wait to see what Apple has in store for us in october and make a decision then.

 

[KentuckyHouse]

Don't. Do. It.

I, too, thought WP8 looked nice. I thought the live tiles were a great idea. I was wrong.

I've never been so frustrated with an OS. From the lack of apps to the lack of intuitive function to the overrated camera (I had the 920, so the 928 camera software is probably better and shoots better pictures).

The lack of a "Notification Center" bugged the crap out of me as well. I'm so used to having a place on both iOS and Android that congregates your notifications that not having one drove me mad. Live tiles aren't a replacement for a dedicated notification center.

Overall, I just found that I hated the UI. The way text (headers) run off the screen slowly started to bug me. I like uniformity and symmetry and ironically, WP8 doesn't have it.

My impression...the hardware is miles better than the software. Nokia would be smart to get out of the Windows game ASAP. If you threw 4.3 Jellybean on a present Nokia Windows phone, I'd be all over it.

 

[Michael Goff]

What are everyones thoughts or experiences with the Nokia Lumia 928 or similar windows phones? My wife just got one and i am seriously considering switching from iphone.

The tile interface is really slick, the camera is great, everything seems nice and intuitive. The one downside is that the app store is somewhat limited, but they seem to have the major apps I use. I have an upgrade anytime now so I am going to wait to see what Apple has in store for us in october and make a decision then.

Check to see if the apps you need are there. If it is, then you should. If they aren't, or if you are heavily invested in anther ecosystem, think twice. The OS is good, but it doesn't matter if it can't do what you need it to do.

So, what apps do you use and does Windows Phones 8 have them?

 

[scott craft]

I've been using windows phone for a couple of years, but I'm in the process of moving back to android. My main issue is lack of a notification center and the slow pace of updates. I think this time next year after the 8.1 update I will be interested in switching back, but for now the added functionality available in android is more appealing to me.

 

[b166er]

I love Nokia, and I like WP8 but after a few months I couldn't do it any more. You'll hear the same rants over and over I'm sure, so I will try to keep it short.

My main beef with WP8 was the lack of any support from Google at all, the overall poor app selection, and the fact that Nokia seems to care much more about WP8 than MS does. The platform is great for a new platform, but it has a lot of bugs that need to be worked out. Multitasking was a nightmare, as was simply closing out your apps.

WP8 has a lot of plusses, but in my case I couldn't wait around for the apps I use for school/work to come to the platform. And the silent war between MS and Google just put the nail in the coffin for me. I keep an eye on the platform because I'd love to see it mature and entice me back one day.

----------

Don't. Do. It.

I, too, thought WP8 looked nice. I thought the live tiles were a great idea. I was wrong.

I've never been so frustrated with an OS. From the lack of apps to the lack of intuitive function to the overrated camera (I had the 920, so the 928 camera software is probably better and shoots better pictures).

The lack of a "Notification Center" bugged the crap out of me as well. I'm so used to having a place on both iOS and Android that congregates your notifications that not having one drove me mad. Live tiles aren't a replacement for a dedicated notification center.

Overall, I just found that I hated the UI. The way text (headers) run off the screen slowly started to bug me. I like uniformity and symmetry and ironically, WP8 doesn't have it.

My impression...the hardware is miles better than the software. Nokia would be smart to get out of the Windows game ASAP. If you threw 4.3 Jellybean on a present Nokia Windows phone, I'd be all over it.

This was more or less my thoughts too. You only see notifications for apps that you have pinned. Well I don't like to pin every freaking app, so that became a problem. My phone would be chirping in my pocket all day, and by the time I had a chance to look at it those chirps could have meant anything.

If Nokia embraces Android it would be such a happy day for me! I'd even give Nokia a shot on one of the really small new platforms that are starting to pop up. But it's clear MS doesn't know what's going on with WP8, and Nokia is taking a hit and it doesn't seem right from here.

 

[ajumbaje]

I am in the same situation. Don't have a lot of money atm and you can get the lumia 928 for 1 cent on amazon wireless.

Heading to grad school and verizon has the best coverage BY FAR. I plan to still have my iphone alongside me since my car stereo has ipod connectivity(no bluetooth). Basically would have a 64gb ipod touch.

The apps I use the most are there. I can always bookmark mobile websites for banking. Ill be near my computer or a computer most of the time so I wont be strapped to get everything on my phone.

Also like the bigger screen and that I technically wouldn't need a matte screen protector.

 

[MRU]

Its always worth trying something new, it will make you appreciate what you had on iOS and what is different on other platforms. Objectivity in life is a good quality and you can only get that by trying something different for yourself and gaining new experiences.

Sure you might end up not liking it, or preferring iOS. You can always switch back next time round, but yeah don't be afraid of change ... Its a good quality to have outside of your mobile too

Personally if your hankering for the change, can accept it will be different then just go for it. No OS on any handset is perfect by a long mile, and there is no definitive 'best', its different fr every individual.

 

[Black Magic]

What are everyones thoughts or experiences with the Nokia Lumia 928 or similar windows phones? My wife just got one and i am seriously considering switching from iphone.

The tile interface is really slick, the camera is great, everything seems nice and intuitive. The one downside is that the app store is somewhat limited, but they seem to have the major apps I use. I have an upgrade anytime now so I am going to wait to see what Apple has in store for us in october and make a decision then.

Don't do it. If you use a earpiece with a mic, it don't work. They use a nonstandard jack and people have been complaining like mad. Google it. My buddy has power beats and it works on every phone but the Lumia.

No apps.

Why invest in being a beta tester hoping for things to get better and catch up to iOS and Android? If you gonna spend money, get the good stuff right off the bat. Don't get locked in on a two year contract because you want to kick the tires.

 

[question fear]

Don't do it. If you use a earpiece with a mic, it don't work. They use a nonstandard jack and people have been complaining like mad. Google it. My buddy has power beats and it works on every phone but the Lumia.

No apps.

Why invest in being a beta tester hoping for things to get better and catch up to iOS and Android? If you gonna spend money, get the good stuff right off the bat. Don't get locked in on a two year contract because you want to kick the tires.

Um...not sure what your buddy's issue was, but my Lumia works fine with every headset I have.

Personally I like my 928. I found equivalent apps for all the apps I had on iOS, and the camera works great for me (and I find it to be plenty intuitive). Mileage varies and all that, so play with one in a Verizon store or microsoft store, and go to windowsphone.com to check out app availability.

 

[scott craft]

Um...not sure what your buddy's issue was, but my Lumia works fine with every headset I have.

Personally I like my 928. I found equivalent apps for all the apps I had on iOS, and the camera works great for me (and I find it to be plenty intuitive). Mileage varies and all that, so play with one in a Verizon store or microsoft store, and go to windowsphone.com to check out app availability.

Since I shattered the screen on my 8X I'm trying to decide between a 928 or a galaxy s4 to replace it. Android has a lot of advantages but I really enjoy using windows phone. I wish I had enough money to have both.

 

[Michael Goff]

I really don't understand the app argument. There are over 100k apps in the Windows Phone app store.

 

[Liquorpuki]

Since I shattered the screen on my 8X I'm trying to decide between a 928 or a galaxy s4 to replace it. Android has a lot of advantages but I really enjoy using windows phone. I wish I had enough money to have both.

I'd go with the S4 and wait for the 1020 equivalent to come to Verizon

 

[thejadedmonkey]

I've been using Windows Phone for almost 3 years now, and I don't have many complaints. Sure it could be better, but I have (more) issues with iOS, so yeah.

Go grab yourself a Nokia.

 

[scott craft]

I really don't understand the app argument. There are over 100k apps in the Windows Phone app store.

It's not perfect but most of the popular apps are there, even though many are third party like some of the instagram apps.

I'd go with the S4 and wait for the 1020 equivalent to come to Verizon

I'll probably end up with the S4. I would be getting the lumia because of what I hope it will be in the future, while the S4 has all the functionality I want right now.

 

[Michael Goff]

It's not perfect but most of the popular apps are there, even though many are third party like some of the instagram apps.







I'll probably end up with the S4. I would be getting the lumia because of what I hope it will be in the future, while the S4 has all the functionality I want right now.

And that is another thing I will never understand... instagram.

 

[Black Magic]

Um...not sure what your buddy's issue was, but my Lumia works fine with every headset I have.

Personally I like my 928. I found equivalent apps for all the apps I had on iOS, and the camera works great for me (and I find it to be plenty intuitive). Mileage varies and all that, so play with one in a Verizon store or microsoft store, and go to windowsphone.com to check out app availability.

Apparently the mic portions dont work on the Lumia. There are threads out there about it if you Google it.

Me personally, I would not waste a single dollar on a dead last product that lacks support and has a questionable future. Why lock yourself in to the slowest horse for 2 years? Doesn't make sense.

 

[laserfox]

Since I shattered the screen on my 8X I'm trying to decide between a 928 or a galaxy s4 to replace it. Android has a lot of advantages but I really enjoy using windows phone. I wish I had enough money to have both.

You can have both if you get the lumia 520/521 for $80 no contract

 

[scott craft]

You can have both if you get the lumia 520/521 for $80 no contract

If that phone was available for Verizon I would consider it. As it is I have a promotion on my line for $200 off any 4G phone so if I wanted the 928 it would only be $250. That price makes it very tempting, but at the same time I know I would have to use it for almost two years so I'm hesitant. If the HTC One hits Verizon the 15th I'm going to have an even harder decision because I like that phone also.

 

[gdourado]

Anyone know if it's possible to transfer the SMS messages form an iPhone to a WIndows Phone 8?

Cheers!

 

[NowhereOutThere]

As someone who is heavily considering the Lumia 1020 as a companion phone to my HTC One...

WP8 gets quite a bit of flak and for good reason. Microsoft is so busy putting resources into W8.1, I think, that WP8 is getting little attention from them and thus Nokia is pulling more than it's fair share of weight for the platform. A notification center needs to happen, and soon. They need to iron out their issues with Google and make WP8 an acceptable alternative to people who cannot live outside of the Google ecosystem.

However, it really isn't that bad. For people who use their phone as a communications tool, camera and social media hub (literally most smartphone consumers), WP8 is just a different take on doing all of that. There are good twitter clients (the official one is not bad, and Rowi is nice as well), the excellent Vine client 6sec (and an official one is on the way), Flipboard is coming, as is Path; functional Instagram clients also can be found (including Instance and the upcoming 6stagram, and the Oggl/Hipstagram combo available at the moment) really make it a viable alternative for most people. The whole OS is a fresh take on mobile and combines the at-a-glance information of widgets with static icons in the form of live tiles. GBA, SNES and GBC emulators also exist (and to be honest I would much rather play a SNES game than a mobile game a la Angry Birds, but WP8 is probably never going to be the first platform for games so I wouldn't hold my breath).

Do I think I could use WP8 as my only platform? Probably not. I like Android too much. But for a camera that can essentially replace a P&S and act as a pretty cool smartphone, the 1020 is looking to be a perfect camera replacement for myself (it doesn't help that the One's camera sucks). The 928 feels a bit cheap, perhaps due to the glossy plastic, so I might wait until the 1020 variant is released if you are really wanting WP.

 

[ichii]

I just got the 520 for $80 off amazon, not a bad phone. I originally had the Nokia 920 great phone, just didn't have the apps I needed. Tried Android great phone as well, but I think I got a dud (LG optimus G) phone got really hot and screen started to yellow, so I'm back to an iPhone 5 now. I suggest trying out the 520. it won't be the best, but you'll have a taste of what windows phone 8 has to offer.

 

[Michael Goff]

Apparently the mic portions dont work on the Lumia. There are threads out there about it if you Google it.

Me personally, I would not waste a single dollar on a dead last product that lacks support and has a questionable future. Why lock yourself in to the slowest horse for 2 years? Doesn't make sense.

It doesn't lack support and it doesn't have a questionable future.

Why spread the FUD, dude?

 

[Black Magic]

It doesn't lack support and it doesn't have a questionable future.

Why spread the FUD, dude?

Huh? Windows Phone 8 DOES lack development support. You can't even get Instagram and Google doesn't even develop apps for it.

The future is also questionable for Windows Phone 8. 5 years from now, we know Google and Apple will still be selling Android and iOS. I don't think we can say the same for Windows Phone or the Surface for that matter.

 

[scott craft]

Instagram is available on windows phone via third party. Windows phone may be lacking in official apps, but there are lots of developers providing plenty of alternatives to many of the popular apps. As far as the future of windows phone I think the platform will be fine. Nokia is pushing out a lot of very low price phones that work well while Microsoft works (slowly) to bring more features to the platform for the higher end phones. I don't see android or iPhone being threatened by windows phone in the near future I do feel the platform is here to stay.

 

[b166er]

For me, the killer was no Google support. The third party work arounds didn't usually work at all. Also my bank and school have no intentions of bringing their apps to WP8 any time soon and for me that's it.

Loved the 920, in general loved WP8 (enough to deal with it's lousy notifications and other quirks) but the app selection was so far beneath what I'm used to.

Nokia really needs to put out an android phone. I don't get how they haven't yet.