Any Windows device

[greeleyest]

Hi I'm thinking of giving windows mobile a 2nd chance, but as a 2ndary device or tablet.

My first phone was a Lumia Icon, I loved the camera at the time but the os wasn't working for me. The lack of good notifications/lock screen, poor app selection, and my heavy reliance on google chrome. My carrier is Verizon, so the Lumia icon is still probably their flagship windows phone, but seeing as I have no problem using the device as phablet I think I can look at gsm phones now or just a tablet. What really caught my attention was windows 10 coming to the phones, as my pc is windows.

So a few Qs

1) is chrome available on windows phones yet?
2) are notifications/drop down up to android par yet?
3) is the Lumia icon still the best windows phone available?

 

[xandros9]

1) No, nor would I expect it to become available anytime soon anyway. Google has it out for us.
At least we have UC Browser (I think) and IE, which sync.

2. IMHO the notification center is good enough for me to live with. Could use some improvements, and maybe some interactivity but eh. This makes me think you used an Icon that was on 8.0, 8.1 is much better.

3) For the most part yes. Also consider the HTC One M8 for Windows. Newer devices are slated for later this year although we're lacking info on that.

The Lumia 735 is also a fine choice if you don't want to dent the bank account as much.

 

[greeleyest]

Well I won't be browsing on a windows phone any time soon then.

I had it al launch, for a bout a month or two. Sold it for a Samsung Galaxy.

I was looking at the 1520, icon, and 1020.

Is the 1020 camera the best of the 3?

 

[xandros9]

Well I won't be browsing on a windows phone any time soon then.

I had it al launch, for a bout a month or two. Sold it for a Samsung Galaxy.

I was looking at the 1520, icon, and 1020.

Is the 1020 camera the best of the 3?

Well, surely basic stuff will work in a pinch.

Yea WP has seen sizeable updates since the Icon launched with WP8.0 so I think you'll find it more palatable. Not daily driver material by my guess, but better.

The 1020's camera is the best for stills and raw photo quality. The 41 MP snapper will be hard to beat.

However, the 1520/Icon/930's 20 MP camera has much better software backing it up at the moment. (see Lumia Camera 5, Rich Capture...) as well as optional 4K video recording which just isn't in the cards for the 1020.

If it were me I'd get the Icon/930 for the overall package because size, but if you can take the phablet's size, the 1520 is very well regarded around these parts.

 

[greeleyest]

Yeah I'm looking forward to windows 10 making the phones better.

My current phone does 4K at 30 fps, I don't rly use that feature. But I wouldn't mind better photos (16mp on the s6)

 

[xandros9]

Yeah I'm looking forward to windows 10 making the phones better.

My current phone does 4K at 30 fps, I don't rly use that feature. But I wouldn't mind better photos (16mp on the s6)

Now something I can't attest to is the less obvious differences between the cameras here. I know that the 930/Icon's OIS is superior to the S6's I think. (Someone put up a video of a Samsung demo) but I dont know if there's a sizable difference between the generations.
The newer ones are certainly speedier, which I'm sure you'd appreciate. The 1020 isn't the fastest around, especially considering the raw size of the photos it handles.

 

[RumoredNow]

FWIW I believe the 1520 would suit you better than the Icon/930.

• 6" screen
• Same Camera Module - 20MP, Carl Zeiss, OIS, PureView
• 6 mic Dolby Digital recording for Video
• Shoots 4k vidz
• microSD card slot
• 3400 mAh for fantastic battery endurance

There is no tablet with Windows Phone on it. Tablets either have Windows Desktop or RT.

Windows RT will NOT upgrade to 10, but Windows Desktop tablets should. You could certainly get Chrome on a tablet like that. In fact, if all you need is WiFi then it might be a better way to go...

 

[greeleyest]

There isn't any good tablets for the price range I'm in unfortunately.

It seem AT&T and Verizon don't sell these phone anymore. Is there any place you recommend to buy one? (Preferably used to save some $$$)

 

[RumoredNow]

WC Marketplace.

The Marketplace - Buy, Sell & Trade - Windows Central Forums

 

[greeleyest]

I don't have enough post yet haha to make wanted posted. I was only on here for like a week when I had my icon

But I already posted in a Thead for a 1520, let's see if they respond.

 

[RumoredNow]

I don't have enough post yet haha to make wanted posted. I was only on here for like a week when I had my icon

But I already posted in a Thead for a 1520, let's see if they respond.

Try sending a PM. It usually gets a notification sent to their email. You might hear back quicker.

 

[greeleyest]

Been reading and found a few points.

my icon never had glance which seems similar to motorola's active display which i liked. But the icon has the bettter screen. The only improvement is a bigger battery and glance. But its going to cost me $200+ and im not even going to service on it.

Im wondering if its better not to wait and see if verizon gets a new windows phone.

Some people were recomending that if you just want to mess with the windows 10 preview to pick up a Lumia 635 brand new for $50 to mess with and just resale when ur done. That sounds like a decent plan.

So my options so far are

1) $160 for an icon and miss glance
2) min $200 for a 1520 to be used as a tablet
3) pick up a 635 to keep me entertained untill microsoft releases a new flagship

My main reasons for looking back into windows phone was curiousity for w10/see how it works with my pc and to see if i can get a better camera (the icon was a better camera at the time but im not sure its better than the s6 now)