So I got my 640 XL dual sim(RM-1096) on Thursday and I spent the last day and a half playing with it.
I am coming from a Lumia 1520(My favorite phone after 2 years nearly) and HTC One M8 Windows temporarily(I am glad that I was able to get rid of).
This is just my first impressions of the phone itself. I'll do a review/comparison in relation to the 1520
1. Opening the FedEx(more like going crazy and ripping into it), I was surprised to see how nice Microsoft boxes are for their products. The carrier boxes are so ugly.
Superficial and trivial I know it definitely is. But I think it makes the product look more interesting when you display it properly
2. No Camera button...Sigh.
Honestly, the only reason that bothered me was because I can't quick launch the camera button to open the camera. My only complaint.
However, I don't have much issues with the onscreen button thus far. In fact, I've noticed that when I give people my phone to take pics that for some reason they struggle with the camera button.
They either don't press it to take the pic...it just focuses(LOL)
or they somehow change it to video and wind up recording us. Nor do they know if the picture has actually taken or not.
So maybe this will make it easier for noobs.
3. The Feel of the phone....feels great. I have the orange version(more on this later)
4. Going from 6 inches to 5.7 is noticeable but not in a bad way. It is much easier to use the XL in one hand usage, of course. Not to mention it is not as heavy(Not really a problem regardless) which feels great holding it for long periods of time. It isn't top heavy like the 1520 is when you want to lie in bed with your phone above you as you type or browse/read
5. I am vain...this camera is AH-MAH-ZING (the Front Camera). Surprisingly, I haven't been in a selfie mode but I took a few random shots with both phones and the quality was a noticeable difference. #work
In regards to the camera on the back, I really haven't done much witht hat.
6. I got an update from Microsoft when i first opened my phone. I cant recall what version I am on but what made me like it was because it actually sends me a text telling me you've been upgraded to whatever version of the OS. The carrier branded phones don't...it's small and rather irrelevant but still a nice touch.
7. This is a dual sim version from Hong Kong....The Keyboard is was set up based on that phone. Even though in English, the phone's first language is Chinese.
The main difference between an English keyboard and this keyboard is the comma is not on the main screen with the letters. In place of a comma is the language button (ENG) to switch between Chinese and English. I was slightly annoyed by it, but I realize, I rarely even use a comma unless I am texting a lot in one message(and even then it is periods lol).
You can of course choose the comma by going to the next screen with other symbols. See no real difference besides that. The first pic being the Lumia 640 XL and the second being the 1520 Att Version
8. I don't have Hey cortana anymore but maybe it was my 1520 but she rarely heard me on the first try and she wasn't 100 percent. Honestly I don't mind....
Two things that do bug me...One I am adapting to and learning to deal with and the other I can fix
9. When I first turned the phone on....I noticed the onscreen buttons.
Hated them instantly. Capacitive is so much better.
For one, When I want to use the onscreen buttons when looking at a picture and want to go return back to the start screen...Sometimes I'd hit the share button by mistake when I meant to hit the back arrow.
OR vice versa i'll sometimes hit the Navigation buttons when I really meant to hit a command to share. I didn't like them for the first 8 hours.
However as of now...I still believe the Capacitive keys are the master race BUT I am growing to like the On screen buttons.
The reason why is a feature that plays nicely with Glance. With Glance, you can double tap to wake.
With the onscreen buttons you can double tap to put the screen to sleep. I think that is so cool. But yeah I've learned to adapt.
10. That moment when you want to be different and then realize...hmm maybe different wasn't the best idea
I always wanted a blue Lumia. I truly did. I love the color blue in most shades. I wanted the Cyan 920 but couldn't get it and unfortunately the 1020 and 1520 never came in blue. I had the red 1520 and the yellow 1020 and 1520.
I had the choice to get Cyan this time. But I was like "ooh let's be different." I got the orange. I thought it looked nice, bold, and I like making a statement.
Flashforward two days later when I got my phone and I was like "WHAT THE HELL DID I DO" I should've gotten blue. My lumia looks like a traffic cone or one of those safety vest people wear...or a prisoner's uniform lol.
Still I have sort of gotten used to it but I likely will be buying the cyan cover from Ebay
Neutral Complaint:
It is a dual sim phone...but I wish they would disable the icon for the 2nd sim when there is not one in there. It was annoying but now I really don't even notice it. Besides, I am going to be test driving tmobile's network. Might as well put my phone to all it can do.
All in All I definitely recommend this phone.
1. It's Unlocked
2. I get 4G
3. Did I mention it was unlocked?
4. It's great already so far...I hope it stands up and continues to be great.
I'll do a camera review and perhaps a full review later this weekend in comparison to the 1520
I am coming from a Lumia 1520(My favorite phone after 2 years nearly) and HTC One M8 Windows temporarily(I am glad that I was able to get rid of).
This is just my first impressions of the phone itself. I'll do a review/comparison in relation to the 1520
1. Opening the FedEx(more like going crazy and ripping into it), I was surprised to see how nice Microsoft boxes are for their products. The carrier boxes are so ugly.
Superficial and trivial I know it definitely is. But I think it makes the product look more interesting when you display it properly
2. No Camera button...Sigh.
Honestly, the only reason that bothered me was because I can't quick launch the camera button to open the camera. My only complaint.
However, I don't have much issues with the onscreen button thus far. In fact, I've noticed that when I give people my phone to take pics that for some reason they struggle with the camera button.
They either don't press it to take the pic...it just focuses(LOL)
or they somehow change it to video and wind up recording us. Nor do they know if the picture has actually taken or not.
So maybe this will make it easier for noobs.
3. The Feel of the phone....feels great. I have the orange version(more on this later)
4. Going from 6 inches to 5.7 is noticeable but not in a bad way. It is much easier to use the XL in one hand usage, of course. Not to mention it is not as heavy(Not really a problem regardless) which feels great holding it for long periods of time. It isn't top heavy like the 1520 is when you want to lie in bed with your phone above you as you type or browse/read
5. I am vain...this camera is AH-MAH-ZING
(the Front Camera). Surprisingly, I haven't been in a selfie mode but I took a few random shots with both phones and the quality was a noticeable difference. #workIn regards to the camera on the back, I really haven't done much witht hat.
6. I got an update from Microsoft when i first opened my phone. I cant recall what version I am on but what made me like it was because it actually sends me a text telling me you've been upgraded to whatever version of the OS. The carrier branded phones don't...it's small and rather irrelevant but still a nice touch.
7. This is a dual sim version from Hong Kong....The Keyboard is was set up based on that phone. Even though in English, the phone's first language is Chinese.
The main difference between an English keyboard and this keyboard is the comma is not on the main screen with the letters. In place of a comma is the language button (ENG) to switch between Chinese and English. I was slightly annoyed by it, but I realize, I rarely even use a comma unless I am texting a lot in one message(and even then it is periods lol).
You can of course choose the comma by going to the next screen with other symbols. See no real difference besides that. The first pic being the Lumia 640 XL and the second being the 1520 Att Version
8. I don't have Hey cortana anymore but maybe it was my 1520 but she rarely heard me on the first try and she wasn't 100 percent. Honestly I don't mind....
Two things that do bug me...One I am adapting to and learning to deal with and the other I can fix
9. When I first turned the phone on....I noticed the onscreen buttons.
Hated them instantly. Capacitive is so much better.
For one, When I want to use the onscreen buttons when looking at a picture and want to go return back to the start screen...Sometimes I'd hit the share button by mistake when I meant to hit the back arrow.
OR vice versa i'll sometimes hit the Navigation buttons when I really meant to hit a command to share. I didn't like them for the first 8 hours.
However as of now...I still believe the Capacitive keys are the master race BUT I am growing to like the On screen buttons.
The reason why is a feature that plays nicely with Glance. With Glance, you can double tap to wake.
With the onscreen buttons you can double tap to put the screen to sleep. I think that is so cool. But yeah I've learned to adapt.
10. That moment when you want to be different and then realize...hmm maybe different wasn't the best idea
I always wanted a blue Lumia. I truly did. I love the color blue in most shades. I wanted the Cyan 920 but couldn't get it and unfortunately the 1020 and 1520 never came in blue. I had the red 1520 and the yellow 1020 and 1520.
I had the choice to get Cyan this time. But I was like "ooh let's be different." I got the orange. I thought it looked nice, bold, and I like making a statement.
Flashforward two days later when I got my phone and I was like "WHAT THE HELL DID I DO"
I should've gotten blue. My lumia looks like a traffic cone or one of those safety vest people wear...or a prisoner's uniform lol.Still I have sort of gotten used to it but I likely will be buying the cyan cover from Ebay
Neutral Complaint:
It is a dual sim phone...but I wish they would disable the icon for the 2nd sim when there is not one in there. It was annoying but now I really don't even notice it. Besides, I am going to be test driving tmobile's network. Might as well put my phone to all it can do.
All in All I definitely recommend this phone.
1. It's Unlocked
2. I get 4G
3. Did I mention it was unlocked?
4. It's great already so far...I hope it stands up and continues to be great.
I'll do a camera review and perhaps a full review later this weekend in comparison to the 1520
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