950 Ordered - receive tomorrow

[Aneres11]

Hello all.
Apologies for creating a new thread, I know there is a sticky thread for receiving 950's, but thought I'd post a new one anyway as I shall be posting more in here after I pick the handset up in the morning.

I am currently an Android user (BlackBerry Priv) and that is my personal mobile.
I have bought a 950 in black and this will be used as a work device. I'm a young interior designer and was after a mobile device that allows me to take good quality photos, attach them into documents for presentation purposes, or mood boards etc, and be able to note stuff down on the fly and then consolidate all this into a presentable format when I'm home.

This device caught my attention firstly for the camera, secondly for the Office abilities, and thirdly for Continuum.
I have a MacBook currently, and the Pages app is completely dire. Editing work (which I do frequently) is terrible and i hate it. I was close to purchasing Office for Mac, and should have done sooner, but with the 950's ability to turn into a full PC and give me that office software and desktop setup, I've held off to see how I fare using the device that way.

I've used a Windows mobile before the with Nokia Lumia 930, and I liked it, but it wasn't my favourite device. It didn't last long with me, but that was more to do with the app gap situation (sorry to have to mention it... ha), however that was used as a personal mobile. As I am set with my Priv (which I love), I have no intentions of using the 950 in the same way I do my Priv. Sure, they both text, make / receive calls and keep me connected, but for all the fun / social things I use personally, my Priv sees me through.
I will use Instagram, Facebook and Twitter with my work accounts (once I set them up), but i figure the 950 will be adequate enough to post on them as and when I need to.

I get the device tomorrow, and will likely spend the day just toying around with it and not actually using it with its intended purpose just yet. We all love new tech, right .
But won't be long before I do get up and running with that so I can post some thoughts on that once it's sorted.
Plus, I don't have the display dock, nor the monitor! The monitor is being purchased at the end of the month however, (I was always buying one to connect my MacBook to for a desktop setup at home), so I don't see it as an additional purchase for the purpose of the 950.

First things first though is to make sure I'm happy with the actual device.
From what I've read it would seem that the phone has been updated a number of times since release, as there were a lot of reports of overheating, devices rebooting and crashing. I hope these have all been worked through, although not many phones these days get through their lifespan without a splutter somewhere.

Hoping it's a good relationship with the 950 and happy to be part of an elite club.

 

[realwarder]

Congratulations.

Some words of advise - when you get the phone there will be at least one or two OS updates required. During this process of upgrading you will find the phone gets warm and downloads and re-installs the apps after _every_ update. This takes time - sometimes an hour or two. So be patient for the first 24 hours of setting the phone fully up and don't be surprised if you get a warm phone or a sluggish phone during this time. Start your experience after the updates are all installed. I'd probably even do all the OS updates first and then install your apps like Instagram and all your mail setup etc.

Have a 950 (wife) and 950xl here and the camera is great. Hope you enjoy your phone!

 

[TK2011]

I think you still need Office 365 license to "edit" documents via Continuum. Something to keep in mind if you are buying the 950 as a way to save money on a separate license. But it probably comes with a free 1 yr license (see Lumia Offers app) so you are still saving some money.
In 2016 you'll have to pay up to keep editing Office files when using Continuum on Windows 10 Mobile | Windows Central

 

[daimv]

I didn't get any offer when opening Lumia Offers... so who knows, maybe you'll have more luck.

 

[Aneres11]

Thanks for your responses.

I have just returned home with it and it's going through the motions.
Odd having a removable battery again! But no bad thing.

I understand the criticism of the phones 'feel' and finish. It does not really feel premium, but it looks nice so all is good.

The screen does not get very bright does it? Not sure how I feel about that, but for my uses it shouldn't make much of a difference.

I expect the device to run hot, but that will not deter me in the slightest.
I have a BB Priv, and you can cook an egg on the back of that at times, I really don't expect the 950 to get THAT hot, but even if it does, I'm more than used to a toasty phone!

Will post back later once all settled!

 

[Aneres11]

So I've spent a little more time with the device now.
It seems to all now be updated, all of the apps were updated and it did take a loooooong time.

I've had a quick go of the camera, and compared it side by side with my Priv, and the Lumia 950 is night and day more detailed, better colours and just sharper. It's wonderful, and very snappy, which my Priv is not.

It took me a long time to get rid of 2 contacts to the device which were not phone / sim contacts. But sorted that through Skype.

I can't seem to find an option for double tap to wake? I know it should be on there as I have the latest update which came out a few days ago. There's a double tap the bottom bar to sleep the device, but no double tap to wake and tapping twice doesn't bring the phone to life?

I'm appreciating the glance feature, though not having anything to glance at as it's a new device / number no one knows yet is a bummer ha.

The phone ran hot when updating, but not as hot as my Priv, so don't mind that at all.
Wi-Fi has dropped on me once, didn't understand that, but apparently this phone can do that at times? Concerning, but hopefully just an early blip as so far, no issues encountered.

Instagram works well, the only app I've signed into with my personal details just to play on. Just as snappy as my Android version on Priv and all looks to work just as well and as fluid.

The eye scanner. Well, it seemingly works. But why is it when I wake the phone up by pressing the sleep/wake button at the side, it starts looking for me but all I have to do is swipe up and the phone unlocks? Shouldn't it need a pin? It's just bypassing the eye scanner and there's no asking for the pin I set either? Something in the options somewhere?

I can't quite get used to the tile layout. When I had my 930, I played around with it a lot and got some wonderful screens going. With this, I feel like I need a good few hours!
Will go back to that later on.

I think that's everything for now. I like the device, I like to on screen keyboard, find it fairly inoffensive when I generally hate them (hence owning a BlackBerry). But this ones good.

Am toying with trying Groove music as it is free, just for the sake of trying it and seeing how it compares to Apple Music / Google Play. Neither of them are that good (on Android) so will see how this fares in comparison.

 

[TK2011]

Assuming you actually have the FW (most in the US are still waiting), did you enable double tap to wake?

Needless Iris scanner prompt is a bug. It's not supposed to come on before lock timer expires. It's fixed in Redstone branch.

 

[Aneres11]

No, no double tap to wake.

I'm guessing this is going to come later? Don't really get these updates that go on!

Blown away by the camera still on this.
Although low light it's not completely wiping the floor with the Priv like it is in daylight.
Maybe need to adjust the settings a little more.

The iris scanner is not working as well as I'd like. Might just stick to PIN for now.

 

[TK2011]

They've released FW for DTTW very recently for some regions but not for the US. Hoping it will arrive shortly.

Priv also has a large 1/2.4" sensor, same size as the 950. But its aperture is f/2.2 while it's f/1.9 for the 950 so one would expect the 950 would be able to gather more light for a bit better low light performance (assuming T-stop is similar to F-stop). gsmarena has a pretty comprehensive lab comparison shots but Priv wasn't in it.

Iris scanner needs some getting used to. No need to put your face up too close. I found it's more important to stay steady.

 

[Aneres11]

I tried some more low light shots and they came out pretty well. Looked good compared to the Priv, especially when zoomed in.

The iris scanner seems to be getting better too.

One thing I am very impressed with is the music streaming service. It looks so much better than xbox music I used on a 930. That was awful, but this is head and shoulders above.
I connected it to my car and it connects much better via Bluetooth than my Priv does using Play Music or Apple Music (both with subscriptions).

Really looking forward to trying continuum when I get my home desk set up. Be a week or two before that, however.

So far then, after a day with it, I'm pretty impressed. I don't think it could take the place of my Priv as a main 'driver' but it seems like it's gonna be perfect as a work phone for me.

 

[Dave Scarpa]

Glad you're liking the phone, if you have a ripped music collection try uploading the music folder on Onedrive. I have all my music in Flac, but for usasge on the phone I convert the tracks in J. River Media Center to High Wma, then upload it to Onedrive, You then have full access to your collection and can stream or DL the tracks as neccessary

 

[Aneres11]

Glad you're liking the phone, if you have a ripped music collection try uploading the music folder on Onedrive. I have all my music in Flac, but for usasge on the phone I convert the tracks in J. River Media Center to High Wma, then upload it to Onedrive, You then have full access to your collection and can stream or DL the tracks as neccessary

Thanks!
Currently, it isn't a ripped collection, it's all streamed.
That's why I've been so impressed with how it connects to my car and plays flawlessly.

Even downloaded tracks on my Google Play / Apple Music accounts don't play this well through their respective apps.
I also like the interface but if I have one criticism, it's the tile of Groove Music when music is playing and the home screen is live. The tile flips to show artist art work - not album artwork, and it's often pixelated and looks terrible.
I ended up making the music app as small as it could be to just prevent it from doing showing art work altogether.

Spotify however, gets it spot on. The album artwork just flips round from the Spotify logo and is crisp and clean. Very impressive.

 

[William Sanderson]

So I've spent a little more time with the device now.
It seems to all now be updated, all of the apps were updated and it did take a loooooong time.

I've had a quick go of the camera, and compared it side by side with my Priv, and the Lumia 950 is night and day more detailed, better colours and just sharper. It's wonderful, and very snappy, which my Priv is not.

It took me a long time to get rid of 2 contacts to the device which were not phone / sim contacts. But sorted that through Skype.

I can't seem to find an option for double tap to wake? I know it should be on there as I have the latest update which came out a few days ago. There's a double tap the bottom bar to sleep the device, but no double tap to wake and tapping twice doesn't bring the phone to life?

I'm appreciating the glance feature, though not having anything to glance at as it's a new device / number no one knows yet is a bummer ha.

The phone ran hot when updating, but not as hot as my Priv, so don't mind that at all.
Wi-Fi has dropped on me once, didn't understand that, but apparently this phone can do that at times? Concerning, but hopefully just an early blip as so far, no issues encountered.

Instagram works well, the only app I've signed into with my personal details just to play on. Just as snappy as my Android version on Priv and all looks to work just as well and as fluid.

The eye scanner. Well, it seemingly works. But why is it when I wake the phone up by pressing the sleep/wake button at the side, it starts looking for me but all I have to do is swipe up and the phone unlocks? Shouldn't it need a pin? It's just bypassing the eye scanner and there's no asking for the pin I set either? Something in the options somewhere?

I can't quite get used to the tile layout. When I had my 930, I played around with it a lot and got some wonderful screens going. With this, I feel like I need a good few hours!
Will go back to that later on.

I think that's everything for now. I like the device, I like to on screen keyboard, find it fairly inoffensive when I generally hate them (hence owning a BlackBerry). But this ones good.

Am toying with trying Groove music as it is free, just for the sake of trying it and seeing how it compares to Apple Music / Google Play. Neither of them are that good (on Android) so will see how this fares in comparison.

There is a way to disable the slide up to unlock when using the iris scanner. I'm just not sure how though, maybe 'rumored now' can help here?

 

[realwarder]

So I've spent a little more time with the device now.
It seems to all now be updated, all of the apps were updated and it did take a loooooong time.

I've had a quick go of the camera, and compared it side by side with my Priv, and the Lumia 950 is night and day more detailed, better colours and just sharper. It's wonderful, and very snappy, which my Priv is not.

It took me a long time to get rid of 2 contacts to the device which were not phone / sim contacts. But sorted that through Skype.

I can't seem to find an option for double tap to wake? I know it should be on there as I have the latest update which came out a few days ago. There's a double tap the bottom bar to sleep the device, but no double tap to wake and tapping twice doesn't bring the phone to life?

I'm appreciating the glance feature, though not having anything to glance at as it's a new device / number no one knows yet is a bummer ha.

The phone ran hot when updating, but not as hot as my Priv, so don't mind that at all.
Wi-Fi has dropped on me once, didn't understand that, but apparently this phone can do that at times? Concerning, but hopefully just an early blip as so far, no issues encountered.

Instagram works well, the only app I've signed into with my personal details just to play on. Just as snappy as my Android version on Priv and all looks to work just as well and as fluid.

The eye scanner. Well, it seemingly works. But why is it when I wake the phone up by pressing the sleep/wake button at the side, it starts looking for me but all I have to do is swipe up and the phone unlocks? Shouldn't it need a pin? It's just bypassing the eye scanner and there's no asking for the pin I set either? Something in the options somewhere?

I can't quite get used to the tile layout. When I had my 930, I played around with it a lot and got some wonderful screens going. With this, I feel like I need a good few hours!
Will go back to that later on.

I think that's everything for now. I like the device, I like to on screen keyboard, find it fairly inoffensive when I generally hate them (hence owning a BlackBerry). But this ones good.

Am toying with trying Groove music as it is free, just for the sake of trying it and seeing how it compares to Apple Music / Google Play. Neither of them are that good (on Android) so will see how this fares in comparison.

There is a firmware update that was recently released which enables double tap and should make Wi-Fi more robust. It's available in some parts of the world but not currently in the USA or UK. I'm hoping we'll get that next month, but could be longer. Glad to hear you like it though.

 

[Aneres11]

There is a firmware update that was recently released which enables double tap and should make Wi-Fi more robust. It's available in some parts of the world but not currently in the USA or UK. I'm hoping we'll get that next month, but could be longer. Glad to hear you like it though.

Ah ok, thanks for confirming.

Not great that they haven't rolled this out to everyone, but I guess it will eventually come (I hope).
My Priv has double tap to wake and I find it very intuitive. Pressing the unlock / lock button to wake isn't always ideal and can be a bit cumbersome.

But yes, very much liking the phone.
Impressed with a lot of things about it, particularly the camera which for me, is its stand-out feature.

Also quite a big fan of the 'News' app and find it to be head and shoulders above Android and iOS counterparts. It actually lays news out in a nice way, and the live tile is always up to date with the most recent news items that I've selected to see.

Groove Music continues to impress, but I will do a test with headphones plugged in tonight to see how it sounds through them.

Part of me is wishing that I'd plumped for the white back instead of the black. I think the black just looks a little boring, whereas at least the white has an interesting contrast! Ah well. And I've looked at the MOZO covers, but I really don't like the look of them, even though a lot of people seem to be mega impressed with them.

Looking forward to trying Continuum eventually, but not sure how soon that will be. Until then, will continue enjoying the phone and that amazing camera!

 

[realwarder]

Ah ok, thanks for confirming.

Not great that they haven't rolled this out to everyone, but I guess it will eventually come (I hope).
My Priv has double tap to wake and I find it very intuitive. Pressing the unlock / lock button to wake isn't always ideal and can be a bit cumbersome.

But yes, very much liking the phone.
Impressed with a lot of things about it, particularly the camera which for me, is its stand-out feature.

Also quite a big fan of the 'News' app and find it to be head and shoulders above Android and iOS counterparts. It actually lays news out in a nice way, and the live tile is always up to date with the most recent news items that I've selected to see.

Groove Music continues to impress, but I will do a test with headphones plugged in tonight to see how it sounds through them.

Part of me is wishing that I'd plumped for the white back instead of the black. I think the black just looks a little boring, whereas at least the white has an interesting contrast! Ah well. And I've looked at the MOZO covers, but I really don't like the look of them, even though a lot of people seem to be mega impressed with them.

Looking forward to trying Continuum eventually, but not sure how soon that will be. Until then, will continue enjoying the phone and that amazing camera!

Have to say I have a Mozo cover on my 950xl and it turned it from an ok device into a premium looking device. Definitely recommend. Saying that, my wife kept her 950 as is. All down to personal choice

Continuum is pretty neat and something I tried a couple of times but haven't used. I think OS updates are going to add features and make that more useful. In the Anniversary Update due out soon I know there are basic enhancements to continuum but I think they need to get split screen working next. It is a neat idea and worth a play sometime. You don't need the dock - there are cheaper wired adaptors or the wireless adaptor works pretty well too.

Camera is good isn't it Looking forward to that firmware upgrade as that reportedly brings even more refinements to what is already excellent imaging.