Android user asksabout the Lumia 920

[Gino Guillermo]

Hi there!
I am an Android phone user who is quite happy with my current phone. But ever since I saw the rise & rise of Windows phones (the 920 & now 925) I am getting curious. That is why I would like to ask these questions that would decide my choice for my upcoming upgrade late this year.

1. Does the Lumia's Bluetooth allows my phone to connect to any Bluetooth devices such as speakers, etc.? Or send a photo via bluetooth to ANY phone?
2. Does Lumia have a quick toggle to settings to instantly turn on or off settings such as wifi, Bluetooth, brightness, etc. (much like the notification drop down bar of Android)?
3. Does the Lumia 920 have Dolby Mobile or Dolby capability in its music player? Is there a customisable equaliser to the new Lumias? Surround sound? Bass? Preset EQ settings?
Can one create a Playlist on-the-fly or via the device itself? And does the Lumia's music player have the ability to "find" or search for the Album art of a song/s?
4. Can I drag n drop files (.mp3, .flac, .mp4) from my Mac to the Lumia with ease? No need of any 1st-party app?
5. Can I set my default email to Gmail?
What alternatives can you guys recommend for Google Maps, Google Chrome, Google Translate, and Google Drive and Google Keep (that new note-taking app)?
6. Is there a pinch to zoom feature in zooming objects for taking photos? Is there an option to edit then share them via Email, Bluetooth, Twitter, Instagram, Dropbox, etc.? A way to set photos as a phones's wallpaper?
7. Any Skype typing feature? ( The one that lets you slide your fingers over the screen for faster typing)
8. Any good alternatives music player, video player for the Lumia?
9. Does the Lumia (or any WP8 phones) have the capability to print wirelessly to a wireless printer?
10. Slightly off-topic....Can one send complaints suggestions to an app developer via the Marketplace? (much like Google's Play store)
11. How fast is the shutter speed of the Lumia cameras? Is there a panorama mode? Can i easily or quickly see a photo that i have taken then easily & quickly edit them then send them via bluetooth or post them via Twitter, etc.,?
12. Battery life any good? Does it lasts say at least 24 hours unlike my Galaxy S3 LTE that lasts barely a day.
13. I like playing games on my mobile. If im bored or waiting for something. But games are still a disappointment as i am writing this 8 out 10 of my Android games are NOT on the Marketplace. is MS doing anything about this?

Please advice. Thanks.

 

[windev]

To answer your questions:
1. Bluetooth connection with other devices works.
2. WP8 has a lot of 3rd party apps that does this. I, myself, am using Quick Settings app until MS provides this functionality through the OS.
3. Lumia 920 has equaliser and Dolby (for headphones only). You can create playlist but it is not as intuitive as on Android. I'm not sure if you can edit the playlists.
4. WP8 has a desktop companion app whose task is to sync or transfer files from pc to phone and vv.
5. You can use your Gmail on WP8, but trust me, it is better if you have a Microsoft account as well. WP8 has Bing Translate, Bing Maps, Here Maps, Here Drive, Here Transit, SkyDrive, 3rd party Google Maps and lots of Cloud storage apps. Here Maps can be downloaded for offline use especially useful for GPS. OneNote, EverNote, etc also available.
6. Pinch to zoom not available on Lumia 920 because of the tap-to-capture functionality of the camera. Lumia 1020 does have this feature though. You can share photos on social networking sites like FB, Twitter, Instagram through 3rd party apps. Upload to Dropbox, SkyDrive etc.
7. No other keyboard functionality available other than the stock keyboard.
8. I have not tried 3rd party music apps. I only used Nokia Music and Xbox music. GDR2/Amber update unlocked the FM functionality of Lumia 820/920.
9. Don't know. Have not tried it.
10. I don't think so but I may be wrong.
11. Acceptable considering its superb camera. You can easily view the photo immediately if you want. WP8 does have panorama and Photosynth lenses and many others. Easi share your photos.
12. Some people have good battery life, others, poor. Mobile connection sucks battery life out of your phone.
13. What kind of games do you play? Xbox games?

Btw, photo quality has been bad since the OS update (GDR2/Amber) few days ago.

 

[soloist_huaxin]

1. yes to speakers, haven't tried photo myself so can't answer.
2. no. for security, apps can lead you to specific settings page and you can do it there.
3. yes. I don't have anything dolby so don't know how it works though. no for built-in music+video app, dunno about 3rd party apps. There's an app, MPAtool for adding album art.
4. doesn't use mac so can't tell.
5. WP8 creates account/tile for each inbox so there's not really a "default email". if you have multiple email accts and sending something from app then you'll choose which account to use.
Map - HERE maps. Chrome - no way around it, IE. Translate - Bing Translate. Pretty good but can give you weird translation sometime. Google Drive - SkyDrive. Google Keep - OneNote.
6. Editing-then-sharing is app-specific but WP/Nokia has a bunch of lenses/apps for these. yes to all others.
7. you mean swype? no.
8. not sure(unlikely), built-in ones are good enough for me.
9. if app supports it yes. Android(the OS, not 3rd party app) does it? by discovering there's a wireless printer on the network?
10. reviews? just started doing dev so not sure about it.
11. default shutter speed is automatic and you get lenses to change that(ProShot/Nokia ProCam). Lenses can do panorama. photo hub is for that. yes for immediate viewing after taking.
12. depends on usage, but generally full day is no problem.
13. Dunno about MS, but if you are VERY into apps, then WP is not quite there IMO.

I tried my best to answer and didn't pay much attention on formatting...sorry about that

 

[john_v]

Some good questions and good answers. Research is key to making an informed purchase.
I gave WP7 a try, now thinking about giving 8 a shot as well. (Currently using a note 2).

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Mobile Nations mobile app

 

[Gino Guillermo]

Very interesting and insightful replies.

So far based on my own research 7 out of 10 of amy Android apps are found on the Marketplace or have good alternatives. (Especially with the Google apps) I feel i'm somehow stuck to them but as you guys said change is good but....dunno.

Games i like 8 out 10 are NOT found on Marketplace. The only ones i can find ( and ones i have on my Galaxy S3 and ones i "want") are Temple Run, Jetpack Joyride & Bejeweled. And if you guys noticed these are not-so even graphic intensive games. I can play them on my tablet no problem. Some known games like Sprinkle, Subway Surfers, Dead Trigger, Virtua Tennis or platformer/shooter games like Contra or Metal Slug are not even available yet which is a slight let down.:-(

 

[darkest.white]

And you can in fact pinch to zoom when taking pictures with a 920, I just tried it

 

[jojapath]

And you can in fact pinch to zoom when taking pictures with a 920, I just tried it

Yes you can. In the Pro cam app, you have to slide one finger up on the screen and it will zoom. In the native cam app, it's the regular pinch-to-zoom ....

 

[john_v]

Since this thread is already going, I'll throw this question in here. Is there a setting in WP8 that allows for either sound profiles or bedside mode? Similar to what the legacy BlackBerry devices had, or my current Note 2, which has a "Blocking Mode" which allows you to tweak what notifications come through. I need to have my phone on at night (no landline), but don't want to hear emails and such coming in. Apps, settings, etc?

 

[o0Nighthawk0o]

Yes, pinch to zoom does work on a Lumia 920. As for wireless printing, I have a Brother all-in-one. There is a WP8 app by Brother that allows me to wireless print and scan.

 

[AndreStudart]

I came from android and blackberry and I don't regret not even a little bit.. perfect phone, you won't regret..

- As nighthawk said, yes, you can use an app for wireless print..

- Yes, lumia 920 does have pinch to zoom feature, you just have to use nokia's pro cam app, which is much better than the default one (and you can set it to default app)

-Yes, you can make a playlist, but is not as good in android..

-Yes, a lot of 3rd apps music apps, such as audicloud and nokia music (which, for me, it's the perfect app for knowing good musics)

- Shutter speed on lumia 920 is very fast and intuitive, but under low light it takes a little more to get light for the photos come out if it was like in a sunny day, and using nokia's pro cam app, you can choose whatever shutter speed you want to =)

- Yes, you can send files to any device bia bluetooth

- Yes, you can set gmail as your default email

- Yes, you can connect your phone to your car's speaker

- Battery life depends on your use, I spend all day long on 3g, using whatsapp, 6tag (better client for instagram), facebook etc.. it lasts around 13hours

- A lot of 3rd apps allows you to make shortcut for wifi, data connection and many other things, but the system itself, no.

- Dolby only for headphones, but the sound is nice and clear, amazing quality there

 

[michail71]

There is wireless printing?

My iPhone seemed to be able to print anything with no fuss whatsoever through iPrint but I haven't had any luck with WP8.

 

[ajj3085]

fwiw, I had to use swype keyboard on android, and even then it was still easy to make mistakes. I fid the wp8 keyboard functions much better than the android keyboards ive used.

 

[Gino Guillermo]

Can one do a screenshot of the phone's current screen via some settings or a 3rd-party app?

Is there an Airplane mode to the current Lumia 920?

Off topic again....can one save a photo on Twitter?

And is this Nokia Pro Cam app pre-installed on the device or downloadable via the Marketplace? Is it a "separate" app that you access to take photos or mainly an editing software?

 

[o0Nighthawk0o]

Yes you can take screenshots. Press the power button and start button at the same time.

Yes there is an airplane mode.

Yes photos can be uploaded to twitter.

I don't use pro cam so I'm not sure about it.

 

[Cindy_H]

Pro Cam is not pre-installed. You can download it from the Store.

 

[AndreStudart]

Can one do a screenshot of the phone's current screen via some settings or a 3rd-party app?

Is there an Airplane mode to the current Lumia 920?

Off topic again....can one save a photo on Twitter?

And is this Nokia Pro Cam app pre-installed on the device or downloadable via the Marketplace? Is it a "separate" app that you access to take photos or mainly an editing software?

It's a nokia exclusive app, you can get it at the store for free, and if you go on settings, you can choose it as your default camera app..

it's MUCH better than default camera app, more functions, much more control, easier to use, sound recording is better than default app, perfect app!

Nokia Lumia 1020 Pro Camera app video walkthrough - YouTube

here's a video if you want to see it =)

 

[Cindy_H]

Since this thread is already going, I'll throw this question in here. Is there a setting in WP8 that allows for either sound profiles or bedside mode?

Not at this time, no.

 

[MyNL822]

Get the 822, if you want pro cam app you can still get it by using the proxy glitch/hack, and WP8 doesn't have easy fast wireless printing, I have to email my documents or things I want printed to my printer, but on my iPod touch I can just press print and have it done in 5-10seconds.

 

[michail71]

Get the 822, if you want pro cam app you can still get it by using the proxy glitch/hack, and WP8 doesn't have easy fast wireless printing, I have to email my documents or things I want printed to my printer, but on my iPod touch I can just press print and have it done in 5-10seconds.

That's what I do as well. I miss having Airprint and Airplay at system level like it is in iOS.

 

[hary536]

Very interesting and insightful replies.

So far based on my own research 7 out of 10 of amy Android apps are found on the Marketplace or have good alternatives. (Especially with the Google apps) I feel i'm somehow stuck to them but as you guys said change is good but....dunno.

Games i like 8 out 10 are NOT found on Marketplace. The only ones i can find ( and ones i have on my Galaxy S3 and ones i "want") are Temple Run, Jetpack Joyride & Bejeweled. And if you guys noticed these are not-so even graphic intensive games. I can play them on my tablet no problem. Some known games like Sprinkle, Subway Surfers, Dead Trigger, Virtua Tennis or platformer/shooter games like Contra or Metal Slug are not even available yet which is a slight let down.:-(

I use iphone currently and I don't play any single game you mentioned above that are not available on WP.
Just saying to inform that different users have different usage patterns and different needs.