[Real Users] My Lumia 1520 Review

[jfa1]

Re: Just tried out the Lumia 1520. I stopped wanting it after one glance.

I think saying the phone's software should be better optimized to take advantage of a larger screen is a valid point. Saying the phone is too big or too small is personal preference. The iPhone screen is too small for my taste, it is a deal breaker, and I would much rather have a Sony Xperia Z Ultra but I recognize that other people might feel differently. If you think the 1520 is "just massive" you should check out the Sony.

They were going to start somewhere with a phablet design and the 1520 was it the refinements and better utilizations will come along with at least a bump to 32 Gb 54 Gb would be beter but when they get 64Gb we'll all be wanting 128 and so on. So it'll get better and better I am expecting!.

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[QOAM]

Re: NOKIA 1520 DISPLAY experince IM IN LOVE Positive Post Only

I haven't had my 1520 long enough to post anything more than a comment. The screen is beautiful and I can do practically anything on it that I can do with my 8" Dell Venue Pro or iPad mini.. The only thing that I don't like is talking on the phone. Or actually using it as my everyday phone. I have two phone numbers. One that I use for everything and everyone. One number that I use business calls only. I am most comfortable talking on my iPhone. The Lumia is just so big in my hand. I like the Windows o/s much better than the one on my iPhone but the iPhone is just so easy to use for a quick call or text or picture. I don't have to even think about doing whatever it is with my iPhone, but I have been using the iPhone for so long that I can't remember if I always felt that way. I have been considering using my iPhone for my main phone and the Lumia as a mini tablet, for business things. If I wanted to travel light, I could forward calls etc to one phone or the other mostly depending on the size purse I will be carrying .. Sometimes I want or need to travel very light or just don't want to bother bringing a purse with me. like if I am just running up to the post office a mile down the road. I have a picture of my drivers license and insurance card on my iphone in case of emergency. I am thinking that the cops won't appreciate my logic but hope it will do in a pinch. The main problem is NOT that I think that one phone is better than the other .. I just want to keep BOTH phones. The only problem I can imagine with forwarding calls is that I don't think you can forward SMS messages .. or can you??

 

[snakebitten]

I got the first 1520 amongst family\friends. Wife got envious, so I got her one too. We both handed down our 920's. So now 2 more family members left their iPhones.
Then both of my software developers at work broke down. 1 920 and 1 more 1520. That now makes 5 coworkers converted.

This all started with me just "testing" the newly released 920 about 13 months ago.

Combined with a few Surface Pro 2's and suddenly Windows 8 and Lumia phones are causing a stir at the executive and upper management level.

I'm stunned by the 1520. It's been a game changer for me. I find the performance and size to be an amazing package. Maybe it's my age? 55 and less than youthful eyesight.

I can do 90% of what I used to use 3 different devices to achieve, all with just the 1520!

Give me a GotoAssist app and it will be closer to 95%.

By the way, all the 1520's have been perfect. Unlike the 920's that required a few exchanges to accomplish getting unflawed examples.

 

[anon395528]

I will do a full review later but after two days with my 1520 I can say I am very disappointed. The more mature apps like Facebook are not up to speed. I.e. if someone comments on your photo ALBUM, you cannot see the comment and like it or respond. Many instances of things like that. You wonder if anyone actually does a full working test of these apps. Pretty hilarious when you are looking for apps and even the most atypical app might have only 37 reviews...but, the app store does not show downloads. Also, the Microsoft Games Solitaire app.....come on Microsoft....this is a place to shine....and, even though the app is free you still put ads in the app. Come on you can do better than that. I so want to be Google free in 2014 but for a business person that just wants good functionality it seems like the whole Windows 8 is still in beta stage.

 

[mozman68]

The Facebook app is apparently supposed to be updated with 8.1.....but I too was very disappointed with the app. The positive side of WP8, especially on the 1520, is that you can use the full web version and simply pin it until the app is up to snuff. The ease of use with WP8 and the incredible screen, nav apps, personalization has made the switch from iOS to WP8 a fun adventure for me so far.

 

[anon395528]

The Facebook app is apparently supposed to be updated with 8.1.....but I too was very disappointed with the app. The positive side of WP8, especially on the 1520, is that you can use the full web version and simply pin it until the app is up to snuff. The ease of use with WP8 and the incredible screen, nav apps, personalization has made the switch from iOS to WP8 a fun adventure for me so far.

Hey Mozman....thanks for the tip...when I was in the app, and, I would try and view the photo album comments, it would send me to an error 500 screen....but, I now see if I go to it via IE, I have the functionality. Thanks for the tip.

 

[ragingklu]

The Facebook app is apparently supposed to be updated with 8.1.....but I too was very disappointed with the app. The positive side of WP8, especially on the 1520, is that you can use the full web version and simply pin it until the app is up to snuff. The ease of use with WP8 and the incredible screen, nav apps, personalization has made the switch from iOS to WP8 a fun adventure for me so far.

This. I think a lot of people would be surprised just how fluid some of the sites are in desktop mode on these phones these days, making their dedicated apps redundant. The suckage of the WP FB app is nothing new, it's garbage, but they're supposed to be updating it down the road so that it will finally be up to snuff. I just don't see the need in a phone like this though, although I'm sure some would disagree. I guess the toast and live tile notifications would be nice, but don't you get those from your "self" live tile anyway?

 

[admorris#AC]

Facebook app pretty much sucks on all platforms...this is coming from an Android enthusiast.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

 

[GolferChris68]

Picked up a red 1520 from AT&T yesterday. First time I've ever picked up a phone whose color is something other than black or white. And I must say, it's truly a beautiful phone.

Like other mobile enthusiasts, I've owned a number of phones over the years. I currently have an iPhone 5 (personal use), and a Note 3 (work). In using these two phones, I've come to the realization that the iPhone is a toy compared to the Note 3 (and now, Lumia 1520). Apple's insistence on sticking with a tiny screen, and a lack of any real hardware and OS innovation over the years doesn't sit well with me, especially so once I had purchased the Note 3 and realized how much I loved the larger 1080p screen. I love my Note 3. And now with the 1520 becoming my personal phone, I suspect I will love the 1520 in the same way as the Note 3. The iPhone is headed to EBay.

The hardware and screen are amazing of course, but Windows Phone is also a breath of fresh air. I really like the UI, and even though it's lacking in some of the applications for more popular services, I'm finding that the independent developers building Windows Phone 8 applications are creating some really cool stuff, with some of the applications being a lot better than the first party stuff. I'm a software developer myself, so I'm looking forward to playing with the Windows Phone 8 SDK and tools.

A couple of negatives so far:

• 16GB. Really AT&T? You couldn't stick with 32GB that the original design and international versions have? Corporate decisions like this infuriate me, especially when there is no good reason for them. I stuck a 32GB SD card into the 1520 for music/photos/video, so that helps. However, AT&T's decision to reduce the device storage from 32GB to 16GB is really annoying.
• The touch screen occasionally interprets a swipe as a tap. I've seen others with this issue, so I'm hoping it's something that can be addressed with a firmware update. It's only happened a handful of times, so it's not a big issue, but I would like to see Nokia address this with their flagship device.

I did also do the special bundle deal to get the 2520. Played with the display model in the store, and was impressed. Should be arriving in the mail later this week. So that should be fun to play with.

 

[anon395528]

I am reposting this from Android Central...mostly for people like me that read the reviews of the 1520....I am sure I am going to burn in WP hell, but I believe to maintain the credibility of these forums that real people and users need to post their real life experiences.
____________________________________________________________________________________
First off I wanna give props to Mobile Nation....I really like this concept of one master community for all phones and operating systems. I depend on user forums regardless of the product to filter fan bois and haters and come up with an educated, personal decision on what is best for my needs.

My Galaxy S3 was a very good phone. Maybe due to her age, but the battery life seemed to really wane and after KitKat things just were not right. The Samsung ads make me boil because I think they are so stupid trying to convince me in the value of being able to fart purple with their phones. The Lebron James ads are pretty effective though because they almost seem like real life applications. But, I was obsessed with getting my first phablet and give me big baby!

I did have a friend who has a hot girlfriend and they both are Lumia fans. There was some street cred coming from them. So, even though I had been denied twice before, I called into AT&T and tried to sing my song one more time. They got me into the 1520 AND a 2520. Dang...the 1520 was seemingly HUGE. {what is weird it that it is probably only 10% larger than the Note 3 but it seemed 50% larger}. I did not really think my daily app appetite was going to be too hard to switch over. I was wrong. The Nokia phone is a beautiful piece of art laying on the coffee table but I did not want to use it. Almost immediately I regretted the switch but also realized that the 2520 could satisfy my phablet need.

I am not a guy to backtrack. Full steam ahead is my motto. But, I just had so much loathing for the 1520 as a daily driver, I knew I needed to return the 1520 even if it meant staying with my S3.

Went into the local AT&T store (I had made my purchases over the phone but I was instructed it would be better to go into a store to return it...) and explained I was there to return the 1520. If you can get me into a Note 3 great...if I just leave with my S3, I am ok with it. Lesson learned.

An hour later I left with a black Note 3 and what amazes me is how this phone does not feel big but it feels like quality and it is sexy. I am not really a stylus guy but all the newer features immediately translated to value and I am a pretty happy camper. It does bum me out that Google and Android have such dominance but for now I need my data and information a certain way and they know how to deliver it.

 

[ragingklu]

So it was just the perceived lack of apps that did it for you?

There's not much detail in the review about "why". That's usually what people want to hear from a subjective review. I think the size might have been a contributing factor and you mention it couldn't satisfy your app appetite, but nothing else that I could use if I was relying on your review to help me out.

Which apps and why?

 

[Dave Blake]

I am reposting this from Android Central...mostly for people like me that read the reviews of the 1520....I am sure I am going to burn in WP hell, but I believe to maintain the credibility of these forums that real people and users need to post their real life experiences.
____________________________________________________________________________________
First off I wanna give props to Mobile Nation....I really like this concept of one master community for all phones and operating systems. I depend on user forums regardless of the product to filter fan bois and haters and come up with an educated, personal decision on what is best for my needs.

My Galaxy S3 was a very good phone. Maybe due to her age, but the battery life seemed to really wane and after KitKat things just were not right. The Samsung ads make me boil because I think they are so stupid trying to convince me in the value of being able to fart purple with their phones. The Lebron James ads are pretty effective though because they almost seem like real life applications. But, I was obsessed with getting my first phablet and give me big baby!

I did have a friend who has a hot girlfriend and they both are Lumia fans. There was some street cred coming from them. So, even though I had been denied twice before, I called into AT&T and tried to sing my song one more time. They got me into the 1520 AND a 2520. Dang...the 1520 was seemingly HUGE. {what is weird it that it is probably only 10% larger than the Note 3 but it seemed 50% larger}. I did not really think my daily app appetite was going to be too hard to switch over. I was wrong. The Nokia phone is a beautiful piece of art laying on the coffee table but I did not want to use it. Almost immediately I regretted the switch but also realized that the 2520 could satisfy my phablet need.

I am not a guy to backtrack. Full steam ahead is my motto. But, I just had so much loathing for the 1520 as a daily driver, I knew I needed to return the 1520 even if it meant staying with my S3.

Went into the local AT&T store (I had made my purchases over the phone but I was instructed it would be better to go into a store to return it...) and explained I was there to return the 1520. If you can get me into a Note 3 great...if I just leave with my S3, I am ok with it. Lesson learned.

An hour later I left with a black Note 3 and what amazes me is how this phone does not feel big but it feels like quality and it is sexy. I am not really a stylus guy but all the newer features immediately translated to value and I am a pretty happy camper. It does bum me out that Google and Android have such dominance but for now I need my data and information a certain way and they know how to deliver it.

I just read this whole thing I want to ask... How in any way is this a review of the L1520.

Example My Not 3 review: I had a Note 3 I hated it I went to the AT&T and bought a Lumia 1520 and what amazes me is how this phone does not feel big but it feels like quality and it is sexy. I am not really a stylus guy I don't need one on a phone with a 6 inch screen but all the newer features immediately translated to value and I am a pretty happy camper. It does bum me out that Google and Android have such dominance but for now I need my data and information a certain way and Microsoft know hows to deliver it.

 

[jmerrey]

Don't feed the trolls.

 

[billyweber0101]

I want one but on tmobile. Unless you guys think one might come out maybe 5.3 or 5.5 inchs.

 

[mmcpher]

It's nice that you've found a large device that you can use without quite so much "loathing". But other than its beauty and its generally being loathsome, what is it that made the 1520 untenable for you? I would like it if the 1520 incorporated a stylus, so I'd be interested in hearing your view on how you use the Note 3 Stylus. I also have an original Note, but the stylus wasn't much use, at least for me. It had unrealized potential, though. I use a stylus with my Surface Pro. Not all the time, but it is nice to have the capability and option.

The 1520 is very large. A year or two ago I would have thought it laughable to have so large a hand held device. But I've not had your loathsome reaction to the 1520 and have managed the size issue surprisingly well so far. I have and use a Z30 and a Z10 also, so I have active size comparisons to make. When I think about what I would like to see improved on the 1520, making it smaller isn't really on my list. I would like to see more internal memory and wireless charging (ATT model) and the obvious continued improvement and selection of apps. But as it stands today, the 1520 delivers data and information in a very satisfactory way.

 

[jasonmalcolmgibbins]

When I looked at one in my store, something worried me about the display. When I pressed in the middle the screen was flexible and made the lcd warp. Is that the same for everyone? As all the Nokia screens so far have been completely rigid.

 

[marc99ch]

I'm an old Android ****** and pretty impressed from the 1520.

The build quality is superb. Even more unfortunate that there is a lack when it comes to Sim/Micro Slot and the capazitive buttons (brightness/color).

The only thing that annoys me extremely is the fact that it is not possible to deactivate the haptic feedback. I just dont need that and it surely consumes also some batterypower. Even worse that Samsung got e function for deactivation in the Ativ S.

 

[ragingklu]

When I looked at one in my store, something worried me about the display. When I pressed in the middle the screen was flexible and made the lcd warp. Is that the same for everyone? As all the Nokia screens so far have been completely rigid.

How hard do you press? When I press on mine, I don't seem to get a lot of give, but I don't know how hard you are pressing. I'm hesitant to put too much effort into it. I wouldn't be surprised if there's a little elasticity or give as this is a huge screen and will need to allow a minimal amount of flex/pressure. You can't do that with materials which have zero give.

I have read about people having problems with pushing on the back of the phone and getting distortion, but I don't think I have that problem either. Again though, I'm not sure how hard I want to press to test this.

there is a lack when it comes to ... the capazitive buttons (brightness/color).

I remember a previous device (can't remember if it was my 900 or 920 or something else) where they went ahead and made those capacitive buttons nice and white and bright.... But people also complained about that because they were just too bright and distracting in lower light situations. So it's one of those lose/lose scenarios really....

 

[Phrozty]

I still don't understand people who complain about lack of apps... yet don't list the apps that WP supposedly "lacks".....

 

[EpidemikE1]

Nokia 1520 my first impressions

Okay, so I got my 1520 finally and wanted to share my first impressions.

The size of the phone is definately something that will take some getting used to. At first it just felt awkward and weird for such a large device in my hands. It also doesnt help that I dont have large hands so navigating with a single hand can be a bit daunting. I've setup my tiles in a fashion that makes this a little easier, with all the "quick hits" closer to my thumb's range. I think I can get used to the size but it will take some time to adjust. One more thing, it can be a chore to hit the home button at times using a single hand.

I purchased the phone in matte white and I really love the look. I also love how all of the buttons are the same matte white. The phone kind of looks like a big Chiclet! The finish can be some what slippery so you'd need to handle with care so not to have the phone jump out of your hand. I was surprised at how significant the camera bump is and with my desired setup (Skinomi full body skin) I would have to place the phone face down to protect the camera. Thats the reason I am reconsidering the setup and will be also getting a full body case. Kind of bummed about that because I really prefer not to add any bulk to the svelte design but I do want my phone to last. I also want to protect the camera lens from getting scratched if the phone is placed camera side down.

The OS and software is great as usual. Going from a Lumia 900 and WP7.8, WP8 is light years better but with that familiar nimble UI. The biggest software improvement has to be TellMe's accuracy and the fact that speech to text has been incorporated into email clients. I only wished they incorporated more speech to text options in the UI. The Black update was immediately found and downloaded after initial setup of the phone and that went without a hitch. I tried some games and loved how well they ran and the display just makes everything look amazing. I did some tweaks like touch sensitivity brought down to normal and enabled some accessibility so I can use speech for commands via BT headset while driving. So glad to see Xbox Video there as well. Overall the OS has been greatly refined from my WP7.8 Lumia 900.

Overall I would say this is the best WP available due to the fact that it has the latest hardware of any WP. The biggest downside is form factor of the phone. I am kind of on the fence ATM due to the size and will hopefully adjust to it. If not I probably will have to return it within the time period. The 1520 is my work phone so I really need that usability.