Why I chose a Lumia 800

[Luminatic]

Hi,

Even though I'm late to the WP - party, I would like to share why I chose this phone over others. The other contenders were: iPhone 4s, HTC one X, Samsung Galaxy S2. And believe me, it took me a long, long time to decide.

My phone background: Lifelong Nokia User (latest model was an Xpress Music, can't remember the last model), last year, wenn I accidentaly killed my XM, I decided to try something else and got a HTC Wildfire. Since I had to buy it out of contract, it had to be chea

Well, after finding out that the HTC Wildfire had not been the best choice for me, I wanted to avoid getting the wrong phone again. So, I analyzed what I like and dislike about my phone (& the OS) and tried to derivate my criteria for a new phone. The outcome was the following: (purely personal opinions!)

What I liked about HTC Wildfire hardware

• Felt good in my hand. I liked the width and the rounded sides.
• Music quality was fairly good.
• Robust. Dropped dozens of times, it kept on working.

What I disliked about HTC Wildfire hardware

• Too small. This especially annoyed me when typing messages. Once the keyboard popped up, the message area was just so tiny.
• Kind of slippery - I can't count the times it slipped out of my hand.
• Small internal memory. When I bought this phone, I wasn't aware that some apps can only be installed to the internal memory, so I couldn't take advantage of the big android app choice. When possible, I moved the apps to the SD card, but this just doesn't work for most apps. Also, I suspect SD card is not a good choice for running apps.
• Screen responsiveness was not very good (I only found out after trying out other devices)

What I liked about the Software (Android 2.3 with HTC sence, Apps)

• The ability to have several screens - a great way of avoiding an app and widget mess.
• (App choice. I put this in brackes since I couldn't take advantage of this.)
• (Trying lauchers. Again, in brackets, since my device limited my choice considerably.)
• Easy to configure once you see through the software (Ringtones, Wallpapers ...)
• The availability of the audible app.
• The ability to use map your device as a drive on the computer.

What I disliked about the Software*:

• The slowness. Example: You define a favourite in the browser. While the device is still working in the backbround, I think it's over, want to type in a favourite name, ending up hitting "Save" accidentaly cause it just popped up.
• The "Stuttering". For example: Freeze/Jump, Freeze/Jump when fast forwarding a song.
• It sometimes went so far that a song started to play a minute after I thought having closed the music app.
• The instability of the audible app. (could have been caused by having to move the app to the SD card due to lack of space on internal memory).
• Out-of-nowhere reboots.

*Can't really decide if these issues were related to the software, to the non-powerful hardware or to the apps, so please bear with me.

I was patient with my little stutterer, but the day before yesterday, my audible app crashed again (Device rebooted, app disappeard, had to reboot twice and re-open the app in the marketplace to fix this). This was the last straw - I could just about keep myself from whirliing the phone out of the window!

So, knowing I was eligible for an upgrade (my 2 years contract has ended three weeks ago), I marched into my provider shop, this time being better informed then last year and knowing which devices I wanted to try before I decide.

First, I held the HTC one X. While I found it nice looking, I didn't find it comfortable to hold. I was able to reach across the screen with my thumb, I still didn't like the feel in my hand. (as a longterm tennisellbow sufferer, I need a device that I can hold for a long time without getting cramped). I found, though, that the software and screen responsivity was much better then on the HTC wildfire.

Then, I held the iPhone (Which I did before, undisturbedly, in another shop). Felt much better in my hand then the one X, software using was feeling way more fluid than on my wildfire. I'm not a big fan of the OS, though ... to me, it looks too android-ish without the ability to clean up the app mess via several home screens. Regarding the OS being intuitive, I didn't find it any more intuitive than Android, to be honest. iPhone fans, please don't get me wrong, am just stating my honest opinion.

Afterwards, I held the Lumia 800. Out of those three, it felt best in my hand, just like it belonged there. Also, handling the software felt fluid. The look of the OS is a big plus for me: I have rather big hands for a woman, but due to my joint problems, holding big devices for a longish time can be painful. With the Lumia 800, I had big tiles (as opposed to smallish apps) which I immediately found easier to hit. Sounds odd, I know, but that's just the way it is. In fact, I liked the look and feel of the device so much that I decided there and then to ignored not being able to use the device as a drive on my computer and not having home screens.


I then thought: Why not trying something new, I might not missing the features at all. Finding WP the most easy to get used to at first sight (Out of those three), I decided to give it a chance, especially since I'll be able to return the device during two weeks if I can't handle it. Plus, knowing Nokia Drive from my former phones and the possibility to get Audible for WP (better sooner then later. I'm talking to you, Audible!), I was sold.

I COULD have waited for the Lumia 900 (It's rumourd to be available in June in my country), but I just couldn't take my old phone any longer.

I configured and used the phone as soon as I got home. It was in my hand and within my reach for several hours, finding out how to use it, downloading some apps, comparing music quality with my wildfire (The Lumia won by far, btw). So far, this phone feels like a sure keeper, unless I detect really bad dealbreaker!

For all people having read this till the end: Thanks for your patience! And please forgive any mistakes, English is not my first language.

Will try to add more to this thread while gaining experience. I'll also try to match my findings with the plus/minus list above. Hope this will help some undecided phone buyers!

 

[Jrexxx]

Welcome to the Lumia family!

 

[Luminatic]

Thanks! So far, I find it quite enjoyable to be a member of this family

(BTW, the Samsung Galaxy S2 fell through because it felt so weirdly thin and fragile in my Hand ... good sized phone, but .... no. )

 

[poxme]

Did you update your phone already? Gratz by the way!

Sent from my Radar C110e using Board Express

 

[Luminatic]

It was already on the newest firmware when I got it.

 

[eastbayrae]

That is one of the best right ups I have read on this site!

 

[poxme]

Sweet...mind battery life, I want the white one though

Sent from my Radar C110e using Board Express

 

[freestaterocker]

Welcome to WP! And I'm jealous... The 800 is superior to my HD7 in every category except screen size, and it's the one I want.

 

[Luminatic]

@Eastbayrae

Thanks! This happens when I reallly, really consider something before buying it.


@Poxmee

The battery life is one of the things I'll keep an eye on in the next few days. I've heard that I should run a few recharching cycles before judging it. I'm curious what kind of battery life I get.

Next: The camera! Sun is shining, will start with a few well-lit pictures

 

[freestaterocker]

@Eastbayrae

Thanks! This happens when I reallly, really consider something before buying it.


@Poxmee

The battery life is one of the things I'll keep an eye on in the next few days. I've heard that I should run a few recharching cycles before judging it. I'm curious what kind of battery life I get.

Next: The camera! Sun is shining, will start with a few well-lit pictures

You don't need to condition the new lihium ion batteries. It does more harm than good. Instead of "charge memory" the new tech suffers from a fixed number of full cycles before it degrades. In other words, letting your battery die regularly or frequently will shorten its life.

 

[Jrexxx]

@Eastbayrae

Thanks! This happens when I reallly, really consider something before buying it.


@Poxmee

The battery life is one of the things I'll keep an eye on in the next few days. I've heard that I should run a few recharching cycles before judging it. I'm curious what kind of battery life I get.

Next: The camera! Sun is shining, will start with a few well-lit pictures

I find the camera to be a bit disappointing... Especially in low light conditions, lots of noise However under good lighting, it's quite good: colors and sharpness are very pleasing!

 

[Luminatic]

@freestaterocker: Thanks for your advice, I didn't know that!

@Jrexxx
I've read about this - therefore my expectation for lowlight pictures aren't too high. Coming from my old phone, I can't imagine the pictures turning out worse in low light conditions, though ;-) Snapping a sunrise/sunset with my HTC wildfire was pure trial and error. Some shots turned out surprisingly well, some others dreadful.

At first sight (on the phone screen), most pictures look good. I find macro shots a bit difficult, though .. sometimes they turn out sharp, sometimes they don't. I'm having similar problems with my compact camera, though. Also, some pics came out too white. Reducing the light to -0.5 and saving this as a default resolved this issue.

I'll upload a few pics I've just taken later on.


Anyway, as I didn't pay a lot of money for my lumia (It came out a while ago here) and I have been able to save some money by getting rid of a bad habit, my hidden agenda becomes more and more tempting Can you guess?

 

[Luminatic]

So - back from picture taking. You can see them in the Lumia 800 picture thread
The low light pictures came out pretty noisy, as expected, but the colour representation isn't that bad.

 

[Luminatic]

some observations regarding music (Important for me as my mobile phones are my sole carry-on music playing devices):

I compared the Lumia 800 with my old HTC Wildfire, listening to the same songs.

When listening to the same song with some cheap headphones bought at the supermarket, the HTC Wildfire won (Better bases, clear sound). The difference wasn't big, though. When listening to this song again with my new Monster headset that I bought together with the Lumia, the Lumia won - by far. I found that quite interesting.

Another observation: I wish it was possible to fast-forward through a song (Are you listening to me, Microsoft?)

 

[anon(5335877)]

some observations regarding music (Important for me as my mobile phones are my sole carry-on music playing devices):

I compared the Lumia 800 with my old HTC Wildfire, listening to the same songs.

When listening to the same song with some cheap headphones bought at the supermarket, the HTC Wildfire won (Better bases, clear sound). The difference wasn't big, though. When listening to this song again with my new Monster headset that I bought together with the Lumia, the Lumia won - by far. I found that quite interesting.

Another observation: I wish it was possible to fast-forward through a song (Are you listening to me, Microsoft?)

You have to hold down the next song/skip forward button to fast forward.

 

[Luminatic]

You have to hold down the next song/skip forward button to fast forward.

Oh - many thanks!

 

[Jrexxx]

some observations regarding music (Important for me as my mobile phones are my sole carry-on music playing devices):

I compared the Lumia 800 with my old HTC Wildfire, listening to the same songs.

When listening to the same song with some cheap headphones bought at the supermarket, the HTC Wildfire won (Better bases, clear sound). The difference wasn't big, though. When listening to this song again with my new Monster headset that I bought together with the Lumia, the Lumia won - by far. I found that quite interesting.

Another observation: I wish it was possible to fast-forward through a song (Are you listening to me, Microsoft?)

Can you specify how the lumia sounded better on the monster headphones? Cause that's really intriguing!
As for the pictures, just check them out, they look pretty good! However for the macro shots, are you using the camera button or taping on the object on the screen to focus? I noticed in your second macro photo (http://i483.photobucket.com/albums/rr192/voyager_1968/Handybilder/WP_000024.jpg) that the camera is focused on the two branches in the background instead of the branch in the front. This might sound obvious, but did you choose the macro option in the settings too?

 

[Luminatic]

The sound out of the monster headphones was more ... rich and balanced, I would say. Good bass, good treble. I hope you know what I mean. With the cheap headphones, the music sounded a bit blurred or unclear, if that's the correct word. The high tones (trebles?) were not very good, neigher were the bases, therefore: flat. Somehow, the cheaper headphone "translated" the HTC Wildfire sound better and the Monster headphones worked better with the Monster headphones.


In some other forum (Can't remamber which one, unfortunately), some users tried different headphones and found out that the ohm number of the headphones make the difference.
In yet another forum (engadget) I found most users not liking the monster headphones. I couldn't say why.


Regarding the pic: I might have used the camera button, I detected the tapping-to-screen only afterwards. And yes, I used the macro function for that too.

 

[Luminatic]

One small test (Internet browsing) in the morning.

I went to "www.theverge.com" both with my Laptop (Internet explorer) and my phone. When surfing via Wi-Fi, both loaded the page with the same speed. When turning off the Wi-Fi and having 3G-connection, the phone won. (And yes, I have deleted the cache on both devices beforehand). I couldn't do this test on my wildfire as I was never able to load large pages with it. Probably due to small internal memory.

When doing the same with www.wpcentral.com, the laptop won with 3g, both were the same speed with Wi-Fi connection.

(BTW, I tested with the Desktopversion)

 

[Luminatic]

More little things about my phone:

I've read in another forum that some pics turn out better if the ISO is set to 100 instead of "Auto". Will try it and post pictures.

I gave Nokia Navigation a test drive on my way home. While it chose an unusual way (fastest by using the motorway instead of shortest through the coutryside), it brought me home safely. Apart from a 5 km tunnel, the phone always knew where I was and immediately found me when I left the tunnel. Also, the meter and kilometer numbers were very accurate. I was smiling like an idiot at the end of my drive, thinking: "Finally! I have Nokia Navigation back! )

Some feedback from my best friend who is a longtime dumbphone user and has been thinking about getting a smartphone (an iPhone) for a long while. I showed her my Lumia, she gazed at the screen and said: "Wow. Beautiful." She also held it for a while, not saying much. Later on, when we discussed the ways of getting her a smartphone (Contract? Which provider? Or prepaid?), She said (taken out of context): "... when I get the same phone as you, or an iPhone ...". Hah. That's how ideas are planted into heads. :lol:

Oh, something I forgot: The screen is well readable in the sun. Good!