[Honestabebread]

I'll be posting up some kind of informal review and hopefully some video/audio samples some time next week. I didn't really like having a WP8 device for my concession line because some of the main features are not allowed by corporate, but I can't upgrade till July 25th. So I figured I'd take it. Got it in white.

[stmav]

Just curious, what options would corporate not allow and why?

You are probably one of the first to be hands on with a 928. I'm sure there's a lot of people who can't wait to see what you have to say. Thanks.

[kg93678]

Does it have GDR 2 on it?

[deadwrong03]

any new features on there thats not on any other wp8 device?

[nyonya]

Would love to get some battery life estimates!

[Beast of Haeven]

I would like to hear your opinion on this supposed super rich super loud rear speaker.

[Honestabebread]

Its ordered I have to wait for it to come in :'(

[Wacft]

Just curious, what options would corporate not allow and why?

I'm curious as well.

I wish I had your concession line lol.

[dogfish54]

Is this a big deal that they allow this as a concession phone or do they let you have anything? Are they encouraging reps to get one of these?

[jmajid]

1. Could you explain to the normal people out here (me included) - what exactly a concession phone is?
2. When you get the phone, can you tell us what the firmware and hardware versions are?

Thanks in advance!

[SomethingSomethingDarkSide]

fingers crossed for GDR2

[Honestabebread]

Q) What can't you do on it?
A) It's not so much that I CAN'T use the social integration and stuff, it's more that I feel weird doing it on a company phone. Especially when my personal phone is WP8 and set up with all my social stuff.

Q) What is a concession phone?
A) Its a company provided device. Unlimited talk, text, 5GB of data and hotspot for free. I get a new phone every 3-4 months and they give me maybe one or two options each time. Its a big deal I got the 928 because I was already the Subject Matter Expert for the WP8 launch and they normally pick new people for the SME program if they do it over again.

Q) Will you tell us about X, Y, and Z?
A) YES! Now that the phone is public, it's fair game baby.

[dogfish54]

@honestabebread - Is this going to be a real hero phone for Verizon? Or is it just going to get lost in the mix?

[Honestabebread]

@honestabebread - Is this going to be a real hero phone for Verizon? Or is it just going to get lost in the mix?

It's hard to tell but it's on the main page of the employee intranet, along with a separate header about new Windows Phone 8 apps and why they're better than their iOS/Android counter parts. Verizon seems to be all about it internally, but the advertising doesn't really reflect. Hopefully they amp it up with this phone!

[dogfish54]

It's hard to tell but it's on the main page of the employee intranet, along with a separate header about new Windows Phone 8 apps and why they're better than their iOS/Android counter parts. Verizon seems to be all about it internally, but the advertising doesn't really reflect. Hopefully they amp it up with this phone!

I guess there is no point cranking up the advertising until launch - so hopefully it's coming.

Sounds like a big push internally - hopefully this is the turning point for WP8.

[tungha]

i'm curious about the GDR2 update, can you please give the Firmware version with the phone?

[Zomby Jeezus]

I am in Dallas right now and I saw a billboard for the 928. I'll try and take a picture

[squire777]

Can you have a friend from another provider pop in their SIM card to see if the device is unlocked by default?

[Honestabebread]

Can you have a friend from another provider pop in their SIM card to see if the device is unlocked by default?

Maybe if it was my personal phone but no way I'm putting a different SIM into a VZW owned device.

[vlad0]

Honestabebread thanks a lot for all the info! There is going to be a bunch of us asking about different things, but the only thing I am really interested in is the how the xenon flash performs.. try and see if it would freeze motion, like.. people moving, or even just a simple spinning fan in the dark :)

I think its very important because it could set the phone apart from the rest, since they all have LEDs and .. well.. they all pretty much suck.

[EDMmmmmmm]

Honestabebread thanks a lot for all the info! There is going to be a bunch of us asking about different things, but the only thing I am really interested in is the how the xenon flash performs.. try and see if it would freeze motion, like.. people moving, or even just a simple spinning fan in the dark :)

I think its very important because it could set the phone apart from the rest, since they all have LEDs and .. well.. they all pretty much suck.

Vlad, just so you dont have to wait I took these shots of a spinning fan tonight with my 928 to show how the xenon freezes the motion. You will be happy :)
Lumia 928 Xenon Flash vs Fan - Imgur

Here are more xenon comparisons: Lumia 928 - Flash Comparison - Imgur

[Wacft]

So yeah.... Im not sure I've had a point and shoot that good lol

[vlad0]

Vlad, just so you dont have to wait I took these shots of a spinning fan tonight with my 928 to show how the xenon freezes the motion. You will be happy :)
Lumia 928 Xenon Flash vs Fan - Imgur

Here are more xenon comparisons: Lumia 928 - Flash Comparison - Imgur

Thank you!

I know that the fan test is kind of silly, but it basically proves that at a similar distance, you will be able to freeze motion without any issues.

Looking great.. And it will only get better with future updates in terms of exposure, etc. From my perspective this is a huge selling point. Most of the other features are covered by most high end smartphones, but flash performance like this is not.. there are only a few smartphones out with such capabilities, and NON of the them are available on contract in the US, so.. this is it.

I know that there were Windows CE based phones with a xenon flash, and we had that andro based Motorola, but they both were not properly implemented..

edit. So if you happened to see spots in the frame.. those are dust particles, made visible by the fact that the xenon flash is way to close to the lens of the camera.. at least this is how Dining explained it when we asked about it back in 2010 when the N8 came out.

[jmajid]

Thank you!

I know that the fan test is kind of silly, but it basically proves that at a similar distance, you will be able to freeze motion without any issues.

Looking great.. And it will only get better with future updates in terms of exposure, etc. From my perspective this is a huge selling point. Most of the other features are covered by most high end smartphones, but flash performance like this is not.. there are only a few smartphones out with such capabilities, and NON of the them are available on contract in the US, so.. this is it.

I know that there were Windows CE based phones with a xenon flash, and we had that andro based Motorola, but they both were not properly implemented..

edit. So if you happened to see spots in the frame.. those are dust particles, made visible by the fact that the xenon flash is way to close to the lens of the camera.. at least this is how Dining explained it when we asked about it back in 2010 when the N8 came out.

Agreed - I have had Xenon on two of my Nokia phones and they blow away everything including my wife's N9 at that kind of freeze the moment type shot...
So which spots are you referring to - and where is the dust? Is it on the lens (in which case, cleaning should suffice) or is it more like humidity? In which case, good luck with that :)
Id like to know, i have both the N8 and the 808 Pureview right now...and i see spots when i use the n8 but not so much the 808.
Having said that, the photos i have seen so far from EDMmmmmmm (too long!) have showed what i think details that are soft...
Nothing that Nokia cant rectify with either production firmware or camera tweaks a la 920...
Its certainly not out of their reach thats for sure.

[jmajid]

Vlad, just so you dont have to wait I took these shots of a spinning fan tonight with my 928 to show how the xenon freezes the motion. You will be happy :)
Lumia 928 Xenon Flash vs Fan - Imgur

Here are more xenon comparisons: Lumia 928 - Flash Comparison - Imgur

So any chance of telling us how you are able to have had this for so long? :)
Thanks for all the photos and videos though - much appreciated :)