[cbfan123]

I'm thinking of getting the 520 for using the maps offline, and maybe media consumption while I'm at home.

I have never used a Windows Phone, so I don't know the particulars of the OS, but have heard that the 520 can use its mapping utility even when there isn't a connection. If I understand it correctly, the maps can be downloaded via a wifi connection even without a sim-card installed in the phone, is that correct? Do the maps need to downloaded on to a SD card or can it be downloaded on to the phone itself?

The Microsoft Store is selling it for $59 which seems like a decent price.

Buy Nokia Lumia 520 for AT&T (Black) - Microsoft Store

Is there anything else I should know?

[xandros9]

I'm thinking of getting the 520 for using the maps offline, and maybe media consumption while I'm at home.

I have never used a Windows Phone, so I don't know the particulars of the OS, but have heard that the 520 can use its mapping utility even when there isn't a connection. If I understand it correctly, the maps can be downloaded via a wifi connection even without a sim-card installed in the phone, is that correct? Do the maps need to downloaded on to a SD card or can it be downloaded on to the phone itself?

The Microsoft Store is selling it for $59 which seems like a decent price.

Buy Nokia Lumia 520 for AT&T (Black) - Microsoft Store

Is there anything else I should know?

No SIM needed I think?
Maps can be dl'ed onto either card or phone

[Shawn Magm]

You need an activated SIM, I believe. I have an AT&T Lumia 520, and it doesn't work unless a SIM is in. I tried an old deactivated SIM, and it wouldn't work. Maybe someone else has a different experience. The alternative is to pony up $19 to upgrade to Here+, and then, I think it'll work without a SIM.

[shmsnh]

Nokia 520 comes with Here Drive, not Here Drive+. Which means you get the navigation licence for one country only. This country is determined from the SIM. So you will need a SIM for the first use. Other than this, you can download the map data over Wi-Fi and use offline navigation. The SIM card thing probably won't apply if you're planning to use Here Maps.

[jj2me]

I did exactly what you want to do. Picked up the 520 for $40 (who could resist?) in those few hours Amazon offered it for that price last week.

I did not activate the phone. I just inserted the included Go Phone SIM, per something I read that said it uses the SIM to determine your location/country for Nokia Maps/Drive.

Downloaded a U.S. state map. Nokia Drive worked just fine in my car. In my one test, it wasn't so good at the very first takeoff in guiding me out of a store lot--it didn't tell me which way to turn on the road. But I suspect user error--I hadn't read any guide or help before using it.

Random thoughts from an Android user, just beginning to play around with WP8:
+. Am amazed at this thing. Real nice interface. Would recommend WP8 to anyone, except with the caveat that I don't have any experience using it as a phone. It's true what they say, you really don't need all those apps for a useful experience.
+ It's a way-cheaper Zune HD (the UI is virtually the same), with bigger screen, replaceable battery, and wireless podcast management (eliminating the need for a PC as intermediary).
+ It's a nice 4" offline GPS with lifetime maps (I presume, as for now you can update them for free whenever you feel like it, not just 4 times a year like some lifetime standalone GPSs), removable battery, and micro SD charging.
+ Nokia Mix and FM radio are other enhanced and free audio features.

That's what I'm using it for now (also hotmail), since I have Android phones. Will probably use the Office apps on some occasions, and maybe some other apps. Well worth it to me just as a Zune replacement, since I like the Zune Software ecosystem for podcasts.

The only glitch I've encountered so far is some stuttering when watching large video podcasts ("Before You Buy"). Maybe it's the 512 GB of RAM, which might mean that the fix is to find and use some maintenance app (a cache cleaner or something?) before playing large video files. I downloaded the two podcast episodes, so it's not a streaming issue. I'll need to do more investigating--it could even be that the two files that I watched were faulty.