Purchase
A decision was made to purchase a second-hand Nokia Lumia 1020 after I came across it's availability recently. To my pleasant surprise, it was a unit which, although purchased in 2013, had never been used at all, as the owner decided that the Android operating system suited him better.
So, after lightening my wallet for a very reasonable price, I took possession of a mint condition (still in shrink wrap) yellow Lumia 1020 with a black camera grip accessory.
Previous (recent) Nokia device ownership
As a person who is somewhat technical, I usually put technology first, brand second. To date, I've owned the Meego-powered Nokia N9, as well as the Windows Phone-powered Nokia Lumia 920, the first Windows-powered PureView phone (those who are well-read will remember the Symbian-powered Nokia 808, which debuted with a 41 Megapixel sensor array camera back in 2012).
Enter late 2015, and here I am with a two-year-old Nokia Lumia 1020.
Rationale
Why would someone bother with acquiring a two year old smartphone (obsolete by today's standards - most folks upgrade their handsets every twelve months), and worse still, an almost obsolete operating system, due to be phased out by Windows 10 Mobile?
Simple - I wanted the absolute best photography experience on a camera phone. Having had the experience with Lumia Camera, the PureView technology and superior lens on the Lumia 920, I was eager to get my hands on the 1020. In Singapore (as with the rest of the world), the Lumia 1020 was very expensive during launch date in 2013 - then again, I'm amazed that the Apple iPhone series now costs significantly more than the 1020.
Package
The 1020 I obtained came with a black Nokia camera grip, which came in handy on a recent holiday trip overseas. A pair of yellow Nokia earphones and AC charger with USB rounded off the package. The box is typically minimalistic Nokia - efficient and well-designed.
I also managed to acquire an original wireless charging shell for the 1020, and that works superbly on my older Nokia wireless charger.
Design
The 1020 uses the Fabula design language, inherited from the Meego-powered Nokia N9, and carried on throughout various iterations from there. I have always liked the minimalistic design language, and really enjoy the use of polycarbonate employed in the 1020.
Overall a clean design, and one that stands out in a sea of white/grey metal phones that dominate the mobile phone landscape today.
Aesthetics
This is a particularly subjective area - what's beautiful to one may not necessarily lend itself to another.
I prefer the feel of the Nokia Fabula design language to that employed by Microsoft (current 550 & 950 devices), and also to Apple's iPhone designs.
The 1020 feels very solid, and the reduced weight (compared to the previous flagship, the 920), is a very welcome addition. It makes the phone a lot more 'pocketable' and less intrusive when carried in the front left pocket of trousers or jeans.
I have never enjoyed the feel of the Samsung Galaxy A or S series in the hand, and I would always worry about having the iPhone 6 slip out of my hands - bad design and the wrong use of materials, in my opinion.
Software
At the time of writing, the optimal software for the Lumia 1020 remains Windows Phone 8.1. I have, however, installed Windows 10 Mobile on it, and am happy with it thus far. Sure, it has its fair share of bugs and niggles that accompany any operating system that is still in development. A better experience is expected when the operating system is optimised for the 1020, expected in Q1 2015.
Ease of use
In 2016, using a 4.5" smartphone puts one in the realm of the "antiquated"! But there is something to be said about the usability and efficiency that accompanies the use of the 1020. For my use case, which involves the following:
? Reading PDFs and eBooks
? Reading, composing and replying to emails
? Instant messaging (Whatsapp, WeChat etc)
? Texting via SMS
? Photography
? Watching a video
? Listening to music
All of the above perfectly suits the 1020, although some may argue that one really needs a 5.5" device in order to watch videos comfortably. Works out well for me, though.
Camera
Enough has been written about the camera on the 1020. I won't expand on it, except to say that the 1020 takes brilliant photos. Nothing beats it, except a real DSLR.
And don't get me started on the latest iPhone (6s+) camera comparisons - whilst the 6s+ has a decent camera, it still pales in comparison to the 1020. Same for the Sony Z5. The only other formidable / comparable camera phone is the LG G4.
Portability & Practicality
Due to the small-ish (by today's standards) size of the 1020, I much prefer it to the gargantuan phablets of today. The size works well for me, and screen resolution is good enough for what I use the device for. I usually also set the 1020 to GSM 2G mode, with Data switched on, in order to minimise battery drain. When I need to browse the Internet, I switch it manually to 3G. This helps with the battery life (see below).
Battery life
On Windows 10 Mobile (Build 10.0.10586.36), battery life isn't great - I'm looking at around 6 hours whilst on 3G mode, with medium to heavy usage. An external battery pack is necessary when I'm out and about, or if I'm travelling, I make use of the camera grip, with its 1000mAH capacity, to help keep the unit topped up. I don't usually switch Mobile Data on when travelling, so that helps with the battery life - plus the fact that I take a lot of pictures with the 1020 during travelling.
That's it - hope you enjoyed reading this.
A decision was made to purchase a second-hand Nokia Lumia 1020 after I came across it's availability recently. To my pleasant surprise, it was a unit which, although purchased in 2013, had never been used at all, as the owner decided that the Android operating system suited him better.
So, after lightening my wallet for a very reasonable price, I took possession of a mint condition (still in shrink wrap) yellow Lumia 1020 with a black camera grip accessory.
Previous (recent) Nokia device ownership
As a person who is somewhat technical, I usually put technology first, brand second. To date, I've owned the Meego-powered Nokia N9, as well as the Windows Phone-powered Nokia Lumia 920, the first Windows-powered PureView phone (those who are well-read will remember the Symbian-powered Nokia 808, which debuted with a 41 Megapixel sensor array camera back in 2012).
Enter late 2015, and here I am with a two-year-old Nokia Lumia 1020.
Rationale
Why would someone bother with acquiring a two year old smartphone (obsolete by today's standards - most folks upgrade their handsets every twelve months), and worse still, an almost obsolete operating system, due to be phased out by Windows 10 Mobile?
Simple - I wanted the absolute best photography experience on a camera phone. Having had the experience with Lumia Camera, the PureView technology and superior lens on the Lumia 920, I was eager to get my hands on the 1020. In Singapore (as with the rest of the world), the Lumia 1020 was very expensive during launch date in 2013 - then again, I'm amazed that the Apple iPhone series now costs significantly more than the 1020.
Package
The 1020 I obtained came with a black Nokia camera grip, which came in handy on a recent holiday trip overseas. A pair of yellow Nokia earphones and AC charger with USB rounded off the package. The box is typically minimalistic Nokia - efficient and well-designed.
I also managed to acquire an original wireless charging shell for the 1020, and that works superbly on my older Nokia wireless charger.
Design
The 1020 uses the Fabula design language, inherited from the Meego-powered Nokia N9, and carried on throughout various iterations from there. I have always liked the minimalistic design language, and really enjoy the use of polycarbonate employed in the 1020.
Overall a clean design, and one that stands out in a sea of white/grey metal phones that dominate the mobile phone landscape today.
Aesthetics
This is a particularly subjective area - what's beautiful to one may not necessarily lend itself to another.
I prefer the feel of the Nokia Fabula design language to that employed by Microsoft (current 550 & 950 devices), and also to Apple's iPhone designs.
The 1020 feels very solid, and the reduced weight (compared to the previous flagship, the 920), is a very welcome addition. It makes the phone a lot more 'pocketable' and less intrusive when carried in the front left pocket of trousers or jeans.
I have never enjoyed the feel of the Samsung Galaxy A or S series in the hand, and I would always worry about having the iPhone 6 slip out of my hands - bad design and the wrong use of materials, in my opinion.
Software
At the time of writing, the optimal software for the Lumia 1020 remains Windows Phone 8.1. I have, however, installed Windows 10 Mobile on it, and am happy with it thus far. Sure, it has its fair share of bugs and niggles that accompany any operating system that is still in development. A better experience is expected when the operating system is optimised for the 1020, expected in Q1 2015.
Ease of use
In 2016, using a 4.5" smartphone puts one in the realm of the "antiquated"! But there is something to be said about the usability and efficiency that accompanies the use of the 1020. For my use case, which involves the following:
? Reading PDFs and eBooks
? Reading, composing and replying to emails
? Instant messaging (Whatsapp, WeChat etc)
? Texting via SMS
? Photography
? Watching a video
? Listening to music
All of the above perfectly suits the 1020, although some may argue that one really needs a 5.5" device in order to watch videos comfortably. Works out well for me, though.
Camera
Enough has been written about the camera on the 1020. I won't expand on it, except to say that the 1020 takes brilliant photos. Nothing beats it, except a real DSLR.
And don't get me started on the latest iPhone (6s+) camera comparisons - whilst the 6s+ has a decent camera, it still pales in comparison to the 1020. Same for the Sony Z5. The only other formidable / comparable camera phone is the LG G4.
Portability & Practicality
Due to the small-ish (by today's standards) size of the 1020, I much prefer it to the gargantuan phablets of today. The size works well for me, and screen resolution is good enough for what I use the device for. I usually also set the 1020 to GSM 2G mode, with Data switched on, in order to minimise battery drain. When I need to browse the Internet, I switch it manually to 3G. This helps with the battery life (see below).
Battery life
On Windows 10 Mobile (Build 10.0.10586.36), battery life isn't great - I'm looking at around 6 hours whilst on 3G mode, with medium to heavy usage. An external battery pack is necessary when I'm out and about, or if I'm travelling, I make use of the camera grip, with its 1000mAH capacity, to help keep the unit topped up. I don't usually switch Mobile Data on when travelling, so that helps with the battery life - plus the fact that I take a lot of pictures with the 1020 during travelling.
That's it - hope you enjoyed reading this.
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