A holistic look at the Lumia 920 and its apps and services

Nokia have firmly established themselves every bit a major player in the Windows Phone market. Their devices have been consistently regarded well and their marketing efforts have seen them establish 'Lumia' as a powerful and recognisable brand in its own correct.

With the appearance of Windows Phone eight we saw Nokia strive to produce the definitive 'hero' device of this generation. The Lumia 920 packs some serious specs and for some it's seen to be the best device of this current crop of phones. It isn't all near the speeds and feeds, it'south almost a cohesive parcel consisting of exclusive apps, hardware and of course Windows Phone eight.

We've previously reviewed the Lumia 920, which is well worth checking out for the in-depth analysis, but information technology is from this perspective I'm going to expect at how successful it really is.

Hardware

I have been using the 920 for well-nigh ii weeks now, handed to me in temporary packaging and lacking some of the Nokia exclusive apps information technology was a strange first feel. My kickoff impressions were free of the slick packaging and polished Nokia apps, this turned out to be a nifty insight, leaving me staring at the core themes within the device. This was merely the Lumia 920 and Windows 8 in its raw form, almost unfinished.

The hardware of the Lumia 920 is undoubtedly wonderful. I was given the glossy white version of the handset and must say I take become rather fond of it. I actually had my doubts near owning such a large device, being involved with the comparing guide to the Windows eight devices I kept staring at that weight with real concern. My fears evaporated the first time I held i in my hand, information technology feels fine, it has a 'heft' for sure but it doesn't feel that much different to my Lumia 800. I actually prefer its actress presence simply that's not to say I wouldn't like the same device in a one-half-its-weight variant either. Unless you take very modest easily and so yous needn't worry about the weight or the size of this handset.

The screen is gorgeous to look at and I far prefer it to the brandish of the Lumia 800, I find I'm simply able to view information technology for longer periods. The 920 is very responsive to touch and keeps up very nicely indeed with gestures and scrolling through those new like tiles. The Camera is superb and although there have been some complaints nigh daytime photography I haven't plant it to be a trouble. The night photos are but stunning and indoor shots in low light without a flash will be an instant hitting for many, especially those who like taking photos in clubs and pubs!

Listen upward!

One expanse that needs some focus is that of audio quality, I happen to use my telephone every bit a music thespian. For some, music on a smartphone isn't of import, it is for me equally I don't want to take to carry around multiple devices on a casual basis. In a bid to improve sound quality on the Lumia 920, Nokia have something called Dolby headphone which uses DSP effects to 'heighten the audio' output.

"The Lumia 920 produces audio that is good and in many cases very similar to that of the Zune HD..."

I volition exist blunt here, I practice not like EQ's and I certainly don't like effects beingness applied to the output of my music, I want to hear information technology like the musician made it. The just controls I similar to utilise on my music are volume up and volume down, if I feel the need to change (or colour) the music then I have only bought the wrong device. If you are someone that does similar EQ and subtle effects on the music so the Lumia 920 will delight, it allows enough tweaking to get the sound only right without going over the top.

I have been testing the 920 against the Zune HD, straight output from my home stereo and on a variety of headphones, from in-ear units to some dang-big cans. The Lumia 920 produces sound that is expert and in many cases very similar to that of the Zune Hard disk drive, that'southward a good affair in my book. Without the Dolby effects switched on it holds its ain. There have been times though when I have heard digital noises in quiet moments during in the music which is less than ideal. I all the same feel that the sound doesn't feel punchy and dynamic enough at times but your millage may vary.  If you like your volume good and loud then the Lumia shouldn't disappoint, the output levels are actually very high, mind your ears..

Overall the Lumia 920 does a good job of music playback that should satisfy the EQ fiddler and the folks who don't like to colour their sound equally. On a platform level Windows Telephone needs to add support for higher quality sound files, seriously, we don't all like to heed to compressed music. I think more could have been done to elevate the audio output of the Lumia 920 without the DSP effects. Still the 920 does a adept job and it is skilful to see some accent beingness put on improving sound quality in general so marks become to Nokia for that.

Find out where you are and where you're going!

Equally I mentioned in my intro this telephone was handed to me without all the bells and whistles that I'1000 usually accustomed to with Nokia phones. Information technology'south only when something is gone that you truly realise how much you value information technology.

When Nokia first entered into the Windows Telephone space they brought with them a collection of apps and services that they engineered with their previous smartphone platforms. The biggest and nigh of import of these platforms is centred on location. To the consumer that but means mapping and navigation apps. These have become so important that Windows Phone 8 has a Nokia fabricated location engine built right in. The operating system is at present responsible for downloading and updating offline maps for us with all location based apps. The 920 with its huge loftier resolution brandish is the ideal hardware to feel the changes that come with Windows viii and Nokia's location apps.

Nokia Maps

On Windows Telephone seven.x devices we used the very capable Microsoft-adult Maps application, able to provide directions, key points of interest through Local Scout and offer up some different views too. Performance of that app is really outstanding, being extremely fast and smoothen to apply, scrolling and zooming are impressive indeed, well-nigh a selling indicate.

"...the update quality of the maps is not as smooth or glitch free every bit maps on Windows Telephone seven, which admittedly is incredibly smooth."

Nokia Maps replaces that app on the Lumia devices and offers some important new features such as the power to use maps offline and synchronise your favourite places with your Nokia Account. They have also done a better job with how discoverable the valuable 'Venue Maps' characteristic is. Yous're able to easily see which venues accept a detailed flooring plan and drill into various levels for more information. Information technology'due south pretty slick and I have written about it in item earlier so please go and check that out.

There are however more features and updates coming merely correct now Nokia Maps on the Lumia 920 has a few bug I need to bespeak out. Firstly the update quality of the maps is not as shine or glitch free as maps on Windows Phone vii, which admittedly is incredibly smooth. Pressing on the 'locate me' push button in Nokia Maps does not always zoom in to where you are situated in a consistent way, often just centring the map rather than zooming in. In turn that means yous'll need to pinch or tap to zoom in and that can be a little abrasive when busy trying to get on with actually navigating.

The first matter I noticed when using the maps was that the satellite imagery for Nokia Maps is not equally high resolution and looks to be older than the Windows Phone 7 app information technology replaces.  A good case of this is the images of the Olympic Stadium here in London, on Windows Phone vii they wait crisp and detailed whereas on Windows Phone 8 the site is in less advanced stages of construction and the quality merely isn't the aforementioned. As far every bit the user interface is concerned with this key app there are also some niggles here and in that location, unlike Windows Phone 7, Nokia Maps doesn't accept a style to 'clear' the map of directions or places of involvement, you need to press the dorsum button. This feels extremely counter-intuitive and I'd like to see the addition of a articulate choice brand its way back in a future update.

There is plenty to like and even beloved virtually the new Maps application; maps look stunning on the Lumia 920's iv.5" display and its far better to await at when out and nigh. I also found the tracking on the new Nokia to be spot on, oft being quicker at finding my present location than my Lumia 800.

When information technology comes to directions the app can serve upward choices for pedestrian, public transport and car all in one identify. The user interface around this crucial part of the app is done well and directions are given in articulate and visually easy ways to interpret. Yous even accept options to share your route plans, venue details and even pin your road to the start screen too should you demand to. Best of all is that y'all can do all this offline, no need to use your precious data. Desire to plan your route while you're still stuck on an underground train now Nokia Maps has you covered, programme information technology, pin information technology and hit the ground running at the other end.

Even at this very early on phase Nokia Maps offers some key improvements over maps on Windows Phone 7. To put this over the top it still needs those promised turn-by-turn pedestrian vocalism prompts and some user interface and performance tweaks. Nosotros need to add that the app itself takes between 4-6secs to start-up opposed to the well-nigh instant opening of maps on Windows Phone seven, this is quite a concern. Nosotros'd look these gaps to be filled speedily seeing equally the Lumia 920 should be showcasing the best of Nokia's location platform features.

*This holder is less than idea for the 920 - my search continues..*

Nokia Drive+

I only recently passed my driving test later on years of fugitive the task and Nokia Drive on Windows Phone vii was really helpful at getting me acquainted to some key routes in and effectually London. I used Nokia maps totally offline while I was in the South of French republic and it performed like a gnaw. I have come to rely on this product in a mode that I didn't expect and of all Nokia's apps this one is of key importance to my daily life.

Nokia Drive+ offers a key improvement over Windows Phone 7's version of Bulldoze; you can at present tailor your journeying by calculation or removing certain conditions. You now have options to avert toll roads, motorways and other key situations. The clarity of the maps and update speed has also benefited from the underlying platform improvements and actively add to the experience when in apply. But really the question is how does information technology perform with the important task of getting around?

In my testing the app performs for the nigh part as well as its Windows Phone 7 brethren merely perchance due to the early nature of the software in that location were noticeable differences. Nokia Drive+ seemed much more sluggish at recalculating routes and also exhibited a tendency to attempt looping me effectually to the same route even though I stolidly ignored its advice after many miss-turnings.

The app also introduces another options for navigation voices prompts, it'due south now possible to have the street proper name announced instead of the usual left and correct style prompts. In testing the appear street names is not as loud or clear as that of the recorded vox simply it certainly did the job well enough. I happen to prefer to get the left and correct for clarity and don't intendance much what a street is called. Either way you now have a choice and pick is practiced..

With the release of Windows Phone eight and Nokia Drive+ I had loftier expectations for this key app but it is still lacking the long promised "my commute" feature and as well doesn't sync with my cloud favourites from Nokia Maps. The Lumia 920 has a huge screen and I'd like to run into a detailed list view of the upcoming direction incorporated into the main navigation display. More options for seeing and tailoring the road would also exist a cracking help. How virtually some voice commands that use Windows Phone 8's better speech API? I'd ask 'Where' these features are and say they should be 'Here' now… Even with my minor quibbles and wants for time to come features, Drive remains an incredibly capable navigation app that no Windows Phone owner should miss out on. I merely hope much more is in store when information technology comes out of beta.

Nokia Send

You tin go some transit directions from Nokia Maps but they don't quite cover all the bases. Nokia Transport fills in the gaps by giving you routes on busses and the metro while presenting them in an easy to use flow chart. If you exit in 3mins it could be ane journey option or if you leave in 10mins then that might mean a better combination of bus and train.

It relies on alive public transit information so it will factor in when busses arrive and even go out out metro journeying routes if there are problems on the line. If y'all're interested to detect out more, I have previously written more on this update. I would like to at least have the app be capable of doing some offline routing of busses and metro systems in the issue of loss of point merely on the whole it does a fine job of helping out in those urban situations.

The Consummate Package

Everything must fit together for this device to work and then it's at this signal I must motion onto how this all works together holistically. Windows Telephone 8 provides the base for all the magic to happen and it runs similar a charm on the new hardware. Even now I discover myself surprised by only how quickly and effortlessly the new Os moves on the Lumia 920.

Over the many months in the run up to the launch we got to hear near all the new features of Windows 8 before information technology arrived. Many had even expressed business that Microsoft needed to reveal ane last headline characteristic at its launch, feeling that at that place only wasn't plenty 'new' in the OS reboot. I take formed an opinion over the last 2 weeks that the best feature of Windows Telephone 8 is that it works then well and feels then stable, information technology'due south remarkable.

Being a complete platform upgrade I was expecting some issues, even small ones, at that place are simply none to worry about. The situation with apps is that almost, if not all of them will work, the more than exotic apps from Windows Telephone 7 are on their way but right at present much of the existing catalogue just installs and runs like before. In that location is room for plenty of improvements to Windows Telephone, sure, just we now have truthful over the air updating capability, they volition come. I will leave my thoughts on that to some other time.

In providing their location platform for inclusion into Windows Phone 8, Nokia accept transformed the OS into a mapping powerhouse. The inclusion of offline maps is probable going to transform apps in ways we accept yet to see. The Lumia 920 showcases perfectly how well Nokia can marry their ain unique offerings like Drive and Maps into a package that is hard to resist. If the hardware isn't enough to convince you lot this is worthy of a close await and so the included array of software extras should make the decision for you.

And so stiff at present is the pull of their package of apps such as Nokia Drive, Nokia Maps, Nokia Transport, Nokia Music and the early exclusives that many simply cannot consider another handset manufacturer.

The force of this set up of apps and services and hardware is mayhap the reason why I call back the Lumia 920 volition likely exist the winner in this outset salvo of Windows Phone 8 devices. How well they continue to innovate on height of the platform remains to be seen but from their rails record so far those who buy into Nokia get arguably the all-time overall deal.

***UPDATE** For those that have asked this holder is not something I tin reccomend, it doesnt work with the 920 too well due to the pad placements. If I find one that does I will be sure to write it up quickly.

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Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/holistic-look-lumia-920-s-apps-and-services

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