Chic Dad, Technology

Nokia Lumia 900: Can it Replace Chic Dad’s iPhone?

1 Comment 23 April 2012

If you haven’t been following along, you could be forgiven for not knowing that I am a little too obsessed with new technology. It’s not healthy for me or my wallet. The Chic Shopper Chick would also appreciate if I put down my iPhone a little more often. But could her wish come true with the Nokia Lumia 900? I’m an iPhone apologist to the end, but after seeing the Lumia 900, it’s possible to envision holding something other than my precious iOS device. I haven’t bought it quite yet; but I have to say after playing with it at the Microsoft Store it definitely goes on the Chic Dad’s tech wish list.

Here’s why I’m impressed. Time and time again, Android handsets and Windows handsets have said that they finally were ready to challenge Apple, and time and time again they were wrong. But it just might be starting to come true. Android finally put real a challenger in the market with the Samsung Galaxy, and now Windows has a horse in this race. And it is in the form of the good-looking Lumia.

Nokia Lumia 900 Blue

Nokia Lumia 900 / Photo Credit gdgt.

What? The Nokia Lumia 900 / $49.99 or $99 Amazon or AT&T w/2-yr contract / Nokia & Microsoft Windows

What’s Chic? The Windows Mango operating system, big 4.3” display, 8 MB camera, and a sleek low-profile form factor.

What’s Weak? The Windows Phones can’t come close when it comes to the number of apps available.

Look, the Chic Dad is not the Uber-Geek Dad, so I can’t run around spouting of specs and processing speed, lumens and pixel counts. If you want those, read two great reviews on the Lumia here: Lumia 900 review by Engadget, Lumia 900 review by CNet. But here’s what I can tell you: when I picked up the phone to play with it in the Microsoft Store it felt like the real deal. The screen was clear and bright. The bigger screen size was compensated for by a thinner body that kept the phone feeling manageable, like something I wouldn’t mind carrying around all day. But the best part? The user interface.

The new Lumia is running the new Windows Phone Mango OS. Mango is the latest version of Metro, a complete re-imagination of the Windows environment, with an eye towards usability on phones and tablets. And let me tell you, it impresses. It might even be easier than the user interface on my beloved iPhone. I know, it’s blasphemy, but it might be true.

I’m not the only one who thinks that Nokia and Windows might finally be on to something. The gadget and tech blogs that routinely pan Windows phones (and usually rightfully so) all agree that this is the strongest Windows phone to date. gdgt readers score it a 90/100 (for comparison the Apple iPhone 4s scores 94/100 and the Galaxy S II scores a 89/100) and CNet rates it as an excellent phone with four out of five stars. Time and again they recommend it as the best Windows phone to date. They all have their caveats of course, mainly around the screen resolution which is lower than most of its competitors and the lack of apps in for the Windows Phone software. The Verge was only site that I checked that has major reservations with the phone, which gives it points for its style, but says that the phone underwhelms once you really get into it.

Here’s the review from The Verge:

And CNet’s summary of the Nokia Lumia 900 captures most of the sentiment about the phone nicely:

The good: The Nokia Lumia 900’s eye-popping unibody design sets a new direction for smartphone style. Its LTE speeds, vivid 4.3-inch screen, and 8-megapixel camera are high points.

The bad: Problems with call quality and minor design flaws like some gaps in the construction and weirdly placed buttons get in the way. The designer camera optics are good, but they don’t live up to the hype. The phone shoots 720p video rather than 1080p video.

The bottom line: The Nokia Lumia 900’s unique design and high-end features make Windows Phone look fantastic, and the $99 price is extremely fair. Despite some flaws, this is my favorite Windows Phone yet.

Does Chic Dad Recommend?

So while I can’t recommend it yet (I only played with it for a few minutes), I can say that it’s worth checking out, especially if you’re in the market for a new phone that doesn’t have an “i” in front of it. Remember, I’m not a specs junkie and definitely not an expert in choosing a cell phone; but the Chic Dad definitely liked what he saw when he picked up the Nokia Lumia 900.

Will it replace my precious iPhone? My iPhone 4 is probably safe for now; but the folks at Apple shouldn’t rest easy. With the new Nokia Lumia 900 and Samsung Android phones making advances in technology and design, the other options get more appealing every day. One of these days that new gadget itch is just going to be scratched. I wonder what phone will have the honor of knocking off the reigning champ? My money’s on iPhone 5, but it could be the Galaxy III or some other contender. We’ll just have to wait and see.

But what about you? Have you tried the Nokia Lumia 900? What did you think?

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

  1. HTC One X Makes Me Reconsider an Android Phone - April 28, 2012

    […] they came out – and I’m starting to get the itch to try something new. I looked at the Nokia Lumia 900 and thought it was impressive, and now the HTC One X running Android 4.0 has caught my eye. The HTC […]

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