Nokia Lumia 735: Ignore the selfie hype, it's a grown-up phone Occasionally a phonemaker hits one out of the park, getting almost everything right, and bringing it together in one satisfying package. Motorola did that with the Moto G, and Microsoft's (formerly Nokia) phones division has done the same with its Lumia 730 and 735 models. Nokia Lumia 735 Windows Phone A glimpse of …
My wife has a Lumia 800 running 7.5 at the moment. I'm trying to convert her to Android based on the fact that I can plug it directly to a PC and extract the photos to a PC without having to use other software such as Zune or iTunes. Does anyone know if that is possible with these new generation of Windows phones?
I know that on Windows phone 8 on I could on my Linux desktop machine,which no hassle, and my Windows laptop. In fact, I quite liked the use of the phone in general (a Lumia 620) but the deal breaker for me was the Music app was terrible on the phone, and the Mail client rather limited for my multiple Imap accounts. Apart from that, the build quality was excellent, I quite liked the tiled home screen.
HTHs
Plug it in and if you're on Windows it appears. You can browse the files or use the imaging software to sync.
If you're on a Mac you need a separate tool, but then Apple doesn't support MTP and you need a separate tool for Android phones too.
I went from WinPho to Android (HTC One and HTC One M8) back to WinPho. The HTC One was great but they killed it with the M8 by having 16GB internal memory. Changes to Android screwed up SD card handling meaning the apps I most wanted to use no longer worked.
Windows Phone 8.1 has made it a dream to use again. Quiet hours and driving mode (auto-responds to calls and SMS messages when you're driving) are two great additions. It feels like everything you need is built in or can be added to the OS with an app (but the features actually get added to the OS, not needing to go into a standalone tool).
Yes, it is possible. Windows Phones running version 8.X are seen as storage drives when plugged into a PC. You can copy from/paste to/sort various folders including music and pictures/video.
Having used the operating system since they first released WP7, this was one of the improvements I appreciated most (even though I liked the Zune software).
I can do it on my HTC 8X running WP8.0 (no sign any updates sadly :( ). If I plug it into my Win7 laptop via USB it pops up under Windows Explorer, where I can access folders for documents, music, pictures, ringtones and videos. It's not as open access as Android is, although that may in part be down to how it's set up (it's my corporate workphone).
There is a Windows program that you can download and install for the PC, but it's utterly useless and doesn't give much additional functionality than going directly in via explorer, other than a bit of hand-holding.
I was pretty sure you don't need to install the equivalent of those things (now called Windows Phone app) if you just want to access it as a drive. It does install something on Windows, but automates the driver installation just like any printer or portable drive, so I don't think you need to be concerned assuming you run Windows. The clumsy software you used with WP7.x is not used for WP8.x.
I have a 1020 on WP8.1 (was 8.0) and I would recommend the ecosystem. I previously had a Lumia 610 - the cheapest end of the 7.x range compared to the most expensive end of the 8.1 range I have now, and was impressed. All the reviews say the bottom/mid-range WP8.x phones are even better.
Yes, you can plug in a USB cable and copy photos and videos straight off the file system just like you can with Android.
You can also set OneDrive to automatically upload them through wireless when you're connected and sync your computer with that... I used to do similar with Dropbox in Android. That way, all your new photos and videos get on to your PC without you thinking about it.
As a long time Android user, I didn't find any real problem doing anything I wanted to do on Windows Phone 8.1 with the latest update now that VPN is supported. It also has the Swipe type keyboard which I got so used to on Android and really could not do without now.
Yup. You just connect with a cable and the phone apears as a new device. If your phone has internal and external storage it appears as two seperate folder and within that there are the standard folders:
Documents
Downloads
Music
Pictures
Videos
(Ringtones on the internal drive)
and any other folders that you create
On Windows you just drag and drop your files into the folder of your choice. I think there is a way to sync photos and music but I've never bothered dragging and dropping is the sync method of choice for me.
If you don't want to download video, or use your phone as an MP3 player, it's fine. I reckon that's actually a fair proportion of the market.
Of course 8Gb won't give you space for many apps either but again, loads of people want a smartphone for the purposes of text/phone, email and web-browsing. And I _think_ you could still fit on the entire UK maps for use with the GPS features.
Certainly not for everyone's uses, but didn't the article say it has removable storage as well as removable battery (can't be bothered to check now)?
Windowsphone 8.1 supports installing apps to the removable storage (though not all apps may offer the choice and certain functions seem to be part of the OS rather than a distinct app). I think also the only way to move an app between the two is to uninstall/reinstall which might be awkward if the settings aren't kept, but I haven't investigated. Certainly it's meant my phone (a 625 with 8Gb internal, and a 8Gb SD card) run without running out of internal storage and needing a reset. Better temporary file handling may also have played a part.
Maps for Nokia Drive is 530 Mb for the whole of the UK, but if you only wanted say Wales that is 110 Mb or so.
There's slot for SD card. So one can insert as much additional storage as they like. At additional cost, yes. But that certainly better than having several SKU differing only in amount of storage and at ridiculous prices.
And then there's Lumia 925 at a price ~30$ lower with 16 GB and no SD card slot. Which makes buying decisions more complicated.
The 925 has a very good camera indeed though so it is worth having at only 16GB if you don't need a large local store for your music.
After owning one for year or so, my friend has had to delete videos (the real killer) to free up space for more photos etc. The videos remain on OneDrive (until that fills up, 15GB I think is the free one now).
I have a 1020 which has 32GB, and hires pics gobble up insane amounts of storage so I sometimes delete the hires version of photos that are not going to need cropping etc. The hires version can stay on OneDrive or elsewhere just in case anyway.
With the 800 and my 1020 both are seen by Linux, both allow transfer of data onto the device, but the data isn't seen by the phone. The only way to get data from my laptop to my Lumia(s) so they can see it is by using Feem, a WP type of Airdroid app. Slow and useless for very large files.
"With the 800 and my 1020 both are seen by Linux, both allow transfer of data onto the device, but the data isn't seen by the phone."
That's my experience of Linux too - bugs and issues all the time. Just install Windows 7 or 8 and be done with it. If you really need Linux for something then just launch it under Virtual Box.
It does look like a nice phone, particularly the camera however the lumia 925 which is arguably the better phone and camera (but no expansion) is cheaper. This may change in the future, however this is still the problem that the 720 had - a good phone in the wrong price bracket.
Have you got it setup right? I have alerts come in when I get something from Twitter support, (only want to see them as they never answer my tweets about taking over a dormant account) Settings > Select your account and it should be there. At least it is on my 625 running 8.1.
Back on topic, it seems quite a nice phone, storage is useless, but at least it can be expanded, heres hoping wireless charging starts to become a standard feature, then if we can loose the 3.5mm headphone jack and move to bluetooth speakers, make the back cover user sealable so the battery/sim/SD card can still be swapped and we'll start having some portless waterproof phones. (Yes I know the Xperia models exist, but even they have port covers)
>(Yes I know the Xperia models exist, but even they have port covers)
The Sony headphone sockets are now waterproofed without the need for port covers.
The Xperias can be charged up without opening the microUSB port cover by means of two contact pins on the phone - a 3rd party magnetic cable is £8, and the official Sony dock is around £20.
Is anyone actually able to tell the difference between them in the street? AFAICT there's the cheap design, the not cheap design, and the one with the camera transplanted from the 808.
That N9 really paid for itself, they haven't designed anything since then.
When comparing mobile phones, you have to bear in mind the operating system.
I use Windows Phone right now. The number of times my smartphone has crashed, in a variety of situations, often seemingly completely arbitrary, is depressing - especially since I went out and bought no less than 3 of the bastards for myself and members of my family, this year, in a bid to seek something new and potentially better. There are issues with getting real-time data, including battery data, push e-mail, recognising networks, and obvious bits of functionality left out. This is still a half-baked platform, not a serious option for someone who needs a functional and reliable mobile device. I used Android before, and iPhone before that, and although each had issues, they were less frustrating than this.
I have had four different WP phones since WP7 came out and I do not remotely recognise the problems you are experiencing. My current is a Lumia 1020 and it has performed without problems the whole time so far. If you are getting regular crashing I am forced to ask you what the hell you doing with that phone. I also have to ask why you bought several WP phones for your family without trialling one for yourself first before laying out so much money - if your experience has indeed been so terrible it would have been a good idea to evaluate the system properly first. hmmm....? I hope you will forgive me but I get a certain whiff of ordure from your "contribution".
I should not have posted such a comment. I see that there is a code that must be followed with this subject matter. I failed to follow it, being new to this game. You showed me. I stand corrected. I must not criticise, and I shall not. It is a wonderful piece of kit. I just didn't know how to use it. That is all. I recognise that the things I described are an impossibility. I should have known better. There are people who, together with their wives, have been using this type of mobile phone for several generations without issues. How could I then, who have only been using one for 6 months, purport to claim that it was not good?
RE: "I should not have posted such a comment.
Dude, people were just posting that they had not had experienced the same issues. One even went as far as to show sympathy that it had happened.
No need to get all sanctimonious about it - unless, of course, you were looking for an excuse to criticise, rather than make a genuine observation (being "new to this game", you may not realise that FUD-spreaders for other systems post comments quite similar to yours to achieve their objectives).
I have several devices of various OS configs - all of them get varying degrees of use, as I develop cross-platform and tend to use whatever phone I'm testing on at the time. My Lumia 820 has been ok to date - but then hasn't seen really heavy use. Contrarywise, I've lost track of how many times I've had to factory reset my HTC HD7, following a crash. I've also utterly bricked an old Galaxy Tab (not surprised, given its age), but my Galaxy S has never had problems. As for iOS - can't comment, not had enough hands on time yet...
I'm surprised by Andrew O's crashing story. Not that this reveiw phone crashed, but that he's never had a crash on anything else.
My iPhone 5 has crashed quite a few times. Enough that I now turn it off in long meetings, rather than put it on silent, so I know it's getting a regular reboot. And I've had a lot less crashing since then. It does have a few apps on, but not that many, as it's my work phone. All games are on my iPad 3.
Speaking of which I've had quite a few crashes on that too. But it gets a hammering with games and using iPlayer radio via my stereo, while I'm looking at websites, or using apps. In both cases the main problem seems to be the system not responding to the touchscreen (often the home button still works), and a reboot fixes it. I think it was only on the iPad 1 that I had a full crash, where even holding down the power button couldn't force a reboot - and I had to look online how to do a full reset which I think was home+power+volume up.
My experience of Android is probably now too out of date. My HTC Wildfire (Android 2.2.x used to crash a bit more than the iOS devices. The only solution to a couple was to remove the battery, which fortunately was possible. Including crashing a couple of times on an incoming call - and the screen just went white. But that was years ago, so I assume 'Droids have improved since, especially the ability to reset, as there's so many sealed batteries nowadays.
I don't remember my old Lumia 720 (WinPho 7.5) ever crashing. But I'd be surprised if it didn't at least once.
I have to agree. I have a Lumia 930, the third Windows phone I have bought and have never had a single one of them crash. In fact it's because I'm so impressed with the operating system that I have stuck with Windows Phone for the past two years, and Windows 8.1 is the best I have ever used. I have to say I have used iOS and Android and I don't love or hate anything, I just use what I find to be the best for me and if people prefer Apple or Google phones that's fine. But if your phones are crashing that often you have another problem somewhere. My suggestion would be that it is related to some of the apps you are using. It's not the OS, it's the most stable I have ever seen and I am a heavy business user.
Sorry to hear of your bad experience. I'm on my fifth winphone, my wife is on her fourth. I'm an early-adopter bleeding edge type, she's a 'more than ten seconds needed to understand then I'm not interested...' type. Everything works fine for both of us. I keep a Nexus 7 for the apps that haven't yet made it to wp and try not to let apple products touch my bare skin...
I sympathize to a degree. I have a Nokia 1020. Runs rings around the iPhone and most Droids, but since the 8.1 update, there have been a number of crashes (apparently a known problem on the 920 and 1020, but with a lack of response from ex-Nokia or Microsoft). Mine is the 64GB version that O2 had for a while as an exclusive - and boy, those 40 megapixel hi-res photos like storage like a fat boy likes cake!
I otherwise like the WinMo ecosystem - I prefer it to the somewhat haphazard nature of Droid (and I do have a Droid tablet that I like, and I put my daughter on a Samsung S4 Mini as it was a good fit at the time), and the stupid pricing of Apple devices and increasingly unreliable iOS. However, if the Denim update doesn't improve matters, my opinion might be swayed.
Each windows phone release comes with this fanfare and hype, then it arrives inder acloud of disappointment whrn it turns out to be as buggy as last years phone, still nkt capable of streaming yo a Bluetooth speaker wothout stuttering, and the crushing realisation the camera is nowhere as good as claimed, and they faked the footage again.
I was just stood at the airport baggage claim watching some poor sod battle with his lumia, i lsughed out loud when it rebooted infront of him.
@AC: valid points. I haven't encountered similar issues with my Lumia 1020, but maybe you have. In my case, bluetooth calls have always gone smoothly, bluetooth streaming has gone smoothly, and I've never seen a better camera on a smartphone. YMMV.
However, having read your post, I do have to say that at least WP8(.1) offers a reasonable spell checker.
Mine streams to a Logitech bluetooth speaker and my car without issue. The camera (as with any camera) is only as good as the photographer - I'm not David Bailey, but the results are way better than my efforts with an iPhone 5. I have yet to see a smartphone that hasn't suffered bizarre behaviour, regardless of OS - having seen a friend lose his rag with a Motorola and demonstrate that they don't bend very well (the hard way) proved to me that no phone OS is infallible.
"I've never seen or used a windoze phone but I know they are rubbish and won't be buying one. Thanks."
"I have never used it, I know nothing about it but I still know its rubbish". Pardon? Are you in fact capable of walking straight and chewing gum at the same time?
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"Enterprise buyers who've settled on Windows Phone, and who are looking for a good, low cost, and reasonably future-proofed fleet phone should take this very seriously."
Er, no, actually. I've just finished a back to back test of WP8.1 against Android and found serious deficiencies in the Microsoft offering.
For example:
1. Lack of SMS archive facility rendering business texts unretrievable for data retention / evidential purposes.
2. Lack of call recording capability, again rendering Windows Phone useless for audit and data retention.
3. Lack of MS Exchange search capability. Frankly, inexcusable for a Microsoft phone.
All of the above examples are functions provided by Android and, years ago, were available on Windows Mobile. I warned Microsoft in writing four years ago that if it didn't bolster its mobile presence for the enterprise space, it would open up its server and desktop footprint to attack. It's proven to have been a very costly error.
I have also been told by somebody who uses a windows 8 phone that a third party app is available for call recording.
SMS messages can be archived and searched as discussed, but surely K4CUK is using a better system than a phone calendar to keep track of appointments with a specific client?
Unimpressed by the dig at somebody using a pseudonym, people may have good reason for not wishing to use their own names. Security, perhaps?
Can you believe it, the great David Gale (?) warned Microsoft in writing 4 years and they chose to ignore this prophet.
1. You can sync SMS so the messages are included in your exchange mailbox, thus giving you a convenient SMS archive. People hate this turned on however.
2. Available as a 3rd party application only as yet.
3. Of course you can search your Exchange Mailbox, not sure how you missed this.
I really hope you don't test things for a living!
Fortunately, Mr Bungle, I don't feel the necessity to hide behind a pseudonym.
1. We require entire SMS threads intact for evidential purposes. Compare Android's 'SMS to Text' app.
2. Not so, call recording doesn't work on 8.1. The microphone is muted to all third party apps.
3. I'll take a wild guess that you don't read for a living, since nowhere in my post does it mention 'mailbox'.
Last time I looked, Open ID was used by over a billion devices, so I maybe have a degree more credibility than someone who names himself after a children's TV character or a defunct Californian band?
Article: "This is the first Windows Phone to crash on me, reading a page on the Times website. I've clocked up thousands of hours with Windows Phones, and never experienced a crash before;"
Then you have been lucky. My Lumia 710 does crash occasionally. Granted, it usually is many months between crashes, so I'm not really complaining (my old Symbians crashed far more often). But I have decided never to buy a phone that cannot be hard-reset by removing the battery. Software is just too hard for mere mortals to get right...
Far more than any other WinPho I've had (800, 620 and 925 all of which essentially didn't). That said I am always running the very latest dev preview release so to be expected.
Run the stock releases and is as stable as a meditating Buddhist monk and I am still always surprised that out of iOS, Android and WP it is WP that runs brilliantly on everything from the real budget end of the market to the top.
Tempted by a 735 as a backup phone.
Nokia 630 free Global downloadable maps. Turn by turn navigation, turn off all the mobile data I don't use because I'm to tight to pay for a data plan. Turn of the WiFi until needed and the battery lasts a week for me. 100 quid sim fee. What's not to like. Can't.buy a garmin ( they use Nokia maps) for that amount of money and garmin want to charge for updates plus they don't give you a free phone either.
Older users may also regret the inability to use the phone in the old two column view – it uses three column view by default (meaning smaller tile text) and it isn't possible to reset it to a two column view, an accessibility snafu.
Either the 735 has a special version of WP8.1, or this is wrong. I can certainly switch back and forth between two or three columns on my 1020.
Settings > start+theme
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