back to article Nokia Lumia 1020: It's an imaging BEAST... and it makes calls too

Nokia's marketing department is comparing its new imaging champ, the Lumia 1020 smartphone, to digital SLR cameras. That's just silly. But what the Lumia 1020 can lay claim to is that it takes the best photos of any current modern smartphone – by a clear head and shoulders. And Nokia has packaged it into a modern phone, rather …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Devil

    Engineering

    So, the Lumia 1020 its a nice phone because 95% of its appeal came from Nokia superb engineering and not all that much from the remaining 5% from the OS?:-)

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Engineering

      Can we please deal with the fact that Nokia runs Windows Phone and get over it. Every single review of a Nokia phone there are the same "the hardware looks great, but I'm never using Windows, I wish it had Android" comments. It's just so much noise, if you don't like it please put a sock in it, personally I'm interested in how the market develops and without competition, it's not going to develop.

      1. Flocke Kroes Silver badge

        Dual boot phone?

        Imagine if phones came with one of the free operating systems installed, with the option to buy, download and install one or more of the others. That would be real competition.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Dual boot phone?

          "Imagine if phones came with one of the free operating systems installed, with the option to buy, download and install one or more of the others. That would be real competition."

          That's never even happened for PCs so I'm not holding my breath.

        2. Downside
          FAIL

          Re: Dual boot phone?

          I guess you have no idea of the real effort in porting an OS to a hardware platform, nor the effort in testing that it works, flawlessly, with all apps.

          "free" OS. Yes, "free" as in right up to the point of writing the GFX driver for your video, supoort for your choice of bluetooth and WiFi, LCD backlight, panel, the touch controller (ad infinitum).

          "Free" software ho ho ho

        3. Charles Calthrop

          Re: Dual boot phone?

          really?

          some sort of grub screen at start up?

          How many people use that on their desktop PCs? Would people really want to see that on their phone?

          I accept that some people would find dual boot useful but I bet most people would not.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        WTF?

        Re: Engineering

        I was teasing about the fact that Andrew being so supportive about Windows Phone OS, spent almost the whole review talking about the hardware, which I've stated already many times that its what differentiate Lumias from the "horde" of Windows Phone offers. So, after saying that...

        "the hardware looks great, but I'm never using Windows, I wish it had Android"

        Where I implied that ma'boy?

        "if you don't like it please put a sock in it"

        If you jump the gun so fast, I think its you who are in need of a sock...

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Engineering

          ""the hardware looks great, but I'm never using Windows, I wish it had Android"

          Where I implied that ma'boy?"

          In a substantial proportion of your previous comments.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Stop

            Re: Engineering

            ""the hardware looks great, but I'm never using Windows, I wish it had Android"

            Where I implied that ma'boy?"

            In a substantial proportion of your previous comments."

            Care to point them? I'm really curious because if I wanted a different OS on the Lumias it would be MeGoo, or maybe you think that's same as Android...

      3. Anonymous Coward
        Stop

        Re: Engineering

        "Can we please deal with the fact that Nokia runs Windows Phone and get over it"

        I couldn't sleep well since Elop tied Nokia to Microsoft...sigh...

      4. Mark .

        Re: Engineering

        Agree. And it's also worth noting the thing you never hear on an iphone review: "I wish I could get one with Android".

      5. Chris Parsons

        Re: Engineering

        Too true. I've got a 920, nice phone, it just works, you can make phone calls, send texts, browse the web, do your email and take great photos. I expect you can do other stuff, but that really is all I want.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Engineering

      And the reason your pc works is because of the billion or so transistors in it. Not much good without those is it

      So your point is?

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Stop

        Re: Engineering

        I can always use an abacus...

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Yawn Re: Engineering

      Boring, predictable comment

    4. Robert Grant

      Re: Engineering

      Do you mean because iOS has now caught up with some of the better features, and looks more like WP? Still makes WP a decent choice, unless you have iOS 7 or a lot of money you don't like having.

    5. John P

      In fairness, isn't that the case for most phones these days?

      I don't think any of the OSes have added features in recent years that make me want to rush out and buy a phone just for the shiny new OS, it's all about the hardware.

      I'm possibly biased considering 80% of my phone use is the camera, the remainder being texting and Candy Crush, so this suits my uses perfectly.

      1. King Rollo

        WARNING. Candy Crush is NOT AVAILABLE on Win Phone.

    6. Oddlegs

      Re: Engineering

      Isn't that exactly how it should be? A decent OS shouldn't get in the way but should merely facilitate the hardware and software.

      If you're not noticing the OS on any system then it's doing its job perfectly.

    7. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Engineering

      The OS is nice, fast and secure with no Malware - and is more efficient than all the Android stuff on the market - it also has a more modern UI.

      It might only be 5% of the advantage on a device like this, but it's still an advantage...

    8. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Engineering

      Don't understand the downvotes, it's a one sentence summary of the review, and seems quite accurate.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Devil

        Re: Engineering

        Worse than the fanboys are the winboys, and oh boy, they think they are better than Eadon....

    9. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Engineering

      Clever technology but ultimately far more than 99.5% of people would really need or use. If you want to take the best pics you would carry a SLR - if you want a great camera on a smartphone the one of the iPhone 5/5C/5S is already superb. The issue is also the OS - I suspect for most they would not change from iOS to Windows for the camera.

  2. Dr Stephen Jones
    Coffee/keyboard

    "Ann Frank's drum kit"

    Damn you, Orlowski.

    1. Andrew_b65

      Re: "Ann Frank's drum kit"

      Yes Andrew. For that corker, please step up and take a sweet from the jar.

      (Feel free to continue the good work 'bigging up' the Lumia/WP proposition btw.)

    2. Chris Reynolds

      Re: "Ann Frank's drum kit"

      I'm going to tuck that one away. One day I'll deploy it with devastating effectiveness.

    3. This post has been deleted by its author

      1. Paul Crawford Silver badge

        Re: @Betacam

        Most humour pokes fun at _someone_ and in many cases humour/satire is the way people deal with terrible things.

        If you can't laugh then you will cry.

      2. Jemma

        Re: "Ann Frank's drum kit"

        I suggest you learn your history. Anne wasn't 'murdered' she died from an infection. Diphtheria if I remember rightly (although since that was her dad on blue peter of all things, when I was about 12 my memory is fuzzy).

        Its a pet hate with me when people go off at half-educated-cock to protect one group of persecuted people yet usually are the same people who'll happily put the bums rush up the gypsies.

        If you want to show respect at least bother to research before you jump in all guns blazing

        1. This post has been deleted by its author

        2. Solmyr ibn Wali Barad

          Re: "Ann Frank's drum kit"

          "If you want to show respect at least bother to research before you jump in all guns blazing"

          Some folks are in the business of demanding respect, not showing it.

        3. stu 4

          Re: "Ann Frank's drum kit"

          er... you have a pretty fucked up definition of 'mudered' then, if you ask me.

          she died in a german concentration camp. Of typhus.

          I think most people would agree that however you die in a nazi concentration camp, you've been murdered by the germans/nazis.

        4. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: "Ann Frank's drum kit"

          @Jemma: I'm not going to come in either side of the "Good joke/inappropriate joke" camp here, but I think there's a pretty good call to say murdered. Were it not for the Nazis trying to eradicate Jews, she would not have been in a forced labour/death camp. If you die from malnutrition and typhus having been forced to live in insanitary conditions and forced to work, I'm pretty sure that counts as murder, unless you were going to do that anyway, which I severely doubt.

          You are getting dangerously close to apologising for the Holocaust.

        5. Tapeador

          Re: "Ann Frank's drum kit"

          @Jemma

          In addition to all the criticism levelled at you thus far, with which I thoroughly agree, I must point out that your statement

          "Its a pet hate with me when people go off at half-educated-cock to protect one group of persecuted people yet usually are the same people who'll happily put the bums rush up the gypsies."

          seeks to impute to the earlier commenter, hypocrisy which you have no evidence he/she possesses, based on your imagining he is probably intolerant of Roma. I wouldn't dignify such a risible assertion with even the designation of "fallacy". Being even half-educated might have prevented you from making it: alas...

          1. dogged

            Re: "Ann Frank's drum kit"

            Speaking as a Gypsy, it's pretty funny to see this comment, Tapeador. We don't call ourselves Roma when speaking English because that would be acting like a pretentious twat.

            For the record, I thought the original "Ann Frank;s drumkit" joke was funny. And as such, "appropriate" doesn't enter into it. You don't have the right to not be offended. You especially don't have any right to be offended for somebody else.

            If the somebody else is me, not only do you have no right to be offended on my behalf but I reserve the right to punch you for your assumptions.

      3. Arthur 1

        Re: "Ann Frank's drum kit"

        I have to chime in for the "out of bounds" crowd, although I see it as fairly borderline. It's one thing for off colour pub humour, but even for El Reg's intentionally tabloid-y feel this strikes me as a bit much. It's a casual throwaway comment mocking someone's horrible death. I don't buy the 'coping with tragedy' joke concept either, the casual out of nowhere usage and the fact that it's mocking her directly as opposed to the situation or circumstances really makes it seem like it's not.

        Oh, and as for the moron who chimed in with the assumption that a) anyone offended by this must hate gypsies (Romani is the inoffensive term by the way, dolt) and b) Anne Frank's ethnicity was the driving factor in any defence: you need serious help. I'm not sure there's enough therapy in the world, but seek it out anyway.

      4. Darryl

        Re: "How is that funny? A young person spent years living in fear and was then murdered."

        Too soon?

      5. This post has been deleted by its author

  3. Jemma

    Seriously...

    Why do you bother reviewing anything that isn't Apple?

    All you ever do is bitch and whine, picking the most inconsequential little features to complain about...

    Ooh the camera grip has only a 1amp/hr battery - did you not get the memo where its in ADDITION to not instead of the phone battery..

    Ooh the pureview 808 is running crappy Belle. That would be the 'crappy' Belle with HDMI out, full multitasking & USB-OTG - that is perfectly capable but for all those American companies who won't support it because they refuse to employ programmers since script kiddies with delusions of grandeur are cheaper.

    Interesting too how you fail to mention that prices for the 808 are going *up* not down.

    And the customers did look upon the 1020 & did note the lack of HDMI & MS trying to steal their files and did see that it was second rate crap.

    And lo they said as one 'bugger that, I'm getting me a proper pureview' and ebay made much commission...

    And far away, in the Palace of Ballmer, there was much wailing & rending of toupets. And eggshells were much walked upon for fear of flying chairs.

    To be blunt the 1020 does not & will not appeal to the cognoscenti. It lacks important features & adds others that people don't want & put purchasers intellectual property at risk (trusting an MS cloud with your livelihood, with the Elop in charge? you'd have to be mad). What's not to loathe about that?

    I'm getting bloody tired of saying this but when did the meaning of the word progress change to mean 'go backwards' & why didn't I get the memo..

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Seriously...@Jemma

      "To be blunt the 1020 does not & will not appeal to the cognoscenti"

      In an otherwise excellent and entertaining post, you're wrong on this assertion. There's lots to not like about the 1020 and you make a good case on those elements, but unlike most phones of the past few years it has a unique sales proposition. There is nothing else with a camera like this. Every other 1020 feature is very much par for the course on an expensive smartphone (excepting Nokia Maps which continues to best all other bundled or free offers).

      Now consider what's the difference between a Iphone 5, a Sammy S4, and whatever today's top of the line HTC is? Not much, really - polished operating systems, adequate cameras, big screens, some form of mapping, access to app stores bursting at the seams with useless crapware. But Nokia now have something on offer that differentiates them (or rather they have just differentiated themselves but sold this competitive advantage to Microsoft).

      If I were either of the big two in smartphones, I'd be worried. Neither have really added any killer technology or application to their hardware for three years or more, neither have really delivered polished navigation and mapping that you'd want to rely on.

      I'm not in the target market, and I don't like Microsoft, but even I can see that this offers something distinctive. Expect plenty of celebrity and movie product placements, and I'm sure MS will be bribing app developers to offer their wares into the Winpho app store, so there's billions going to be pushing this.

      1. RyokuMas

        Re: Seriously...@Jemma

        " I'm sure MS will be bribing app developers to offer their wares into the Winpho app store"

        Hahahahahahahaha stop it, you're killing me!

        Okay, $19/year subscription is a big improvement on $99 (as long as it lasts), but the developer center is falls over more regularly than an Essex girl after an all-night chardonnay binge - this not only makes it difficult to accurately track downloads, it also can crucify a newly launched app through zero exposure in the marketplace if the timing is bad. Plus the primary in-app advertising offering (bing ads) is piss-poor, frequently having no ads to serve and microscopic returns.

        Microsoft have a lot of learning to do when it comes to supporting developers...

      2. Dan 55 Silver badge

        Re: Seriously...@Jemma

        "There is nothing else with a camera like this."

        Well actually there is, there's an 808. If you twiddle the preset camera settings you can saturate and sharpen the image a bit so the photos turn out like they do on the 1020 as well.

        So then we're left with the real question, Symbian Belle vs. WP. Neither have much in the way of apps but at least with Symbian you're getting a more mature OS with more features.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Seriously...

      Let's just look at then conclusion of the review you're bitching about;

      "Still, momentum is now with the platform and with Microsoft's billions backing Nokia, you can be reasonably confident that your Lumia 1020 will be better at the end of your two year contract than it is today. It's by a comfortable distance the most impressive cameraphone ever made."

      This is the negative review that you're complaining about? Now if you were complaining about one of Mr Orlowski's reviews of an Android product, you might have a point, because he has a chip on his shoulder about Android, and once Mr Orlowski has a chip on his shoulder about something, you'll never hear the end of it. But this seemed to me like a very positive review with most of the details mentioned being things that I thought were significant points.

    3. LarsG

      Re: Seriously...

      They bitch and whine about everything actually.....

    4. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Seriously...

      "trusting an MS cloud with your livelihood"

      That has to be better than trusting it to The Borg - Google will scan the content and SPAM you for life.

      At least with Microsoft it's just the NSA reading it, whereas with The Borg, it's their automated SPAM / advert targeting engine AND the NSA....

      1. M Gale

        Re: Seriously...

        Calling Google "The Borg" while bigging up Microsoft? That would be some irony right there. Or cluelessness. Or perhaps both.

        Really, you think Microsoft won't be ad-tracking you to within an inch of your life as well?

  4. Jess

    Hopefully this will bring the price of the Pureview 808 down

    to the level where I can justify one to replace my N8

  5. Maharg

    :-)

    The only thing that seems a big negative for me is the uploading to Sky Drive, I understand the reasons behind it, but I would rather it just be an option, rather than doing it automatically, which unless I missed something in the article it appears to be, hopefully it will be something that can be disabled.

    As for the apps side of things, while I do use a banking app and find it useful for quick payment checks It’s not something I’m going to miss, as with twitter, only being able to see 3 tweets seems pretty dumb, but again I don’t use twitter, and I assume that this will be sorted out with updates.

    the fact it would mean a move from Android to windows I’m not to bothered about, my girlfriend has a windows phone, and just the same as if I were to move to apple there would be negatives and positives.

    The big seller is the camera, I bang on about it, but I loved my N8, and while it was still alive it out classed practically everything it came up against (Although I never compared it to an 808, which would beat a N8) to the point it had brought a newer phone, with a supposed great camera, yet I still took the N8 as my holiday, gig and festival phone just because of the camera abilities.

    I have been disappointed with my move over to android, but thats due to hardware, not software, yeah the apps are good, yeah its quicker on the internet, yeah the screens a lot bigger than the N8, and yeah it seems more intuitive, but that’s because its 4 year younger, and they still haven’t been able to rival the N8 in terms of camera, (using instagram or having to apply other filters in post-production may make it look nice, but it doesn’t mean the camera is better) I know being "connected" is the selling point, but not for me.

    In other words I am really looking forward to this!

    1. o_0

      Re: :-)

      It's optional - you can turn it off. You can also tell it to be lossless, and say whether you want it to go over 3G/4G (your data network) or wait till it finds wifi before uploading.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: :-)

      If it's like my 820, all the auto uploads are selectable, you can just use the phone separated from the Internet and just upload files when you get home by syncing.

      I did this for a while, then I smashed the screen by managing to throw it at a stone floor (don't ask) it was at the point where the shop said they'd probably have to completely reset the phone that I decided to start using auto-uploading... (As it happens they didn't have to reset it, but it was a lesson...)

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