By Vivian Cheng
Struggling phone-maker Nokia has recently released their newest phone, the Nokia Lumia 900. Unlike most other phones of their kind, this phone has a low cost of just $99.99, which makes it the rare smartphone to stay under three figures.
There are many praises to be sung for the Lumia 900. For starters, it has a bigger screen than most iPhones – 4.3 inches worth. Users will need that screen to get the most out of the 900′s eight megapixel camera with 720p video recording. 4G LTE connectivity is part of the package, naturally; we all know how much we depend on and love our data plans. For those of us just a bit clumsy, the Lumia 900 is wrapped in a durable polycarbonate shell available in black, cyan, and white.
As wonderful and new as the Lumia 900 may be, it still has its kinks. The mantra “bigger is better” hasn’t applied to smartphones for a long time, and it certainly isn’t the case for the 900. With its wide 4.3 inch screen, the larger size makes it clumsy for those with little hands or pockets to use their phone. Although it is only a couple millimeters bigger than the Lumia 800, the extra mass in your pocket is definitely noticeable when on the move.
Most phones have their power and hold buttons on the top edge of the phone, which can prevent users from accidentally putting their phone on hold or turning it off. The Lumia 900 tries something different: the power and hold buttons are on the right edge of the phone, making it very easy for users to accidentally hit the hold button, since it is just under their thumb.
When it comes to camera quality, Nokia has a pretty good reputation that isn’t helped out by the 900. Although the shutter quality isn’t anything to complain about, the results are a different story. Color reproduction is sometimes off, and in low-light locations, the pictures weren’t as clear as they could be. Even pictures captured in normal lighting came out darker, and not pleasantly so.
If you don’t mind the missteps, like a lack of compatibility with the new Windows Phone 8, then this is a great buy. However, if you intend to use your phone for more than just calling and texting you may want to look into other phones – particularly if you’re on the small-handed side.
